Still no snow...

When not diligently jobseeking today I gave the Patch a thorough bashing. Definite highlight was an adorable Treeeecreeeeperrrr near the Palace [["Who is that daftly-hatted man, and why is he staring at a tree with binoculars and grinning like a loon?" a couple of passers-by may have said...]]. I'm very fond of Treeeeecreeeeperrrs anywhere, but on my Patch are the best of all as they're uncommon [or rather, uncommonly seen] to say the least. Also close-up LTTs. I went through the area where last spring 2 Garden Warblers had sung, and oh it was a bit different, with the wind howling in... Not as cold as yesterday, and the wind's teeth, though still sharp, were a touch blunter. A few miserable microflakes in the air was all the snow we've had, while to the north, south, east and west of us it's all white... Tut.

Looking out to sea from IMD I was surprised to see-

[[THIS POST HAS BEEN REDACTED BY THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM OVERUSE OF RHYMING]]

Ahem.

5 Goosander flying north, including a smart adult male, with 8 Common Scoter in close attendance. Also 5 Gannet loafing about, but no sign of any auks or Kitts, [let alone Little Gulls :( ]. Several hundred Woodpigs were stuffing themselves on acorns along the Meadfoot end of IMD, there were 5 tit bands I met; the biggest having 15 LTT plus Great and Blue, and a couple of small groups of Goldcrests didn't have any fancy friends with them. It was pretty much as expected for a cold windy winter's day.

[[GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING: THE FOLLOWING SECTION CONTAINS GULLS]]

The gulls of Torquay harbour, today accompanied by two Moorhens and four Shags, contained an 'interesting' one with high breast, rear belly bulge, long wings, very long legs, quite a long bill, white head, but not much else. It looked pretty good before I got optics on it..!

Cue the start of this winter's Ahabness [though with fewer harpoons] - will I finally get the bugger or will it be swimming home again? [[Though the bookies aren't taking any bets, for some reason...]]

If at first you don't succeed, try try again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And one day I'll find one!

One day.....