A Load of Rubbish - But Not In Exeter

So, did anyone notice what was 'missing' from yesterday's Exeter street scene photographs? I bet all the English readers did, as the complete absence of any 'litter' would be alien and immediately noticeable. I didn't realise such a clean city existed in the UK, so congratulations to residents and visitors alike for sticking to The Law and disposing of their rubbish in the proper fashion. As I understand it Exeter introduced 'on the spot' £80 penalties for any transgressors a year or so ago which appears to be working very well. A short period of harsh punishments would be welcome in Weymouth I know and feel would have the desired effect in very quick time!

I walk past these garages almost daily, but never even dreamed of what lay within. This morning, heading for the early bus, I encountered 2 gentlemen preparing their obvious pride and joy for a session of charity work at Poole Park. The Fire Engine is a 1963 Karrier, Carmichael from the Dorset Brigade,

while the 'pump' tender is a 1939 Dennis. I don't know the 2 gents concerned, but certainly they had more important things to do this morning than stand around 'yarning' to me. Let's hope we meet again soon.

The morning was bright and sunny enough, with just a light breeze from the west. However, as the day wore on or when cloud obscured the sun it was chilly, while at Ferry Bridge it was down right cold!

Black-headed Gulls have, to my knowledge, been absent from the area for the past couple of months but a few post breeding birds are now showing up here and there.

British Red-breasted Mergansers, in general, should now be in Eastern or Northern Europe engaged in breeding. This year, a pair have decided to stay in the southern reaches of the Fleet, but have for the most remained well away from human disturbance.

Today I watched the 'pair' leave the undisturbed waters adjacent to the Little Tern colony and swim across the lagoon and close to Ferry Bridge.

The female was content to sit on a rock, close to the bridge, until a passing kayak

put both birds to flight, sending them back to their sanctuary.

Once again on Portland there were few birds to report except for a good number of juvenile Great Tit (above), a mixed flock of about 40 Linnet/Goldfinch and a recently fledged family of Wrens at Culverwell.

There were of course Whitethroat singing from just about every available perch, seeming, as a species, to have done very well this year.

There were also a couple of comments on yesterdays post, one of which came from the Jellicle Cats

* From: DANIEL CAUTE
* To: captbagsy@waitrose.com
* Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2010 01:33:20 -0700 (PDT)
* Subject: Re: Thank You For The Music

Thanks Bagsy.

Great photos - you've pretty much covered the culture of the Jurassic Coast without once needing to focus on ammonites. Your record of Portland is particularly impressive because there is much wild beauty within this bleak and desolate place which requires 'seeking and finding'. You probably learnt how to 'seek and capture' at sea. Or perhaps it's the inner ability bestowed upon those born in the Chinese Year of the Fire Dog.

see you again soon

Dan and the Jellicle Cats

while from Jonathon Hudston, whose 'Real West Dorset' website is well worth a look, some kind words that can be viewed by clicking on 'Comments' at the bottom of yesterdays post.

and finally an unexpected 'year tick' as I checked my dhobying (washing) in my back garden this afternoon. Paying more attention to the 'heavens' than the job at hand, and with binoculars close by I watched a Hobby fly in from the south, and fly amok among the few Swifts that still remain. As a matter of trivia, the table top football, cricket, hockey et al games invented by Peter Adolph (1916 - 1994) was refused a trademark under the name Hobby (coincidentally Mr Adolph's favourite bird) so he resorted to calling it after the raptors Latin name Falco subbuteo.