From the lows to the highs, ah but how She does tease us...
I had set yesterday for the Great Wild Dove Hunt. In the morning, my post looked like it would be something along the lines of 'Looking For Turtle Doves In All The Wrong Places'. After I'd headed back for lunch and a double-take at this here computer screen, it was something altogether different.
So, rocking up at Exminster to find [as I'd expected] car parks full of assorted types, I yomped the length of the lane to find many of the Usual Suspects lined up on the canal bank, looking at a tuft of sedge. Behind this was [allegedly] a nice 1s AGP. Well, its head, anyway. Eventually it did show fairly well. Ok, it got up, then hunkered down again. Still, it's birds like this that you need to get a decent yearlist. And 'twas only my third, so still quite special.
With Bailey Senior on site, the banter flowed [KB was fairly restrained about finding yet another goodie in the Bowling Green GBT] with much speculation about how Mr Diamond had managed to even see the AGP - hiding in an invisible channel as it was for 99% of the time...
After most of the crowd had departed, the Gull-billed Tern duly showed up; "I've got a tern coming in - it looks pretty big" was the first call from the chap with the camera. The Big Scope left no doubt, and I had trouble not cackling with the joy of it..
When it first arrived, the GBT was barely 100m from the AGP - not bad, eh? Neither bird was super close, and the sun was going around too, so these aren't great;
Adult Gull-billed Tern
Having a quick wash
It flew off and left us with another question.. where had the plover gone? It had disappeared more than an hour ago. 'Just asleep' or 'wandered off down its hidden channel'. The way a Grey Heron vanished into said channel made me think one answer, and I set off south a ways to see if it was viewable from another angle somewhere else.
I didn't find it, but as I came back I was aware of a crew [down from yorkshire - for the day!] up ahead looking at something through scopes, and the rest of the crowd coming towards them from the other side. Ah ha?
Yup - and right where I'd been looking 2 minutes before, too.
Not only closer, but actually out and visible, was a lovely American Golden Plover, see?
Feeling less bashful
Things then got even better, as a call gave the amazing '23 Red Kites just went over Wembury castle!!'
Eyes east, and then here they came.... First two, then three more [plus a local Buzzard {going "git orf ma sky!"}] then more and more and more... 10 came right overhead, the ninth no more than 20m up, with 2 more angling a little north. All but one were in inner primary moult [that one in inner sec moult] and all low enough to check looked to be immatures.12 Red Kites in Devon!! KB had a better viewpoint and counted a total of 28!!!
Ho-ly shit.
After that, I got back to my Turtle Dove Hunt. My best sites on Haldon and Little Haldon all proved a bust. I didn't even see any more kites. Lots of dog and kid walkers, though. Oh, and a few Swifts.
Lone bright point was a lone Pearl-bordered Fritillary. It didn't hang about for a photo, though.
Then on my way home, sat on a wire annoyingly close to the Patch.. Oh Fucking Hell.... :D
There are days when She smiles upon you.
As I sat myself down at home, I noticed a bird flying across the valley. Oh, that looks a little off for a Woodpig. I got bins on it. Stock Dove. Home Tick.
Days like that remind me why I do this crazy thing.
Today I was Good and among other things, cleaned my oven. A bit.
This evening I went up onto Ideford Common, where a female Nightjar flew through my headlight beams before I'd even stopped! At least 6 churring males, one of whom showed quite wonderfully; flying past croaking, then landing in view and churring for several minutes before flying off again. :D
Also a bat sp. - out on the common, contouring one of the clumps of trees.
The wind was right up at the top end of useable - so no midgies at all! :)
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