Ups and Downs

Well, these have been an interesting few days. This post is going to be a bit shorter than I was intending - also a day later - as I have done myself a mischief and typing is a little painful [as are most things..]. It's nothing serious, I've just hurt a tendon in my upper back - which effectively also means my neck and shoulder, too. It happens now and again and until it decides to stop hurting like a bastard I've just got to put up with it. I pinged it lugging the paparazzi setup around the Exminster and the Exe Canal on Wednesday - though it didn't manifest until I woke up yesterday - and it has naturally curtailed my fun. Bugger.


But before that...
Waterloo Day saw the Patch wreathed in mistyfog, so I set off looking for the sun. I eventually found it [for almost 2 hours!] at Aylesbeare. I also found my first ever Large Skipper! :D Alas it didn't feel like being photographed and skipped off rapidly.. Plenty of odonata about on the ponds and another small Fritillary sp. again gave me the slip :(  Later on I went to my favourite spot to look for Nightjars and was rewarded with 7 churring males, a very noisy bout of wing clapping, and as a wonderful finale getting circled by a female :) She gave me 2 and a half circuits at about 10' distance - brilliant!



Wednesday being very very warm and sunny had me mooching about Exminster, the Canal, and the Old Sludge Beds. Amazingly few dragons with only one Hairy and not a single Emperor! WTF?!? I did manage to find and attempt to photograph a truly gorgeous freshly-emerged Scarce Chaser. There was just enough of a breeze to make it challenging, and easily enough brambles, thistles, and stingy nettles to make it painful. I think it was worth the effort...

Scarce Chaser

What a beauty....

Damsels were not in short supply, with reasonable if not epic numbers on the wing. Having lunch at my favourite spot by the Sewage Works [I'm used to seawatching at the Nose, so a little reek doesn't put me off my food! ;) ], I noticed an interesting damselfly among the Red-eyeds.. 'Odd' thought I 'It's a bit early for a Small..' I followed it's course, waiting for it to settle in a convenient pose. [[Ok, hoping it would!]] Alas this was not to be, as before I could get a decent look, the poor little thing was taken by a fish! Ah well, c'est la mort...

The Exe Canal is a truly dangerous place to be small and tasty - not only damsel-munching Trout, but also 2 Pike [albeit one an ex-Pike] and best of all a Grass Snake!! WooHoo! I picked it up swimming across and as it paused to warm up on the far bank I entertained thoughts of a picture, but the wily snake escaped while I was trying to align phone with bins [too far for the camera]. Drat.
I had better luck when I went over to Exminster in the vain hope of dragonflies [even the big channel was empty] as this Painted Lady sat and posed. Sort of..

This was by the road. Naturally, as soon as I went for the proper camera, a car came along...

Thursday's forecast downpours meant I'd scheduled it for getting Stuff done. Naturally they* didn't appear, though with my shoulder playing up it was for the best that I only mooched about on Patch. Nothing outstanding to be found, the best thing being an Emperor exuvia at Tessier.


I wasn't going to miss the sunrise today for some pesky pain, so off to the Nose I went. Sun duly hid behind clouds, as per usual, but at least I didn't miss a decent seawatch. The sun did shine on me - for all of 5 minutes at about 0545 - and at least I didn't get rained on either. I headed home, took more painkillers [which pretty much bounced off] and have been out again since, with bugger all to report.

EDIT: Saturday morning, and no seawatching for me as my little knife in the back is still very much present.. Joy. :(



Ups and downs indeed. [And yes, much less babbling than intended!]

And Finally...
The DWT has been putting in new signs and signposts at the Sludge Beds, which is great. Alas, whoever designed them might need an eyetest;

 Oh dear.

[[*The downpours, plenty of Stuff in evidence!]]