It did take longer than it might have done due to the decline in readership, but we heartily thank the stalwarts who have suported us through Thick and Thin. Maybe an opportune moment to scribe a Begging Letter and ask you all to get us back on course please!
1.5 MILLION HITS!
Returning to the
BUCHAN ALPHA
FLOATING OIL PRODUCTION PLATFORM
FLOATING OIL PRODUCTION PLATFORM
we reiterate that cited by Led Zeppelin in the first instance,
Oh, let the sun beat down upon my face, and stars 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 has seldom seen. They talk of days for which they sit and wait, ALL will be revealed!
DUNLIN
EIDER
(male)
(male)
GARDEN WARBLER
GARFISH
There followed a most significant day when having taken my breakfast in the Control Room as usual, to gain a few more moments on deck Wildlife Watching, I was stopped at the foot of the ladder leading to the upper deck, fully booted and spurred, by our Opparations Co-ordinater Dave Penney. His question to me was very simple as "what is it you do up there every morning dashing fron the place of work at high speed as soon as having been relieved"? The equally simple answer was "don your P.P.E. grab the rig binoculars and join me up top" which he did. With the starboard flare being active he was asked what he could see along the length of the boom, "oh just a load of Shy Talks"!
There followed a most significant day when having taken my breakfast in the Control Room as usual, to gain a few more moments on deck Wildlife Watching, I was stopped at the foot of the ladder leading to the upper deck, fully booted and spurred, by our Opparations Co-ordinater Dave Penney. His question to me was very simple as "what is it you do up there every morning dashing fron the place of work at high speed as soon as having been relieved"? The equally simple answer was "don your P.P.E. grab the rig binoculars and join me up top" which he did. With the starboard flare being active he was asked what he could see along the length of the boom, "oh just a load of Shy Talks"!
Anything different among the species he was asked and quite rightly pointed to the large pale individual at the centre of the image and told that it was a juvenile
GLAUCOUS GULL
a usual resident of far more northern waters which seem to have him intregued. To cut a long story short, and more visits and chatter on the upper deck, before our next hitch off-shore he had bought himself a £1,500 pair of Swarovski binoculars, a comprehensive Bird Field Guide and a couple of Moth Traps. How good it feels to inspire someone and visit each others 'home patch' - hooked? During the remaining time together he saw most of the species that follow and eventually ended up finding a number of 'rarities' himself.
a usual resident of far more northern waters which seem to have him intregued. To cut a long story short, and more visits and chatter on the upper deck, before our next hitch off-shore he had bought himself a £1,500 pair of Swarovski binoculars, a comprehensive Bird Field Guide and a couple of Moth Traps. How good it feels to inspire someone and visit each others 'home patch' - hooked? During the remaining time together he saw most of the species that follow and eventually ended up finding a number of 'rarities' himself.
GOLDCREST
(male)
(male)
MERLIN
(devouring Redwing)
Maybe a little strangely a
(devouring Redwing)
Maybe a little strangely a
HOODED CROW
while thought totally impossible the only
while thought totally impossible the only
HOUSE SPARROW
recorded in the North Sea during my time.
recorded in the North Sea during my time.
The 'infection' had not only swept through our own company, most of whom working the upper-deck were now carring 'draw-string cotton bags' in case of capturing a 'live' specimen, but also that of our Standby Boat the Far Seeker. Out of marine courtesy, it was the done thing to speak to her Captain each evening just before the witching hour to check all was well with on one occassin him reporting that the hands had caught a couple of 'live' birds for me. He went on to say that they had scrutinised them and check against the Field Guide to come to the conclussion that they had captured both a House Martin and a Linnet. The 'full 10 points for effort' but in both instances they had FORTUNATELY got it wrong! Sent up in a Twix chocolate box on a heaving line at the turn of the watch the box was opened in my cabin in case of an escapee. We say fortunately as the first out was in fact a
STORM PETREL
seen on occassion but never handled and with the white rump, the same as a House Martin, no recriminations there! Again Linnet was a excellent try but found to be a very scarce 
LITTLE BUNTING
with both birds having a story to tell but both ending in a different direction. The Petrel was highly popular with all of the crew, just about everyone paying it a visit in the Control Room, as it was fed Sardine Oil and a little of the fish, and as there was an EXPERT on hand, ME, it was decided to release it as darkness fell. Quite a few hands mustered in the lee of Alpha column as the tiny bird was shown around for the last time before being gently dropped to freedom. Landing on the surface it shook it head did a little preening before being swallowed whole by a Great Black-backed Gull - the moral of the story? "it's always an advantage to have an EXPERT on hand"! The
LITTLE BUNTING
fair much better as being 'choppered' off the rig by Bristow's and met at the airport by an A Ringer from Cove, a small village a few miles south of Aberdeen. There it was duly 'ringed', with the shackle clearly visible in the image sent to us by 'return of post', surrounded by a grateful crowd and to live another day!
MAGPIE MOTHs
were annual, there were continuous casualties, in this instance
MEALY REDPOLL
KNOT
no not those in the ropes!
GREENFINCH
LONG-EARED
OWL
LAPLAND BUNTING
LUMPSUCKER
JACK SNIPE
numerous but with a penchant for flying into windows, and penultimately
just after mid-night bringing in my 50 birthday in walked the Chief Engineer, obligatory cotton bag in one hand an 2 mugs of coffee in the other, by way of celibrating the occassion - no booze there, an immediate sackable offence!
The bag contained a
LITTLE STINT
AND STILL THEY COME!
with both birds having a story to tell but both ending in a different direction. The Petrel was highly popular with all of the crew, just about everyone paying it a visit in the Control Room, as it was fed Sardine Oil and a little of the fish, and as there was an EXPERT on hand, ME, it was decided to release it as darkness fell. Quite a few hands mustered in the lee of Alpha column as the tiny bird was shown around for the last time before being gently dropped to freedom. Landing on the surface it shook it head did a little preening before being swallowed whole by a Great Black-backed Gull - the moral of the story? "it's always an advantage to have an EXPERT on hand"! The
fair much better as being 'choppered' off the rig by Bristow's and met at the airport by an A Ringer from Cove, a small village a few miles south of Aberdeen. There it was duly 'ringed', with the shackle clearly visible in the image sent to us by 'return of post', surrounded by a grateful crowd and to live another day!
were annual, there were continuous casualties, in this instance
no not those in the ropes!
numerous but with a penchant for flying into windows, and penultimately
just after mid-night bringing in my 50 birthday in walked the Chief Engineer, obligatory cotton bag in one hand an 2 mugs of coffee in the other, by way of celibrating the occassion - no booze there, an immediate sackable offence!
and PS - yesterday's finale was a STARFRONTLET (with an R) yet another typo with correction made!
