Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band

A good deal cooler but no less sunny, it was a toss-up whether to nominate today's findings Go West Young Man or Blinded By The Light.

In the mist shrouded cemetery migrant Goldcrests seem to have turned up 'mob handed',

while all else was - Blinded By the Light!

Among a great deal of early morning bus kerfuffle, I finally managed to get myself to Portland, in the hope of witnessing the 'Golden Tribute' to Helena Lucas, our very own Paralympic Sailor, by way of the Reforne Post Box being dubbed the colour of her medal. That may have to wait for another day??

Further to this I'd hoped to experience the Wind Symphony that was the

but Portland was in a complete Doldrum, not even the slightest puff of wind, and so the musical extravaganza remained, for the time being, mute!

All 'instruments' were erected and ready to perform

but without divine intervention remained strangely silent.

Despite all of that, the West Cliff of Portland remains a 'highlight' part of the Jurassic Coastal Walk, and I for one was not going to let lack of breeze spoil that. 

Some of the instruments, ready to play when Mother Nature decided she was going to play the game.

In the mean time some of the fantastic views that this stretch of the coastline affords, for free, to the visitor.

Now, here's a different thing altogether! Campers on the lip of the cliff

,

seemingly contemplating a bout of 'Tomb Stoning'? Anyone thinking of jumping from this 'high point'

has to have a death wish, luckily these youngsters seemed to think 'terra firma' was the best bet. For me things were becoming far too heated weather-wise so I returned home to the shade of a serious wine bottle - Cheers!

Ladybird - Tears For Fears

While I get little or no joy from visiting Lodmoor these days, there has been something of a controversial Wading Bird in attendance there recently which was thought worthy of a look this morning. Under a sun filled blue sky and rapidly warming day I joined about 20 others also looking for the bird which was reported as having just disappeared into the reeds.

A small flock of BLACK-TAILED GODWIT kept us entertained during the vigil

along with a few REED WARBLERs (archive), Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap and Reed Bunting.

One of our company decided to try viewing from a different part of the west path and soon re-located what is said to be a SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, only the second ever to grace Great British soil. This photograph is also from the archive, for illustration, taken in the Yukon, Canada alongside a PECTORAL SANDPIPER to the right of picture.

A difficult bird to identify, easily confused with close relative the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (for comparison), but whoever found it, it is nice to know there are other 'meer mortals' around like myself who struggle to identify rare Waders. Decent views were had during my brief stay, but in a nutshell rather 'underwhelming' so ever onward!

Novel to note what may well be Passion Fruits growing on a wall nearby

and on the way to Portland a new arrival alongside the Coaling Pier that looks every bit like a Stena Lines Car Ferry?
At the Bill there were lots of Swallows heading to seaward, while on the ground and likely to follow shortly were good numbers of Wheatear and Pied Wagtails.

c2 YELLOW WAGTAILs flew by as I neared the Trinity House Obelisk, but the highlight of today's walk were the people that I met. A couple from Northampton engaged me in stimulating conversation, while it was also a treat to meet 3 the ladies along the coast and latter at the Observatory.

Before arrival there, a LITTLE OWL was showing well at a usual spot from which it has been absent, at least for me, for a number of days now, wile at the Obs there were a few familiar faces that turn up year after year.

These strange looking creatures were thought to be Larvae of the HARLEQUIN LADYBIRD, while the only new arrival that could be found among last nights Moths was this

MULLEIN WAVE.

The final encounter, albeit brief, of the day was of the first returning FIRECREST of the Autumn to the Obs garden

and thought well worthy of a couple of images again from the archive. I'm sure most would agree that this is one of (if not 'the') smartest of British Birds. Looking forward to more tomorrow!

A Design For Life - MSP

There has been some concern since the Paralympics began that all is not as it might be with the arrangements and organisation. Firstly, is it not demeaning to relegate the TV broadcasts to Channel 4, where every 10 minutes or so the performances are rudely interrupted by adverts, and secondly could there not have been a better choice of introductory music to these programmes? I refer to the Manic Street Preachers composition A Design For Life. While none of the lyrics are heard during screening, surely there will be many who listening to such a fantastic 'riff' will want to enjoy more of the song, until indeed they get to the lyrics!

I wish I had a bottle
Right here in my dirty face to wear the scars
To show from where I came
We don't talk about love we only want to get drunk
And we are not allowed to spend
As we are told that this is the end

I have no issue with James Dean Bradfield, a damn fine composer, save having a bottle smashed in your face as a trophy of your origin, and not talking about LOVE in preference to only wanting to get DRUNK is not quite in line with what should be the Olympic Ethic??

A.D.F.L. (Brilliant in any other capacity)

To continue with controversial and my mate Robert White (son of Secret) has recently returned from a visit to his chosen University in Bristol with these great images of the latest work by Banksy. I would title this 'a Rose is still a Rose,

while my first thought here was 'Ziggy Lizzie' but now prefer 'Betty Stardust'.

 

'Your Cheating Heart' would seem appropriate for this work! So on to today, which could only be described as painfully quiet.

Clear blue sky and bright sunshine from the start, but with the wind having veered to the north west overnight and cutting across the harbour at 20 knots plus, brought a distinct chill to the air. The walk along the RODWELL TRAIL was short on interest

apart from a rather smart looking Goldcrest that didn't hang around, and a few wayside plants such as CHICORY,

along with plenty of berries on the HAWTHORN.

A few are still waving the flag for the Paralympic Sailors, but the turn-out is nothing like that of a couple of weeks ago.

However, it has to be said that the races I have seen have taken place in the middle of Portland Harbour, far less accessible to the spectator so maybe that is the reason?

 

At Ferry Bridge the tide was still on the rise but there was little in the way of bird life.

Of note were the few resident ROOKs

employing Turnstone feeding tactics by flipping over pebbles and seaweed and catching prey sheltering beneath.

One of the c3 MEDITERRANEAN GULLs did land close by allowing for a few action landing shots, but the rest of the days action was supplied by humans.

What ever was going on above the bridge, below it and even underwater I have no idea, but it made for good viewing as the MERLIN HELICOPTER from HMS Bulwark maintained a low hover

while the ROYAL NAVY BOMB DISPOSAL SQUAD prepared

and then deployed a DIVER beneath the bridge, as a number of Police Officers looked on from the shore.

In addition both the POLICE WATER-JET and FAST RESPONSE VESSELs were laid alongside (behind the Navy Rib), as reinforcements arrived in the shape of 2 RN Bomb Disposal Vehicles. It was much quieter over on Portland, in fact like the grave, with reports amounting to Nada!