Botswana, YES Botswana is the latest in the 149 long line of countries to join our list of readers, and they are extended as warm a welcome as all others. Once again a nation I have had the privilege to visit, leaving with me memories of beautiful people and a diverse range of flora and fauna that would delight anyone. Thank you so much for logging on, and in time honoured fashion we ask you to pass the link to your friends and families.
Entering 'Chobe National Park', BotswanaHeady days during 1997 wandering through some of the Southern Counties of South Africa with a former admirer, which included Zimbabwe and Zambia.
So, back to reality and my stroll up the thoroughfare that is
King Street, sees it open once again to 'two way traffic' after a long refurbishment.
Along the way notices on bus shelters etc are reminding us that it is now just 'one year' before the opening of the Olympic Games, while our 'forward looking' Council sit in chamber (excuse the pun) deciding whether or not we should have portable toilets at the Nothe (get a grip boys and girls).
There had been little to report from the cemetery, while Radipole did produce a female and 2 juvenile Marsh Harriers, 3 adult plus 2 juvenile Common Terns and a few Common Swifts. At Lodmoor overall things were much the same as yesterday except it was good to see this young, tail-less and camera shy Song Thrush fending for itself, while
2 Common Redshank were thought to be new arrivals.
Having a passion for Gulls, especially the plumage of young birds, I simply couldn't resist the temptation to share these 'in flight' shots of a
juvenile Black-headed Gull and similarly
a Mediterranean Gull with you.
Additionally, the splendid view from the west path towards Horse Lynch Copse and the intended 'Wild Flower Meadow' between it and the reed-bed.
Grey Heron
Green Sandpiper, still represented by at least 5 individuals, remain on the Moor as does the Stilt Sandpiper, which once again eluded me for most of my stay, but
this Common Starling just seemed to be crying out to be photographed, so here it is!
Returning just briefly to yesterday's 'wine sale', I just happened to come across (after a 6 hours concerted search) a couple of images of when the self same admirer mentioned above gifted me a bottle of
'vintage 1990' Chateaux d'Yquem, Sauternes for my 50th birthday. It still remains unopened, so if you're lucky enough to be passing by when it is, who knows!Finally today, I suddenly realised 'TASTE' had spent too much time neglected in the CD cupboard, so played the full suite! Ostensibly a 3 piece unit, it was in essence a 'One Man Band' comprising the incomparable Irish legend Rory Gallagher. Not that fellow countrymen bassist Richard McCracken and drummer John Wilson were any less capable (in my view 2 outstanding musicians of their day), but Gallagher was always well aware of his own talents and capabilities and always destined for a 'solo' career.
A short lived entity, Taste was formed in 1966 and laid to rest in 1970 when Rory 'went solo' employing equally capable musicians on a salaried basis.
The self titled first album is acclaimed by many to be their 'best effort', but for my money 'On the Boards' came well up to scratch, while their only other release (if you don't count a sort of bootleg effort Live (at the Montreux Casino) 'Live at the Isle of Wight' is, again in my view, one of the Top Five best 'Live' albums ever! I do believe I was there in '70 for that performance, but you know what they say, "if you remember being at the Isle of Wight then you weren't there".Trivia:-
When asked by the press "what does it feel like to be the greatest guitarist in the world?". Jimi Hendrix replied "best go ask Rory Gallagher!"
Rory's signature 'battered' Fender Stratocaster Guitar was once stolen by a thief who became so full of remorse he returned the instrument to its owner. This link will lead you to some of the 'live' recordings from the 1970 I of W Festival which is not only notable for the Taste performance, for one take a listen to Dylan's rendition of the seminal 'Desolation Row - I'm just about to.I WISH I WAS YOUR CATFISH !
