An Open Mind For A Different View - Metallica

The birding situation on Portland remains mostly bleak, but one thing about this Island there is always an alternative of interest. More or less a continuation of yesterday's post aimless wandering was thought the best option.

play the major roll here with stone being shipped to many parts of the world, while 'at home' features in many of our historic buildings such as King's College Chapel, York Minster, Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral and locally

the uniquely designed
St George's Church (after St Paul's Cathedral).

A redundant quarry at Pennsylvania.

Stone Crushing for hardcore.

I often wondered why these pillars had been left lying and unused.

Seens they were destined for the construction of a Bank in London, and even this example facard had been built close by to give an idea of the finished product. The project is said to have come to grief and this structure is named ELAND HOUSE. The plaque, top left corner, is inscribed ARMOUR and UNION HOUSE.

 
Most stone extraction these days goes on at this site

Great craters in the surface which when redundant are sometimes infilled or given over to nature. Many of the latter are scattered around the Island and support a fantastic array of wildlife.

Plant from the Past.

Looking south to Portland Bill Lighthouse.

EAST CLIFF

Views from Priory Corner
Chesil Beach, The Fleet and Fortuneswell.

EAST WEARES

A typical Portland Stone Cottage.

All manner of the Stone Mason's work can be found all over the Island.

Back to the East Side and the now redundant
track down which Portland Stone travelled
before shipping.

The old Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment at Sweethill
now a thriving Business Park.

GOLD POSTBOX
at Pound Piece in the name of Paralympic Sailor
Helena Lucas
Coincidentaly, this morning I met Olympic Silver Medallist
Simon Bithell

WEST CLIFF
and view from the Verne Prison.

Spitfire - Prodigy

What could be described as a sparkling summers day, but if the lack of birds remained the same then "It Might As Well Rain Until September". It certainly started that was as Barleycrates produced little more than the pair of breeding Swallows at the stables. However, reaching the edge of the West Cliff things started to improve as a slow trickle of Hirundines passed overhead with House Martin being most numerous, Swallow much less so and a surprise at the sight of a tardy Sand Martin.

YELLOW WAGTAIL
unfortunately only an in-flight singleton which drew attention to itself
by a few high pitched 'peeps'.

 Next on show was an equally vocal
DUNNOCK

 along with c2 Tree Pipits and c3
STONECHAT
close to the Old Higher Light, the latter being an addition
to the Year List.

What is thought to be
HORSESHOE VETCH
was in full bloom on the cliff edge while from there were also seen

 JACKDAW
 

 KITTIWAKE

 HERRING GULL, SHAG

 a host of GUILLEMOT along with a single
RAZORBILL (centre top)

 some early morning fast anglers and a few

 FULMAR
 
 What looked every bit like a predated
 
 GUILLEMOT's egg

seemed to of some interest to one of the local RAVEN

 as another RAZORBILL floated passed at a better distance.

 Good numbers of GREEN-VEINED WHITEs were on the wing

 along with this distinctive SOLDIER BEETLE
 
 as I reached
PULPIT ROCK
where I lingered for a while in the now hot sunshine.

 While there, fly-bys included
GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL,
 
 ROCK PIPIT and

 SHAG then the strangest thing.
 
 A REED WARBLER (not this one)
'flycatching' among the rocks.

AMMONITE FOSSIL preceded a look at the

rejuvenation of plants in the roped off area at the Bill
which seems to be progressing very well.

From there it is no more than a hop, skip and jump to the Obs Quarry where the LITTLE OWL too quite some finding almost out of sight in a crevice well below its usual perch. Another Year Tick! Even less distance to the Bird Observatory itself for a very welcome coffee and chat to those present there this morning. Relaxed on a bench the silence was shattered by what was to be the most exciting aeriel sighting of the day a

 SEA FURY Fighter Aircraft

which was on view for less that a minute as it zoomed fairly low over the lighthouse and disappeared to the north east.

The roadside verges on the way back to Sweethill are now an absolute picture with an array of wild flowers,

 while on the way WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY also fell to the lens.