With My Little Ekulele In My Hand - George Formby

It was always going to be a long run from Weymouth to South Cave, a small village just outside of Hull, but the very fact that it rained continuously for the whole journey made it a little easier to bare. I wouldn't have been able to get out and about anyway so what better way of passing a wet day that going to visit 'very special friends.

Glad to be back at Beverley Road after a long absence

Jim the Medic, was quick to serve the Spanish Chicken accompanied by beer, Charlie Herring Tau Syrah, Rusty Nail and several other alcoholic beverages.

You don't get away without being Ukulelied in this house, but some relief was had when

Liz arrived back from a Girlie Night Out! The music was varied ranging from Rosin Murphy to David MacAlmont, and Pink Floyd to Chas & Dave and at 03:00

there was just time for a 'Quick Step' before Liz called it a day. Jim and I followed some 30 minutes later so needless to say it was

not at all an early start this morning, when my hosts were keen to show me their local Nature Reserve.

A good start with Siskin

and Goldfinch feeding in the Alders, and

a couple of Twitchers in the hide.

Views from the Hide.

Teal Island

and Teal in flight.

Gulls on nearby fields.

Song Thrush

and something we see precious little of in Dorset - Tree Sparrow.

Another hard day at the office and well deserving of a pint,

so off to the village of Goodmanham and more particularly the pub of the same name.

I don't remember having such a warm welcome in any pub from locals,

Landlord Vito, centre, and staff alike.

a great 'sing song' was to follow, George Formby eat your heart out, along with great fun

with every one there.

Liz unwrapped one of her Christmas presents a smashing Tambourine which added to the musical success.

Back home it was time to enjoy my Christmas Eve present to all 3 of us,

Foie Gras d'Oie and Sauternes

a nice little repast before going partying this evening, no knowing what time we'll be back so don't wait up!

A Ghost of Christmas Past

With a full 12 hours on a National Express Coach in prospect today, we'll take another look back through the archive, this time to Christmas/New Year 2007/2008. During this period I was on a sea-going expedition from Ushuaia, Southern Argentina, visiting many of the South Atlantic Islands and landing on mainland Antarctica as well. I am occasionally asked which has been the best of my many travels and this was singularly it!

Icebergs come in various shapes and sizes, this one was just 28 miles long.

Having spent the first year of my sea-going career on a ship mainly deployed inside the Arctic Circle, I became familiar with many of the terms associated with ice formations. This is what would be described as a Bergy Bit, a small iceberg in the latter stages of melting and rising between 1-4 meters / 3-13 feet out of the water.

A Growler on the other hand is a very small chunk of floating ice that rise only about 1 meter / 3 feet out of the water. When trapped air escapes as the iceberg melts it sometimes makes a sound like the growl of an animal, and that's how growlers got their name. Both are extremely dangerous to shipping,

but one mans danger maybe a Penguins sanctuary.

The thankfully redundant Whaling Station at Grytviken on the Island of South Georgia was a grizzly reminder of how thousands of these magnificent beasts met their end.

More Bergs.

Black-browed Albatross Colony.

and more Penguins.

King George Island, Antarctica.

The Ice Man takes a rest on arrival on Mainland Antarctica.

The Stern Trawler Saga Sea fishing mid-water for Krill. My view? Keep ALL industries out of these ares, I think we may have been looking at the thin edge of an extremely large wedge.

A couple more images across the Antarctic Ocean,

and a video

The Year's Best Two Dozen + 4

The plan was to end a great year of 'Dorset Birding' with a flourish, but on the final day it just didn't happen. Regular readers will doubtless recognise these images of Lyme Regis, in my home county of Dorset, a place I have very much rediscovered and enjoyed this year. The word on the street is that the Spotted Sandpiper has shown itself again here, and as an absentee from my Dorset December List (yes I know) it was something of a priority.

A search was made of all the likely places including the Harbour,

all Harbour Walls and Sea Defences

up to and including The Cob and Rocks beyond. There was no sign of any Black Redstart, Grey Wagtail or Dippers up on a huge up side I did meet a group of 3 people, one from Bulgaria and the others from Poland, which was a great kick. There was time to stop and chat and once again, if you are reading this, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The year may still end with a flurry of bird-life, and while there are still 10 days to go, these will not be spent at home. On the strength of all of that I think we can happily sub the year up with what for me have been the 28 best photographs of the year. It is hoped to publish a look-back at the year overall on New Years Eve.

A great start to the year as this Long-billed Dowitcher stayed over from 2010, and although ranging far and wide it was remarkably confiding particularly in Poole Park.

Later in January we were blessed with an influx of Waxwing sticking around long enough for most people to see them.

During the second month there were a good number of Bewick's Swan at their traditional wintering quarters at Ibsley, Hampshire always worth the drive, and

by this time a Ring-billed Gull had also arrived in Poole Park where it stayed for a number of days.

The first good bird for March, a Rufous (Oriental) Turtle Dove, (archive photo from South Korea) required a 'twitch' to Oxfordshire and was well worth the drive for a GB first for me.

Red-throated Diver was at last photographed in Dorset during the same month,

and before March was over a Hoopoe at Portland was added to the Year List.

On the 2nd of April the counties second Red-flanked Bluetail arrived to the delight of many, but for Dave Tissington and I this was followed by a flight to Aberdeen, Scotland.

Red Grouse are usually easy enough to see, but given what they describe as the Glorious First (August when the shooting season starts) it's no wonder they are a little difficult to approach.

Before April was over, it was a case of 'right time, right place' as this Sub-Alpine Warbler obligingly got tangled in an Observatory mist net.

On the 20th May I was also close at hand for the Radipole Black-winged Stilt, coinciding with my own urge to migrate.

It was California Baja, Mexico for Yellow-footed Gull one of the final 3 Gulls in the world I had not yet seen.

Hawaii was next and very successful seeing for the first time, Fairy Tern, then

Laysan Albatross plus the endemic

Hawaiian Duck. Other favorites included

Tufted Puffin

Red-legged Kittiwake (my 'Bird of the Year').

Rock Sandpiper

Australian King Parrot

Bald Eagle


Long-tailed Skua

Pigeon Guillemot

Red-necked Phalarope

Scrub Jay