And Now For The Rest

What, you didn't think this morning's loverly surprise was going to be it, did you?


First up; yesterday.
Failing again to find Wheatears first thing, I went off-Patch to do some mobile birding. I hit the Exe first, making visits to RVP, Matford, Exminster, and Dart's Farm. I singularly failed to find any Sand Martins, but after only getting a lone Redshank and 3 Snipe at Double Locks, Matford provided again with two smart Green Sands. Exminster held a typically inconsiderate Spoonbill and no harriers - it also demonstrated that the wind and heavy showers weren't going to ease up any time soon.. Dart's was too windy for showy finches and I've seen the yankwig well already, so on I went.

The Otter was briefly sunny, then it absolutely pissed down. Fortunately, I'd a) got to the west hide and b) already got on the two LRPs on site. I stayed put, counting Wigeon [about 100] and Snipe [at least 12] in the rain - always fun when you're not in the rain ;) - and snarfed my lunch. Well, as much as I could keep from a very bold Robin and an almost as bold [and thus for them utterly fearless] Blackbird! Periodically a Redshank showed right in front of the hide - crippling views, including it swimming in a very phalaropey manner between exposed bits of mud - though never for long, as someone always came by and flushed it! [Mutter mutter]. Out of rations and needing to get back home to do some Stuff, I risked the rain. Sure enough it opened up on me, but only briefly. As it eased off I picked up a bird flying past me over the reeds - ooh, there's an interesting silhouette! I got on it just as the sun came out and the bird incandesced blue; Kingfisher!!


Late afternoon and with some more time I headed to the Downs, where the sight of a large mass of gulls at the north end of Oddicombe drew me down the cliff road. At least 125 Herrings, plus a dozen GBB were messing about in the surf and washed up weed - odd. There might have been something dead there, I couldn't check it well or for long as not only was there a steep shingle berm - so to see everything would mean flushing the gulls - but it was also the old 'Gentlemen's Bathing Place' - ie. beyond the main cliff fall area. Wandering onto rockfall chutes is not advisable [though you probably wouldn't be surprised at how many people were..] so the gulls were left undisturbed.

Out to sea, a raft of a dozen GC Grebes bobbed about. As I counted them, a diver sp. flew south - very distant, it looked GND-ish. Then a big boss shower hit and I took cover. After it passed a lovely rainbow showed up and on the sea as if by magic appeared a diver! Not just any diver but a Black-throat, too! :) That'll do nicely.


Getting back to today and in the Garden, Herr Blackcap is still in residence, with Frau Blackcap trying to get in now and again.
This afternoon in the sunshine we took a wander about Mamhead - it was lovely, much better than expected [someone needs to re-educate the Met Office...]. Bird-wise it was as quiet as you'd expect, [though a fly-over Redwing and a singing Goldcrest were nice], except for the bit when Tilly found a Pheasant - it took off very rapidly...