The Bagsy Blog: Harbour

Friday, 29 January 2016

Harbour - Moby

What seemed to have become a List is now turning into a

Rash of ROCKERS 'falling off their perch' as in recent days

we have learnt of the passing of Bass Guitarist

JIMMY BAIN

formally with RAINBOW and in more recent years the backbone of DIO.

Seen above with Ronnie James Dio (also deceased) this is an exact image

of my last live encounter with them both at Wembley Arena some years ago now.

There, they were 'opening' for Alice Cooper but in addition doing their new album

MAGICA

(full album Link)

no harm whatsoever!

Other members of the band on that 'magical' and unforgettable night were

Craig Goldy - Guitars and Keyboards and Simon Wright - Drums.

Blimey was that 16 years ago!

So, quickly on to the Good Stuff and we have captured our first Moth of the year.

2016 starts with what is considered to be a rather late

DECEMBER MOTH

Not new to our Recording Area but somehow that first species has a kind'a MAGICA about it.

To kick-off today's Post we bring you a few images of the the Big Freeze of recent days before continuing with yet another day 'off-piste', the circumnavigation of the Poole Harbour Basin. A decent amount of interest being reported from various Information Websites saw us breaking with tradition and embarking on an 'anticlockwise' assault starting at the old Kerry Food Factory which now looks forlorn and sign-less!

A few 'back issue' images from the freeze of recent days.

SUNRISE over a frosty HARBINS FARM HOUSE

PARLEY POND

completely frozen over,

but seemingly not bothering the Alpacas.

Likewise at the

GRAVEL PIT

which, should similar conditions persist and knowing the entrepreneurial

skills of the Dampney family per-se it will soon manifest itself as

East Parley's first Skating Rink.

but on to the business in hand with our first bookable bird, at the

North Eastern edge of Poole Harbour and on the

Railway Embankment that sub-divides Holes Bay

a whole squadron of

OYSTERCATCHER

which was an addition to the Dorset Year List (DYL).

Of no 'list value', but unable to pass these splendid Ducks by,

WIGEON

male and female in the bright sunshine - splendid.

However, distant CURLEW was New for the Year (YL) but after a

45 minutes search for the 'target bird' here, without success, it was

time to try at the other side of the Railway Bridge. We thought the

Curlew was 'distant' but reaching the apex of the bridge that was

nothing compared to the range of the female

SMEW

A scarce visitor to the County this Red Head (as they are colloquially

known) has been here all season plus a number of previous winters.

Not exactly Cecil B Demille these poor clips may bring

this tiny Duck just a little nearer while this shot from the

archive shows one at 'point blank'.
Partly by hope and design, this was the 100th and a most welcome addition to the YL.

REDSHANK

also graced the YL before moving on to

MIDDLEBERE

and the quaint little Hamlet which has been restored by the

National Trust
and are let to the general public.
The state of the ebbing tide wasn't perfect

but apart from a field full of

BRENT GEESE
and c2

SPOONBILL,
concealing themselves all too well in the reeds,

before entering the hide, all that was on show within were a

decent size party of

AVOCET
the trio added to the YL.

En-route to the village of Studland there was time to capture a
shot or two of one of the Counties best known edifices,

CORFE CASTLE

Formally a wooden structure, in the latter half of the 11th Century the Castle was rebuilt in stone by William the Conqueror and for the next six hundred years was a royal fortress used by the monarchs of England and latterly their constables. By 1572 warfare had changed and Corfe Castle was sold by Queen Elizabeth I to Sir Christopher Hatton, her dancing master and favourite. In 1635 the Castle was bought by Sir John Bankes, who was Lord Chief Justice, as an occasional private residence. The Banks family continue to reside in Dorset. Further Reading Link

and the irresistible 10 minutes stop at the top of the hill overlooking

REMPSTONE HEATH
(both images, click to enlarge, Bournemouth Bay right and eastern end of
Poole Harbour left. On the lower image the 2 watercourses can be seen
separated by Sandbanks, centre, holding what are reputed to be the
most expensive properties in the World).
At Studland there is a quaint and old fashioned Grocers Shop which
lends itself to another irresistible visit, so at least a sandwich was in order.
From the vantage point of the east National Trust car park

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER

(male top and female)

was the only addition to the YL, but in addition the DYL was bolstered by

lots of Black-necked Grebe, just a single Slavonian Grebe and a single

Ring-necked Parakeet.

Now after much refurbishment and TLC the old hotel here is now known as the
PIG on the BEACH
where, along with Hugh and Janet, we paid a visit to the restaurant soon after opening.

Regular Readers may remember the memories on our first entry and asking the Maitre'd if there had been any teething troubles with the conversions and opening, to which he replied "not a single one". The words had hardly left his lips when one of the waiters dropped a full tray of drinking glasses! In addition this was also the first and only time I for one had ever savoured Chateau d'Yquem, another deserving treat for my 'dear friends'!

The additions since were certainly worthy of a 15 minute diversion
where it was found they have added an array of Farm Animals

including this fine looking

DORSET HORN RAM

OLDE WORLDE CHALETS

and a variety of CHICKEN species.

BLACKBIRD
once again because it was there and looked good.
Onward to Brands Bay and at 2 hours after Low Water
more was expected with just

GREY PLOVER

reaching YL status.
Up to this point all Birds seen had been expected but boarding the
Sandbanks Ferry
Lady Luck showed her hand, represented by a fly-by