Birding or Boozing - That Is The Question

With a clear, bright and sunny day yesterday the thaw was well underway by bedtime, add to that heavy overnight rain and a change in wind direction things were pretty well back to normal by dawn. This mornings sky appeared threatening but with a light sou'wester the overall feel was almost balmy.

Concerned that many small birds may have suffered as a result of these couple of days of snow, it was good to hear a cacophony of birdsong in the graveyard, mostly the usual attendees, but there were others. Where Green Woodpecker had featured yesterday, it was the turn of a

Great Spotted Woodpecker today in addition to which a single Jay had returned while a

Firecrest was content to forage with a mixed flock of Long-tailed & Blue Tits and a couple of Goldcrest.

The melt hadn't seemed to have effected Radipole to a great extent as much of the watercourse was still frozen, while the car park was like a skating rink. However, for the second day running

Bearded Tits (male top & female) were showing apart from which it was more of the same.

A male Bearded Tit in the hand at Portland Bird Observatory last year.

At Ferrybridge Little Grebe numbers had increased from 7 to 9, while in the distance close to the Oyster Beds there was a female Goosander, but most of the action was

on the foreshore, where an estimated 1,000 Brent Geese (can you see the c2 Shelduck yet?) were busily feeding, preening and squabbling as a dozen Little Egrets fed at the waters edge.

There they are! I could only find c3 Pale-bellied Brent among the gaggle, but it was interesting to note one was baring rings.

These photographs have been submitted to Martin Cade in the hope that the origin of these birds may be determined.

A couple of Pale-bellied Brent Geese

At the other side of Small Mouth, in Portland Harbour, there were a further c4 female Goosander, but that;s when the rain started again. A bit of a 'blessing in disguise' as there is a party at JD Wetherspoons this lunch time but did I really want to break off from the birding?

Simply a pre-Christmas drink with a few 'like minded' people I was at the rendezvous in plenty of time.

Vera Powell (mother of Martin who featured on a mid-week post), Val Watts, Leslie Brown and Cathy were already in attendance, so it was no time at all before the 'party' was underway.

Partners Ted King & Vera Powell enjoying an early Christmas drink before embarking on a Mediterranean cruise over the festive season.

Ted was a long time 'shipmate' and it's always a joy to be in his/their company!

Please notice, when the CHIPS are down, the girls are always first to get stuck in!

Wendy & Michael Honeybon joined the throng later in the day, and as I sauntered my way home (in a taxi)

Joy & Roy, next door, where there to greet me. A gin & tonic later I finally got home - life's for living, so best you live!

finally, there is need to welcome a new reader from Panama., our 112th member of the readership. A country that holds many fond memories for both myself and Big-Fat Billy Crumble but all too detailed to enter into at this late hour (it is 18-00 for goodness sake). Hope you will share the experience with your friends, otherwise 'enjoy' and 'welcome'.

Catching Up On Yesterday

Browsing the websites of the Portland bird Observatory and the Dorset Bird Club for yesterday's bird sightings it seemed as though I was on a different planet. Lots of activity, involving thousands of birds the reports were most impressive, but choosing to stay within the borough of Weymouth it was down to my movements.

Hoping to redress the situation an early start in the cemetery found some of yesterday's wanderers were lingering, but the best species had to be a long absent

Green Woodpecker

Redwing were probably most numerous taking advantage, along with Blackbirds, Song Thrush and Fieldfare of the mass of berries, while other species included Green Finch, Chaffinch, Siskin, plus Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits.

At Ferrybridge c6 Little Grebes were still close to the Small Mouth Channel and reaching the foreshore a Redshank flushed from the waterside. Some way off there were c5

Golden Plover, but like the accompanying c6 Knot they weren't for hanging about.

Looking down the Fleet, Chesil Beach was still dusted in snow, reflected in the calm water,

while on the other side the hills towards Abbotsbury looked to have a thick cover.

One obliging Dunlin was well worth a shot, as was

this Starling content to sit on the nearby wind sock.

At the Bill, a couple of Kestrels were hunting, while several

Lapwing were taking advantage of the thawed patches in the fields.

This one however was plodding the main road right outside of the Observatory.

Golden Plover too were finding plenty of food

and were far more confiding than their relatives at the north end of the Island.

This Black Redstart appeared on my way home

at the Iron Age dig, just up the road from the Obs making for an excellent end to a really good day.

Weymouth's Winter Wonderland

Snow in Weymouth is about as rare as 'free drinks' in JD Wetherspoon's (pub), but it does happen on occasion as it did today, not the free drinks I hasten to add. Even at 07-00 and still under the cover of dark, I could hear the squeals of children enjoying this infrequent happening building snowmen, snowballing and sliding down the road. I doubt there was a parent in the Borough who had difficulty getting their kids out of bed as by the time I 'hit the trail' this was the scene.

"Hey, there's a Snowman, look, look what a Snowman" - lyric from 'Snowbound' from the album 'Then There Were Three' by Genesis.

With Lapwings flying north, Skylarks heading south and a few Redwing and Fieldfare a little unsure which way to go, it was obvious my garden House Sparrows were in need of a few groceries so last nights left over 'yellow peril' (smoked haddock), toast, a few chopped apples and a tin of corned beef seemed to do the trick.

The cemetery seemed devoid of birds which was not exactly to my liking

or that of the attendant Sparrowhawk darting between the trees and the stones without result.

However, all of this was highly picturesque so resided myself to the fact that this was going to be a 'snow scene' sort of day and started by enjoying the view towards the RSPB Visitor's Centre (VC) at Radipole.

Looking back across the Buddleia Lagoon, this was once again frozen solid but one or two birds were now showing including c2 Reed Buntings and a Great Spotted Woodpecker which seemed to have found something edible in the frozen earth?

The eastern path of the loop was equally eye-catching but not as much as the too long absent party of Bearded Tits feeding in the reed litter.

As for the rest of the reserve it was case of Long-tailed Tits and what can clearly be seen from this image, an array of Gulls and a couple of Shelduck outside of the VC.

While I have no interest in advertising the RSPB the VC did look much like a Christmas card this morning.

Then, all of a sudden there were a couple of my mates, Paramedics Adrian Baker (driving) and Jeff Jones just a couple of hours into what could prove to be a very busy shift? They had already had a few 'call outs' and in very quickly time they disappeared under a scream of sirens up King Street, I guess to save another life or two. The whole community, I'm sure. are grateful your there!

One of the best pictures of the day was at the statue to King George the Third in the centre of Weymouth, where he looks down upon a 'bathing machine' (which he immortalised in our town) and, yes, they are palm trees.

A closer look reveals he's been hit in the coupon by a snowball, despite being guarded by a Regal Eagle (it's a Shitehawk really).

The sweep of the bay and

'the snows' (which used to be called 'the sands') looked very strange while a little further down the sea-front the

Snowmen were popping up everywhere.

Even the Golden Lion in St Edmund's Street took on a snowy feel, and seemed to be saying "it ain't like this on the Serengeti mum"!

The Inner Harbour was too much of a temptation to miss on such a day,

and from the vantage point of the Stone Pier

a single merchant ship could be seen at anchor in the lee of the snow covered Purbeck Hills.

One of the 'Clipper Sail Training Flotilla' did poke her prow around the corned of the pier head, but thinking better of it the skipper was re-secure alongside when I walked back, with the crew enjoying a hot drink.

On the other hand you may say the 'Tall Ships Challenger 4' crew were made of stouter stuff (or more fool hardy) as they left harbour under astern propulsion and set sail.

Even Weymouth's world famous Georgian Sea Front

took on a different dimension in the snow, and

looking through the gloom it could be seen that Portland had received their share of the 'white stuff' as well.

Walking back towards the Nothe Fort, built by Napoleonic prisoners,

the south quayside buildings open to view as did this sign on my favourite Weymouth fish & chip shop, owned by my good friend Vinny (the Chip) Johnson.

Purely coincidentally, my snack for today was smoked Mackerel in a bread roll, a morsel that just about every fish lover in the land has enjoyed at one time or another. Then to note that this ancient dish is now being claimed as the creation of some pseudo, pretentious, wee tw*t down in Bridport beggars belief. Maybe once you get on the TV you can claim to be both a personality and an inventor, but I suggest Mr Maddams, and maybe his equally annoying gaffer (Hugh Fearnley- 'hyphen'- Whittingstall), need to get out a bit more often!

and finally, ever inspired by poetry and lyrics, whether they be Punk or Puccini, I played the afore mentioned Genesis album while composing this, and leave you with a few words from 'Undertow' (track 3):-

The curtains are drawn
Now the fire warms the room.
Meanwhile outside
Wind from the north-east chills the air,
It will soon be snowing out there.

And some there are
Cold, they prepare for a sleepless night.
Maybe this will be their last fight.

But we're safe in each other's embrace,
All fears go out as I look on your face -

Better think awhile
Or I may never think again.
If this were the last day of your life, my friend,
Tell me, what do you think you would do then?

Stand up to the blow that fate has struck upon you,
Make the most of all you still have coming to you, [or]
Lay down on the ground and let the tears run from you,
Crying to the grass and trees and heaven finally on your knees

Let me live again, let life come find me wanting.
Spring must strike again against the shield of winter.
Let me feel once more the arms of love surround me,
Telling me the danger's past, I need not fear the icy blast again.

Laughter, music and perfume linger here
And there, and there,
Wine flows from flask to glass and mouth,
As it soothes, confusing our doubts.

And soon we feel,
Why do a single thing to-day,
There's tomorrow sure as I'm here.

So the days they turn into years
And still no tomorrow appears.

Better think awhile
Or I may never think again.
If this were the last day of your life, my friend,
Tell me, what do you think you would do then?

Stand up to the blow that fate has struck upon you,
Make the most of all you still have coming to you, [or]
Lay down on the ground and let the tears run from you,
Crying to the grass and trees and heaven finally on your knees

Let me live again, let life come find me wanting.
Spring must strike again against the shield of winter.
Let me feel once more the arms of love surround me,
Telling me the danger's past, I need not fear the icy blast again.