A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square - Nat King Cole

With the temperature rising to 29.9C in some parts of the UK yesterday, this was an October record for the country, and if early morning was anything to go by that record could soon be broken. Heading straight to Portland, as usual stopping at a recently ploughed Helen's Field to find it teeming with birds albeit of common species only. Difficult to ascertain numbers but I did count 150 Pied Wagtail with at least a similar number in adjoining fields. Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch and Wheatear were all showing in many 'tens' while Robins, Chiffchaff, Blackbirds and Siskins were also numerous.

Wheatear

Wheatear with Goldfinch

Continuing on to the Bird Observatory The Warden Martin Cade had already been busy for a number of hours tending the mist nets, from which on one 'round' he re-trapped yesterday's

Nightingale. I wasn't there for either of these events too slack yesterday and too late today, but with Martin's blessing thought these fine shots of a species more often heard than seen

should be conveyed to a wider audience. What a beauty? Portland Bird Obs You will find this link well worth a look. So, with the number of birds dwindling as the morning wore on, and unable to locate the Little Owl that had been showing earlier, it was back to the reliability of the Moth Traps where quantity was much greater that quality!

Blair's Shoulder Knot

Feathered Brindle and

Beautiful Gothic.

There was a small bonus by way of a 7-spot Ladybird on the patio wall before I left the Obs, to find

this single, unidentified Fungi (looks like the Chestnut Mushrooms I get from Asda)

and a Carrion Crow, bill agape, obviously being effected by the now soring temperature?

and so to Australia where there was a birthday yesterday.

Frederick David aft (seen here being ably assisted by brother Alexander) my second Grandson was 2 years old yesterday.

It was by all accounts a great party, attended by lots of family (mostly children)

who no doubt were 'champing at the bit' to get tucked into the Fred is 2 Choo Choo.

but there were of course traditions to maintain, such as blowing out the candles, but seemingly a little out of puff he was helped by

Daddy Bernard & Mummy Lisa.

After all those Smarties it must have been nice just to take the weight off your feet and get the Old Man to read a few Birthday Cards.

Congratulations Son! May there be many, many more!

and finally an end of month look at the Stat Counter where the Motherland has gained a further 1,000 points and the USA getting closer by the day to the 2,000 mark. it is fantastic to note that with the addition of India there are now 15 countries inside the treble figure boundary, but most pleasing to me this month are the number of 'new' African Countries that now participate in the read, 14 in all - WOW - but unfortunately 10 others having dropped off the scale.

Thank You
to each and every reader and hope you will pass the Link on to EVERYONE you know!

	Num	Perc.	Country Name
	18089	72.36%	United Kingdom
	1832	7.33%	United States
	624	2.50%	Canada
	551	2.20%	Taiwan
	343	1.37%	Estonia
	318	1.27%	Australia
	247	0.99%	Germany
	237	0.95%	France
	212	0.85%	Netherlands
	193	0.77%	New Zealand
	153	0.61%	Italy
	132	0.53%	Japan
	132	0.53%	Brazil
	112	0.45%	Spain
	101	0.40%	India
	80	0.32%	Belgium
	69	0.28%	Sweden
	67	0.27%	Poland
	67	0.27%	Switzerland
	61	0.24%	Colombia
	58	0.23%	Thailand
	58	0.23%	Peru
	49	0.20%	American Samoa
	42	0.17%	South Africa
	41	0.16%	Mexico
	41	0.16%	Malaysia
	40	0.16%	Russian Federation
	40	0.16%	Finland
	39	0.16%	Romania
	39	0.16%	Denmark
	38	0.15%	Norway
	36	0.14%	Hungary
	35	0.14%	Singapore
	35	0.14%	Israel
	35	0.14%	Philippines
	33	0.13%	Korea, Republic Of
	30	0.12%	Chile
	29	0.12%	Bulgaria
	28	0.11%	Turkey
	27	0.11%	Sri Lanka
	27	0.11%	Greece
	26	0.10%	Argentina
	26	0.10%	Dominican Republic
	25	0.10%	Indonesia
	25	0.10%	Ukraine
	25	0.10%	Croatia
	24	0.10%	Hong Kong
	23	0.09%	Portugal
	22	0.09%	Vietnam
	18	0.07%	Saudi Arabia
	18	0.07%	Serbia
	18	0.07%	Pakistan
	17	0.07%	Ireland
	17	0.07%	Malta
	17	0.07%	Czech Republic
	15	0.06%	Costa Rica
	14	0.06%	Anonymous Proxy
	13	0.05%	Madagascar
	13	0.05%	United Arab Emirates
	12	0.05%	Guatemala
	12	0.05%	Venezuela
	11	0.04%	Lithuania
	11	0.04%	Europe
	10	0.04%	Slovakia
	8	0.03%	Austria
	8	0.03%	Guernsey
	8	0.03%	Egypt
	7	0.03%	Jordan
	7	0.03%	Ecuador
	6	0.02%	Oman
	6	0.02%	Kuwait
	6	0.02%	Bangladesh
	6	0.02%	Virgin Island, U.s.
	5	0.02%	Cuba
	5	0.02%	Macedonia
	4	0.02%	Puerto Rico
	4	0.02%	Grenada
	4	0.02%	Trinidad And Tobago
	4	0.02%	Bosnia And Herzegovina
	4	0.02%	Bermuda
	4	0.02%	Armenia
	3	0.01%	Latvia
	3	0.01%	Jamaica
	3	0.01%	Iceland
	3	0.01%	Slovenia
	3	0.01%	Lesotho
	3	0.01%	Guyana
	3	0.01%	Zimbabwe
	3	0.01%	China
	3	0.01%	Belarus
	3	0.01%	Lebanon
	3	0.01%	Qatar
	3	0.01%	Kenya
	3	0.01%	Georgia
	3	0.01%	Algeria
	3	0.01%	Jersey
	3	0.01%	Palestinian Territory
	2	0.01%	Uganda
	2	0.01%	Luxembourg
	2	0.01%	Mauritius
	2	0.01%	Nepal
	2	0.01%	Malawi
	2	0.01%	Gabon
	1	0.00%	Morocco
	1	0.00%	Ghana
	1	0.00%	Isle Of Man
	1	0.00%	Cameroon
	1	0.00%	Albania
	1	0.00%	Uruguay
	1	0.00%	Tanzania, United Republic Of
	1	0.00%	Macao
	1	0.00%	Maldives
	1	0.00%	Gibraltar
	1	0.00%	Bolivia
	1	0.00%	Faroe Islands

Sweet Wine - Cream

The Large Ground Finch, this months 'header', is one of the 14 or 15 Darwin's Finches (also known as the Galápagos or Geospizinae Finches) where this photograph was taken in 2010.

The first day of the new month has been much the same weather-wise as the the final one of the old. Hot sunshine, cloudless sky and a gentle breeze which we may now officially refer to as an 'Indian Summer'. The term, originating from the North American Indians, is any period of unseasonable fine weather during the months of October and November which allowed the tribes extra time to hunt, gather and reap crops, a bonus indeed! But it was last night where all the action was.

As a guest of my friend Lesley Brown, together we attended the 'Golden Wedding Anniversary' of Colin and Pat Shaw with a chance to at least to make the acquaintance of a good number of people, but there were some familiar faces including a couple of workmates from long ago John & Keith Melon.

All set for the evening, Lesley & I enjoy an aperitif before the vegetable soup.

The gathering of over 60 guests make ready for the rib of beef, fresh veg and roast potatoes, followed by a delicious strawberry fool pudding.

Pat & Colin cut the 3 tier cake,

but Pat is quick to show off the delightful cake made by Lesley, decoration matching both invitations and table decoration.

Colin also came over for a chat with Lesley,

and what followed was one of a number of highlights of a splendid evening, the dancing - GREAT!
I do have to say a word about the Rembrandt Hotel, Weymouth, where the function was held, for their professionalism, hard work and excellent fare and of course to Colin & Pat for inviting me along.

Here's to the next 50!

As for today,

My garden ain't overgrown
and the weeds ain't creeping up on my home (any more).

Thanks to the Dolly Diggers who made an excellent job of getting it back to how it should look. On the strength of that I felt 'duty bound' to put some effort into it, so cleared out the pond for the upcoming winter period. Thinking that would be all else my day would produce, I was in for a massive and most interesting surprise. Many of the people I know are keen enthusiasts of the hobby of catching and recording Moths, so I was honoured when one of them, Paul Harris, turned up at my house to show me one of the most sort after insects in the land.

A Clifden Nonpareil a creature I had never clapped eyes on before. Posing on his hand for the photographs, it took to the wing and put on a fine aeriel display in my dining room before being returned to a chilled box for transport home and release back into the wild.

Another love Paul and I enjoy is 'fine wine' so on the strength of his visit and the showing of what the Victorians used to call Blue Underwing, we cracked a bottle of 2007 Charlie Herring (Tau Syrah grape). If the Skinny Kid is reading this we did toast yours and and the 'long suffering' Liz's health, in addition to Andy Lindsay and Dawn - CHEERS to EVERYONE!!

Story of a Quarryman - Joe Bonamassa

As the final day of September arrives, how good it feels to be wandering around without a coat or jacket. Once again the sky was blue and full of sunshine with a light south easterly breeze but still little by way of 'visible' migration especially at the cemetery and Radipole.

Portland also remained fairly quiet with Meadow Pipits, in far fewer number than of late predominated and the odd Blackcap, Wheatear for good measure. This Sparrowhawk did bring me back to life as it landed no more than a yard away from me, but didn't linger long enough for a shot.

Otherwise, it was more Raptors that brought the only avian interest as the resident juvenile Common Buzzard flew directly overhead,

followed by one of the parent birds.

Next came 2 Peregrines in quick succession both looking to have prey and heading for the nest site further along the coast. Not unexpectedly a couple of Kestrel also put in an appearance followed by a

Portland Oxpecker - it's a Carrion Crow really!

Real Oxpeckers
taken with a Box Brownie?

Red-billed Oxpecker, Zambia 1997?

Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Botswana 1997?

With the recently refurbished St George's Church, Easton featuring on the local regional television news last night, it seemed appropriate to stop of and take a shot or two.

Built in the mid 1700's and designed on the plans of Sir Christopher Wren's Saint Paul's Cathedral, the architect must have misjudged the dome which is certainly lacking in size, but nonetheless doesn't detract from this magnificent monolith.

Along with an abundance of interesting Tomb Stones

it is not only the house of (the) God (you believe in), if any

but also a monument

to the World Renowned Stone Masons and Quarrymen who are historically synonymous with the Isle of Portland.

Garden by Groundhogs
from the 1970 album 'Thank Christ For The Bomb' (Tony TS McPhee)
if you don't own this work - do yourself a favour!

My garden is all overgrown and the weeds are creeping up on my home,
Grass has grown over two foot high and the trees are blocking out the sky.
French windows won't open any more from the moss that's grown outside my door,
Hundred birds are nesting in the trees, looks like a wild-life sanctuary.

But I'm not going to cut a single blade of grass, my garden will look just like the distant past,
Before the days of agricultural land, before the time when pebbles turned to sand.
When I leave this house I'm going to stay, I'm forsaking my comforts to live another way,
Get my clothes from heaps, my food from bins, water from ponds and have tramps for my friends.

When that's the case I just get the local Dolly Birds in to get things tidied up!

The Tunnel of Love - Dire Straits

The 'alert' arrived right at the wrong time for me early yesterday evening as dinner was on the table and the daylight fast disappearing. 2 Great White Egrets had landed briefly outside of the Radipole visitor's centre before taking to the wing and flying high to the north - another one lost!

The Radipole 'Sun Tunnel'

This was the scene close to the VC, along the cross-path Radipole, this morning with the sun just peeking above the buildings to the east. There was precious little to report from the cemetery except for the continuing sound of Robins, Wrens and Goldcrest while on the Reserve, except for the chosen 3 (Water Rail, Bearded Tit and Cetti's Warbler),

there was little more than this small 11 strong flock of Black-tailed Godwit.

At what is known as The Swannery, with the Westham Bridge Sluices in the back ground, this guy had just arrived with a bucket of grain to feed the Wildfowl.

The 'feeding frenzy' that followed was worth 10 minutes of anybodies time.

An early departure for Portland meant I had to 'PAY' a bus fare, but all that was on offer around the Top Fields, Culverwell and onwards to the Bird Observatory were a few Collared Dove, many Bees and Hoverflies on the Ivy Banks

and this delightful Peacock Butterfly.

I had received early warning of the arrival of Ron (Chunky) King (foreground) but in the event was unable to dodge him. Ron, now in his 78th year, has been 'bird watching' longer than most of us and is one of the most colourful characters in the game. Always a delight to encounter him, it was once again GREAT to be in your company Chunky! That was when the next alert was sounded

as a Short-eared Owl was spotted flying across the fields opposite the Obs. No need for a second call for any of us as we made for the road, and soon relocated it, albeit at quite some distance, perched on a fence post close to the Culverwell bushes.

Slightly luckier with previous SEO's this bird, from a couple of years ago, allowed a closer contact

before flying away as did today's.

Also at the Obs for their annual 'bird ringing' visit have been Martin Lanaway and his father who can hardly be disappointed with the visit as it was Martin who caught the Blyth's Reed Warbler on Tuesday, only the 5th ever on Portland.

High Water Spring Tide was at about 10 'o' clock this morning so it was time to make for Ferry Bridge to catch the first of the Ebb, but there too things were a little disappointing.

First to appear was this Rook,

followed by this sinister looking bunch who, judging by the sleek lines of their 'dug-out canoe', looked every bit like Special Forces - Shhhhhh!

Soon it was the turn of a 'skein' of 15 Dark-bellied Brent Geese to 'splash down' likely having just arrived from the Tundra?

There were also 21 Mediterranean Gulls and a single Little Egret, but it wasn't until the 'last knockings' of my stay that any Waders showed up in the shape of 6 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin and 8 Oystercatchers. Thankfully, I had some shopping to do which cheered things up no end - Manana!