Beyond the Horizon - Bob Dylan Part I

 As introduction to yet another proposed 3-part Sunday exposé of what is intended to be, a pictorial of Wildlife at Sea, we lean heavily on the magical lyrics of Led Zeppelin to paint the picture. 

Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face, and stars that fill my dreams. I'm a traveller of both time and space, to be where I have been. To sit with elders of the gentle race, "this world is seldom seen". They talk of days for which they sit and wait, "ALL will be revealed"!  

Of course restricted to Crew Members and Associates only, as far as Wildlife is concerned it is a Forsaken Place but with instinct so strong to cross for instance the North Sea and even Oceans we find a whole new world of Migrants, almost in alphabetical order.

At 08:00 precisely on Saturday 13th May 2017
Deck Foreman Ricky (The Hammer) Grant 
 depressed the PURPLE BUTTON onboard the

Semi-Submersible Oil Production Platform

BUCHAN ALPHA 

 anchored 120 miles North East of Aberdeen in the North Sea, effectively bringing to an end a 37 year long struggle to produce oil from a water depth of 131 metres, with no fewer than 150,000,000 Barrels of Brent Crude being produced over that time span! 

(or, in approximate terms, 4.1 million barrels per year at a day rate of 11,106 barrels)

 Neatly, and almost in Alpha-Betical Order, this compossision was one part of my extracurricular duties, to be presented to Conservation Groups and other Interested Parties shore-sides, with the other being Author and Producer of the satirical monthly magazine

‘The Buchan Ear’ 

which captured the foibles and/or mistakes made by ALL and ANY crew members, and visitors alike, from the Rig Manager to the lowliest Dung Beetle - myself included, with never any shortage of libellous material!

ATLANTIC GREY SEAL

often watch from our Sub-Sea Camaras at maximun deapth catching the abundant Coal Fish.

ARCTIC TERN

picked up by one of the Roughnecks, nurtured and sent on its way.

BARNACLE GOOSE
never any shortage of this species and no fear of humans as is the case ashore.

BLACK GUILLEMOT
considered a magical shot.

BLACKBIRD.

BLACKCAP
in the hand and

DITTO 

(soixante neuf)

BLACK-HEADED GULL

catching, killing and swallowing whole an unlucky Brambling,

a far luckier
  BRAMBLING

BRAMBLING
partially albino.

CARRION CROW
not often thought of as migrants.

Yes, there were 'thousands' of Casualties which before the arrival of Bird Flu
were all sent to the laboritory in Aberdeen, with a well oiled system between Ourselves, Bond and Bristow Helicopters not even having to manifest them for transpotation, in the name of Science!

CHIFFCHAFF
this individual being captured with a 6 inch length of what could only be described as 'cotton' down its throat. Undoubtedly we extended its life!

COALFISH or POOR MANS COD
would occassionally come to the suface on warm and sunny days.

COLLARED DOVE
another seat taken on the 'chopper.

COMMON SCOTER
suprisingly only very occassional visitors.

CONVOLVULUS HAWK-MOTH
not alone in its appearance, but did lead to a cameo part for myself in a BBC TV nature programme.

CROSSBILL
(female)

and some time later a male which was at first sighting a Heart Stopper! No doubt about the family group, but at distance looking to have 'white wing-bars' it could only be a 'rare'

TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL
on capture the 'white' was seen to be paint, looked good for a minute or two! 

While the weather picture looks none to cleaver at least you have the Bagsy Blog to cling to!!

HERE ENDETH PART ONE!