In The Bleak Mid-Winter

Despite getting the moleskin trousers back from the pawn shop it still felt a good deal colder this morning featuring a cutting north easterly breeze and little in the way of sunshine. The cemetery once again lay bare while nearly the whole of Radipole Lake was once again covered with ice. It would seem we are going through something of a Doldrum as far as wild-life (especially birds) are concerned pointing to having to rely on archive photos to please the crowd? Apart from the 'usual' at the lake today there were 2 sights I had not seen at that location before, starting with a

Moorhen seemingly driven by the weather to feast

on the carcass of a Black-headed Gull. Further along the path I met my friend Lulu who, learning of my itchy feet, offered some excellent travel tips on one of the countries that may have the pleasure of my company in the near future. She also told me of a

Black Swan in the vicinity of Westham Bridge.

A resident of Australia, there are a number scattered throughout the county, especially Abbotsbury/Fleet areas,

but this is the first for me at Radipole.

Even the slightest brush with the Australian theme has me thinking about those visits to see my

youngest daughter Lisa and her family there.

The view from what was once her home with husband Bernard, 15 stories above Potts Point and the whole of Sydney Harbour including the grey structure which is one of actor Russel Crowe's homes. Much has changed since that trip in 2008, including Bernard being appointed Commander in the Royal Australian Navy, 2 and a half Grandsons (Frederick & Alexander so far, bless em) and a change of location. It is proving a difficult wait for the next visit!

Rainbow Lorikeet

Noisy Miner

Laughing Kookaburra

Grey-headed Flying Fox

Sydney Botanical Gardens

Eastern Yellow Robin

Two Little Dickie Birds - Nursery Rhyme

Still reporting one day late, it was yesterday that the rest of the country were shivering in below zero temperatures while once again we didn't even get a frost and though the sky remains overcast there is little wind to spoil the day. Goldcrest and Coal Tit remain vocal in the cemetery, with little else of note there, but on Radipole most of the lake is now free of ice and for me a very early surprise.

Almost the first bird was this Bittern which gave me barely time to raise the camera let alone focus,

and while we are not expecting a nomination for this years Moran Prize,

these images give some idea of what was seen.

Other birds to emerge from the now not so frozen reeds included c3 Great Crested Grebe,

a more than obliging female Gadwall,

the confiding Water Rail once again

along with the local Marsh Harrier

which this morning took a short flight to the south end of the reserve

before returning to his favourite perch close to the North Hide.

One of about a dozen Robins on the patch awaiting its grocery delivery,

while your friend and mine (Hooded Merganser) was busily trying to seduce any unsuspecting wildfowl that happened along. Main targets today were 'male' Tufted Duck.

Very few Gulls on the lake today, but I did learn later that I missed an Iceland Gull by no more than minutes, with just a single Mediterranean Gull on the car park.

A Mute Swan flew directly overhead,

with other regular residents such as Great Black-backed Gull and

Cormorant were also present, but it was now time to take the bus to Ferry Bridge. Sharp contrast here compared to the last couple of days, as by my estimation there were easily 400 Mediterranean Gulls, a few more Brent Geese, a Turnstone, 5 Red-breasted Merganser plus a Common Gull.

Today's project was to take another look at the Richard's Pipit and Hume's Leaf Warbler, hopefully adding them to the 'ongoing' February List, so a walk to Littlesea along The Fleet. Looking back from whence I had just come, Portland was shrouded in mist and low cloud

while the Oyster Beds were visible at low tide.

Plenty of Mediterranean Gulls here too, many already sporting full black hoods,

along with c9 flighty Little Egret.

All else to see was this wreck just before reaching the

Army Bridging Camp where so far not redundant Soldiers were being put through their paces. There was no sign of either Pipit or Warbler but there were a few Curlew, Grey Plover along with plenty of Oystercatcher and Red-breasted Merganser, while the rapidly clearing clouds let the sun shine through making for a most pleasant walk home.

It is rapidly approaching the time when I should be thinking about the next adventure, and all I can say at the moment is that South East Asia should feature at least in part.

Watch This Space!

Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones

An almost balmy day with little or no wind, full cloud cover but no sign of rain where in the cemetery Blackbirds and Carrion Crows were most numerous and to keep things in the 'noir' mode a

female Blackcap was enticed from cover by a little gentle pishing. At Radipole much of the lake remains frozen forcing the small numbers of wildfowl to clear water and much easier to see. However, the news is not good there only being about a dozen Pochard

7 Shoveler, a handful of Teal, 13 Gadwall and 5 Shelduck. It would seem the days of 200+ Pochard and dozens of Wigeon are long gone? The male Marsh Harrier was still holding station at the north end of the reserve, but there was no sign of the Pintail except long after my visit there was a report of it skulking in the reeds close to the tennis courts.

Canada Geese totalled 3, with these 2 beating a retreat before the best record thus far. Looking skyward a party of small birds were heading in from the north and soon alighted in a reed-bed.

They were seen to be at least c15 Reed Bunting which may once again point to the rather more severe weather further up country.

As the Moorhen Acrobatic Team were in attendance today

it was worth stopping to witness the

'high wooded fence' act as wings were stretched while balancing on one foot.

The Coot and

the Feral Pigeon were rather a case of because they were there, but I did rather like the plumage of the latter. Next move was directly to Portland Bill where soon after arrival a

Red-throated Diver flew by (can you see it yet?)

closely followed by 3 Turnstones, much closer but still out of photograph range.

Both Little Owls were showing in the Observatory Quarry, with one posing in the more usual 'letter-box' slit while the other

was perched just below. My late 'duty' of the day was to go and share an egg & bacon toasted sandwich and coffee with the Secret Lemonade Drinker, which along with a good deal of stimulating conversation was to the accompaniment of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Don't you just love Metal Postcard? While munching away we recorded what between us was considered to be 12 Great Tit, half a dozen Chaffinch, c4 Robins plus Wood Pigeons, Magpies and

c9 Stock Doves all in Gary's garden.

Metal Postcard - Link

It would be impossible to play only one Soiux number, so the 'bonus track' is

the Beatles penned Dear Prudence