Reckoning that the Bonelli's would have done a bunk and deciding that as I'm planning a trip that way later and am supposed to be Being Good and trying not to spend vast amounts on petrol, I dragged myself out of bed at a respectably early hour and zipped down to the Nose to see if I could find some migrants, the weather having duly clouded over [and, I assumed. that the weak cold front predicted having passed through]. [[Oh, what a brief opening sentence]] A road full of cars had me worrying a bit about hordes of deranged doggers [no, not like that] but no less than 8 tents [cheerfully ignoring the 'No Camping' sign just as everyone ignores the 'No Barbeques' and 'Take Your Litter Home' and 'Keep Your Dogs Under Control', let alone shutting the gate to keep the livestock from getting onto the road... Ahem.*] in the quarry and a serried mass of fisherfolk bode well. Indeed, I didn't meet a single non-fisher while I was there - first time this has happened when its not raining sideways!
[[*What can I say? Its my Patch, my home, I grew up here. I pick up the litter [that I can carry - you seriously need a team with a vehicle to make a real dent] and I never fail to be annoyed that people can't even be bothered to shut one little gate so the latch catches. It's not rocket science; you just need to pull or push....]]
Relishing the peace and quiet I gave all the cover a good going over, managing to find some actual birds! [Shock!] It wasn't spectacular, and dwarfed by the good days I'd had in Spring, but considering the lack of proper fall conditions, I think it was a fair result. Star bird goes to a Lesser Whitethroat in the Top Dell, ordinary Whitethroat numbers were up and Chiff numbers had more than doubled. A couple of Blackcaps again and the odd Stonechat, but the most interesting birds were the Robins. Yes, you read me right. At least 9 in the Top Dell alone, at one point 5 adults were in one small bush and not trying to kill each other. This potential Sign Of The Apocalypse looks suspiciously like migration to me...
Down south there was the periodic rumble of thunder, and a Dark Cloud loomed on the horizon, but no flashes were to be seen, so I figured the weather minions had got it right[ish] for once. Ho Ho Ho. Yup, got rained on! Not for long, but big drops. Oh well. I may not have found a Melodious or Bonelli's of my very own, but I didn't do too badly and more importantly had fun. Oh, and I met a Common Lizard! [No Adders, though]
I headed home for a good shot of coffee and rescued a Beech-green Carpet from the conservatory [I shocked myself by managing to find it among about 1700 species on a very thorough website], then it was time for a trip up onto t' Moor with the Folks. After our fun in the boggy bits last time, it was decided to try something drier and the old railway line from Princetown [which loops round some nice quarries before ending up at Burrator] was selected. I like the quarries on Dartmoor - they're proper bites out of the hills and the spoil heaps are not only not toxic or collapsey, but great for Wheatears! We scored 19, including one incredibly downy juvenile which must have been days out of the nest at most. Some were ridiculously confiding, not even bothered by Tilly [which drove her a little nuts - she likes things to run away when she barks at them....].
The Mipits are gathering, one flock was a massive 35 strong - they were by the trackway and as we walked the grass just kept sprouting more and more Mipits, Tilly didn't know which way to look :) A party of 4 Ravens treated us to some aerobatics, the Starlings in Princetown got grilled extra crispy [can't think why...? ;) ], and despite some very promising-looking habitat being passed, I failed to see a single odonate. The wind, perhaps best described as brisk, may have something to do with that.
Still got mixed feelings about that Bonellis, though... I really want to see one [they're gorgeous!], but. I may see how I feel in the morning [before I see the 'No Sign of..' ;) ]. I might even flip a coin, who knows?
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