Star Spangled Banner & Maple Leaf

Well he's here and as he was bearing gifts I let him in the house.

Joy, as well as me, was delighted to see Jim the Medic and soon got tucked into the wine - cheers!

As well as the 2 bottles in the previous photo he, and partner Liz, bought me this Joe Bonamassa poster when they went to see him in Holland. Liz also sent me a 'Kiss' lollipop - thank you very much Liz, you can come next time. Anyway, must get the peas on so - manana!

This post is dedicated to the lovely people of the United States of America and Canada as part of 'thanks' to the response to yesterdays post. For the first time for many, many months the Stat Counter has shown the United Kingdom drop to below the 8,000 'hits' threshold, while the USA has leapt from a modest 3 figures to 500 by breakfast time UK this morning Canada meanwhile is on the cusp of 200, great to welcome you all, and please pass the Link on!

It's been 'tiger in a cage' day today with the expected arrival of Jim the Medic plus four other friends coming to dinner this evening. Not having done a dinner party for quite a while now it's been fantastic spending some time in the galley for a change, another of my great loves. I expect there will be some photos of this event, so watch this space.

Back to 'birding' the North American sub-continent, this (outside of the UK) is my most favourite area in the world. While I love the gaudy colours and strange forms of all the Tropical birds, here there is that middle ground of diversity between brilliant colouration and UK birds which by and large are more subtle (didn't want to use the word 'dowdy' as this they are not). Add to that the chance of recording a trans-Atlantic vagrant here in UK and the intrigue is to the fore.

Downy Woodpecker - this photo was taken in New Jersey where my US 'birding' first started. Over the years I have returned time and again, and on each occasion have received the kind of welcome synonymous with that side of the Pond. An ideal opportunity here I feel to remember some who have become firm friends. Sandra Keller of Cape May has been my inspiration and companion on may ventures, and through her met Doug, Mary and Gabe Johnson who have shared both the hobby and home. I'll have to get over and see you guys again soon.

Savannah Sparrow one of a diverse array of sub-species, one of which, the Ipswich Sparrow, has graced the Isle of Portland which is something of a coincidence. It's breeding range is restricted to another 'island' Sable Island, Nova Scotia and spends the winter months on the grassy dunes between New England and Florida. Passerculis sandwichensis princeps differs from the nominate race and others in being larger and paler overall, described by Sibley as 'greyish'. I bet there are a few readers of this Blog who remember that little gem with a great deal of satisfaction?

Sora is a more frequent visitor to our shores, but still a 'rare' bird for all that. This individual showed well close to Beaver Creek, Yukon on the Alaska Highway.

Swainson's Thrush another infrequent visitor to Great Britain.

Sandhill Crane as with the picture above, this was taken at Creamers Field 'ringing station' just outside of Fairbanks, Alaska where I also received an extremely warm welcome and was allowed to view what they call 'banding' over there.

Spotted Sandpiper a far more frequent visitor to our shores than any on this page, but it still remains absent from my Dorset List - please send another.

Tree Swallow very common throughout the sub-continent and has been recorded in Great Britain.

Song Sparrow also on the British List but not yet for me.

American Coot this photo was taken at the Dawson Creek Nature Reserve, British Columbia, Canada.

White-crowned Sparrow is on my GB List, but this one was in Central Park, New York City.

Trumpeter Swan aloft over Toad River, Yukon, Canada. Singularly, the most memorable part of this 3 day stopover was meeting Colin Leake, wife Heather and their beautiful family and friends. If you are reading this Colin, there is more that a good chance I'll be passing through sometime in the spring, and yes you can consider this a HINT for an invite!!!!

Yellow Warbler certainly in my 'top ten' American Warblers, taken in Seattle, Washington State (the northernmost largest city in the contiguous US).

Blue-winged Teal taken somewhere along the Alaska Highway.

and finally, a look at the Stat Counter at noon today - what a response from across The Pond!

	Num	Perc.	Country Name
	7908	75.31%	United Kingdom
	590	5.62%	United States
	374	3.56%	Taiwan
	189	1.80%	Estonia
	169	1.61%	Netherlands
	106	1.01%	Germany
	106	1.01%	Canada

American Pie - Don McLean

Well, he's told me he's coming but knowing Jim the Medic that is no indication of what will actually happen. I'll expect him sometime after noon and have as mall dinner party arrange, but should he not make it, that's more Liebfraumilch for me!

On what has probably been the best day weather wise of the year so far, my day has been taken up mostly with shopping so it's withdrawal symptoms for me with no 'birding' to report. Jim will obviously want a run around some of Dorset, but it might be that tomorrow's post will be similar to today with more archive photos. Most of these images were taken in Alaska, with the others in the Yukon, thanks for tuning in and hope you visit again tomorrow for the dinner report.

Cliff Swallow

Cliff Swallow's nest

Killdeer

Great Horned Owl (juvenile)

Hammond's Flycatcher

Grey Jay a.k.a. Whiskey Jack

Lesser Yellowlegs

Lincoln's Sparrow

Northern Waterthrush

Mew Gull

Red-winged Blackbird (male)

Red-winged Blackbird (female)

Park Life - Blur

Wow! Mozambique, where did that come from? Our 124th nation to join the readership, what a pleasure to welcome you to the Bagsy Blog. I have fond memories of traveling through part of your country from Inhambane, south west to your capital Maputo then onward to Swaziland, South Africa and Lesotho. In the early days (1966) I spent much time cruising the Mozambique Channel and while it is always a great pleasure to have a new country join, one from the African Nation is especially welcome. It is hoped that you will pass on the link to all your friends if you find the Blog interesting.

Mozambique

Regular readers will doubtless remember this photograph (© Mike Morse) of the dismembered carcass of an unidentified bird from Burton Bradstock Beach. Some 'big guns' of the local birdings fraternity have pondered long and hard over the conundrum with Messrs Spencer, Harris, Chown and Foot agreeing it is a Teal - while on the other hand I'm sticking with Bridled Tern!!!!

The weather today, or at least most of it, can be described in 2 words, Wet & Windy which is 3 but never mind. I for one seem never to tire of American birds, so with 2 potentials at the same site there was only one direction to go - Poole Park.

The Jurassic Coast X53 service takes you to within a few hundred yard of the park, so after a brief look around the cemetery and Radipole, (Goldcrest, a few more Pochard and an absence of Redwing) it was out with the 'bus pass'.

The park is about 30 miles from Weymouth along an extremely scenic route, wending its way through a few Dorset villages and takes just 80 minutes. Both birds, Long-billed Dowitcher & Ring-billed Gull have already been seen this year, but are of such scarcity value that the small amount of effort to see them is well worth it. There is usually a variety of weird and wonderful Wildfowl here and today was to be no exception.

First to appear was one of the 'feral' gaggle of Greylag Geese, but

less expected an escapee from 'down under' a Black Swan.

Some strange genetic combinations as well, something strange has been messing with the Greylags,

while the Canada Geese have also been 'messing around'?

But then the first of the 'target' birds was seen

and all attention was focused on this

Long-billed Dowitcher, doubtless the bird that has frequented the Weymouth area for a couple of months previous to its relocation here.

With many hundreds of Gulls in attendance and widely scattered the Ring-billed Gull was never going to be easy, Black-headed were most numerous,

with just a few Mediterranean Gulls and one Gull did stimulate some interest but at great distance wasn't easy to identify. With the benefit of photographs it was considered to be a 'small' Herring Gull. I'm sure the lovely couple who were also pursuing it will be as disappointed as I am, but how nice to meet you both.

These 2 British 'red telephone boxes', once part of every corner of our country, are thought worthy of publication hopefully of interest to our overseas readers.

From here on in it was down to a few common Waders to focus the interest, with this Black-tailed Godwit

obligingly taking to the wing

and relocating at

at a better feeding spot.

Redshank were represented by c5 birds, in addition to which there were a few Oystercatchers as well.

and finally a tribute to exceptional guitarist Gary Moore who died in his sleep yesterday, age 58.

Gary Moore 1952 - 2011

Long-billed Dowitcher