Saturday 29 September 2012

The Lookout


Dolphins have been seen off the Purbeck coast agian this week, but not by me.
This is yet another excuse (if any were needed) to wander up to Durlston, check the card and calendar stock and then drift along the cliffs for a wander.
It seems ages since I have been up there and I start to get withdrawal symptoms if I stay away too long.

Saturday Breakfast


A blue sky on a Saturday and with me having no plans at all?
Sounds like a walk along the cliffs is in order and perhaps a pasty.
I am quite easily pleased!

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Play Time?


I have had time to go through the Otter photographs now and I think I have narrowed it down to a final eight! but don't worry, I'm not going to post them all. This one though is a favourite, cute aren't they??

Monday 24 September 2012

htaP tsaoC htuoS tseW


The South West Coast Path sign at Studland, with the sunset very unhelpfully taking place at the wrong angle!

Unclassified Too


Thanks to a tip-off by a local ferryman, I got a good look at a new, unclassified lifeboat.
Could this be heading for Swanage in the future?

Unclassified


A new, as yet unclassified, lifeboat being tested by the R.N.L.I.

Sunday 23 September 2012

Sandy


The Otters were great fun to watch in the wild or in captivity, as rescued animals. Given the choice though, a soggy river bank, a wet right foot, terrible light and your heart beating wildly wins every time.

Portrait


And so, confident of my abilities as a wildlife photographer, I did what all the best wildlife photographers do when the wildlife is too wild!
I went to find less wild, wildlife!
These three shots are of rescued Otters and are not in the wild!

Slip, Slide And Away


These are the kind of shots I would have liked of the wild Otters, but I couldn't manage it.
Watching them in their own environment is by far the best way to see them if you are lucky enough, but the photo opportunities are limited, to say the least.

Saturday 22 September 2012

View From The Bridge


At one point we were just a few feet away from a couple of Otters that decided to fight below the bridge we were stood on.
Wonderful to see these animals, but incredibly frustrating at how difficult they are photograph.

First Contact


These are a couple of shots from yesterday, when we found the Otters.
I haven't been able to crop these, so they are as they are!

Blue Sky Thinking


The Otter hunt went well, but I'm not sure that I got any decent pictures. As you can imagine, I took plenty and need to spend time going through them, this will have to wait until we get back to civilisation.
As I write this, trying to warm my hands up, Buzzards are flying overhead making their haunting cry and a Jay is doing a great job of staying out of camera shot.

Thursday 20 September 2012

Lunch


Today, I spent a little bit of time with some American and Asian Otters. It was great to be able to get so close, but they are so quick it was not easy to get a shot!

Ready For My Close-up


An American Otter, posing before ripping a big fish apart.

Smooch


Asian Otters, behaving far to cutely and making way too much noise.

Dinner


Another American, demonstrating why it is better to throw food to it, rather than feed it by hand.
A lucky tip-off means an evening trip along the river is called for, in search of good old English Otters.

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Poyrit !!!


My old nan used to say "if it looks like a poyrit, then it's probably a poyrit". This is the Stavros S. Niarchos, an obvious pirate name and obviously up to no good.
I must admit, I have never heard of the dread pirate Stavros, but then I am no expert.
Just for the record, International Talk like a Pirate Day is on September 19th so lots of time to practise.
(around here, we already talk like pirates, so we just call it International Talk Normally Day!)

Why are pirates called pirates? Cos they aarrrr!

Happy International Talk Like A Pirate Day


The S.V.Tenacious is a regular visitor to the bay and fits in quite well with all the stories of smuggling that we have here. Built for sailors with very different needs though, she looks very impressive lit by the setting Sun. At night she is lit up like a Christmas tree, but I would still like to see a Skull & Crossbones flying from the main mast!

Monday 17 September 2012

Fiddler On The Roof


Almost caught grey handed, the peanut thief tried to escape across the rooftops.
We now have two Squirrels, a youngster and an adult!
My peanut bill is getting bigger!

No Respect


Perhaps the Herring Gull received authorisation, but I'm not so sure!

Arthur Beak


This is a little Dunnock that I see often. He only has the lower part of his beak but seems to manage alright, it just takes him a little longer to eat.

Sunday 16 September 2012

Just One Wellington


The view from the slipway at the boat park towards town includes the Wellington Tower and a convenient pile of crab pots!

No Pirates!


Lucky for us we have had the Uk Border Patrol in the bay for a couple of days.
That must have kept the pirates away because I haven't seen any for ages!

julian sawyer - Purbeck Footprints' photostream

Rock & RollDedicatedSeeing RedAhoyMore Ladies Wot LunchHold On
Bells & FolkA Small Rise In The Interest RateLadies Wot LunchThe Final ShotTribal SongsFlight Of The Silver Y
Nocturnal ActivitiesArmed And ReadyTouristsYoung MindsWorking HardSmaller Subjects
Nope, No Squirrels Here!Paddling In The RainCrocodiles, Sharks & TurtlesWind PowerThe Lookout...And....Pounce!

If you get bored, feel free to look through my photographs. Most have been taken on the Isle of Purbeck and show what an incredibly diverse part of the world I live in.
Hope you enjoy.

Saturday 15 September 2012

Rock & Roll


One of my favourite little birds, and too much of a distraction while the lifeboat dedication was going on!
I did my best to hide the fact that I was snapping at the wildlife rather than the lifeboat, but I'm not sure I got away with it.

Dedicated


Today was the naming ceremony and dedication of the D class lifeboat D-752 Phyl & Jack.
This took place at the Swanage lifeboat station and was very well attended.
It is always good to see the R.N.L.I. so well supported, everyone concerned does a cracking job!

Quiet but never silent.

I missed the Sun this morning, not because I was late but because the early wander was done and dusted by the time the clouds cleared. When...