Fire Brigade - The Move

Chaffinch predominated in the cemetery this morning, with clearer skies than yesterday and the same light airs made for a most pleasant morning. A second look at the Purple Heron would have been acceptable but one circuit of the loop and it was off to

 the most calming scene at FERRY BRIDGE and the FLEET. For all the tranquillity there was little in the way of bird life except for 2 each of Little Egret and Mediterranean Gull but something of a visible migration going on.

Corvides (Crows) were much in evidence as Carrion Crow, Rook and Jackdaw all flew high overhead in double figures. I'm sure there must have been at least one instance when I have been here and not recorded a single Wader but that was the case today, but did start to muse about the new wooden bridge across the lagoon.

 With the might and the expertise of all the organisations noted on the board along with the RSPB et al, surely between them they could have designed a structure to cope with 'Highest Astronomical Tides' as it is the bridge becomes impassable at these high tides - so much (once again) for the EXPERTS!

Portland Harbour was similarly lifeless but a real picture nonetheless, but where was the 205 service (bus) to Portland Bill???? As I returned to Weymouth the 20 minutes late service was seen but the rest of my morning would be spent on Radipole.

Regular readers will doubtless remember my prediction that the totally unnecessary viewing platforms there would attract the vandal as can be seen hear, but rumour had it that the Purple Heron was now showing well perched in a tree.

A single POCHARD was seen as I headed for the concrete bridge to find the information had been accurate

with the Heron on display.

Close approach was neither available or recommended

but good views along with poor pictures quickly followed.

Close cousin the GREY HERON is always on view here.

and finally, one of the greatest thrills I get from this Blog is when someone I don't know suddenly appears from out of the GPO Parcel Office (as was the case whilst pursuing the Purp), greets me by name and says how much they enjoy the publication. Dave Myers from Plymouth, a first response Fire Officer, read my account of the night we saved the Libyan Freighter Eben Magid in the English Channel and shared it with his colleagues at the Fire Station. All, I am told are now avid readers and my only wish was that time had allowed for a longer chat and maybe a pint. Thanks Dave and great (albeit short) to meet you. 

 That might even be Dave for all I know??

 Some images from that fateful time when lives were saved.

No Holds 'BARRED' - Fist of Fury

Under a leaden sky and little in the way of wind, a welcome change from recent days, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Jay were both seen in the cemetery for the first time this autumn. Additionally, Goldcrest numbers seemed to have increased while in the northern half it was difficult to tell if the vandalised

CHAPEL of REST was being demolished or refurbished after the fire? Given the still and dry condition, and because desperation was setting in, it was always going to be worth another look for the Purple Heron which I knew was seen yesterday.

Unfortunately, the c8 Herons that flew overhead as I reached the Concrete Bridgewere all of the GREY variety, but with c11 Skylark flying through and dozens of Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits along with a few Chiffchaffs that something was stirring in the 'small bird' department. Calling Goldfinch caught my attention on the east pathway which were in company with at least c10

LESSER REDPOLL also feeding

with an unknown number of SISKINs in flight.

SISKIN and LESSER REDPOLL.  Disappointingly, there was to be no Purple Heron but who knows it might over-winter????

Heading for Portland Bill it was noted that Portland Port is becoming more like a STENA FERRY TERMINAL, but good for those who now work in the old Royal Navy Dockyard.

Within a few short paces of the bus stop it was obvious that here too migrants were landing in good numbers, and while there was no intent to count there were dozen upon dozen of

PIED WAGTAIL,

a sprinkling of WHEATEAR,

a decent flock of STARLINGs

 along with ever present ROCK PIPITs.

Nearing the redundant Lighthouse which is the extremely active Portland Bird Observatory

one of the Obs Quarry LITTLE OWLs

was obliging with a bit of a pose, while on arrival I was very quickly onto one of the recently arrived

 

FIRECREST but not quick enough with the camera

 

as these shots come from the archive. Performing my usual duty of making The Warden a coffee I barley got the cup to my lips when this fine fella was lovingly removed from one of the mist nets.

 FRONT

A BARRED WARBLER, a rare visitor from the east and only the 3rd I have seen in Great Britain, so Lady Luck really was starting to shine.

 BACK

 SIDE

and HEAD DETAIL

 

Not to be left out here is a shot of the Higher Light, the first of Portland's Lighthouses to be built, by which time I had been offered a lift back to Weymouth by birding friend Neville Fowler who I had not seen at all this year so far. This effectively put me a full hour ahead of catching the bus and even further if I had stopped off at Secret's for yet another coffee, but I was on a 'roll' and decided to return to Radipole.

Taking up station at the Shelter, where the Purple Heron had last been seen (soon after I left earlier this morning) where the 

MUTE SWANs seemed unusually flighty, while as ever at this time of year the 

ROBINS

were most confiding. At the shelter there was a group of visiting birders who were staying at the Obs, some of whom had already seen the Heron, and many eyes theoretically made the task easier. During our time together we had Kingfisher, several Bearded Tit, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Cetti's Warbler, Stonechat and a couple of Little Egret. They departed after an hour and it was another full 60 minutes before I got he briefest glimpse of the target bird flying just below the reed tops. After a wait of over 40 years, finally what has been my Dorset Bogey Bird for far too long

PURPLE HERON

reached the log. The photographs, of course, are from the archive.

Finally, walking back home this GREAT CRESTED GREBE was so close it was impossible to resist - manana!

Here Comes The Flood - Peter Gabriel

 Here Comes The Flood - Link

 Lyrically, for me, one of the greatest compositions ever - Please Listen!

After another night of torrential rain there seemed little chance of getting out early morning (which may have been a blessing in disguise with so much to do) but by sunrise all that remained was the stiff breeze so chance of a short walk. Chances of the Purple Heron, my Dorset Bogey Bird, where still a prospect so to Radipole via a dull cemetery where water levels were up and the Heron stayed down, if indeed it's still there?

First to show was a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER, almost guaranteed in the Park Gardens but hit and miss on the reserve.

A good number of BLACK-HEADED GULLs were also evident including a few sub-adult birds. Cetti's Warbler were singing away among the Sedge while the plaintive 'call' of Reed Bunting was also heard as a

GREAT CRESTED GREBE floated by.

 

WATER RAIL were also vocal with only one seen, along with a Marsh Harrier and 'prize of the day'

an extremely short glimpse of a BITTERN

which would have been better if seen like this one at Hatch Pond last year!

 

A pattern of 'single' sightings was forming as again there was only one MEDITERRANEAN GULL on the car park, but

c2 CORMORANT at the Bridge.

 Back in the Summer, I was seeing the HOODED MERGANSER on an almost daily basis when it looked like this. Since then it has completed its moult and is now back

 in pristine plumage.

Across Westham Bridge both LITTLE GREBE and

COOT were showing well, the latter in increased numbers. Heading for the Portland bus, I found my way partially blocked by flood water, not helped by the highest tides of the year,

but balancing along the harbour wall and past the equally flooded slipway I managed to get through,

Weymouth Outer Harbour looked terrific with a back-drop of cloud formation and the boats 'flying so high' looking every bit as though they might topple onto the roadway at any minute. Portland was only to sort yet another computer problem, which was fixed by Secret in quick time, but before the bus what had been a familiar sight in my past life.

What is known as a HISTAR TARGET was moored outside of the Council Offices but looking a little more sophisticated than the basic design we used to tow out into the English Channel in the 70's and 80's for Naval Gunfire Practise. A very light structure and easy to tow, especially by my ship then the Ocean Tug Confiance, the only difficulty came when recovering the 1 mile long 2-5 inch polypropylene tow rope 'by hand', but soon overcome by young sailors!