You Beauty!

Sunday saw me doing the TouchUp Shuffle in public for the second time in as many days. :)

Fortunately, there were again no witnesses to this sanity-blasting horror other than the bird in question [and a disbelieving Stonechat]. Where was I and what was I looking at to provoke such joy?

The Nose, of course, and what I'd seen, which then [after making me wait a good 15 minutes] proceeded to come right in and give the closest views I've ever had of this species in the wild, was this gorgeous lady;

Ooooh!!

What a cracker! Adult female Eider - the first I've seen all year, in fact - and right off the Sole. At first she was diving in the lee of the Lead Stone - right in the surf - but then she swam over and posed wonderfully... :D

Crappy mobile pics really don't do her justice.

Also in the sea was this;

No, not Nessie; it's a Grey Seal.

A half dozen Common Gulls were a little unusual, a Razorbill and a few Guilles were still about, a lone Kitt flew south.. Yeah, pretty quiet. On land, a few Stonechats seemed to be it, until as I was leaving a flock of 112 [they spread out to pose] Woodpigs made me pause long enough to pick up on the male and female Blackcap [that should be Herr and Frau] working through the Top Dell. :)


On I went to Cockington, far corner of the Patch, to follow up on the reported YBW in Scadson's Woods*. After taking a circuitous route about the fields in the vain hope of winter thrushes, I eventually found it skulking right at the bottom [that's east, btw] end. It called a lot but without the sunshine it wasn't feeling showy. Oh well. The trees are utterly spectacular right now, with this not coming close to conveying the wonder;

In the afternoon, I went for a wander about the Bovey with the Folks. We had a lone flypast Crossbill as the only birdy excitement, but again the trees were quite something. One Beech, flanked by Hollies, looked as though each leaf was lit with golden neon.. I couldn't photo it, the result would have been a travesty that would mar the memory. It's on the path up to Hisley, go in the afternoon when the light's behind it.

There was also the promise of the new year to come, with catkins formed and ready to go;

All silhouetted and artsy.. Oh dear.

Finally.. As you may have guessed from the time of this posting, I am once again a Creature of the Night - a surprise early pressie from my lovely bosses - so maybe, if I can get away with it, Friday might see more fun! :D




[[*No, not even a year tick and yes, The Artist's one at Clennon would be easier to get to and see, with Sibe Chiffs too, but there's off-Patch and on-Patch, isn't there? ;) ]]