During the Depression we once again cling to the
ARCHIVE
to at least bring our discerning and valued
READERSHIP
a little succour!
Bird Ringing and other ways of monitoring Animal life are vital to
note trends in all species, but as far as our avian friends are concerned there is an added
bonus should you be one of the lucky or calculationg few.
Watching the process, mainly at the
Portland Bird Observatory (PBO),
and being a life-long mariner has brought with it that valued experience of viewing
Birds in the Hand.
Here are 3 or 4 dozen, both 'common' and exremely 'rare' which will cove 2 posts!
We start on a personal note when a couple of years ago, while driving back to base
we found and caught this
BARN OWL
(in our own backyard)
which was seen to have blood on its face but still a trial for a
Fat Lad to catch!
A couple of holidaymakers (you remember holidaymakers)
showed great interest in the bird and volunteered to traspot it to the
Ringwood Owl Sanctuary
where, unfortunately, it died overnight.
A fairly scarce
YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER
(PBO)
Far, far more uncommon
BARRED WARBLER
(PBO)
A common garden bird the
WREN
this one finding its way into the Farmhouse lounge
with the fleet footed (myself) managing to catch it.
An absolute delight to observe even on 'home turf' in the heart of a
Reed Bed
BEARDED TIT
has to be high on just about everybodies favourites list
but seen in the hand, again at the PBO,
WOW!
BLACKCAP
(male)
BLACKCAP
(female)
TREE PIPIT
BRAMBLING
SWALLOW
(this quartet of relatively 'common' birds all mist netted at the PBO)
CETTI'S WARBLER
another denizen of the redbed more ofted heard than seen.
(Radipole Lake)
WATER RAIL,
maybe not thought of by some as a long distant migrant, was captured onboard the
Buchan Alpha Floating Oil Production Platform
in the
North Sea.
A complimentary ticket was issued, transpoted to Aberdeen by
Bristow's Helicopter, 'ringed' and released into a local reedbed.
(male)
and
(female)
REDSTART
were again visitors to the PBO while back on
Buchan Alpha
we had captures an exhausted
COMMON TERN
and we leave you, for this Post at least with a
Right Bobby Dazzler.
As the second hand ticked past mid-night heralding my 60th birthday in stroad the
Chief Engineer
anouncing "eer's your birthday present Bags, an many more of them"!
He handed me a cotton bag of the type issued to all of the crew just in case of such an occassion,
the Catching of Birds that is in oppose to my Birthday's
in which was found an active
LITTLE STINT
the first for me in the hand
and the first for the
North Sea Bird Club
which acts in the same way as any County Bird Club with its own
Recorder, Rarities and General Committee.
WATCH OUT FOR MORE TO COME IN THESE LEAN TIMES!
