Asda - Three Bottles for 'Ten Quid'

It would be churlish to describe a day as 'dull' when you've just been looking at an adult Stilt Sandpiper in almost best bib and tucker, but by an large it had been ordinary right up to the past hour or two! So, it might be an idea, and for a change, to report the sequence of events in almost reverse order.

Firstly, when switching on the laptop to compose today's Blog, 2 new countries appeared on the Stat Counter the first of which was the Caribbean Island of Grenada. I remember well my visit there in 1999 and the lovely people we encountered, so it's particularly rewarding to welcome the 4 new visitors to our site. It is hoped you might pass on the Blog Link to as many as you can and become regular readers yourself.

The other will save until tomorrow.

Next, turning on the TV News Channel there in full flow is none other than our good friend Stephen Williams looking out at me. Steve is the owner and Managing Director of the prestigious Antiques Wine Company, who today has sold the most expensive bottle of 'white wine' in the world.

I'm sure he wouldn't mind me observing that since the inception of his most successful business, his 'passion' for Château d'Yquem (producers of arguably the best Sauternes in the world) has grown and grown.

Today he parted company with a bottle of vintage 1811 for the princely sum of £75,000.

I was introduced to Stephen Williams many years ago by my dear friend Andy Lindsay seen here together on one of our visits to Steve's cellars.

It was also a privilege to have been part of one of his most amassing accomplishments when processing the Jönköping (Champagne) Treasure. Stephen & Me holding a bottle of Champagne from the wreck, valued then at $5,000.

I should direct readers back to previous posts dated 3rd & 4th February 2011 which can be found via the Search facility at the top of this page, and the link below.

Most expensive bottle of white wine 1811 Château d'Yquem sold for £75k

Next, I received the best photograph I have seen of the Stilt Sandpiper still showing well, but at a distance, on Lodmoor from Martin Cade, Warden of the Portland Bird Observatory again worthy of a wider audience. Anyway, back to this morning

as the bright sunshine of yesterday gave way to a complete cover of black, threatening clouds, which did release a drop or two at mid-day but has since brought more sun. Weymouth Bay from Greenhill looking towards The Purbeck Hills.

Both the cemetery and Radipole drew a 'blank', except for this distant Common Sandpiper, so it was quickly on to Lodmoor where I met up with Darragh Croxson recently returned from a birding trip to West Papua. He tells me it was the most physically taxing one he has ever done, but at the same time the most rewarding. With 280 new additions to his World Bird List, 15 of them being 'Birds of Paradise' I need no further convincing. Good to see you back my friend!

We continued around the Moor together and soon encountered 3

Black-tailed Godwit

along with Green Woodpecker, 15 Dunlin, a couple of Bearded Tit, the first Cetti's Warbler heard since our respective returns home plus

'the' female Marsh Harrier.

Parting company close to his house, I went on to see just a fleeting glimpse of this Whitethroat,

an even shorter look this Stoat, one of 2 seen on the Moor this morning and another

Common Sandpiper, this time at the Hump.

There followed a bit of a 'heart stopper', again at some distance, what may have been an Aquatic Warbler.

A very pale bird with a 'crown stripe' and a little streaking on the rump, it was only via these images that it was confirmed as a

Sedge Warbler

There was no knowing what put the fairly large group of Gulls and Terns up, but they consisted mostly of Black-headed Gulls, a few Mediterranean Gulls, likewise Common Tern and a single Sandwich Tern. This was enough to send me for another look at the Stilt Sandpiper, still in the pool viewable from the southern bund at Overcoombe Corner, and showing nowhere near as well as it did on Sunday. There were also a couple of Common & Green Sandpiper with it.

Ferrybridge was a total 'dead loss' as not only were there no birds, but this is when the rain started. I had already had time to talk to the new arrival campers on the car park who have been there for a few days now. Having driven all the way from County Cork in Southern Ireland, they seemed to have little worry about car park attendants etc, as they sat enjoying eggs, bacon, sausage and fried bread, all I got was a cup of tea!

and to finish on the subject of 'eggs', John and Maggie gave me, along with some delicious Straw & Raspberries on Sunday, probably the 2 biggest Hen's eggs I have ever seen. I had one yesterday (yes Maggie it was a 'double yoke') and I'm off for the other one right now - Bon Appetite!

Schools Out - Alice Cooper

A couple of images from yesterday of Susie Milbank (next to my mate Dave Tissington in bush hat) & Friends visiting the Portland Bird Observatory.

Susie described the Obs and Portland as fascinating places in her e-mail, and all were intrigued by the variety of Moths in the traps.

Very little in the way of birds today, but this being the first day proper of the School Holidays the weather, of almost continuous sunshine and a gentle breeze, seemed perfect. Lets hope it continues if only for the kids! Apart from a similar mix of Gulls as yesterday and a pair of Oystercatchers, the only other sighting of note at the foreshore were 2 Little Terns engaged in a 'dog-fight' with a local Kestrel.

Ranger (by Universal Advanced Systems) at Ferrybridge

The vehicle provides the World’s best survivability system against blast, ballistic and fragmentation threats whilst also retaining a very high degree of tactical and operational mobility. It is designed to operate over the most demanding terrain thus allowing troops to have the freedom to manoeuvre off road, and giving the greatest flexibility in route selection and avoidance of vulnerable points (VPs).

It should also be noted that the driver, who must consider himself above the law, was parked not only right across a Bus Stop, causing a number of vehicular hold ups as buses could not pull in, but also within an Urban Clearway.

Fishermen at Ferrybridge preparing their nets.

and on the subject of children, there can be no criticism of 'nothing to do' around here, with the National Sailing Academy full to overflowing this morning with youngsters learning canoeing techniques. Only wish I had a picture of dozens of them going through their 'paddling paces' on Hamm Beach.

Lots of Ragwort in bloom at the moment, but a danger to livestock I am told.

A couple of Common Darters are now viewable at the Observatory pond, while undoubtedly the

most attractive Moth in the traps today were a number of Garden Tigers.

On the way back to Sweethill this distant Common Buzzard was noted, being hassled by a few Swallows.

It was seen to have 'prey' in its talons which via these photographs was identified as a Brown Rat, so obviously Ratatouille for lunch today?

All the fence posts leading up to The Privet Hedge had a bunch of Garden Snails on them,

while on another was my first returning Wheatear, although there were 2 reported at The Bill yesterday.

and a few more photos from previous days.

Mixed groups of Dunlin and Sanderling, unusually feeding in 2 tight knit circles, rather than the usual feeding pattern of these small Waders, strewn along the tide line. Today they were finding all they needed in just these areas hardly straying from the circles and remaining extremely confiding.

Dunlin

Sanderling

Common Blue Butterfly

Juvenile Sedge Warbler.

Beautifully marked bird caught in a 'mist net' at the Portland Bird Observatory (PBO).

I'm told the 'necklace' is indicative of a young bird.

Head detail of Sedge Warbler

female Oak Eggar Moth also caught at PBO.

Greater Knapweed.

Best Laid Plans of Mice & Men

There was a tentative plan for today, with 'quiet' being the operative word. High on the agenda was lunch with my mates John Gifford and sister Maggie so, apart from getting the washing up done there was just time for a wander around Radipole. That's when the proverbial 'spanner' was strategically place with a call from Darrah announcing the brief appearance of a Stilt Sandpiper on Lodmoor, but not seen since. With little positive to react to it was a continued Plan A where, at Radipole, I came across the long staying

Hooded Merganser once again, now looking extremely drab in eclipse plumage.

There was also a rather good looking Little Grebe feeding young at the Westham Bridge Sluices, and with no further news on the rare American Wader there was a feeling of comfort as I met my lunch dates and headed off to

Coach & Horses at Winterbourne Abbas. An excellent Sunday roast accompanied by a couple of pints of San Miguel, we decided to take a look at the restoration work at the Hardy Monument, but that was before the texts started pouring in from all quarters "Stilt showing well at Lodmoor". Although not quite as avid as myself, but far more knowledgeable about wildlife in general, John & Maggie were very keen to see this bird so we bye-passed the monument

and found a crowd already assembled on the edge of the Moor overlooking the south easterly pools. The bird was still there and showing well, viewed through a telescope, but only intermittently in company with at least 4 Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper.

These photographs are from my archive, as taken at the Ecuasal Salt Lakes, Salinas, Ecuador in 2010, just for illustration purposes. Today's individual was an adult in far smarter plumage than those shown.

It is not known if anyone got any decent shots, but I didn't even bring the camera to bare. The bird in the background of the centre image is a Wilson's Phalarope which would have caused quite a stir had it been there as well!

and as promised, some more of the shots from yesterday.

Adult & juvenile Sandwich Tern (the latter having just devoured a plump Sand-eel).

Get going Mum, I need another one of them!

Up, up and away.

Cor, hope she won't be too long.

Boing said Zebedee, Oystercatcher doing a Highland Fling.

Black-headed Gull