Bugger...

Birding's a funny old game. Not only do you have to be in the right place at the right time, you also have to be looking the right way. If not, you get gripped off by your frickin' parents... But more on this in a bit.


Saturday saw Another Bug Hunt fail even more spectacularly than the previous attempt, with no dragonflies at all. I did find shedloads of Azure Damselflies at Exminster - cowering out of the wind [also out of the way of a 1s Hobby, for that matter] - along with the expected Large Reds, but really the stars of the day were all feathered. Well, feathered and downy - those ickle baby Lapwings are just sooooo cute... Also a day of warblers, with 8 species about. These as well were less than obliging in the main - notable exceptions being a couple of showy Sedges and a Reed which decided to take a bath right in front of me. What an exhibitionist! ;)



Sunday's outing was another wander out on't Moor with t' Folks. We went from Lanehead to Great Links Tor - out the west way, back the east way. It proved to be a trying day, as the big fire had instead of leaving the usual blackened wasteland, instead encouraged the grass to grow like crazy. This combined with the recent dry spell meant that the only lush grazing on Dartmoor - and so pretty much all the livestock - was there. This we only discovered after we'd climbed over Hare Tor and up onto the tops..

To look on the bright side, we did successfully weave a path well clear of all the cattle who had young calves with them. In doing so, we crossed some areas we've never crossed before, including a wonderfully boggy area of tin workings. We also met a truly stunning Adder; easily the biggest male I've ever seen, he was getting on for 2' and well-rounded with it. As my parents are among the minority who do keep their dog on a lead, that 'we' didn't include the LBD, as Dad once again demonstrated his lightning reflexes in pulling her away. While she'll happily snuffle after anything small and furry - especially mice - Tilly is always cautious around reptiles and a good thing too.


And so to the great grip-off.. We were stopping for lunch at Great Links Tor and I was scouting for somewhere out of the wind where a certain member of the party wouldn't have any distractions in sight. Nothing unusual there, then I hear my name being shouted and I round a large chunk of granite to see both parents with their bins up, looking off to the side. I follow their sight line but get nothing, so I run over. "Harrier! Male harrier! Over there!" I get on a Crow, then 3 more - they're clearly after something, but I can't find it. BUGGER!!

With the bird gone, I ask a few questions and yes, an adult male Hen Harrier it was. Oh Great Big Furry Rats In Hats.. [To put in a bit of context, I've seen more Monties than male Hens - it's one of those odd things] Oh well, at least it wasn't a Pallid, eh? Could have been worse. Then it gets worse; the damned thing had come from where I was - it had flown right past me, probably less than 100m behind my back, the second I'd turned away from surveying that very bit of moorland for stray sheep...


That's birding, folks.




Later on, there were Wheatears, the LBD stayed quiet for nearly an hour [a chew may have been involved], and other wonders occurred, but I kept looking out for that harrier...