Things To Do

With a little birding stuck around the edges.

No burning straight off up to Wales for me yesterday, as I had to Get Stuff Done in Exeter. Managed to do some birding around said Stuff, though, so not too bad. Before hopping on the P&R bus I wandered over to Matford along the new-ish route, dodging luridly clad cyclists as I did - that after playing Frogger with the rush hour traffic [Matford Pools are fun to get to - unless you come down from the canal bridge you have to play the game...]. A Brambling with a band of assorted finchy things was very nice, though it got thoroughly flushed by a pesky cyclist before I could get the li'l scope on it :( The Pools had what you'd expect, nothing fancy. A couple of Common Gulls with the larid hoi-polloi were just that [Matford always makes me think of Ring-billed Gulls, for some reason]. As I got back to the Brambling spot [by the wonderfully unobtrusive makro], I saw that of the mass of Bull Green Gold and Chaffinches, plus Linnets, only a few Bull and Greenfinches were there. Or they were other ones, I suppose. Whichever, they showed nicely - male Bullfinches are always a treat.

On my way home in the afternoon I stopped off for a loop of Exminster, where the 2 White-fronts were smart in the odd burst of sunshine. There were no less than 18 Greylag nearby, which is a lot for Exminster. Lapwing numbered at least 93 and they, the Wigeon [hundreds], Teal, Blackwits, Curlew, and the odd Ruff were up in dribs and drabs very frequently. I don't know what was making them so uneasy - a lurking fox, maybe? - I saw nothing in the air or sitting on any pylons [not even anything I won't mention]. Lots and lots of people about, a good proportion with bins, though only 2 with scopes [I suppose most of the serious birders who could get out were preoccupied with Business Elsewhere..] [[Though, saying that, I did bump into [Devon Birder] in Exeter, but he's seen Yellowthroat...]]

Today I had work. Again. Ah, the dedication of a man who's on a short-term contract....

This afternoon I nipped out after the front had passed to see what was cowering in the lee of Blackball. 4 GC Grebes. Wow. 3 Fulmar cruised by, which was better, and as I followed them I came across a small group of gulls sat on the sea. Ooh, that one's dark. Quite big, too, compared to the Herrings. Not dark enough for an LBB, though.. Oh-ho. You will not believe me, but it is only as I sit here now and type this that I recall there being an adult Caspo knocking around. Seriously, I only thought 'That's got to be a Yellow-leg!'. Now it's got to be an Unidentified. Bloody Caspian Gulls.... [[Never thought you'd read me saying that, did you?]]