Planes & Boats & Fish

The Red Arrows,

It was amusing to note that on a poster in the town announcing "Weymouth Carnival, Red Arrows 16-30 Today, some wag had written underneath; "If Wet in the Pavillion".

People crowding the vantage point of the Nothe.

The Stavros S Niachos

Wild Fronteer

Weaver

Tub Gurnard

Tony Sibson (Black Bream), Andy Lindsay (Black Bream) & Yours Truely (Black Bream & Brill)

What a fantastic 24 hours? As reported yesterday Andy and Glen arrived late afternoon, so we headed straight for JD Weatherspoon's for a pint and a steak. There we had an unplanned meeting with my old mate Tony Sibson who was paying one of his frequent visits to Weymouth. Tony, as some of you may remember, was British, European and Commonwealth Middleweight boxing champion in the 70's & 80's and won a Lonsdale belt outright in that division. Later he went on to fight Marvelous Marvin Hagler for the undisputted championship of the world. Having put up a gallant performance, he fell to a sixth round technical knockout, but still remains a firm friend of Mr Hagler visiting him almost annually in his adopted home in Italy. Tony took little persuading to come fishing with us today, so at 08-00 this morning we rendezvoused aboard 'Wild Fronter', skippered by Clem Carter, just down from the town bridge. A most glorious day, the sea was like glass and just a gentle breeze as we steamed out of the harbour watching the throng already gathering for the annual Weymouth Carnival. A small 'wager' had been struck before casting off, and it was decided there would be a £5.oo bet by each of us, going to he who caught the biggest fish, and similarly for the most different species. We concentrated our effort on or around the Shambles Bank all day with a steady catch of fish coming aboard. Mackerel, for bait, was the first species landed, but on my next 2 casts I hauled in a Poor Cod followed by a Red Gurnard, the species prize was off to a great start. From that mark we moved a little further south and hit into a few good sized Black Bream and a few Pout Whiting, with my tally reaching 4 species, followed by a very promising sized Bream. The other 2 lads in the boat, not part of the wager, waded in with a Dogfish and a species I don't remember encountering before a Weaver. Slack water, at the top of the tide, was about mid-day so we spent the next 2 hours drifting from the East Shambles Buoy to the WSB picking up both sizable Brill and Turbot. By 16-00 the fishing was over but not before I scored with another first record for me, a Tub Gurnard. With the most species and the biggest fish the Weymouth lad cleared up the dosh as we headed for a much needed Strongbow. Another harbour-side mate of mine sold us 4 lobsters (which Andy and Glen are taking home on Friday) along with all the Bream which are now lying in the freezer. Back at 'Slight Return' I cleaned and cooked 2 dozen scallops, which we ate with the 3 Red Gurnards and a decent size Pout Whiting, helped down with French bread and white wine. Bird wise it had been quiet with just Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls, Fulmar, Gannet, Shag, Cormorant and a fly-over Arctic Skua in the log. We are suppose to be going out again tomorrow in Cobra skippered by Richard English but the weather could still curtail that. As we returned to port, the 2 master Stavros S Niachos lay in Weymouth Roads, The Nothe and Stone Pier were swathed with people and the bay was full of small craft awaiting the arrival of the Red Arrows, who did their stuff as we steamed towards the berth.

Where Did That Day Go?

Not a lot of time for Blogging today as Andy Lindsay and Glen Wicks (my mates from Derby) are coming down to enjoy a little culture. The plan is to go fishing Wednesday and Thursday if the weather holds. The first day looks promising, but the wind is likely to freshen to 25 knots on the latter, so we'll have to wait and see. I recon it will be Bassing on the Shambles both days even though I have stressed a preference for a bit of 'wrecking' 20 miles south of Portland Bill. Anyway, I'll let you know how we get on but don't cut the chips just yet. There's enough time to continue Gulls of the World, so here we go!

Gulls of the World (Part 5) A Few Yanks

Western Gull

An adult with juvenile on El Sugunda Beach, Los Angeles, California 2007

California Gull

Newport Beach, Oregon 2007, the degree of difficulty, particularly on the US west coast, are hybrids. One set of photographs taken here of California Gull had such bright yellow legs it was initially thought (more accurately hoped) to be a Yellow-footed Gull.

Thayer's Gull

Also taken on Newport Beach, Oregon, on what was a dull, misty day with persistant light rain, the kind that gets you very wet very quickly eough to abort our walk. Drenched, we boldly entered a 'posh' hotel, ordered a coffee then used all their facilities to get dry. That done we equally brazzenly approach a couple of 'clam fisherman' and gently coaxed them into giving us a lift back (5 miles) to our motel.

American Herring Gull

Taken during one of four visits to Cape May, New Jersey which really is everything you've heard about it. I just love this place and have made some good friends there.

Gulls of the World (Part 4) The Far East

Black-tailed Gull

Hundreds scavenging as I boarded a ferry at Incheon, South Korea 2007.

Slaty-backed Gull

Also very common on all coasts, this image was taken at Walmido, South Korea 2007.

Saunders's (Little) Gull

Considered an extremely lucky find, despite the distance, on Yeong Jong Island, South Korea 2007.

Glaucous-winged Gull

At all location in the most northerly town in Japan, Wakkenai 2007.

And a Few Birds

Sanderling

Mediterranean Gull

I never tire of the walk from Radipole to Lodmoor at that time of day, with no people/traffic about, but by the looks of all the 'Fun Fair' construction work on the prom the silence would soon be shattered. At the end of Greenhill, the sea was covered by juvenile gulls of 3 species, Great Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed but try as I may, couldn't pick out a Yellow-legged. This is a skill yet to be mastered. On the 'moor' my first observation was that all the Terns had left, but judging by the number of young birds at my last visit I can only assume they did well. There was a single Sandwich Tern, a Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Sandpipers 2 Little Egrets, 2 Ringed Plovers, a juvenile Common Buzzard and a dozen Dunlin so it was not totally without action. Best sight of the day was my soon to be travel companion Daragh Croxon, complete with new tripod (it's a private joke). Plenty to talk about here as the birds were temporarily forgotten, but soon time for the 'Bus Pass Birder' to head for Ferry Bridge. There, it was similar to yesterday with 104 Ringed Plovers, 137 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling and 3 Mediterranean Gulls. There was no sign of yesterdays juvenile, with one of the 'second summers' being 'ringed'. On the way home I visited Bowie (Lorne) & Sheila Edwards enjoying coffee and figs straight from the tree.

There's Always Something to See

It's been a full 31 days since I was on either Radipole or Lodmoor, but today I redressed that. At my last visit there was little of note, and things hadn't changed much, but to hear the beautiful song of a Cetti's Warbler again makes up for a lot. However, as I approached the Visitor's Centre, it was as if someone had opened a window on Portland and Weymouth, have you seen the murals on the Westham Pumping Station? So life like at that distance, I would chance that those entering the town for the first time, via Weymouth Way, would already be considering moving here! And it's worth noting that for the first time in recent memory Portland features most predominantly.