"I Know It's Only Rock 'n' Roll - But I Like It, Like It, Yes I Do"

PHEEEW! Well that's my weekend over and as if to endorse the lack of subject matter for the Blog, both camera card readers fell apart, the laptop was playing silly beggars while Messrs Strongbow and Jamison saw to it that the wit was out. Saturday kicked off in a sober enough fashion as I continued to catch up with family, friends and acquaintances, starting at the Portland Bird Sanctuary. There were a few of my favoured birding pals there including Ricky Lambert, Ken Parker, John Lucas, the Walbridge brothers Grahame and Duncan and of course Warden Martin Cade. Not a lot of birds unfortunately but peering out to sea from the veranda a distant 

 

 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER

was added to the Year List while

FULMAR,

GUILLEMOT

and

KITTIWAKE
were all year firsts for Dorset.
 There has never been an occasion to 'twitch'
 

ROCK PIPIT
but as a (more or less) guaranteed addition for the year
it was worth a wander down to the shoreline. In addition

RAZORBILL

and MANX SHEARWATER
joined the Dorset ranks before returning to Weymouth.

There I enjoyed a fine lunch with my ex-neighbour
Shelagh Pellow over a glass or 3 of the wobbly juice!
SUNDAY
was wall to wall 'Wobbly Juice' and after a Roast Dinner with my friend LESLEY BROWN, should I have needed
help in the WJ department

there were many people known to us in the crowd which had assembled in Hope Square to share a tot with while enjoying another great performance by that ever popular Rock 'n' Roll Quartet

'RELAY' (centre).

While I never distinguish between one friend and another it is always an hilarious experience to meet up with my Ol' Shipmate TIMMY (Chip a Potato) MALCOLM and his lovely wife SHARRON.

It was now Cider Valve full open with Bryn, Lesley, Chris,
that Deckchair Salesman again plus Sharron.

An even bigger crowd drew us towards the
QUAYSIDE ROCK FESTIVAL

where much has changed with the organisation team.
The set-up, music and ambiance were as good as ever but
where was the 'FREE BEER'.
Must have a word with the Management.

The Final Countdown - Europe

What could well be my final visit ever to Radipole Lake ended this morning at 07:00, fortunately there was a succulent full English breakfast at the end of it to take out the sting. Bird numbers seem much reduced on previous years, except for maybe Cetti's Warbler and Bearded Tit, a muted dawn chorus, an inordinate amount of human generated clutter and still no sign of a Sedge Warbler. There was chance to discuss the latter with a RSPB representative, who suggested the cold weather might be holding them back, but my own observations suggest the contrary at Stanpit, Blashford, Farlington, Church Norton and Longhan to name but a few. So, what might be the last images from there (until a Penduline Tit appears) are reproduced below.

MUTE SWAN Signet

TUFTED DUCK males

MALLARD male

GREAT TIT

CETTI'S WARBLER

REED WARBLER

and finally, it was worth the walk

just to see this 'fine pair'.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL



Despite the announcement made some days ago ref a 'drop in production' we have managed to keep the ship afloat with only one or two days missed. Unfortunately, the pressures of getting my act together (coupled with lack of subject matter) are now bearing heavy and it could well be next week before the next post. If indeed time and photos allow we will publish again A.S.A.P.

The Season's Upon Us - Dropkick Murphy's

 

FERRY BRIDGE

was today's first destination but it would be impossible to visit

without a look across Portland Harbour to see what 'vessels'

had been blown in by the wind.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Vessel DILIGENCE

was secured alongside Q (Queen's Pier) 7 (berth) while

a second RFA, MOUNTS BAY was secured on theOuter Coaling
Pier but inboard of her was something of a little more interest.

Having thought her lines were familiar on first inspection this

fine small Cruise Liner was quickly proved to be none other than 

M/V DISCOVERY.

Not only a 'stable mate' of M/V Voyager in which I have recently 

completed my epic trip to the Americas and Caribbean, but also

the ship that took me on my greatest trip ever - Antarctica!

Over the other side of the road there was also something to send the pulses racing as I spotted this unusual looking Tern perched on one of the small vessel mooring buoys. It was at quite a distance, but there was a LITTLE TERN alongside it (Year Tick) but whatever would have a 'black cap', 'white throat and belly' and all else 'black'. Before continuing I should give a full description of my eye sight?? On the cusp of ringing the Portland Bird Observatory for assistance, it was realised that the after part of the bird was in fact the 'rocker shackle' of the buoy. Yes, Should Have Gone To 'Spec-Savers!

Close encounters of the SANDWICH TERN kind.

and the carpet THRIFT makes me glad to be back.

HERRING GULL

A fine subject, the bird to the left being in 'full' adult plumage

while the other was as near as damn it, just showing a trace

of older feathers.

That's when the LITTLE TERNs started to appear in numbers.

Announcing their arrival with that delicate scream,

most were in flight 

 

while a few were landing among the

SANDERLING

(these 2 were 'displaying' something not witnessed before)

and DUNLIN

both looking resplendent in 'Summer Plumage'.

LITTLE TERN

Unfortunately, the ever present CARRION CROW

must see this as a time of bounty and, if the opportunity

presents itself, will readily devour both eggs and chicks.

So, ever southwards towards Portland and the first visit to

Dear Friend

The Surreptitious Imbiber of Effervescent Libations

There followed an extended period of 'pulling up a bollard', 'swinging the lamp' (plus the lead), 'spinning a dit', 'shippin' 'em green' and other such nautical pastimes.

In between bouts of Juvenile

and Adult STOCK DOVES, Wood Warbler and a

Year Tick SPOTTED FLYCATCHER

our 'shipmate' Martin (Mego) Powell joined Secret and me.

The Big Boys at play valve was now wide open!

and as if by some sort of coincidence an ex-Royal Maritime Auxiliary Launch was 'on the stocks' back at Ferry Bridge. All 3 of us had at one time or another served in that Shipping Line. I am reliably informed that this had once been part of the Fleet at Devonport (Plymouth), now under private ownership and transported here by road for a refit.

In my relentless search for new sounds, bands and visual spectacles,

my latest acquisition are

DROPKICK MURPHY'S

if this lot don't do it for you (especially this track) and bring a 

huge smile to your coupon

then you might as well vote Conservative next time.

The Season's Upon Us

KLIK to BEHOLD