Stan_Lite
11-05-2010, 11:49
http://r1wuga.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pbwlC8Y6ulTgcKxZVCJNmgEvb7p6S2cGmUcSYIpRvreCANu7 yW-wMn6iYu1ZSaCxP1R3IRbz2bWa_U_D3-VTwB6e_RO4cPe1M/Merops-apiaster%202010.05.11.1324.58.jpg:p
I was topping up the Med over the side of the rig this morning (anybody thinking of going to Sharm el Sheikh could well be swimming in my wee :p), when one of these little fellas flew over and perched on the handrail about ten feet away from me. After I'd put away anything it could possibly mistake for a worm :o, I decided to try to get a closer look. Fully expecting it to fly away, I edged closer and closer until I was about two feet from it. I admired it for a while and decided to try my luck and touch it. I edged my hand towards it and it didn't fly off until I actually stroked its wing. Friendly little chap.
After much searching, I found it on the internet. It's a European Bee-eater aka Merops apiaster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Bee-eater).
It's unusual to see something so pretty amongst all the steel, oil, grease, sweaty oilmen etc. out here
I saw another bird the other day whilst performing the same activity in the same place. It was sitting on the anchor to my left while I was discharging. It was some sort of bird of prey, quite small (about 8"-10" high) with a smallish, angular head. I only saw it from behind and above so only saw it's back. It had a sort of dark gold and black checked pattern on it's wings.
I know nothing about birds so I haven't been able to identify it. If anyone knows what it may be, feel free to help out.
I was topping up the Med over the side of the rig this morning (anybody thinking of going to Sharm el Sheikh could well be swimming in my wee :p), when one of these little fellas flew over and perched on the handrail about ten feet away from me. After I'd put away anything it could possibly mistake for a worm :o, I decided to try to get a closer look. Fully expecting it to fly away, I edged closer and closer until I was about two feet from it. I admired it for a while and decided to try my luck and touch it. I edged my hand towards it and it didn't fly off until I actually stroked its wing. Friendly little chap.
After much searching, I found it on the internet. It's a European Bee-eater aka Merops apiaster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Bee-eater).
It's unusual to see something so pretty amongst all the steel, oil, grease, sweaty oilmen etc. out here
I saw another bird the other day whilst performing the same activity in the same place. It was sitting on the anchor to my left while I was discharging. It was some sort of bird of prey, quite small (about 8"-10" high) with a smallish, angular head. I only saw it from behind and above so only saw it's back. It had a sort of dark gold and black checked pattern on it's wings.
I know nothing about birds so I haven't been able to identify it. If anyone knows what it may be, feel free to help out.