Of Dogs and Redstarts

Yesterday I said I'd be most likely dipping Savi's Warbler over in cornwall today, if not dipping stint sp. at Bowling Green.

Slightly forgot I'd already said I'd go for a wander with the folks [couple of injuries having curtailed activity on both sides for the last couple of weeks]. Figuring that a) the Savi's would probably have scarpered, b) if it hadn't, the traffic would have been truly horrific, c) the stint would definitely prove elusive and d) there's always Monday to do some long-range dipping it was off on't Moor today!

Turned out very well, actually. Blazing sunshine, light winds - it felt like August, and that's not a bad comparison as the sun strength's the same! Tilly the Mad Dog was her usual 'enthusiastic' self - pulling like a train despite a 'canny' thing and considering anything with legs [this includes flying birds] to be fair game. Letting her off the lead would result in a rapidly vanishing [and possibly dopplering] black blur, never to be seen again! Despite her tireless vigilance, there were some nice birds to be seen - in fact the Redstarts of the title [and there were at least 5, including 4 singing males] were very confiding for Redstarts, or most other passerines! I blame the sunshine - it must have sent them funny. Redstarts are twitchy shy birds - you see them briefly then they scarper, or if for longer, only at distant bin range. One of these chaps was flying up and singing close enough to enjoy without optics - another flew within 10' [ok, he might have not noticed us until the last minute]. And they kept on doing it, that's the thing.

We wandered from Kestor Rock to Teignhead Farm, via Fernworthy for lunch and Shovel Down for afternoon coffee break [gotta have an afternoon coffee! ;) ]. Boggy bits were mostly reasonable [though a couple of valley-bottom blankets were still 'interesting'], the grass was still in its winter spaghetti mode [only green at the soggy sections], and all you could hear was birdsong... Magic.

Also Tree Pipits in Fernworthy - including one doing the impressive mimic-laden song [an interesting mix of Chiff, Chaff, Wren, Willow Warbler, Robin and Coal Tit]. Only 4 Wheatears [yes, more Redstarts than Wheatears, how often can you say that??], plus the usual plethora of Mipits and Skylarks and other moorland regulars.

I'm not going to make any predictions or statements of intent.

I am going to congratulate Joe on publishing [part of] his Dip List. Speaking of, I've had to update mine [those frelling Mandarin count].

Night!