21 Aug 2009

Po Toi - spiders and spiders

On Tuesday 17th I made a manly pioneering foray to Po Toi Island.

Er, okay, actually, I went out there with "Mr Po Toi" Geoff Welch, and once we got started I let him go first down the overgrown byways.

The reason for my caution was due to fear of woodland spiders on Po Toi that can devour* human visitors.

The spiders can grow to a width of five feet. Lurking in the shadows they can sense human sweat, suncream and insect repellent from a long way off.

Springing from their pathside lairs they can knock down a full-grown man and rip off his head with a single snap of their razorlike mandibles**.

We survived, and Geoff's report - including being almost snaffled by a waterspout - is here:

"Po Toi Autumn" thread on the HKBWS website







*Parts of this account may not be entirely true
** Complete fantasy, actually





We come in peace !

11 Aug 2009

Bring Back Dolly !

The England cricket team were decisively thrashed by the Australians at Headingley in 2 1/2 days.

The middle order (Nos. 3,4 & 5) scored 16 runs between them - in two innings.

Basil D'Oliveira is no longer around, but when I was a lad, I always felt reassured at the thought that "Dolly's in next ! ".

As for the present incumbents, the less said the better.



(for Worcs against N'hants, Milton Keynes, 1978)

Basil Lewis D'Oliveira 1931 - 2008

9 Aug 2009

Early autumn (NOT summer, honestly !) at Mai Po

Hot and hazy, but southbound migrant waders are about at Mai Po.


Red-necked Stint


Greater Sand Plovers...


Grey-tailed Tattler with a crab


Whimbrel


Greater Sand Plover

So, a pretty good wader show, despite the intimidating weather.