View of the Heli-Deck

Reflections of Little Grebe (again)

After an encounter with 'white van man' deliberately driving the wrong way down Cromwell Road to save himself 10 seconds, it was on to Longcroft Cemetery for a 'no bird' experience! Walking along the quay opposite Debenhams I did find the most obliging Little Grebe ever. So close was it, that the photographs showed the refection of my bright red jacket in the water. The bus ride to Portland was curtailed as we reached Foord's Corner and the rain became torrential, so once again I was beaten by the weather. Anyroadup, this gave me an opportunity to get a few things for an up coming party and for the arrival of my protegees. It was to have been a full week-end with my 'trainees' (tongue in cheek expression), but unfortunately Dave Penney had to call off due to unforeseen circumstances. On the up side Paul & Tess from Emsworth should arrive Friday evening for what will undoubted be an excellent couple of days, particularly if the weather holds.

My visit to Asda too was with a huge up side as I bumped into ex colleague and good friend Jack Fancy who is now 85 and looks not a second different to the last time we met. One of my fondest memories of Jack was the time he spent building a 16' long fireplace for me in my first house in Reforne Close on Portland. Apart from having much time to get to know each other better, it was an eye-opener to see at first hand this master craftsman's skill. He hewed ever block of that natural stone right there in my lounge, fashioning compartments for my discs, tapes, stereo and TV equipment, like a child moulding plasticine.

White Van Man - after the ordeal

Finally today, I can report my first glimpse of Frederick David, at least photographs. While dad & mum have been a bit busy, to say the least, and enterprising company in Sydney visited the hospital and took some early images. First impression? Better looking than his POME grandad and not quite as wrinkly, bless his cotton socks!

Jack Snipe - an annual visitor to Buchan, which for some reason unknown seemed to like flying into windows. A number were nursed to recovery from an unconscious state over the years

Ruff - more or less annual

Knot - ditto

Golden Plover - ditto, with one causing a near disaster as a casualty of an air-strike with one of our crew change 'choppers

Migrants Various - can you see what any of them are yet?

Greylag Goose - annual passage bird, given to regular landings on both rig and sea

Barnacle Goose - one of the great avian delights to see dozens flying by or landing

Buchan Birds in the Hand

Despite the rain and 30 knot wind I ventured to Ferry Bridge for this mornings ebb, but there was little to report. Of the 53 medium size Gulls 23 were Mediterranean, along with 51 Ringed Plover, 103 Dunlin and 19 Turnstone.

So, on that note back to Buchan Alpha

With such massive migrations on some occasions, it was inevitable that some birds were going to be easily caught due to exhaustion. North Sea Bird Club policy on such matters was in general to leave them to their own devices. However, in making our own judgments at the time many birds were thought to have been saved. With cooperation from our helicopter carriers (Bond, Bristow and British International) we were able to send many individuals ashore for release - see Peregrine Falcon of yesterday. In addition, corpses were of great value and after biometrics had been taken by the NSBC, selected skins were sent to Aberdeen University and skeletons to the Edinburgh Natural History Museum. This latter practice was cut short by the spread of Bird Flu with several valuable specimens lost to science.

Lapland Bunting - early (01-00) one October morning I noted what I thought, through the gloom, to be a bedraggled medium sized Wader roosting among the manila rope anti skid netting on the heli-deck. On close approach there was no movement, so I gently cupped it in both hands and returned to the Marine Control room. There, to my surprise, It was seen to be 2 Skylarks and the individual pictured above. The next day all 3 were fit to fly, so were released to make their own way home.

Garden Warbler - when caught, this little fella was seen to have what looked like a small hair projecting from its gape. With a little teasing a 9" length of thin natural fibre cord was removed from its throat. Another grateful patient for St Francis!

Crossbill (female/juvenile) - by no means annual, but in true Crossbill style once one arrived so did a number of its pals.

Crossbill (adult male) - making one of my early morning weather observation, and chatting to a mate, and said to him "did you hear that Crossbill"? Almost immediately this individual landed on the heli-deck and any birder would understand the feeling when I noted that patch of white! In a cocky manner I said to my company, " hang on a sec, I'll just catch that". As you can see I did, but disappointment followed as the 'white' turned out to be paint.

Blackcap (male) - annual, usually in double figures both ends

Blackcap (male & female) - OK, not 'in the hand' but I always considered this a lovely depiction of a little avian soixante neuf

Rock Pipit - usual for at least one to be seen annually, but maybe strangely never A p littoralis

Arctic Tern - one of the Roughnecks manning the 'mist nets', only joking. However, every member of the rig crew had been trained to report, or catch, any wildlife that happened their way

Short-toed Lark - one of our finest moments, this bird was found by, then, up and coming birder Dave Penney the Buchan Operations Coordinator. By the time darkness fell we had a good idea of what it was, but overnight I managed to catch it. Having taken a sufficient number of photographs I returned it to the place it was found, under a deck light. I kept an eye on it until daybreak, at which point it had disappeared. Unfortunately, there was also a Hooded Crow on the rig, and I could swear I saw it 'lick its lips'. Much to the chagrin of those ashore, the next helicopter was 3 days away so not a period we were prepared to keep it captive. Another 'first' North Sea record

Ditto - the same bird when it was first found

The day ended at JD Weatherspoon's pub The William Henry. Daragh Croxson and I started sharing an occasional steak and a pint together some months ago, now our numbers have swollen to 5. Paul Harris, Peter Coe and John Down joined us last evening, a great laugh and time was enjoyed by all.

After an excellent spell of 'dry weather' the rain had to come sometime and confine me to home. Not a bad idea though as there are a thousand things I need to catch up with, but with nothing to report I'll have to rely on Buchan Alpha once again to keep you entertained.

Yellow-browed Warbler - during the heavy 'fall' of birds in Oct 2005, Dave Penney simply picked this individual up off the pipework. If my memory serves me we caught a total of 4 over the years

Ditto - you'll have to click on the image and squint your eye to discern this one!

Pallas's Warbler - it would be fair to say the 'crown stripe' clinches this one. The day after this photo was taken, with the camera safely left in my cabin, no fewer than 7 Yellow-brows plus a single Pallas's were on the heli-net all in the same frame - what a miss

Peregrine with Herring Gull - on the 16th July 2007 what was thought to be a juvenile Peregrine landed on the rig then immediately attacked and caught an adult Great Black-backed Gull. We watched as it struggled to gain height, but the weight was simply too much and both birds fell into the sea. Undeterred, the falcon tried to secure its prey, but surface tension won the day. Flying back to the sanctuary of the barge the other attendant Gulls enjoyed an opportunistic free meal. Early next morning it was seen again patrolling the skies forward of the rig, when it made contact with an adult herring Gull forcing it onto the heli-deck netting, depicted in the photo. With a prey item of this size, it couldn't be imagined that hunger force it to take yet another adult Great Black-backed Gull the following day. The hapless Gull was taken mid air, and as if the Peregrine had learned from the previous encounter carried it, still flapping, into the moon-pool. The void area at the center of the rig, gives access to the sea where the production pipes and riser system run to the seabed and is notoriously dirty with oil and mud residue. Not surprisingly then that both birds got contaminated making them easy to catch. Enter Ricky (The Hammer) Grant who captured both, but by then the Gull was DoA ,the Peregrine being cleaned up and a makeshift cage being constructed. Next day it was sent to the beach on the crew change 'chopper none the worse for wear.

Peregrine - 'banged up' and ready for transportation

Storm Petrel - returning to yesterday's Twix Box Twins the Petrel was much less fortunate than its traveling companion. During my conversation with the Captain of the Standby Vessel he noted that this bird was waterlogged and would, quite rightly, be best off in the hands of an 'expert'. Gently wrapping it in paper towel I return with it to the warmth of the Marine Control Room. There it dried well, took some fish oil and a little tinned mackerel flesh plus enjoying a continuous stream of visitors and well wishers. By the turn of the watch, 18-00, it was considered strong enough to be returned to its own environment, so accompanied by a number of so called 'hard nut rig rats' we transported it to the lee of Delta Leg ready for release. Under cover of dark it was gently teased from the sanctuary of the tissue cocoon, offered up for a final goodbye from those present and released to the sea. It fluttered to the surface, started to preen, fluttered and flapped its tiny wings and was then 'taken' by a pherkin grit Black-backed Gull. Looking round at the drooping jaws and looks of bewilderment, I thought to myself "Yes, on such occasions it's always best to have an 'EXPERT' in attendance!!

It's Only Mates 'n' Music But I Like It, Like It, Yes I Do

And to cap it all, just as I was pulling the duvet under my chin, when the door bell rings and another child is born. Joy, next door, has been waiting the same as I for her grandchild, who was born at 21-30 GMT. So far no name, but weighed in at 9lb 7oz. Was that a champagne cork we heard pop?

Polygeneticism is derived from the proto-alchemical principles of the Desmondovarians, a Dorset tribe who attempted to transmute precious DNA into pure musical form without the aid of a safety net. In doing so, all audience participation was carried along on a tsunami of riff and Doppler, consigning them to a life of leaving no Stone unturned.

Hence Polygenes were born, somewhen in the 1990's, comprising my musical mates Chas Dickie (Cello, Keys et al) http://www.discogs.com/artist/Chas+Dickie formally with 60's created Van der Graf Generator and sideman of more rockers than you could imagine. The locally inspirational Chris Lonigan (bass) backbone of many a Dorset outfit, while playing alongside numerous luminaries too numerous to note here http://www.chrislonergan.co.uk/background.htm Chris Page (drums) also formidable on the Dorset and National scene, plus Robbie McIntosh (Guitars, Piano etc) ex Pretender, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Paul McCartney, John Mayer and Nora Jones to name but a few http://www.robbiemcintosh.com/discog.html

Only ever producing one album, titled '9 Stones' under this guise, this afternoon they performed a 'one off' rendition at Peter Smith's No6 on King Street, Weymouth. The highlights were undoubtedly the Floydesque track 'Provisional Ritual' (Stone 4) and the seminal Uoy Rof Esum Tog I Evah (Stone 1) which blends eastern sounds with snorting spices. Unfortunately, and for reasons unexplained, View From An Eyelid (Stone 11), naturaly a Lonigan composition for solo bass guitar, was excluded but be sure, after the protestations of yours truly it will not be left out again.

Wot 'appened to the sound check man? Peter (No6) Smith, roadie of this parish, checks out the amps!

Robbie in full swing

Chris Page, only half of 'drum & base'

Well it seems to be alright now - Alright Now?, that's by Free in'it?

Chas thumps a mean Cello (Julian Lloyd Weber watch and learn)

Donnie Lonigan loosing the flavour of his chewing gum

And then a man steps right up to the microphone. He says at last he's heard the 'time bell 'ring. "Thank you, goodnight, now it's time to go home", and he makes it fast with one more thing. We are the Sultans!

Moi - contented as I now have Toco Tucan on my 'World List'

The early part of the morning met with little success, but on the way home via the Hump and Ferry Bridge things did hot up a bit. A total of 10 Stonechat were seen along with a single, calling Redpoll, about a dozen Chiffchaff, 2 Song Thrush and a male Blackcap at the Hump, then on to FB. There my first Brent Geese, this end of the year, were represented by 7 individuals, however these were not 'the' first as a single was also seen there a couple of days ago. With them were a few each of Dunlin & Ringed Plover, 2 Knot, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 21 Mediterranean Gull plus 2 Little Egret.

The 2 Knot with one of the Bar-tailed Godwit - Ferry Bridge, Portland

The 2 Knot - Ditto

Off-shore 'birding' with the Buchan Birders

While some of the secrets of Buchan Alpha have already been unlocked on this blog, the diversity of species may still be a mystery to many. Over the coming days I'll post some images to highlight what does go on 120 miles north east of Aberdeen, hoping they will be of interest to most of you. While David Bailey still remains unperturbed about my photographic prowess, it should be pointed out that most of the following were taken with the rig camera, usually spattered with oil based mud and occasionally used by the Roughnecks to hammer in nails.

Little Bunting - might as well start with a goody and a nice story to accompany it. Going about my harduous task of sitting around drinking coffee and story telling, I was interrupted on the radio by our standby boat announcing they had caught a couple of birds. "One we think is a House Martin" the Captain informed me, "and the other a Linnet". Delighted with both, especially the latter a 'rig tick', they were duly winched aboard in a Twix chocolate box. Straight to the comfort of my cabin, the first was seen to be a Storm Petrel (easily confused I guess) and most welcome as the first I'd ever handled. The second was much more of a surprise, the pictured Bunting.

Little Bunting - sporting new shackle. It was kept in the warmth of the Marine Control Room overnight, and as luck would have it there was a 'chopper next morning. Communication with the shore had Paul Baxter from the Aberdeen Bird Club collect it from the heliport, transport it to Cove (a few miles south) and to the delight of a crowd of 'year listers', ringed and released it.

Water Rail - an annual visitor in ones and twos, usually in the Autumn

Wigeon - small numbers showed most years often passing straight through. These, just 2 of 15 that day, took advantage of the fresh water supply from a recent shower on the heli-deck, to wash and drink

Short-eared Owl
Long-eared Owls

Both of the larger Owls were annual on both migrations, and with a ready and plentiful food supply faired very well. The only other Owl ever to have been recorded on Buchan, involved a 'ringed' bird that was 'controlled' on Shetland a couple of days prior to it visit, then sent ashore by 'chopper from the rig. This was before my time so details are a little sketchy

Ticking Away the Moments That Make Up a Dull Day - Pink Floyd

Having enjoyed excellent company for dinner last evening, Joy my next door neighbour and her gentleman friend Roy helped me through braised duck followed by Stilton and Port. A dark and dingy early morning with a stiff westerly didn't seem very promising for bird life, and it wasn't. The best to be seen at Radipole were single Sparrowhawk and Chiffchaff while the 4 Black-tailed Godwit remained in situ, with good numbers of Common Snipe and a couple of sub-adult Common Gulls. At Portland things were dire to start with, managing to count all the alba Wagtails and Mipits before I got to the Obs, 3 and 2 respectively. 2 Ravens and a Peregrine brightened an otherwise dull day at the west cliffs, while at the Bill, Gannets seemed to be moving in good numbers and 2 Balearic Shearwater entered the notebook as bird of the day.

Before entering the Observatory I noticed yesterdays BBC man's car in the same place, inconsiderately blocking access on the farm track going up to the privet hedge. However, today there was an addition stuck to the back window, a 'Police Aware' notice. It transpired that having left it there all day yesterday to go filming, he had lost the keys and had to send for help. The RAC man was, by all accounts, able to gain entry, but with all the sophisticated anti-theft devices was unable to start the engine. I ventured that had certain people been in the area he would likely have found a tractor or other farm plant parked close up behind it.

My only other observation today was the start of work on Officer's Field opposite Victoria Gardens at Underhill, Portland. Domestic dwellings by all accounts, but I think one could place a pretty safe bet that they won't be for local young people at affordable prices!

A photograph at random from the archive of an Alpine Chough, taken in Spain June 2005


The final post from the Egypt collection, again centers on the Desert and Mountain areas

Desert Lark - a lucky last minute find just outside St Catherine's Monastery

Isabelline Wheatear - present in all arid areas

Sinai Rosefinch (female) - the only site I know for this species is part way up Mount Mosses. I don't know if they favour any particular elevation, but the 2 separate occasions I've seen them, they have been about 20 to 30 minutes up (if that's any help)

Sinai Rosefinch (male) - one trait of this nifty little finch is feeding on seeds extracted from Camel dung, so path watching is a good idea

Wildlife People Day

Today's post is probably a little more about personalities than birds, there were a few people about, but fewer birds. While Meadow Pipits still seemed to be moving in good numbers, alba Wagtails were nowhere near as plentiful as yesterday. Barleycrates only produced single Whinchat and Grey Wagtail and the west cliff just single Wheatear, Merlin and Peregrine, with 2 Ravens putting on quite an aerial performance. Further down the island a few Stonechat were in evidence (with one caught in the Obs garden coinciding with my arrival there) 3 Yellow Wagtail flew over calling, a scattering of Chiffchaff, a Pheasant calling from the privet hedge area and all 6 Grey Partridge being far more confiding. At the Obs I picked up on 10 Common Scoter flying east but apart from a few Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Auk Sp that was it.

The first person I meet today was Geoffrey Senior, who's beautiful illustrations can be found in Barry Goater's excellent volume British Pyralid Moths. Barry and I have 'birded' together on a couple of occasions, and his Field Guide helped somewhat in my clumsy efforts to identify micro-moths during a 12 year trapping period. It was interesting to meet the other half as it were.

Next I bumped into Max Hug Williams, someone else I had never met before, these days Cameraman for the BBC. Recently returned from Africa where he had been undertaking some 'freelance' mammal shoots, he was today taking various footage for next weeks 'live' showing of Autumn Watch. Coincidentally, I was introduced to 3 of his team last evening, while looking for the Ruddy Shelduck at Radipole.

Earlier, I had put a couple of fellow photographers (in my case I use the term loosely) onto the Grey Partridges, for which they were very grateful. One I seemed to recognise and later it dawned on me that it was Charlie Moores, probably best known locally for his heavy involvement in the production of the Digital Video 'The Natural History of the Isle of Portland.' Responsible for Photography, Editing and Narration this work should be a 'must have' for anyone remotely interested in the magical nature of this special island, especially the novice. Ably advised by Martin Cade, Warden of the Bird Observatory and local artist Joyce Bee, the Text, Research plus some photography was in he main handled by the late, and much missed, Peter Mowday. Accompanying Charlie was Richard Crossley, now resident in my old 'stomping ground' of Cape May, New Jersey and author of 'The Shorebird Guide' published by Houghton and Mifflin just one of his many talents. I should also mention that he is also an acquaintance of one of my US birding friends, Sandra Keller. Before my first trip to Cape May I contacted Sandra, as she had suggested on her regular postings on Surfbirds, and received a wealth of useful information about the area and like minded contacts. This made life very easy as I joined a number of walks, met some of the most hospitable people and increased my States list ten fold. Sandra plus Doug, Mary and Gabe Johnson (to name but a few) remain firm friends and I very much look forward to them visiting Dorset. If any of you over The Pond are reading this the invitation remains very much OPEN!

The Grey Partridge being much more confiding

Richard & Charlie in Top Fields

Max Hug Williams setting up gear and directing where he wanted me to pose

Stonechats - Portland Bill, a bird in the hand

is said to be worth more than one in a bush

Martin Cade, Warden Portland Bird Observatory, processing the captive

'Wave Ruler', the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fast Fleet Tanker of the Wave Knight Class, passing Portland Bill this morning

Egypt continued

Today and tomorrows posts continue the journey through Sinai, northward up the coast of the Gulf of Aqabah, sharp left into the desert region and back south to Sharm along the banks of the Gulf of Suez, including Ras Mohamed. St Catherine's Monastery, a must stop place, was built in 500 and something, at the foot of Mount Moses (of tablets of stone fame) and is reputed to be built around the Burning Bush. Agreed, there is a bush there but not to worry the fire has been put out. Crammed full of priceless artifacts of all denominations Arab, Greek, Roman and even Western oil paintings, in two visits I've not seen any of them. For me, what's outside is what matters with the following photographs giving some idea.

Saint Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mount Moses

White-crowned Black Wheatear - this a 'first year' not yet showing the adult crown

Spectacled Bulbul - common in the region, but seemingly confined to irrigated areas

Tristram's Grackle - a small colony exists on and around the monastery