Somewhere Under The Rainbow

Was a wonderful bird today. I having finally got around to twitching the Ernesettle Lesser Yellowlegs for my Devon List. A brief glimpse earlier was followed by another birder staying briefly [he having also had a brief glimpse] before being put off by torrential rain and the theory the bird had gone back towards the railway bridge. This turned out to be wrong, as the little bugger [who managed to be mobile and elusive, while also showing very well and at half the distance of the Walmsley bird!] had gone upstream. It duly arrived not a minute later, but despite my running up to the main path, the other birder was gone. Drat.

The Lesserlegs then spent it's time feeding like a Redshank out on the flats. When it got something big it would run straight to the water to wash it. This was wonderful to watch as it held its body still while it did so; with its rounded head on long, cocked back neck, and tapered body over the legs whirring underneath, it looked very like the Roadrunner ["Beep beep!"]. Moved fast, too! It was in the sunshine, rainbow overhead, while I was getting very rained on and not caring a whit. Glorious bird.
:D


Yesterday, birds took a back seat as Sister got married. [They didn't go completely by the board and in fact I got in some great quality - albeit over in Cornwall..] Yup, Cornwall*. It was a really good day; with a steam railway, a cake that had to be seen to be believed [and tasted as good as it looked ;D ], and culminated in a bonfire party with deadly ginger beer [complete with justified skull and crossbones... arg], and a 'bring a firework' display that would have been visible from space...
But enough of the fun, the quality was twofold; a Barn Owl [before the evening's pyrotechnics, you will not be surprised to learn] was very nice, but the Waxwing that flew over Bodmin Central railway station early afternoon was brilliant! Of course it didn't land in sight, and while I couldn't resist jogging after it - just in case it was in those trees over there, you understand - I couldn't find it. As it was Sister's Day, [and I value my life] I let it go.

It's interesting that there are these odd ones and twos knocking around Cornwall, but no reports [that I know of] in Devon. Maybe they filtered down the west coast? Whatever, I'm keeping an eye on the local Rowans..





[[*While it's not Devon, there are worse places to live. I have been to Milton Keynes. ;) ]]