A Borin Post About The Patch

Yesterday I suffered something of an energy drain.

I blame the weather.


[It's worse today, but work knows no mercy..]


I did manage to get out eventually and wander about the Patch a bit, and as it turned out, this was even better than I had any right to expect.



The chief and number one brilliant thing being [as alluded to in title] a frickin' Garden Warbler. This did not just call and maybe sing from cover [ok, it did that too] but it even showed.. with a billful of caterpillars!!! YES!

:D

Those of you with good memories [or a talent for archive-diving] may recall that many years ago, I had no less than 2 singing GWs in a certain part of the Patch, though I never got more than that from them. I'm sure they do hang about in the parkier areas, but I don't get about to all of the Patch for much of the time. [[I know, 'tis a scandal]]
Birds pass through - they're always a part of migration at the Nose, though never in big numbers - and sometimes crop up in other parts, [I once found one singing in Tessier; which as the kind of garden they like would be ideal but for all the cats.....] but this one was there.


There were many other warblers,  Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, plus Whitethroats in the coastal scrub; all 'nicer' in one way or another, but that Garden really made my weekend.. [I'm such a birder, aren't I?]

Even though I later saw a big flock of Scoter [34!] which went hither and thither. Oddness, until a Gannet made a very hard turn and urgent detour and I saw the cause for all the consternation... Bonxie!! It was close inshore, a light one - you could even make out a cap in the bright overcast/hazy sunshine - [maybe a failed breeder, or possibly subadult] and powered through southwards.
The Scoter then split up, with about 20 lingering a while before seeming to head into the Bay.


Also of interest was a late afternoon feeding frenzy, about a klick south of the Ore Stone, at least 8 Gannet and 45 Kittiwake were involved. You don't see Kitts diving often [well, at least, I don't..] so this was quite something to watch. As this was happening, a trawler went by towards Brixham. She was cleaning her nets and the crew sorting catch, so the cloud of gulls attending was impressive; about 410. Fortunately for them, the earlier Bonxie must have left the area..


Ok, that'll do.



Be Seeing You..