The Bagsy Blog: Albatross

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Albatross - Fleetwood Mac

Something of an ANNIVERSARY today as we publish our 1,500th Post! The Bagsy Blog has been running now for a total of 1531 days or 4 years, 2 months, 9 days and amazingly (to myself at least) only 31 days during this period passed without publication.

This was our first simple offering

Welcome to My Blog - 14 August 2009

After a preliminary run I think this Blog is ready for 'launch'. It is intended to keep you up to date while on my travels, publish day to day happenings and show some of my archive photographs. This Wandering Albatross, at 'point blank range' was captured 2 miles off Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand late 2008. Watch this space!

Back to last night, but certainly not for long, as foul weather set in right from the start! Early evening had lulled me into a 'false sense of security' as the wind dropped and the setting sun shined brightly. On my way back from Weymouth, JD Wetherspoon's and another rack of pork ribs, it was decided to lay both Moth Traps one in the Secret Garden and one at Weston Street. At 04:00 I was woken by very heavy rain clattering against the window and a wind that could only 'guesstimated' at about Force 6 to 7 on the Beaufort Scale (30 to 35 knots). What chance of a Moth at all, but at first light the total from both traps was 25 with the most notable being

FEATHERED RANUNCULUS

A quick drive to the Portland Bird Observatory

where things were equally dismal

but these 4 stalwart 'Sea Watcher' (looking for sea-birds)
were braving the elements. Not for me though, next port of call was

close to the PORTLAND COASTGUARD STATION

where the WINDSOCK was still at full stretch.

The HIGHER LIGHT
the first built of the Islands 3 Lighthouses was where a
Black Redstart had been seen yesterday, but not by me this morning.

A quick look along The WEST CLIFF

and then back down the hill to where the

ARMY were erecting a Mobile Communications Station.

A look back south from the Pulpit Inn before coffee with
The Secret Lemonade Drinker after which we visited Radipole.

Here a GARGANEY had been in residence for a few days

but yesterday we had been unable to spot it. We had left there mid-day yesterday and ironically it was relocated again at 17:00. No matter as we did catch distant views of it today but with no chance of a photograph. The Duck seen today is nowhere near as bright as the images which are from the 'archive' and for illustration purposes only. Onward to Weymouth Esplanade to see if we could find a Slavonian Grebe, also reported yesterday, but without success.

There were very few people about but some were enjoying

the trill of the
SEALIFE TOWER

3 connecting Panoramas of Weymouth's Georgian Sea Front.

2 disconnected 'dippers' of the Slav Grebe,
Moi and Secret. Dropping him at home I bought a sarnie

and headed for NEW GROUND at the top of Portland

where the views from left include West Bay (part of the English Channel), the world famous Chesil Beach, the village of Wyke Regis in the far distance, with Portland Harbour plus the National Sailing Academy (of 2012 Olympics fame) separating it from Fortuneswell in the foreground.