But It Isn't [well after] The Weekend?!?

Ah, true, but I have News. And a couple of minutes to post it in, too.



Yesterday afternoon I got down to the Harbour again and this time I can with great pleasure report that the Purple Sands are back! The tide was right up, [and so it was not possible to get a full count without risking flushing them from what was left of their roost], so I can only say there were 3+. Despite the near dead calm, I couldn't pick out anything interesting in the way of divers or grebes out in the Bay. Far more than 3+ alba Wagtails in their roost, though! [How do you count scores if not hundreds of wags in several trees, with buildings and lights all around, btw??]


That morning I was a bit late to bed, as I was distracted by all the birds knocking around!
It seems if they're not around the coast they're inland*..  A flock of 110 [I counted them twice] Woodpigs went over south in a long line, while a mob of thrushes [including 6+ Redwing and 2+ Mistle] and a band of 5 Blackcaps worked the nearby trees and large bushes for assorted berries. A big flock of mixed finches - mostly Green and Chaff, with several Gold and Bull - were also in the vicinity, as were a group of 8 Jays and at least two different bands of  mixed tits and crests. As you can see, it was really busy! All this under bright clear skies, too.



Finally.. I think I have the Mystery Cetacean Mystery from last month solved, thanks to a lovely bit of VT on the Devon Birds site. Watching it, it [finally - duh!] occurred to me that despite most views being side on**, what if the MC wasn't? Then in my mind, my view of a tall Orca-like fin and white marking underneath turned into a tall falcate fin with white underneath.. Of course it was one of the Lyme Bay White-beakeds... It just goes to show that perspective does play tricks; I thought the body looked a bit short, but figured it was an unfamiliar animal arching more than say a dolphin, would. Idiot. [[Also, while I'm at it, that '50 fathom dolphins' will come closer in when there's shedloads of food on offer.]]






[[*Ok, this is High Logic, I know...]]
[[**Ever wondered about that? Aside from point-blank HPs, most cetaceans you see from shore are side-on. My thoughts go two ways; that side-on is the easiest to see, and so what you're most likely to notice while looking generally, also that cetaceans are most visible when in transit - staying shallow and breathing frequently - which would also mean they're in view for a long time from land watchpoints as they pass. Again, not exactly rocket science, but what is a blog if not a means to unload junk from my brain onto yours??  ;)  ]]