Proper Autumn Birding

Well, this feels more like Autumn, doesn't it?

Soggy underfoot, a nip in the air, plenty of fallen leaves, divers.. Ah, yes the divers are back!


[About zoggin' time too.]


So, in the last 4 days, I have been to the Nose three times. Friday and Saturday were both late-start seawatches, and today was an afternoon leg stretch [not really a seawatch because Gannets and Kitts aside, there wasn't much out there, despite the wind!]


But let us start with Sunday, when I was mostly very good, cleaning all manner of things about the place [even the kitchen floor...]. Having completed this mighty labour, I decided to take a [slightly late] lunch out.
It, as I have said, being more properly Autumnal, I decided to do one of the old walks along the Bovey. I parked at Trendlebeare [having been considering Yarner as well], and headed down to the Pack Bridge*. It was wonderfully wet down there, with a zing in the air as the sun came off the valley floor. There were tit bands in the trees and even a few Redpoll. I had intended to have my lunch sat on a nice bench which overlooks the valley and would not only give me any passing birds, but also a good shot at closer stuff [including possibly the aforementioned Redpoll]. Unfortunately, I had not expected it to be occupied, but it was [this has happened only once before in more than a decade, folks]. Very occupied, in fact, by a couple doing something horizontal. I didn't know whether to laugh, curse, or put them online, but being very British, I left them to it [aren't I good?]


One of the downsides of my chosen route, especially when its wet, is the slight lack of choice in picnicking spots. The bridge was also occupied [though by a guy taking pretty pictures], and I didn't fancy a long yomp out of my way, so on I went. My eventual stopping point was the Log Bridges** - still present and intact in spite of the new one put in to replace them. 'Lunch' was more like 'lea' by this time, but the place is so lovely I forgave it.

Observe, regardez, the awful low-light phone shots!

The Bovey, upstream from the Log Bridges

The Log Bridges, and their replacement.

What do you mean, you can't see them??

The main span Log Bridge, seen from the new bridge.

Rivers have been crossed like that for millennia

The sun was getting very low as I crossed the Bovey and headed back, but not so low that I missed a cracking Dipper [Though it was point blank and posed for me :) ] and then another one :D  I got back to my car as it was starting to get properly dusky, and had a last cup of coffee watching to see what was flying about to roost - assorted thrushes, mostly. Tawny Owls were calling, and I had slim hopes of a sallying Woodcock, but they were dashed.

It was a very nice afternoon indeed [the bacon and cheese {both smoked} omelette, with oat crunchies for afters, didn't hurt either! ;) ]



Ooh dear, look at that. I have been going on, haven't I? Oh well, all the lovely skuas and things will have to wait...




[[*It has a proper name, but 'the pack horse bridge by the doughnut' is how it's referred to in my family]]
[[**How to cross a river like the Bovey? First, find a good spot, like where there's an island [or just a really big rock] to reduce the span. Get a tree, cut off the roots and branches and secure it across the gap. Plane off the upper side and cut grips, then use split branches to make a hand rail. Repeat if required by said island. Simple.***]]
[[***Unless you're the HSE. Then you need to make the National Park spend a LOT of money making a great big fancy bridge next to the old ones, which will stand high of floods yes, but will do so in isolation as the raised river level spreads around its footings, so nobody can use it anyway... But at least its harder to fall in.]]