Picture This - Blondie

Nowhere near the number of migrant birds on the move as yesterday, so it was thought worthwhile to visit the north end of the Island and maybe a little further afield. The weather remains dank, misty, overcast with a fresh easterly breeze and an ever present threat of rain. Under such condition we might have hoped of a little more in the Moth Trap, but pickings were slim.

BEADED CHESTNUT
was about the best of the poor haul, but have to admit to a

growing fondness for the FLIES that are caught.
Don't worry I wont be getting into Diptera.

CRANEFLY

So, with little to please there I dragged kicking and screaming
my Great Friend

THE SECRET LEMONADE DRINKER
(aka Gary White)

out for a mornings birding firstly at Ferry Bridge.

DUNLIN

BAR-TAILED GODWIT with CURLEW

OYSTERCATCHER

BAR-TAILED GODWIT

OYSTERCATCHER

young GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL

adult GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL

MEDITERRANEAN GULL

BLACK-HEADED GULL

BAR-TAILED GODWIT

TURNSTONE
Then what qualifies as the Biggest Mistake of the Week
we had a wander round Radipole.

The 'good news' first with lots of Bearded Tit, c3 Water Rail, good numbers of vocal Cetti's Warbler and at long last the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has decided to re-thatch the Visitor's Centre roof with 'Radipole' reed!

GREAT CRESTED GREBE

HOPS

Now you may well ask how Hops got onto this Nature Reserve. After the Second World War all the rubble from bomb damaged buildings in Weymouth was carted off to Radipole to serve as hardcore for the proposed footpaths. Along with this came a quantity garden waste much of which rejuvenated such as Buddleia and a variety of flowers.

I'll make the excuses well in advance "the light was poor there and even worse when pointing the camera skyward" but nonetheless we did manage a few reasonable shots of c2

HOBBY

putting on a splendid aerial display

deftly catching Dragonflies and eating them 'on the wing'
(top picture).

Pictorial evidence, if indeed needed, of 2 birds.

 Then came the diabolical bit.

How in heaven's name can the RSPB justify erecting this
MONSTROSITY
in the middle of the most 'unique' of wild places.

These 'flourecent' paintings were done by local school children,
to whom I wish no disrespect, but surely they would be better
placed inside the Visitor's Centre or an Art Gallery. 

Add to that all the other out of place JUNK they have ditched
along the hedgerows (we have a perfectly adequate Sculpture Park
at Tout Quarry on Portland)

it beggars belief as to what they will do next.
KEEP RADIPOLE NATURALLY WILD YOU MORONS!!

After the excitement of the Hobby on our return to the Obs we
caught site of more birds of prey in the guise of MERLIN (above
archive), Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel.

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