Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.
The
alarm didn't sound this morning so was a little late 'on watch' this
morning as the ship passed a point 40 miles south of the Scilly Isles so
geographically well placed to start the GB Year List.
Coffee in hand while still partly under the cover of darkness
these c16 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLs
were first on the 2013 List.
As we continued up the English Channel the first ship of the day
was spotted, a Ferry of sorts,
followed by a brace of GUILLEMOTs.
NORTHERN GANNET was soon to follow
with 200+ seen before close of play.
MANX SHEARWATER numbers only reached 6,
as another c4 GREAT BLACK-BACKs joined the previous 16.
GREAT SKUA numbers only just reached double figures
as GANNETs started to get bolder
as a lone ARCTIC SKUA hurried past.
c3 NORTHERN FULMAR joined the throng just after
midday as did Lesser Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake,
Sooty Shearwater, Razorbill and Swallow that didn't
fall to the camera.
Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory, apes and peacocks,
sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
emeralds, amethysts,
topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory, apes and peacocks,
sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
emeralds, amethysts,
topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.
