Saturday, 12 December 2015

A Brief History - Penguin Cafe Orchestra

With a combination of the continued scribeings of Bagsy the Bard, the lack of interesting things to report and another combination of an unseasonably warm airflow, bringing with it lots of rain, which has kept us for the best part indoors, today we are reduced to a Cop Out! We will utter the next sentence quietly
WE NEED A 'COLD SNAP'.
Having only ever seen half of the of the World's Penguin species (if we include White-flippered), we can only bring you images of 9 of them in this 'filler' Post. There have been a few serious thoughts about chasing the others but the Get Up and Go seems to have Got Up and Gone - one day maybe?
KING PENGUIN
and
 juvenile
Gold Harbour, South Georgia - 2007
Colony Simonstown, South Africa - 2004 of
 JACKASS PENGUIN
GENTOO PENGUIN 
 South Sandwich Island, Antarctica - 2007
 GALAPAGOS PENGUIN
Isla Floreana, Galapagos Islands (second trip 2010)
 Ice shore, King George Island, Antarctica for
ADELIE PENGUIN
2007
 MAGELLANIC PENGUIN
Falkland Islands 2007
 Weddell Sea and
 Elsehul, South Georgia 2007
 HUMBOLDT (Peruvian) PENGUIN
 where else other than enjoying the 
Humboldt Current, Paracas/Pisco, Peru 2003
 CHINSTRAP PENGUIN
 Elephant Island - a 'dot' in the Antarctic Ocean 2007
Did you ever see anything more COMICAL looking in the whole of nature?
The track taken on the 2007 Antarctica Expedition.
and finally, just a few days ago it was a case of "oh how the mighty have fallen", but today not only have they returned but have also taken up station at the Top of the Pops - Welcome back
EntryPageviews
Russia
405
United Kingdom
272
Germany
265
United States
224
Estonia
26
Taiwan
23
Canada
15
Australia
13
France
8
China
7

Wednesday, 9 December 2015

What Lies Beneath - Robin Trower

While it has been said of Trower, "a Prophet is seldom recognised in his own country" he has, over the years, forsaken his beginnings in Prog Rock to become a Luminary across the World as a Master of British Blues. Formally a member of the legendary Procol Harum, 'post' Whiter Shade of Pale, he deserted them in   to form his own 'Power Trio' with James Dewar (ex-Stone the Crows) and Reg Isidore on drums. My single personal experience of him was at the 1975 Reading Festival where he feature much of the sensational album 'Bridge of Sighs'. However, there is an element of uncertainty about that, in the same way as attendance at the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival suggests, "if you remember it, you weren't there"! For my money, his finest hour arrived when in collaboration with Jack Bruce and session drummer Gary Husband they turned out the impeccable DVD 'Seven Moons' recorded live in Holland.
 The Robin Trower Band
thought to be performing at Reading 1975
TROWER 
showing his trademark contorted facial expressions.
Seven Moons Link
We don't usually do adverts, but for my friend 
Robert Alvo in Ottawa, Canada
(and other readers at our discretion) we make an exception.
Being A Bird in North America - Robert Alvo

B.A.B.I.N.A.

Despite the high winds of recent days the local Owls have continued 'calling' every night over the past week.
TAWNY OWL
appear to be most numerous and certainly more vocal, but
 LITTLE OWL
first brought to my attention by Janet, the lady of the house, are
chipping in from time to time. The pair which favoured the gnarled
Ash tree below 18-Acre during the spring and early summer seem to have
disappeared ages ago, so if these 'calling' birds are one and the same it will
never be known. 
 What was most impressive is that Janet recognised a different Owl
call, reached for her mobile phone and confirmed the species from there!
Not that we feel this bird has been anywhere but Parley Court Farm,
the re-emergence of a
 GREEN SANDPIPER
at the Gravel Pit is always a welcome sight.
From then on it was 'almost' exclusively a matter of
What Lies Beneath. 
During the winter months we raise the metal sheets and squares of 
roofing felt, laid to attract Reptiles, Mammals and Amphibians alike,
 far less often than we do during other seasons. 
Over the weekend, and in the first instance, we found what we are
advised is a
 COMMON SHREW
Illustration borrowed from Wiki to show the Reader and myself what
one looks like. 
 So fast it put in 4 appearances before disappearing into its nest.
Far too quick for this kid!
Beneath the others at the Irrigation Pond, it was found that the
 COMMON (Smooth) NEWTs
are now leaving the water for their winter quarters, there were c4 in total.
 At the same location
 this
 FIELD VOLE
 has also taken up residence.
In addition there was a reluctant
 CENTIPEDE
along with a
 BLACK SLUG
Then, just as we were beginning to think we had left all our history behind
a voice calls "hey Bagsy is that you"?
 SEAN TAYLOR
one of my old drinking pals from back in the 'wild days' of the
Sailor's Return on Weymouth Quayside, now working on the
Phase III Solar Panel Project.
'Good to see you Sean'.
Finally we took a quick look inside the largest of the
Solar Panel Compounds to find just a few very flighty
Mistle Thrushes and Goldfinch and this seemingly unconcerned
MEADOW PIPIT
Always nice to have a bit of a dhobi after lunch.
The finished product, all spruced up and nowhere to go!
EntryPageviews
United Kingdom
292
United States
249
Germany
227
Russia
117
Estonia
43
Canada
19
Australia
17
Taiwan
12
France
10
Ireland
7

Sunday, 6 December 2015

Ride A White Swan - T Rex

Agreed, it looks from the first 2 images that Friday was a fine day, blanketed by blue skies, but believe you me, it was short lived. High winds have dominated the weather picture over the past 3 days which shouldn't, but does, shorten my daily wanders. The 'silver lining', as is becoming usual these days, is we continue apace with the memoir having just flown home from São Paulo, Brazil 2001 after a '4 countries', independent, 3 weeks in South America.
MUTE SWANs
There Will Only Ever Be One - Marc Bolan LINK 
over Slight Return II heading for the River Stour, where a
LITTLE EGRET
was doing its best to remain undetected.
CORMORANT
still more than we are used to seeing here now seem to have
forsaken the electricity pylons roost, and for whatever reason are
now favouring nearby trees?
We are still seeing
FIELDFARE
on a daily basis but not what would be describe as 'in number'.
BLUE TIT
and
GOLDCREST
are numerous but they were followed by
the first sighting of this season, a
SONG THRUSH
since when and over the last 3 days, one has accompanied us
waking from our slumbers.
There were c7 (female)
TEAL (male)
on the Irrigation Pond on Friday, followed by a large build up of
BLACK-HEADED GULL
the following day.
However, best among a fairly average lot was another Saturday afternoon
EGYPTIAN GOOSE
on the Gravel Pit.
This coincided with a further c3 at Longham Lake just down the road.
It seems to have been heavy going at the new factory on the airport
as the cladding continues to be fixed in these high winds,
but they are certainly getting on with it.
and having received a few favourable comments about the last
GREEN WOODPECKER
video, we decided to take another of this daily visitor.
ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
SHADES OF ARGENTINA
 Looking a little disheveled, as just prior to entering the La Recoleta Cemetery
we were struck by a gale of wind that uprooted mature trees and overturned
one car. Scared?? Mike Hughes sort the shelter of a nearby lorry while I pressed
myself hard against the Cemetery wall, not that any of that was going to help.
 Within 5 minutes all was tranquil again!
DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA!
and a snapshot of the
Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve
in the heart of Buenos Aires.

WHISTLING HERON with SNOWY EGRET

RUFOUS-BELLIED THRUSH

STRIATED HERON
check the size comparison with the discarded polystyrene cup.

RED-CRESTED CARDINAL

GUIRA CUCKOO
All of the bird images were taken from alongside a busy Main Road.
EntryPageviews
United Kingdom
306
United States
261
Germany
151
Australia
31
Russia
27
Estonia
21
Canada
16
Taiwan
15
France
9
Ireland
8