Home and Away - Part III

We don't remember ever dedicating a Post to a particular person or people before but as you reach the end of today's Effort it may become clear why it was appropriate on that day!

From Portland Bill it was no more than a glancing stop to check if the receeding tide at Ferrybridge had attracted any more birds, which wasn't the case, so quickly on to what was hoped to  be a fruitful Lodmoor - the potential had certainly been there in recent days!

By my calculation it took Dave a full 15 seconds to locate the first 'goody', which had not been on the Info Line before and although a little distant both snaps

YELLOW-LEGGED GULL

and video tell the story but enhanced by an image we took in

SPAIN
some years ago.
Most immediately prominent were the dozens and dozens of

BAR-TAILED GODWIT

seemingly unperturbed by our closeness

and across Weymouth Bay that hoped for closer view of the

Cruise Ship
AURORA

and quite unexpectedly the semi-resident 

ICELAND GULL

was also found there.

We'll tell you who spotted it 'first' when time allows!

SHOVELER

and

WIGEON

were representative of the
WILDFOWL
but all thrown into confussion once a

MARSH HARRIER
started quartering the reedbeds.
This

KINGFISHER
parking right before us brought a splash of colour to the party and followed in quick succession by a

CETTI'S WARBLER
and

BULLFINCH
but each keeping a low profile when the

SPARROWHAWK
flew overhead as a couple of

SHELDUCK
put in an appearance.
As if he had not hacked me off enough already, at the end of the visit he turned the tiny white blob, which appeaed only briefly above the reeds at the far side of the Moor, into the pale looking

RUFF

that has returned to the Reserve to 'overwinter'

for maybe the last

4 or 5 years????
Having already informed Dave that the very second I fall for the £1M on the Premium Bonds he is to become my personal Gilly, also pointing out he has no say in the matter. That brought the day's birding to an end but the parting of the ways brought on just one more visit for myself.
It has to have been a full year since we have seen our longest standing friend in the World (shame on me) but an ideal moment to redress the issue.
I first met

JOHN 'SOOTY' STOCKLEY
at Broadwey School in early 1960, at the tender age of 14, after having moved home with my family from Chilwell in Nottinghamshire to Nottington close to Weymouth in Dorset. Now living in the shaddow of the

WHITE HORSE at OSMINGTON
it was only a 15 minute drive on an alternative track home

you should have seen his face

and those of his wife Gill (centre) and dear friend June a Scot.

During a ribald conversation, over a fabulous roast dinner, it came to a point when I was able to give June concrete evidence that the Scottish race are not as mean and tight as the rest of the populous might think. Relating a story of one day when having been discharge from the Floating Oil Platform Buchan Alpha, and making my way home to Weymouth on leave, it was usual practice to stop for a pint in Molly Malones public hose on Union Street, Aberdeen. On that occassion there was a huge sign in the window stating that the Pub had reached its 100th year of existance and all drinks, for just that one day only, would would be charged the same as on that opening day. Not surprisingly the place was packed but squeezing through the crowd ordered a pint of Heavy (bitter) and a Wee Half (a large Scotch) and being charged 2 pence. Turning in hopes of finding a seat it was noticed that not a single one of the other customers were imbibing, so returned to the bar to ask why? Oh, don't worry about them they are just waiting for Happy Hour! "The Truth Will Out"! 
BET YOU REMEMBER THIS SOOTY!

The Hunting Lodge Wrackleford, Dorset given over by Brewer, Nigel Pope as the venue to celibrate Sooty's 60th birthday.

The Clan Stockley

LOVE TO YOU ALL!
and in charge of Wines and Spirits

Yours Truely

Can you give me a bell Sooty I've lost your number - Cheers x