Elation And Vexation Pt 2

Continuing from last time...

This was a weekend of sun and mistyfog, and when not dipping white-winged gulls, I was trying to find Patch yearticks. Which is a little easier said than done in an area mostly made of concrete, tarmac, plastic green*, and other peoples' gardens...

Not to say my Patch is an urban wasteland plus the Nose. There is a golf course [oh, I said not just urban wasteland, didn't I?], actual farmland [currently rather muddy], and woods [ditto], even the odd tiny bit of marsh. Nothing even vaguely to compare with real wetlands; all my non-Mallard ducks and non-Moorhen waders are coastal [ie. usually flypasts!] - but there are a few. Perhaps soggy bits is a better term, but anyway, one is right on the southern edge;

With free Moorhen!

That one was not a yeartick, you see, as this one was;

Bathing Beauty

The glorious sparkly bottom to yonder stream is in fact broken glass, this being Victoria Park and all, [ie. 'that bit behind Lidl'] but it's not hurting anybody down there so I don't mind it.

I was down there on my southern borders vainly chasing the reported showy YBW of a week or more earlier. I know there's some lovely habitat there [very like the back of Broadsands, actually] so I figured it might still be hanging around. And it could be, but in two goes [before and after gull-dipping] I failed to find it. I got lots of tits and crests, though.

Why all that effort for birds I've had out the window? Because when you yearlist you try your best. Yes, I'm after my Patch record this year, and it was only having Important Things That Could Not Wait that stopped me from going earlier.

Speaking of year ticks...

Collared Dove 

has been getting scarcer on Patch

Though as soon as I get one there.. There were three together in Tessier on Sunday! First ones I've seen there in about 4 years.

Not a yeartick, but worth a shot

Next to Lidl, of course

;)

I think this is the first deliberate photo of a House Sparrow on here [as opposed to 'in shot with an Italian']. Woo.


Aside from that, business was mostly closer to home. With all the travelling on Saturday [plus unhelpful weather and even less helpful jetskiers..] and the mistfog on Sunday, I've nowt from the
sea to report, but I do have birds from the shore. Yes, even more Purple Sands from the Real Living Coast;

Could never get them all in one shot, though

Here's a close up

Speaking of close ups..

I love Crocuses

Well worth getting a muddy knee for.

Also in the mist were these..

An 'atmospheric' Tessier

Winter is going

The ugly face of Tessier..

They're everywhere. It's terrible. Though if you want 'adorable little squirrel' shots, you'd be hard put to do better. Urgh, the mind twists at the thought...

The Babbacombe Undercliff

Goldcrest!

Closer to home, my constant attempts to get shots of the birds coming to my feeders - now including groups of up to 3 LTTs! - have provided proof the eye could not; I have multiple Blackcaps coming in!

Yes, it's tail feather examination time...

Right rectrices damaged and

clearly shorter than left.

Left rectrices unmarked

Taken seconds later;

tail tip just visible shows intact right side.

Also pale mark halfway down left side rectrices

So definitely two!
Also explains why sometimes 'the' Blackcap is twitchy as anything, and sometimes seems to almost ignore me. If I am very careful.

I mentioned Long-tailed Tits up there, so you are surely expecting this. No more vent shots though, I promise!

"Nom!"

Miniature parakeet

Sticking pellets on Hawthorn spines

is time-consuming and ouchy

but has its advantages

Cute contortionist

'Long-tailed Tits have a tiny little bill'

Yeah, right!

So cute it hurts

Everybirdy loves buggy nibbles

Fancy fat balls are pretty popular too

You may have noticed a slight perspective shift recently. This is due to my moving my feeders over to my Hawthorn, initially due to a Force 10 front that came through, and then left because, well, look at 'em all! The birds seem to like it there and I'm not [yet] suffering pigeon/corvid issues, so while it is harder to move around for me - having to step over my mini-pond and sway around the feeder to get to the Berberus - I'm sticking with it for now.


Be Seeing You..





[[*The sort of 'green spaces' beloved of councils, where you might get a Pied Wagtail. If you're lucky...]]