27 March, 2024

Hare Time. Pt.1, Gotcha Ya Varmint! And Other Nonsenses


It's March, isn't it? [Well, it was when I was doing all this, anyways...]


After a weekend largely spent about t'Patch, hunting for and finding Wheatears! [Yay] and a first trip up onto t'Moor, I switched things a little and got on with chasing yearticks.

One in particular had been nagging for a while, with multiple dips, oh yes.

If at fourth you don't succeed and so on...


Bunch of foreigners
;)

An early start paid off as I finally caught up with the oddly-slippery Egyptian Goose! This one had a wash, then went back to hiding behind that lump with the Cattle Egrets on it.

Right, that's that done. Onward.

And upward.

Devon countryside
['scuse the glare, light issues]

Sat at a viewpoint and did some skywatching, to the serenade of assorted farmland species, including Yellowhammer [thin on the ground these days] and Red-legged Partridge [pulling the usual 'so close but you can't see me, ha ha' routine]. The Sun was warm and it was really quite the contrast from recent times. I maybe lingered too long, but maybe not. Time served really helps with waiting for birds to fly past, and a coffee turned into two, as they do.
I did see birds of a soaring as well as singing nature, and not all Buzzards, either. Highest flyer was a North-bound Cormorant [yes, really], but star bird a Red Kite [with kettle of gulls], well off to the SE.

The only bird close enough to photo, however, was this noisy character;

Not quite what I was
looking for.!

It was very nice there [though the erosion - lots of rain and no cover crop does that - was less pleasing], but I dragged myself away and relocated to somewhere even higher..

t'Moor!

t'Fieldfare


Still that glare issue

Dark clouds and bright Sun good photos do not make [unless you get said Sun behind you, which is a bit limiting]

The wind was a bit frisky, but I got out of it and things were lovely. A long [if a bit late] lunch and lots of Buzzards [again] but no Merlin or anything like that. [But you puts the hours in, you know]. It was great just being up there.


Siskin, between
display flights

Catching up with
the Laughing Man

And I went up
Bellever Tor



Three yearticks were good, but a much mellower Backward Birder was even better.

And there was still more time in my time off to come.
:)



Be Seeing You...


24 March, 2024

Up On t'Moor!


Once upon a time there was a Backward Birder who liked ambling about up on t'Moor.

Then it rained like you wouldn't believe and he came down with t'Plague.



Now he feels a bit better and has some time off work. The weather isn't behaving, but when has that stopped him? He's a frickin' seawatcher, after all.



So, Monday saw him up on Holne Moor to stretch the legs and maybe see some birds possibly, who knows?
 
[He will stop using the frickin' third person, though]



Blue sky [a bit], white clouds,
is this real life??

The wind was rather fresh, so while I was not anticipating getting soggy [bar falling in the water], I wasn't expecting much in the way of birds.

Entoloma conferendum


There's always [usually] fungi!

Not sure,
so probably a Deceiver!

Dacrymyces chrysospermus


Mosses and lichens

Ivy-leaved Crowfoot



I heard Golden Plover calling a couple of times [and a flock was reported at nearby Hexworthy], I also heard another  set of calls, and this time got a look and even photographic evidence [honest] of the birds in question;

Count the Fieldfare!

Yes, a great big flock of Fieldfare came over and went West [?]

Zoom applied




That's 100 Fieldfare, there.


Reed Buntings
[look closely]



Sometimes rainbows mean
a pause in the rain...


More frustratingly, a small fast low light slate-grey-backed raptor showed up, and I couldn't nail it. I got on it twice with eyes, but it was too twisty [muct have been chasing something] to get on with bins. Being unable to rule out a male Sprawk, I had to let it go [drat and double drat]. Anyone raising an eyebrow can note that it was very low over the hillside opposite in that pic up there [yes, with the dark and light bits], so not exactly point-blank range.


Ah well.


The rain set in [sideways] so I called it a day and headed back [after sitting under brolly in lee of big gorse bush - from where I took that one up there - for a fair while]


I'll be back




Be Seeing You...

22 March, 2024

Patching. Pt.3, ...And The Bees


With warmth and even some sunshine, the bugsbugsbugs have been getting frisky, at the Nose and elsewhere.



Oh look, new spp.!!

Hairy-footed Flower Bee

Small Gorse Mining Bee?

Short-fringed Mining Bee
and Green Furrow Bees


Bloody-nosed Beetle

Seven-spot Ladybird

Hairy caterpiller 1

Hairy caterpiller 2

Common hoverfly 1

Common hoverfly 2
[on Lesser Celandines]

Shining Cranesbill

Bluebells
[not in a garden]


Goblet Waxcap
[late or very early!]



Oh, it's all so exciting.




Be Seeing You...


20 March, 2024

Patching. Pt.1, It's Spring!!!


After Saturday's failure, I was annoyed but not deterred and so went back the next day. Despite the weather [a bit windy].



After finding an empty Quarry again - though the GND was still present in Hope Cove - I pressed on.

Oh, hello there;


WHEATEAR!!!!

Ahem.

And another!

Wooooooo

There was a third lurking along the cliffs of the Sole, but far too flighty to catch on photons, alas [though I think an Irregular may have succeeded later in the day]

More,





Oh the Joy.   :D

I put the news out and Irregulars connected in the afternoon, so even better.


Also...

Greenfinches feeling frisky

Rockits, too


Just because the SWBCM
is switched on

Doesn't mean we'll get anything good.

Only Herring Gulls, it seemed. Oh wait, no. Two small gulls;

Still rather Common


A 2cy Med also made an appearance, but I somehow managed to miss it completely, despite taking a flurry of shots.. Oh well, it was well-worn and very pale, so not exactly photogenic.

Of note; not one BHG.
That was a quick clearout.

Chiffchaffs were singing [as was one Blackcap] but also not feeling helpful.



There was a fair bit more going on, but that all awaits.. Part 3!!!

[Gasp]




Be Seeing You...



19 March, 2024

Patching. Pt.2, Keeping At It


A weekend about the Patch. Mostly the Nose, of course, but not just there.


It's that time of year again when thoughts turn to Wheatears, those glorious heralds of Spring. They've turned up singly here and there, but not on Patch.

When would they appear? Could I even find one? 
[Don't dream about more]


Well, all you can do is get out there and try.

So.
 
Let's end at the start;


Irregulars hunting Wheatears

The Quarry at the Nose - sheltered from the frisky wind - being checked thoroughly. Irregular the Keen has risked life and limb to go down [via the Traverse of The Gods], while Irregulars the Cautious stay up top and keep overwatch. No Wheatears were found, though the Keen then went out onto the Platform and found 6 Purple Sands, hiding from assorted anglers.

Despite quite a bit of sunshine and a helpful wind direction, we got zip on Saturday.

A few things seen;

Derrrr-dum
Grey Seal, stalking
the anglers...

Guillemot,
in near-Summer plumage

A few more on
the Ore Stone

Great Northern Diver

Loitering with Intent to terrorise crabs in Hope Cove. Not a sniff of summer plumage, so most likely a 2cy.

Roosting Oyks,
[also one on The Lead Stone]


It's always
The Deceiver

Pine Ladybird
or a Harlequin?



[If anyone is wondering why I'm starting with the second part of a post which is about the first part of the weekend... You haven't been reading this long, have you? ;) ]




Be Seeing You...


17 March, 2024

Waxwings Are Pretty Good, Too


Filthily twitched after work on Friday, and in defiance of rain and more rain, behold;


Waxwing!!

Strike a pose, dahlink



Though it has to be said,

Soggy Starling
for the win


THAT is how you pose for the camera, birdies.





And that is how you hit 150 species, birders.




Be Seeing You...