Like the Curate's Egg, Not All Bad - Part II

 It was always going to be High Water when reaching Ferrybridge, Portland so expectations were never like the tide - HIGH! However, not to write things off there were but c2

BRENT GEESE

but not, it should be pointed out, those shown.

The low profile of a
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER
amid the choppy waves was enough to claim a sighting

but had it been a First in My Life it would not have cut the mustard.
Reaching a completely deserted

PORTLAND BILL
(Lighthouse and Trinity House Obalisk right)
it was a chance worth taking to park on the mini roundabout and

Look to Seaward across the notorious

Portland Race dashing over the Shambles Bank
(Shambles being, the same as the narrow thorougfare in York, a Slaughter House)
Most of what Birds were seen were numerous but unclickable 

such as

CORMORANT

in just about equal numbers to

GANNET

but only a single discernable

SHAG
There was no way we were going to even attempt the walk to the cliff edge

where there was a likelihood of

PURPLE SANDPIPER
on the ledges but from the lee of the Lighthouse wall did manage a few

GUILEMOTs

skimming the turbulance of the Race along with just a sole

RAZORBILL
No attempt was made either at the Bill Quarry to find the

BLACK REDSTART
but poor views of a

LITTLE OWL
in the Obs Quary via the camera zoom but left the
Lower Light

PORTLAND BIRD OBSERVATORY
until another day given the worsening virus situation.

Some further effort was put into trying to find maybe a

RED-THROATED DIVER
as well, but no such luck!
Despite the foul weather and the Headline an enjoyable day was had as always good to be back in
This Part of Dorset!

Like the Curate's Egg, Not All Bad - Part I

With important (to me) pending things to do in our previous home town of Weymouth and with no signs of a ‘weather window’ it was a case of having to

Grasp the Nettle.

Grasping Friday seemed no different to any other but turned out to be about the wettest day of the year with the rain proving far beyond persistent but we soldiered on. Such a drive always entails a stop at a number of ‘hot-spots’ along the way but have to report that not a Canon shot was fires at any of the creatures shown and the report leans on a little journalistic licence.

The first of these stops was at Lane End, close to Bere Regis, where in days now sadly gone the short cul-de-sac would have been alive with

YELLOWHAMMER

but on the day no more than c2 sodden individuals in the Hawthorns. Another reason for their decline is that the lady of the nearby house would feed them daily, so no wonder gone are the days! Not an action we would ever usually consider but given the rain we drove the length of the track to find at      Okers Wood

just a single

MARSH TIT
Next stop the view from

MONKEY'S JUMP (self taken)
as recommended by Bomber as having seen lots of birds there only a few days ago, which is one of the vantage points overlooking

MAIDEN CASTLE

one of the largest and most complex Iron Age hill-forts in Europe. Its vast multiple ramparts enclose an area the size of 50 football pitches (that’s half the size of Wales to you and me), with the site being home to several hundred people in the Iron Age (800 BC–AD 43). Excavations in the 1930s and 1980s have shed much light on the development of the hilltop, from its origins as a Neolithic enclosure over 6,000 years ago, through many centuries of modification during the Iron Age, to the building of a Romano-British temple here and a good job one of my Royal Navy Oppos was just passing in his helicopter at the time! Only the claimed 'calls' of

GREY PARTRIDGE
from this spot so time to move to the

Crop Fields
where one or two

CORN BUNTING

were, as usual, performing but looking no way as glamourous as these and where also above the

SHEEP FIELD with TUMULI
the smallest flock of

GOLDEN PLOVER

on record put in no more than a cameo appearance.
The view from the crest of Ridgeway Hill, which under clearer conditions would show
Weymouth laid out before us, was a none starter but had cleared a little by the time we reached the lower level at the village of

BINCOMBE

Similarly, a stop at the Radipole Lake Tennis Courts to look for Waterfowl was a 'no go' so onward the main car park there were representatives of both

COMMON GULL

and

MEDITERRANEAN GULL
lay in wait

This is what the Meds will look like when once again
Spring and Summer
visit us - which seems a long way off.
We will try for a Continuation tomorrow and Many Thanks for tuning in, a Bagfull of Hits yesterday!

The Winter of Our Discontent

We just made that up

or is it a metaphor in which Richard uses winter and summer to suggest that the reign of King Edward IV has turned sadness, which is like winter, into celebration, like summer. Either way it fits the bill with a warning that if you do not care for moaning and groaning best look away now!

With all of the elements pulling in the same direction, 'downwards', it is time again to consider the future of The Bagsy Blog. Readership, across both phases, now reduced to double figures (although high), for the first time ever! Persistent rain, gales along with soggy footpaths, neither walkable or drivable, preventing us covering a number of areas. There are options such as weekly, monthly, every so often or simply knocking it on the head altogether? We will try and avoid the latter on the understanding that if there is not a Post on any given day it will be for the best of reasons and hope that you will continue your support and encourage others in the knowledge that there will be a Post tomorrow - Bagsy.

All that has been seen from the Moth Traps in recent days has been a single

TAPERED DRONE FLY

Thanks for ID John.

Castles Made of Sand - Jimi Hendrix - Part II

 Even at 200 yards it could be seen that Abbas (the lion) was a hulk of a man leant against his taxi, front of the queue in the town square. Immediately found to be personable and with a smattering of English again it seemed we had dropped lucky with the deal and price of a full day out being struck.

As dawn broke the Foothills of the Atlas Mountains was to be our destination and started on the right foot with a

BARBARY FALCON
and what has all this time been considered to be a

BALTIC GULL
on the shore line. It was to be a longish drive but not without its moments as

SPOTLESS STARLING
in a decent size gathering were commited to the day list. At a still wet Wadi we found a lone

GREATER FLAMINGO
along with no more than a handful of

FURRUGINOUS DUCKs
The Lion proved his worth when spotting a

MOROCCAN TORTOISE
It was also at this point, while gaining elevation, that he also suggested we might visit his Brother's home which found favour as nothing better for me than meeting people 'on the ground' as were in any country we visit. While to my own chagrin names have long since been forgotten there was a warm a warm welcome from his

Brother and facination from his Daughter but no reaction from the 'babe in arms'!

While along with Abbas we got tucked into the 'home brew' - hic

his Bro went on to produce the finest Tagine ever savoured while

CALANDRA LARK
and

MOUSIER'S REDSTART
sang their hearts out just yards from the doorstep.
A post dinner wander around the smallholding was surely worth more than this single image

but in the magic of the moment such things just didn't come to mind.

Not wanting to accept anything for their hospitality a wad was forced into the little girls hand as we beat a hasty retreat - what a gig, what excitement - another memoir moment!
Abbas once again came into his own on the way back by pointing out a

MOROCCAN SQUIRREL
while 'self finding' both

SOUTHERN GREY SHRIKE
along with

BLACK WHEATEAR
Unfortunately the day ended on something of a sour note but not exactly a New Bot to this travel lark had taken the precaution of writing down on 2 slips of paper the agreed payment for the tour. Abbas was now disputing this and despite a handsome tip was getting slightly agressive, me seeking the sactuary of the hotel and a much need beer. Even then he persued me demanding now that he was paid in Sterling (more valued) so summoned the Concierge who gave him short shrift.
Not worth letting such a minor interution spoil such a wonderful visit to the country, it has happened before and will happen again, Morocco still holds only fond memories but the visit was to end with a Blood Bath

Looking across the flat roofs of the town from the bedroom window,

we had woken to the ceremony of

Eid al-Adha

'Feast of the Sacrifice’ is the latter of the two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year (the other being Eid al Fitr, and considered the holier of the two. Also called Tabaski, it honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God's  command. (The Jewish and Christian religions believe that according to Genesis 22:2, Abraham took his son Isaac to sacrifice.) Before Ibrahim could sacrifice his son, however, God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead. In commemoration of this intervention, an animal (usually a sheep) is sacrificed ritually. One third of its meat is consumed by the family offering the sacrifice, while the rest is distributed to the poor and needy. Sweets and gifts are given, and extended family are typically visited and welcomed. 

How Bob Dylan sees it!

Oh God said to Abraham, “Kill me a son”
Abe said, “Man, you must be puttin' me on”
God say, “No.”
Abe say, “What?”
God say, “You can do what you want, Abe, but
The next time you see me comin' you better run”
Well Abe says, “Where you want this killin' done?”
God says, “Out on Highway 61”

Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjadkOCGecI