The Stuff That Wasn't In That Last Post

As, vague though they are now in my KP-eclipsed memory, I did actually do more than just get sandblasted for a Lifer over the weekend..!



Right, so, Saturday morning I toddled over to Yarner to look for fresh-in migrants. Pied Fly and Redstart were indeed present, though what with all the rain they weren't exactly super-showy. The male Redstart which flew across a valley towards me and then right over my head before angling up the ridge was pretty nice, though!

Other birds were far more evident, but due to reporting restrictions I shall say no more about them.
Instead, here's a hard-working chap I ran into;

Yes, they went there.

It was a good trip, even with getting rained on.




On to Sunday, and before I was brought to try my 'zen and the art of kentish twitching', I was about the Patch - most productively down at the Nose.

Blackthorn doin' its thang

No less than 4 brave souls were trying a seawatch in the strong SE and bright bright sunshine [the latter being why I'd stayed off] to some reward. Certainly more than I'd had on land, with only Chiffs and a singing Blackcap to report..

After they'd given up, I couldn't resist having a quick look myself and soon [isn't it always the way?] found myself questioning my eyes as a frickin' Arctic Tern showed up!* This was followed by a couple of Sarnies that tried fishing in Hope Cove, but no skuas, alas. The odd Manxie wandered past, and there were Fulmars and Kitts a plenty [nothing fancier than the odd double-light].


Heading homewards, I discovered that there had been a stray bird fallen on Patch, and a mighty interesting one at that!

It was sheltering in the corner of a field off IMD. Observe, regardez;

What the....?!?

Its a bird..

Its a plane..

No, its- wait, it IS a plane!!!!

With a neat blue cover and fancy yellow guyropes, its a small [2 seater, I think] plane in a small steep surrounded-by-houses-and-woods field.

As to how it got there..

Not through that gate!

Wonders never cease.





[[*This is very early, and before I've even seen a Common, so I must admit I'd crossed it out as a 'must have screwed up', before getting to DW and being told there were 2 there...]]