Those Were the Days - Mary Hopkin

An excellent start to the day as, after an absence of several months, we welcome The Falkland Islands back to the readership fold. On the strength of this, here are a couple of images from my one and only visit.

 

 PORT STANLEY

 

STEAMER DUCK (male).

STEAMER DUCK (female)

KELP GEESE (female and male)

It would be great if the reader could pass the Link around the Islands.

It has become something of a tradition during a visit to the Lifton's to have a mini bird-race, each of us trying to predict the number of species that may be recorded during a day out. With the threat of rain (again), blustery conditions and the time of year the tally was never going to be high but there was at least the chance of one rarity to spur us on. Tess decided upon 44, Paul 59 while I opted for 52 and the mutual agreement was to head straight for the potential goodie last seen at

 Not the only rare bird to be found here in recent months,

 

this tract of reed bed had held a Paddyfield Warbler for quite some time. Today it was hopefully the turn of Glossy Ibis, but as the search began so did the rain

as we sought shelter under the eves of the quaint little Visitor's Centre. Only moments later I clocked, at a distance, what at first appeared to be a Cormorant that very quickly turned into the

 

GLOSSY IBIS at altitude.

Too far away for a photo, we have had to rely on the archive for illustration.

 

As the rain got heavier we made a dash for the car and a quick glimpse at this beautiful little cottage, before heading once again to Pagham Nature Reserve to capitalise on species we had seen previously. All were still available including

 

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT

COMMON SANDPIPER, Redshank, Lapwing, Avocet and Dunlin which had now been joined by a couple of

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER a 'year tick' for me! Ivy Lakes, Sidlesham Quay, Thorney Island and a return to

CHURCH NORTON strictly for this picture. No sign of the Osprey, which back at home we learnt had been seen by others during the day, so as the day was now getting long we decided on an aimless wander around looking at

more Cottages,

what might be a 'spotless' Fly Agaric or a 'pink tinged' other Fungi along with

this KESTREL perched on a Grey Heron. With 61 species in the bag Paul returned triumphant, just 2 short of the total, but we had all had a great day.

This evening we have tickets for a Rock 'n' Roll 'bash'  in Southsea, an old stomping ground of mine, which I am particularly looking forward to. In the 1960's I 'cut my teeth' on The Blues in this same area at the now defunct Kimbles Blues Club, Osbourne Road. From there I still hold fond memories of The Graham Bond Organisation (c Ginger Baker, Dick Heckstall Smith, Jack Bruce and John McLaughlin), John Mayall's Bluesbreakers who I first saw post Clapton, as Peter Green filled the gap for The Hard Road LP, and even The Rolling Stones early '67 when promoting their Between the Buttons album. Those were the days!