Here I Go Again - The Hollies

Within a couple of hours of leaving home a new country/region has joined the readership in the shape of French Polynesia our 165th member. Heading in their direction today I could almost carry the welcome personally, if only. Many thanks for joining in, hope you enjoy the read (particularly at the beginning of a new adventure) and that you pass on the link to all your families and friends.

In addition, after a long absence, the beautiful country of Seychelles appears back on the radar. I have extremely fond memories of these fantastic islands as on my 3 separate visits there during 1966/67 realised a true Paradise. Welcome back and please stay with us!

As there is unlikely to be another opportunity to gain Internet access again today it's an early post along with a few photographs from my first Australia trip in 2008. It is hoped that some of there are seen again if indeed I make it to the continent, but of course priority there will be given to 3 little boys and their parents.

A breakfast date with Lesley at 09:00, should set me off on the right foot, then National Express to London Heathrow and the 17:40 Air China flight to Incheon, South Korea via Beijing. Hope to talk again soon.

Agile Wallaby

Great Bowerbird

'Bower' of the above, not a nest but an ornate and pains taking way of attracting the 'girls'.

Bar-shouldered Dove

Hello-Goodbye Lizard

A few of the birds of the Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory.

Kori Bustard

Little Corella

Magpie Goose, just one of what could well have been 100,000?

Pheasant Coucal

Before our arrival there had been on rain in Alice Springs for 19 months, now the Todd River was in full spate!

Along with Pink-eared Duck, one of the highlights of the Alice Springs Sewrage Works was lots of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper.

The Olgas sister to Ayre's Rock

If you're out with Bob who needs Crocodile Dundee?

Ayer's Rock (Uluru) they say you either fall under its spell or not. For me it was hook, line & sinker!

Breaking Wave Rock Formation, Uluru

Aboriginal Cave Paintings, Uluru

ARE WE THERE YET?

	1	0.00%	Bolivia
	1	0.00%	Turks And Caicos Islands
	1	0.00%	Cayman Islands
	1	0.00%	Cameroon
	1	0.00%	Mauritius
	1	0.00%	Kazakhstan
	1	0.00%	Honduras
	1	0.00%	Fiji
	1	0.00%	Martinique
	1	0.00%	Macao
	1	0.00%	Afghanistan
	1	0.00%	Guyana
	1	0.00%	Seychelles
	1	0.00%	French Polynesia
	1	0.00%	Suriname
	1	0.00%	Botswana
	1	0.00%	Saint Lucia
	1	0.00%	Ghana

Seeing Afghanistan back among the readers has to be down to my exceptionally professional new dentist Sara Banuri who I have to thank for sending me off with a clean bill of health. Thanks Sara see you soon.

Big In Japan - Alphaville II

Weather wise, today was almost a carbon copy of yesterday with bright sunshine and a cloudless sky, but gone was the chill wind making it once again like spring.

Almost as if to endorse this, the first bird encountered in the cemetery was this female Blackcap

not likely to be a new arrival, but who knows given the conditions?

At Radipole, and taking the western loop path, a Sparrowhawk preceded me flying only inches from the ground seemingly in hunting mode (when aren't they). It also appeared to be carrying prey but soon took a sharp left and disappeared into the bushes. Worthy of a stealthy approach it saw me first and flushed low over my head, dropping its prey at the same time. So close was all of this that the hapless bird brushed my arm as it fluttered into another bush, from where I could see it was a

Water Rail. Unfortunately, mortally wounded, there was only one humane course of action then leaving it where it had fallen in hope the Raptor would recover it rather than make another kill.

The Cetti's Warblers were far more coy today, or maybe they had seen the hawk, and only broke cover briefly.

Arriving on Weymouth Seafront, it looked rather much as though I'll be leaving town under spring-like conditions tomorrow as I head off into the hinterland. While there were no bird to be seen there, it was well worth a wander along the prom before boarding the bus to

Portland Bill where my first encounter was with fellow birder John Lucas who had conveniently just located these

2 Purple Sandpipers. There was little else to see there, except he did say there was a Redwing in the area,

so I continued along the coast, via Pulpit Rock to the Bird Observatory. There I was given a warm send off from both John and Warden Martin Cade and while walking the Bill Road came across Janet Read and later John Gifford along with sister Maggie who also wished me luck. Last port of call was to say my farewells to the Secret Lemonade Drinker who, expecting me, had a delicious 'pot mess' (stew) on the table within minutes of arrival.

I have to thank all of these plus those who have sent a string of e-mails wishing me luck, including the one reproduced below from long time birding friend and resident of Japan Chris Cook.

Dear Cap'n Bagsy -- Greetings from sunny Tokyo, ahead of your imminent departure for overseas. Good luck and safe travels -- and happy family reunions! I found this information today on a Beijing birding blog. I think the birds were seen in January -- it might be of interest to you:

"On the way back south, we stopped at Zhuanghe, a port town between Dandong and Dalian, to look for Relict Gulls, a large flock of which Paul found a few days before. We saw only a handful, probably due to the high tide".

Zhuanghe is situated on the south coast of China only a short 200 miles as the Relict Gull flies, so as well as receiving a mail from Chris it has also boosted my confidence of finding my own in Korea.

Thanks Chris you're a Gent!

and finally, looks like the weather isn't too bad in Incheon albeit a little colder.

• Tuesday

  2°C -4°C 2mph East North Easterly

• Wednesday

  8°C 1°C 6mph Easterly

• Thursday

  9°C -1°C 10mph North North Westerly

• Friday

  9°C -1°C 7mph East North Easterly

Night

Sunset 18:16

-4°C 4mph South South Easterly

Same Course, Same Speed

Apart from a thin veneer of early morning frost anyone could be forgiven for believing that today was the first day of spring. Sun beaming from a cloudless sky, there was also a gentle breeze from the north west which would only be felt to full effect later in the day. Most of the common garden birds were in full voice but prominent among them were Blackbird and Chaffinch both seemingly chasing potential partners or warding off rivals in the cemetery.

The dead reeds at Radipole looked golden under these conditions while across the bye-pass road

this distant Song Thrush

was adding its own accompaniment to something of a perfect day.

An impromptu shot of a pair of Shoveler landing close by was followed by

that of Herring Gulls plus a Cormorant on one of the small islands at the north end of the lake.

Further to the north and very distant something seemed to have flush a number of birds including the male Marsh Harrier, a Little Egret plus about 20 Gadwall.

Also showing well for a change were a couple of

Cetti's Warbler, the speciality of the reserve,

along with Wood Pigeon

and probably as many as 50 Common Snipe.

My first reaction arriving at Ferry Bridge by bus was Brrrrrrrr as thus far the conurbation had provided a perfect lee from the stiff and chilly wind.

However, quickly back to business as a Little Egret

flew in to join 2 others in Portland Harbour, where also

these 2 drake Red-breasted Merganser

were unusually close to the road.

Brent Geese were thin on the ground, with this half dozen being one of only 2 small skeins seen today.

The other party of maybe 20 individuals were only seen as result of disturbance by these high powered military craft

which were thought quite likely to be training for security measures at the up coming Olympic Games Sailing Event taking place in local waters this summer. I'm sure the splendid backdrop of the Purbeck Hills and cliffs will not have gone unnoticed by the readership, what a sight and there are miles more!

The highlight of the day came, and went very quickly, while taking a look at the building progress of the new Chesil Beach/Fleet Visitor's Centre. A Black Redstart was flitting around inside the fenced off area but never allowed for a photograph this one having been taken from the files.

and finally the Speedboats returned to the Fleet and most likely to the Army Bridging Camp just beyond the caravans on the next headland.