Being a Bit Naughty

Readers forgive me, for I have sinned; Since failing to find the Waxwings' resting tree yesterday I haven't tried again. Nor have I bashed my Patch in a thorough manner [or indeed any manner at all excepting out the window...]. {{In my defence I plead that for those who wish to see Waxwings on my Patch, there are 5 very showy ones at Torbay Hospital [also very.... er, umm... very security guards...] }} Instead yesterday I went out for a walk on't Moor with the folks, and today I did apply for jobs and then was very very bad indeed, oh yes....

A winter wander around Vitifer and Sousson's was very pleasant, though as usually happens with t' Moor in winter, there weren't many birds around. [Of course, sometimes one of the few is something superb and begins with M, H, S, R etc....] At least 6 Fieldfare were hanging around the top of Vitifer, a very showy Green Woodpecker around the bottom, but not a great deal in between. Sousson's held a few Crossbill and 2 GSW, which were heard only, plus some nice Goldcrests [he says, reaching a bit] and lots of deer slots. Buzzard, Raven and Kestrel overhead were the best of the rest, with not even Siskins [let alone Redpoll] about. It was a nice walk, and the sun when it was out was lovely.

After doing much job search-related business this morning, I had intended to give the Patch a going-over. 'Had' because a Certain Birding Site held news of Bearded Tits at Slapton! Having become The Only Birder in Devon To Still Need Buff-breast for the County, I wasn't going to let a possible Devon Tick elude me again, oh no. Filthy twitching time.

I'm going to be kind and keep this very brief; birds heard calling in reedbeds at north end of Southern Ley [either side of the channel] intermittently between 1205 and 1230 and one female seen in flight from east side to west side at 1258. Far better performers were not one but two Water Rails, which swam the channel [both going east] an hour apart, much to my amusement. [[Ok, could be the same Rail doing a loop, I know]]

Also 2 male Goldeneye [including one on the 'bridge pool'] and single Little and GC Grebes [also on the bridge pool], 8+ Shoveler, 10+ Pochard and all 5 species of gull in Ireland Bay. Perhaps due to the north-easterly, which was brisk, there wasn't much on the Southern Ley at all, and apart from a single Shag and a very distant diver sp. nothing noted on the choppy sea. A Buzzard tried impersonating a Marsh Harrier over the Northern Ley - doing quite well for flight action, though the plumage was off and it really needed to find some tail extensions [ ;) ] - and only succeeded in flushing a Grey Heron.