All Over the World - Electric Light Orchestra

The Stat Counter has been out of commission during the last few days, but when it returned to normal service yesterday Fiji was seen to have joined the readership. We extend a warm welcome to the reader from this Pacific Island with long connection with the UK and hope the word will spread to encourage other readers there.

A rapidly waning moon was still high in the sky this morning as I walked to the cemetery in continuing mild and dry conditions which combined with a light south easterly breeze made for very pleasant weather.

The resident Grey Squirrels there are capitalising in the bumper crop of Acorns while occasionally offering these kind of poses.

Another welcome sight was the first returning Great Spotted Woodpecker of the autumn

but it would have been even better had they stayed here to breed - maybe next year?

The only item of note at Ferry Bridge was this unfortunately dead Garfish, which begs the question why was it not returned after catching by the 2 angler on the other side of the road. I have tried eating this species which are not at all tasty and also full of bones, so what was the point of just leaving this lovely looking creature to die!

On the West Cliff at Portland the unseasonable weather has kept a few plants blooming with lots of Red Clover, that the book tells me should flower between June and August, along with a good number of

of this Knapweed type plant. As if to endorse the mildness I also watched 2 Carrion Crows at Southwell carrying twigs to the top of a Fir tree (surely not nest building?). With only a very distant Great Skua and 2 Peregrines showing off their flying skills at the Observatory, the walk was continued via the Top Fields

where one paddock was awash with this species of Fungi. Further along the 2 Raptors that were content to hunt side by side just 2 days ago

were today engaged in an aeriel skirmish with the Common Kestrel (above) getting the upper hand with a much larger

Common Buzzard.

A couple of Pheasants announced their presence with raucous calling as I continued across

Helen's Field named and dedicated to Miss Helen Brotherton, the Bird Observatory benefactor, who passed away some months ago. I get the feeling that after all the hard work that has gone on here with the planting of saplings, erecting of a Rabbit control fence and

an excellent pond we may well be seeing the making of another Culverwell in years to come.

As if lightning were striking twice, Bahrain also joined our throng of now 158 countries/regions participating in the readership. Also an island, although I am told there is now a bridge adjoining the mainland of Saudi Arabia, this country holds many fond memories for myself and the ships company of HMS Eskimo. During our 12 month deployment on the Persian Gulf Squadron (1965/66) Mina Sulman was our main base as we worked to deter drug/gold/weapon smugglers, here and in the Indian Ocean while also taking a very active part in the withdrawal of Yemen and in particular Aden. Great days hey Huck?

So welcome to those readers and it would be a great delight if more of your countrymen/women followed suit.

It can be seen from today's Stat Counter readout that Sweden remain in treble figure with both Brazil and Japan having arrived there during the shut down. Switzerland are not lagging too far behind while Taiwan, once in the Treble Bracket, continue to decline in reader numbers. The 'log size' of 25,000 readers was exceeded long ago!

Thank You ALL for tuning in!

	Num	Perc.	Country Name
	18755	75.02%	United Kingdom
	1536	6.14%	United States
	398	1.59%	Netherlands
	337	1.35%	Germany
	321	1.28%	Canada
	275	1.10%	Estonia
	238	0.95%	France
	227	0.91%	Australia
	206	0.82%	New Zealand
	168	0.67%	Italy
	156	0.62%	Spain
	129	0.52%	Brazil
	129	0.52%	Japan
	119	0.48%	Belgium
	114	0.46%	India
	101	0.40%	Sweden
	90	0.36%	Switzerland
	66	0.26%	Taiwan
	56	0.22%	Ukraine
	54	0.22%	Peru
	53	0.21%	Korea, Republic Of
	51	0.20%	Portugal
	50	0.20%	Mexico
	49	0.20%	Romania
	49	0.20%	Russian Federation
	49	0.20%	Poland
	43	0.17%	Anonymous Proxy
	42	0.17%	Norway
	42	0.17%	South Africa
	42	0.17%	Denmark
	39	0.16%	Philippines
	39	0.16%	Indonesia
	38	0.15%	Greece
	37	0.15%	Hungary
	36	0.14%	Sri Lanka
	35	0.14%	Bulgaria
	35	0.14%	Malaysia
	34	0.14%	Thailand
	34	0.14%	Finland
	34	0.14%	Chile
	32	0.13%	Czech Republic
	28	0.11%	Ireland
	27	0.11%	Hong Kong
	26	0.10%	Colombia
	25	0.10%	Turkey
	23	0.09%	Croatia
	23	0.09%	Saudi Arabia
	23	0.09%	Singapore
	23	0.09%	Egypt
	22	0.09%	Vietnam
	21	0.08%	Israel
	21	0.08%	Argentina
	20	0.08%	Europe
	18	0.07%	Costa Rica
	17	0.07%	Luxembourg
	17	0.07%	Pakistan
	16	0.06%	Austria
	15	0.06%	United Arab Emirates
	15	0.06%	Ecuador
	15	0.06%	Asia/pacific Region
	14	0.06%	Malta
	14	0.06%	Guatemala
	13	0.05%	Venezuela
	12	0.05%	Serbia
	12	0.05%	Palestinian Territory
	11	0.04%	Oman
	11	0.04%	Slovakia
	10	0.04%	Madagascar
	10	0.04%	Lithuania
	8	0.03%	Bangladesh
	7	0.03%	Guernsey
	7	0.03%	Jamaica
	7	0.03%	Uganda
	7	0.03%	Algeria
	6	0.02%	Iraq
	6	0.02%	Kuwait
	5	0.02%	Virgin Island, U.s.
	5	0.02%	Latvia
	5	0.02%	Mongolia
	4	0.02%	Uruguay
	4	0.02%	Georgia
	4	0.02%	Puerto Rico
	4	0.02%	Bosnia And Herzegovina
	4	0.02%	Zimbabwe
	3	0.01%	Montenegro
	3	0.01%	Tanzania, United Republic Of
	3	0.01%	Macedonia
	3	0.01%	Qatar
	3	0.01%	China
	3	0.01%	Belize
	3	0.01%	Ethiopia
	3	0.01%	Iceland
	3	0.01%	Bahrain
	3	0.01%	Trinidad And Tobago
	3	0.01%	Namibia
	3	0.01%	Panama
	3	0.01%	Gibraltar
	3	0.01%	Isle Of Man
	3	0.01%	Bermuda
	3	0.01%	Belarus
	2	0.01%	Monaco
	2	0.01%	Netherlands Antilles
	2	0.01%	Slovenia
	2	0.01%	Dominican Republic
	2	0.01%	Gabon
	2	0.01%	Kenya
	2	0.01%	Bahamas
	2	0.01%	Armenia
	1	0.00%	Cameroon
	1	0.00%	Brunei Darussalam
	1	0.00%	Morocco
	1	0.00%	Albania
	1	0.00%	Fiji
	1	0.00%	Bolivia
	1	0.00%	Cambodia
	1	0.00%	Guyana
	1	0.00%	Macao
	1	0.00%	Honduras
	1	0.00%	Turks & Caicos Islands
	1	0.00%	Ghana
	1	0.00%	Lebanon

Yankee Doodle Dandy

At precisely 07:00, the appointed time, our birding mate Duncan Walbridge pulled up alongside me in his Jaguar and we were soon off in search of the rare bird note yesterday! A little cooler today and with some threatening looking clouds overhead there had to be a chance of rain, but before we reached our destination at 07:50 the clouds had been moved on by what little wind there was.

Regular readers will doubtless recognise the location from just a few days ago when I was in Lyme Regis, Dorset on the trail of Dipper on the river Lim. As we were the first (and as it turned out the only) birders on location there was time to scan the sea-front to see who else might be here,

but following the curve of the bay and onward to

The Cob (end of the pier) there was no one else in sight. So, we set about the task of finding our target, but very soon we were distracted by a fine

adult male Black Redstart perched on the sea wall.

I couldn't turn up a photo opportunity like this, so it was time to linger a while as the other 3 continued the search. When finally catching them up, they had found the object of our desires but it took me a full further 10 minutes to pick it up.

Perched, seemingly contentedly, on the rocks (middle-ground) there was chance for a few photos but the light was not of the best forcing numerous changes to camera settings.

The main thing was we had now all seen this 'first winter' Spotted Sandpiper a rare visitor from the Americas, breeding in the Northern sub-Continent and wintering in the Southern.

With just 2 hours to high tide and the wave action increasing against these rocks it seemed sure this little fella would soon have to move - which it did. With some attempt at re-locating, the other 3 were soon tempted to have a look for the local Dippers leaving me to continue the search and finding

a few Rock Pipits.

On their return, Duncan, brother Graham plus mutual and long time birding friend Graham Bright spent some more time looking at the Black-start which had now been joined by an equally stunning

female Black Redstart,

with a Cormorant flying past at close range.

The Sandpiper was found in this little bay just to the east of its original location,

perched on one of the groynes.

It did take a short stroll along the shingle beach allowing a few more shots.

This according to Green, The Birds of Dorset, is only the 4th to be recorded in the county the others being at The Nothe, Weymouth in 1973, Christchurch Harbour in 1976 and Stanpit Marsh (the same area as the previous) in 1984.

For Graham Bright and I, this was a Dorset 'tick' and only my 3rd of the species in Great Britain which brought my Dorset List to a memorable 350 species.

What seemed most strange, given the magnitude of this bird, was the absence of any Dorset let alone other birders - maybe they were waiting for the 'Pager' to go off???

The following 2 photographs, from the archive, are published for interest the first showing the similarity with

Common Sandpiper (rarely found States-Side but common here) which is the confusion species in this plumage, but as the second shows

not much room for confusion when the Spotted Sandpiper is in Summer/Breeding plumage.

Before leaving to head for home, this Guillemot was seen close to shore, and once back at Portland I opted for a wander around the Top Fields finding this late

Painted Lady.

It would be a reasonable bet to think the Spotted Sandpiper will over-winter at Lyme Regis giving me an opportunity to re-visit and maybe get some better images - only time will tell!