Another Monday, Another Post

More of the same for more of the same, I'm afraid..



A weekend spent doing more Stuff, with a couple of coastal patrols the only interest for you.

Saturday saw a longer one - from the Harbour around to the Downs [for sunset]. This didn't start too well, as in their brainless idiocy dedication to public safety, Haldon Pier was still closed to the public. This time there were two police officers [proper ones, too] there to, er, police it. I applaud this sensible use of our money to protect people from the deadly three foot seas and raging breeze.


Was that enough sarcasm?


Anyway, 6 Purple Sands were visible on the intact* pier, with 3 GNDs out to sea and a lovely 1w right in the Harbour;

1w Great Northern Diver

Meadfoot had some nice waves and a couple of bits of modern art on the beach;

Meadfoot Beach, now with added trees.

Hope Cove was still diver central, though now 'only' 18 GNDs, a lone GC Grebe, and no sign of any Little Gulls around the Nose.

Group of GNDs, viewed from IMD

Auks - more Guilles than Razorbills and none visibly oiled - were scattered along the coast. Presumably these are a mix of residents and tired survivors resting up. I didn't see any dead birds along the shore, but there are a lot of gulls around...
Blackball roost was much diminished in gull numbers, with only 17 hundreds [what a difference a day makes!], but 32 GC Grebes and even better a group of 5 divers. said divers seemed to be GND, but close examination revealed one to be a big BTD - brilliant!



Sunday's perambulation was shorter and earlier and also included detours down grassy bits. This was due to it being with the Folks [and a certain Little Black Dog, who was quite insistent about playing two sticks]. The sun shone and the wind was markedly lighter. It was almost like a summer's day [only a bit colder and a lot drier!]. Between Meadfoot and Brandy Cove we saw 8 GND and a probable [though irritatingly slippery] BTD, with at least 8 Kittiwake still hanging around the Nose and no grebes at all! Fewer auks, too, with only a handful of Guillemots - again all at sea with none visibly oiled - and no Razorbills.


The decent evening weather when I actually had a chance to use it saw me head out for a hopeless Owl quest, but I did hear a Redwing fly over, so not a total failure.




[[*From what of it I was allowed to see, the only non-flagpole related damage is a few bits of concrete skin chipped off the edge. This happens every winter; the contractors then get paid a nice fat wedge to spray a new concrete skin on, paste over any cracks, and call it a repair.]]