...Summer?

To continue from yesterday...

Yesterday, I decided to try another seawatch. Showers had again been forecast, and in the past I've not done that badly with a NW if it's got some oomph to it. Not at the Nose, though!

Default setting would be Prawle, but I've been there more than once already this year and so I had another place in mind...


I speak of Inner Froward Point. Home of a WWII coastal defence battery [alas minus guns.. ;)]. Said battery had two big searchlights. They too are gone, but their emplacements remain and give great and not that high up views over Start Bay while having roofs - yes, protection from rain. Luxury... Ok, they're open to a SE. And a S too, for that matter, and a SSW... but still, roofs!


Aaanyway... The promised precipitation never showed up, but the wind blew and though numbers were low and much was passing at 1km [or more] there were some highlights. Chief being that wonderful light morph Pom Skua, flying serenely south [I doubt anyone had the nerve to tell it it was going the wrong way]. There were more auks and fewer Gannets per hour than at the Dodman, with a Manxie rate of about 10 an hour - but these were much enlivened by the addition of my first two Balearics of the year :D
The auk mix shifted from 80% Razorbill in Cornwall to 75% Guillemots in Devon [unsurprising, with the proximity of Berry Head]. No Basking Sharks, but a Harbour Porpoise popped up now and again - never saw more than one at a time. Also a Grey Seal in close but too sneaky to photo.

[[This means that yes, I passed by Mansands twice and didn't go down to look - psychic powers failed miserably..]]


Today, with all this sunshine and an actual amount of warmth in the air, I went looking for insects! Shock.. Must be summer...

On the way to Bystock, I took a meander through 'that bit between Haldon and the Exe', which was interesting bird-wise [though I failed to see any partridges - the crops are too high and they weren't posing anywhere convenient. Pheasants, yes, bunnies, yes]. Things went pretty well in that I only met two tractors in the lanes. Though this was at the same time. Which was fun.

It was perhaps still a little early to be hunting odonata, but worth a go. Downy Emeralds are indeed on the wing, though they weren't feeling very showy [not that they ever just sit and pose for you, mind]. Quite a few Large Red Damselflies on site, but nothing else yet. I'll give it a couple more weeks.
Butterflies were a different matter, with a wonderfully showy Dingy Skipper, easily the best one I've ever seen, being Star of the Day. Dingy Skippers are exactly what it says on the tin. They're, well grey-y browny and they skip along so very merrily.. I didn't take the paparazzi setup with me, not expecting anything really good, so naturally one sat and posed. IF I'd had my proper camera you'd be looking at something pretty damn good, after getting it developed and converted, - probably - but as lining up my teeny 0.5MP phonecam is never quick or easy, the only pic I got is so awful even I won't inflict it on you..
Anyway, there were also plenty of the regulars, like Common Blues and Small Heaths. Other insects of note were the wonderful Green Tiger Beetles buzzing along the heath paths in front of me, and a Big Boss Hornet cruising over the pond as I staked it out for Downy Emeralds.. :)