In Which I Do Not Have Enough Room

To put in all the themes I've had in mind since last I posted.


The obvious solution, 'post more often you fool', would have been nice, but things rarely work out neatly.

So instead we have a little bit of a catch-up to be hopefully followed by something longer tomorrow. There have been piccies taken, some of which may even be worth looking at, but they will have to wait as well.


So;

Monday, When I Am Surprised.

Something approaching dry weather saw me determined to get some exercise, so off up to t'Moor I went. I decided to keep things simple and wandered the tramways from Yellowmeade [or should that be peachmeade?] down past Ingra Tor, with a goodly stop for lunch in the lee of a gorse bush. Things started well before I even arrived, with a SEO quartering the fields NE of Rundlestone, and they ended well too, when a flock of 95-100 winter thrushes - roughly 3/4 Redwings - were flushed and attacked by a female Merlin! I would have thought even a Redwing was a bit big for a Merlin, but maybe there were small passerines in with the thrushes, or maybe she was just very hungry? Thus the reason for the vague count - they were moving around far too much to be sure of their numbers..
The big surprise happened earlier, when I was to be frank shocked to see a Common Hawker messing about in the shrike valley [near Swell Tor, where that Woodchat was]. What The Actual Foxtrot?!? A great big dragonfly. A DRAGONFLY. In late December.....


Tuesday, When I Am Surprised Even More. And Soggy.

With the day dawning to blazing sunshine and light[er] winds, I cannot resist the call of the Moor once more. So, this time I head north and forgo tracks and tramways for proper moorland oh yes indeed.
I do the Fernworthy to Wild Tor via Teignhead walk. It is, I have to say, a bit damp underfoot. At times it's like walking in rollerskates, the mud is so slippery.. But, its also glorious. When it's not raining sideways, anyway... As I expected, the watercourses were running at 'yikes' levels, but I had planned my route with care and had no problems.
My big wonderful surprise came before I even get there, when driving along the approach road near Tunnaford I flushed two Grey Partridge from the roadside! Get. In. :D  I assume they were gravelling up. Oh, but the joy. The post I'd been writing in my head bemoaning the now year-round idiot grockles on the road went flying off into the aether..
Wild Tor didn't fail me either [though it took a while] as a 1w male Merlin [with light grey mantle and scaps looking actually rather snazzy against the female type juvenile feathers] came dashing by. Ok, trying to dash by as he was heading into the wind.
The Hunt was out giving their hounds a run, and they helpfully flushed a couple of Red Grouse at one point [the grouse were less happy than I was, though]. Also a handful of Golden Plover on Manga Hill and near Watern Tor.

I took a look at the res before I left, where there were 4 male Tufties and a Little Grebe, with a mixed gull roost of a little over 200.


Wednesday, When The Wheels Come Off Somewhat.

I did not feel very special this morning, and all my plans for a day with Frankie boy were undone.

Fortunately, I had shaken the worst of whatever it was off by early afternoon and resolved to get at least some time in. I donned waterproofs, shouldered the Big Scope, and lurched off to the Nose. I got in an hour and a half before dark and no, no Leach's for me. :(
I did get 12 GND, 1 BTD, and 1 RTD. 10 of the Greats rafted and roosted in Hope Cove [showing very well]. Also a few Guilles, a Razorbill, 4 Fulmars, and a host of Gannets and Kitts. At least 110 Kitts were hanging around the slick, with lots of assorted large gulls and a handful of BHG [the rest blown away, maybe?]. Also a funny little auk which took more than an hour to finally nail; a tiny 1w Guillemot!?! Puffin-sized, dusky faced, stumpy billed little thing it was. Really made me wonder [not to mention work to get a good look in the conditions].



Yes, that was a 'little' catch-up...



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