Are 'Friends' Electric - Tubeway Army - Part I

 Another short break away this time to deepest Hampshire and a visit to my fellow Sea Captain friend and his lovely Lady, both mad about the Wild but not before potting a Moth on home turf. Quiet unexpected as an early show was this

BRIGHT-LINE BROWN-EYE

before prioritsing in their

garden soon after arrival - First Things First!

Something of a mini nature reserve in itself

a quick look at the
Tawny Owl
gifted to them some years ago.

Far more eye-catching indoors was the recently purchased
Ship's Bell
from the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service Naval Armament Vessel

KINTERBURY

in which he served for many years, but we digress.....

A cold, windy and at times snowy day which took us to a number of Wildlife Reserves across the county with little,or no, luck with the less common birds. At

CHURCH NORTON

AVOCET

along with

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT

and further on

just

CURLEW

MARSH MARIGOLD
and the occassional

SHELDUCK

while arrival at

started on the wrong foot as finding this deceased

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL
a lone

REDSHANK

SHELL CRAFT
hanging from a tree,

a glimps of the
MANOR,

single male
POCHARD

and the

LAUGHING CAVALIER
The final stop across what is ostensibly the vast expance of
Portsmouth Harbour
was

where both Weather and Wildlife cotinued to disappoint.

The Winger and Wingette.

Male Wigeon

a rather scruffy
GREY HERON

with presumed 'partner' already incubating in this well known Heronry

and now also being colonised by

LITTLE EGRET
while qualifying as the best sight of the day a fine example of raural craftmanship by the

THATCHER

In the Middle of An Island - The King Brothers

Another Sunday, another special as we wander off to the

Pribilof Islands 

and Saint Paul's the more northerly of the 2 below the quay, in the heart of the Bearing Sea for a festival of Wildlife in 2002.

As soon as the aircraft landed I was captivated by the

GREY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH
and turned to find not a human being in sight, including my guide.

ARCTIC FOX

with juvenile.

with below the cliff one of my
Old Charges!

SNOW BUNTING

with young,

and where the TV programme
The Deadliest Catch
was filmed.

NORTHERN FUR SEAL
colony

below the cliffs.

CRESTED AUKLET

colony

HARLEQUIN DUCK

ROCK SANDPIPER

also with young.

HARBOUR SEAL
(juvenile)

and while among a flock of what the Americans call

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
(known here as simply Kittiwake)

the absolute 'bird of the trip' for me

as still in pursute of all of the 57 species of Gulls in the World

RED-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
as we head for the cliffs next Sunday.

Space Oddity - Bowie IV

 Our final day in the county was to be spent traversing the East Norfolk Coast, a personal favourite, if
only for the Lighthouses and Windmills alone.

Starting with the latter we have neither time nor memory to name them.

more
AVOCETs

LIGHTHOUSE
rounding the bend and heading south.

more

LAPWINGS
along

this section of

Shingle Beach

and yet another

MICROLIGHT

REDSHANK
and lots of

ALEXANDER
(Warblers just love it)

LIGHT ORANGE UNDERWING LARVAE (Catapillars)

Windmills of Your Mind
(Noel Harrison)

Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel.

Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel.

Like a snowball down a mountain, or a carnival balloon.

Like a carousel that's turning running rings around the moon.

Like the circles that you find, in the Windmills of your mind!

SHOVELER

Just call me 'Angle' of the morning, 'Angel'.
Just touch my cheek before you leave me, Baby! - Juice Newton

and there was sure as Hell no chance of leaving the county before a visit to our favoured Tea Room, a veritable Museum and Library within - "we forgot, to take any 'snaps' inside"!

and THANKS for a GREAT weekend Dave!