The Intro & The Outro - Bonzo Dog Doo Da Band

Today's post is mostly about yesterday which was Wedding Day for my friends Jon Storey and Sally Marsden. The ceremony was held at the new Weymouth Registry Office now located within the Adult Education Centre on Dorchester Road, and they had the honour of being the first couple to 'plight their troth' in these new surroundings.

With no 'birding' and most of the morning given over to 'preening' my outing could hardly have started better that to take lunch with these 2 lovely ladies Jill and Lesley. Unusually, I had curry and with an excellent bottle of Rosé to accompany it was sprinting blocks nailed in for a great afternoon/evening.

And all the bells were ringing twas a great day in his life, for the songs that they were singing was for Jon Storey and his wife. And the little congregation hoped for guidance from above,

lead us not into temptation, let us bless this celebration may their lives be filled with love!
(abridged) The 3 Bells - Jim Reeves

Get Me To The Church On Time - Stanley Holloway
a slightly pensive Jon awaits.

Here Comes the Bride - Trad.
Accompanied by eldest son Paul.

"and so Sally can't wait, but Don't Look Back in Anger I hear you say!" - Oasis

The 'Ring' - Wagner

Sealed With A Kiss - Brian Hyland

The Sign - Ace of Base

We Are Family - Sister Sledge

Celebration - Kool & the Gang

Very Special Guests (at least I thought so) Yours Truly & Lesley Brown

Let the party commence, Bride, Groom and Guests muster at the Park Hotel.

Dean Martin, Phil Armstrong & Lady Friend

Tina & Rob landlords of the Three Compasses, Charminster where the last Storey 'bash' was held, his 50th on that occasion.

Such gatherings of the 'musical elite' (and there have been a few over the years) never fails to remind me of the 'Bonzo' spoof (Intro & Outro)

Introducing the Band

Click to See & Hear the Original

Introducing Jonathon Arthur on Gibson Guitar,

step forward the Mighty Danny Adams on Base Guitar,

Quasimodo on Bells

Peter Smith on Stools (just watch my pint Smudge),

J Arthur Rank on Gong

Temporarily redundant TV actor, Stuntman & Movie Stand-in Dean Martin on the Dole,

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Triangle,

Jaymz Perry on 'skins',

Roy Rogers on Trigger

step up World Renowned Duo Figgy & Rob Scriven on Maracas & Mic's,

The Dagenham Girl Pipers (feat. the Queen Mother on Bagpipes) taking the day off,

an Appreciative Audience on the PISH,

The Happy Couple on the Dance Floor

and finally a special guest appearance, for one night only,
Adolf Hitler on Glockenspiel

As for today, the only photograph worthy of publication was this

Little Grebe, one of a number

now all in 'winter plumage. Otherwise, 4 Brent Geese flying over the cemetery were the first I have recorded at that site ('Tick'), while at the Bill there was the sighting of my first autumn Redwing, along with a few Swallows, Siskins, Skylark and Pied Wagtails.

and finally, just one of a number of responses to the Hazel O;Connor "Will You?" post.

Hi Bagsy,

Hope all is good with you. I feel I ought to apologise for not getting in contact more often, however your recent music- related comments have forced my hand! 'Will You?' by Hazel O'Connor is quite simply stunning. The track first came to my attention in the early eighties as it was much played by my late sister and I've adored it ever since- every note is etched on my memory and the saxophone is beyond compare. I occasionally ask acquaintances which track they would choose to hear if they were allowed only one more in this life and invariably they cannot come up with a definite answer, however, for me there is only one and this is it!!!

All the best and hopefully we will meet at the next mega,
Mark Forster

and finally, finally

It has just been announced that Liam Fox the Defence Secretary has resigned from Cabinet. His brother was my boss for a short period while working in the North Sea, all I can say on the strength of that is "I'm not surprised!"

Nice Day For A White Wedding - Billy Idol

A 'cop out' post today I'm afraid, as it's the day Jon Storey marries Sally Marsden. It is hoped to rectify this tomorrow with photos of what should be the Rock 'n' Roll wedding of the year, starting with the ceremony early afternoon and followed by a reception (in the Park Hotel) that could easily wend well into the night? There should also be the bonus of seeing many our Muso and TV mates, but that is an unknown quantity at the moment.

Until tomorrow then, I'll take this opportunity of thanking Martin Cade, Professor Peter Morgan and a whole host of other 'ringers' for their staunch efforts over the year bringing to us a stream of 'Birds in the Hand'. This, of course, also has the knock on effect of allowing many of us to view both rare and common birds at close quarters. Here are a few for the readership to marvel at.

Manana!

House Sparrow

Lesser Whitethroat

Goldfinch

Melodious Warbler

Garden Warbler

Nightingale © Martin Cade

Common Redstart

Pallas's Warbler

Brambling

Ring Ouzel

Blackcap

Subalpine Warbler

Will You - Hazel O'Connor

Without an iota of change in the weather or bird situation locally today, I took a little time to stroll through the cemetery paying more attention to the monuments than anything else. Tucked away in a corner, I noted the tomb of these 2 eminent Royal Navy Officers who, despite their rank, appear to be little known on Google.

Radipole produced nothing outside of the expected, so before taking the bus directly to Portland Bill there was a little time to wander

Weymouth Sands & Seafront

now devoid of the Summer (or even Indian Summer) tourists. Apart from the continuing keen westerly wind, there were only a few Swallows and Siskins heading out into the English Channel,

and the now seemingly established resident Little Owl in the Observatory Quarry, seeming a little bashful today. Even at PBO nothing seemed to be stirring with only about a dozen birds on the 'ringing list' today. On the walk to Southwell I did encounter this other local!

Obviously not familiar with the Highway Code, this Kestrel saw fit to stop despite the Clearway sign. It is unusual to be able to get this close to any bird of prey, but unperturbed by my presence it allowed close approach and this series of photographs.

Kestrel

A shot from the bus at 'low tide' Ferry Bridge, showing exposed Oyster Beds and the sand bar (complete with a number of Mediterranean Gulls) close to the Small Mouth entrance.

Probably? the final photos from Venezuela?

Yellow-crowned Parrot

Yellow-headed Caracara

Yellow-knobbed Curassow

finally, it would seem that my choice of an 'All Time' Top Twenty Pop Songs Chart has generated quiet a bit of interest, especially concerning "Will You" by Hazel O'Connor. There is even something here for the 'naturalist' as I know of no other music link that kicks off with Six-spot Burnet on Knapweed!

Sometime, especially when listening to this exceptional song, I want to re-jig the chart and put it firmly at No1, but then I'd have Jimi to contend with. Described as 'exceptional', not only for the haunting voice of Ms O'Connor, and the naivety of the lyric but the whole structure of the piece. Clocking in at a meagre No8 in the Pop Chart of 23 May 1981, the first time listener may think it just another 3 minute bauble joining many thousands before it. On the contrary, there is far more to this than just a pop song. At precisely 2 minutes and 42 seconds into what is a pleasant enough madrigal, it sounds to be coming to an end before the stix are cascaded across the whole drum kit, bringing back to life what is without question the finest saxophone break in the whole of pop/rock music. To say it outshines Rafferty's Baker Street and The Saxophone Song from the Kate Bush album The Kick Inside would be a bold statement indeed, where it not 100% plausible! You have the link, so take a listen, and weep!

You drink your coffee and I sip my tea
And we're sitting here playing so cool, thinking "What will be, will be"
But it's getting kind of late now
Oh I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?

I move a little closer to you, not knowing quite what to do
And I'm feeling all fingers and thumbs, I spill my tea, oh silly me!
But it's getting kind of late now
I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?

And then we touch much too much
This moment has been waiting for a long long time
Makes me shiver, it makes me quiver
This moment I'm so unsure
This moment I've waited for
Is it something you've been waiting for, waiting for too?

Take off your eyes, bare your soul
Gather me to you and make me whole
Tell me your secrets, sing me the song
Sing it to me in the silent tongue
But it's getting kind of late now
I wonder if you'll stay now, stay now, stay now, stay now
Or will you just politely say goodnight?