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With the temperature rising to 29.9C in some parts of the UK yesterday, this was an October record for the country, and if early morning was anything to go by that record could soon be broken. Heading straight to Portland, as usual stopping at a
recently ploughed Helen's Field to find it teeming with birds albeit of common species only. Difficult to ascertain numbers but I did count 150 Pied Wagtail with at least a similar number in adjoining fields. Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch and Wheatear were all showing in many 'tens' while Robins, Chiffchaff, Blackbirds and Siskins were also numerous.
Wheatear
Wheatear with Goldfinch
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Continuing on to the Bird Observatory
The Warden Martin Cade had already been busy for a number of hours tending the mist nets, from which on one 'round' he re-trapped yesterday's
Nightingale. I wasn't there for either of these events too slack yesterday and too late today, but with Martin's blessing thought these fine shots of a species more often heard than seen
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should be conveyed to a wider audience. What a beauty?
Portland Bird Obs You will find this link well worth a look. So, with the number of birds dwindling as the morning wore on, and unable to locate the Little Owl that had been showing earlier, it was back to the reliability of the Moth Traps where quantity was much greater that quality!
Blair's Shoulder Knot
Feathered Brindle and
Beautiful Gothic.
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There was a small bonus by way of a
7-spot Ladybird on the patio wall before I left the Obs, to find
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this single, unidentified
Fungi (looks like the Chestnut Mushrooms I get from Asda)
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and a
Carrion Crow, bill agape, obviously being effected by the now soring temperature?
and so to
Australia where there was a birthday yesterday.
Frederick David aft
(seen here being ably assisted by brother
Alexander) my second Grandson was 2 years old yesterday.
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It was by all accounts a great party, attended by lots of family (mostly children)
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who no doubt were 'champing at the bit' to get tucked into the
Fred is 2 Choo Choo.
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but there were of course traditions to maintain, such as blowing out the candles, but seemingly a little out of puff he was helped by
Daddy Bernard & Mummy Lisa.
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After all those Smarties it must have been nice just to take the weight off your feet and get the Old Man to read a few Birthday Cards.
Congratulations Son! May there be many, many more!
and finally an end of month look at the
Stat Counter where the
Motherland has gained a further 1,000 points and the
USA getting closer by the day to the 2,000 mark. it is fantastic to note that with the addition of
India there are now 15 countries inside the treble figure boundary, but most pleasing to me this month are the number of 'new'
African Countries that now participate in the read,
14 in all - WOW - but unfortunately 10 others having dropped off the scale.
Thank You
to each and every reader and hope you will pass the Link on to EVERYONE you know!
 | 18089 | 72.36% | United Kingdom |  |
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 | 1832 | 7.33% | United States |  |
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 | 624 | 2.50% | Canada |  |
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 | 551 | 2.20% | Taiwan |  |
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 | 343 | 1.37% | Estonia |  |
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 | 318 | 1.27% | Australia |  |
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 | 247 | 0.99% | Germany |  |
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 | 237 | 0.95% | France |  |
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 | 212 | 0.85% | Netherlands |  |
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 | 193 | 0.77% | New Zealand |  |
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 | 153 | 0.61% | Italy |  |
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 | 132 | 0.53% | Japan |  |
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 | 132 | 0.53% | Brazil |  |
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 | 112 | 0.45% | Spain |  |
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 | 101 | 0.40% | India |  |
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 | 80 | 0.32% | Belgium |  |
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 | 69 | 0.28% | Sweden |  |
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 | 67 | 0.27% | Poland |  |
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 | 67 | 0.27% | Switzerland |  |
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 | 61 | 0.24% | Colombia |  |
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 | 58 | 0.23% | Thailand |  |
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 | 58 | 0.23% | Peru |  |
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 | 49 | 0.20% | American Samoa |  |
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 | 42 | 0.17% | South Africa |  |
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 | 41 | 0.16% | Mexico |  |
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 | 41 | 0.16% | Malaysia |  |
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 | 40 | 0.16% | Russian Federation |  |
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 | 40 | 0.16% | Finland |  |
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 | 39 | 0.16% | Romania |  |
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 | 39 | 0.16% | Denmark |  |
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 | 38 | 0.15% | Norway |  |
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 | 36 | 0.14% | Hungary |  |
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 | 35 | 0.14% | Singapore |  |
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 | 35 | 0.14% | Israel |  |
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 | 35 | 0.14% | Philippines |  |
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 | 33 | 0.13% | Korea, Republic Of |  |
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 | 30 | 0.12% | Chile |  |
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 | 29 | 0.12% | Bulgaria |  |
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 | 28 | 0.11% | Turkey |  |
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 | 27 | 0.11% | Sri Lanka |  |
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 | 27 | 0.11% | Greece |  |
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 | 26 | 0.10% | Argentina |  |
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 | 26 | 0.10% | Dominican Republic |  |
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 | 25 | 0.10% | Indonesia |  |
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 | 25 | 0.10% | Ukraine |  |
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 | 25 | 0.10% | Croatia |  |
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 | 24 | 0.10% | Hong Kong |  |
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 | 23 | 0.09% | Portugal |  |
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 | 22 | 0.09% | Vietnam |  |
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 | 18 | 0.07% | Saudi Arabia |  |
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 | 18 | 0.07% | Serbia |  |
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 | 18 | 0.07% | Pakistan |  |
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 | 17 | 0.07% | Ireland |  |
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 | 17 | 0.07% | Malta |  |
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 | 17 | 0.07% | Czech Republic |  |
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 | 15 | 0.06% | Costa Rica |  |
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 | 14 | 0.06% | Anonymous Proxy |  |
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 | 13 | 0.05% | Madagascar |  |
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 | 13 | 0.05% | United Arab Emirates |  |
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 | 12 | 0.05% | Guatemala |  |
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 | 12 | 0.05% | Venezuela |  |
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 | 11 | 0.04% | Lithuania |  |
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 | 11 | 0.04% | Europe |  |
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 | 10 | 0.04% | Slovakia |  |
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 | 8 | 0.03% | Austria |  |
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 | 8 | 0.03% | Guernsey |  |
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 | 8 | 0.03% | Egypt |  |
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 | 7 | 0.03% | Jordan |  |
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 | 7 | 0.03% | Ecuador |  |
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 | 6 | 0.02% | Oman |  |
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 | 6 | 0.02% | Kuwait |  |
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 | 6 | 0.02% | Bangladesh |  |
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 | 6 | 0.02% | Virgin Island, U.s. |  |
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 | 5 | 0.02% | Cuba |  |
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 | 5 | 0.02% | Macedonia |  |
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 | 4 | 0.02% | Puerto Rico |  |
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 | 4 | 0.02% | Grenada |  |
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 | 4 | 0.02% | Trinidad And Tobago |  |
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 | 4 | 0.02% | Bosnia And Herzegovina |  |
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 | 4 | 0.02% | Bermuda |  |
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 | 4 | 0.02% | Armenia |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Latvia |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Jamaica |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Iceland |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Slovenia |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Lesotho |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Guyana |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Zimbabwe |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | China |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Belarus |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Lebanon |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Qatar |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Kenya |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Georgia |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Algeria |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Jersey |  |
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 | 3 | 0.01% | Palestinian Territory |  |
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 | 2 | 0.01% | Uganda |  |
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 | 2 | 0.01% | Luxembourg |  |
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 | 2 | 0.01% | Mauritius |  |
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 | 2 | 0.01% | Nepal |  |
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 | 2 | 0.01% | Malawi |  |
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 | 2 | 0.01% | Gabon |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Morocco |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Ghana |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Isle Of Man |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Cameroon |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Albania |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Uruguay |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Tanzania, United Republic Of |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Macao |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Maldives |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Gibraltar |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Bolivia |  |
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 | 1 | 0.00% | Faroe Islands |  |