Before and After Angus

I could have called this post 'More Blimmin' Dots', or indeed 'HOW Many Scoter?!?'

Be suitably warned [though there are other, and indeed more identifiably photographed contents]


Ok, back to early Saturday afternoon, when I happened to stop by Meadfoot with the Big Scope and Intent To Count Bladdy Scoters.

This I succeeded in doing [I like Big Scopes and calm seas].  It took a while, as they were of course well out - between the two parts of the Buoy Farm - and also diving now and again, sometimes some, sometimes all. But eventually I made a sweeping count along the line at the right time. And that count just kept going.. I'd expected 20-odd [you remember, right?], or maybe that hundred that had flown by were just nipping off and had come back [ but I thought that unlikely, as the DW population had jumped up sharply the day after..]. Oh no. There were an amazing 169 of the sneaky little gits!

Then;

They came from the north..

[so did the scoter]

I'll spare you more pics, but I got a good one and there are 31. They duly came in and plonked down.

Yeah, I laughed.


Also of note, a fair few Kittiwakes loitering [moving ahead of Angus, perhaps?], 2 Velvet Scoter in flight off Broadsands [I like Big Scopes!], and this noisy thing;

After the storm, I lugged the Big Scope down to the Nose first thing. This was done in hope of something being left over from the night's fun. Maybe a nice slick would be present and have attracted something to linger? Maybe birds would still be moving?

Nope.

49 Guillemots on the Ore Stone [and 291 visible GBBs], with Kitts and Gannets feeding to the N-NE, but otherwise very quiet. Ho hum.


BUT. Ah, what's that line of dots out there? Oh those Scoter...

Right.

I needed height and angle, and Thatcher Point did the job nicely. This time I got a lovely look-down and was able to wait for them all to come up and run along the scattered line of groups: 207. Get in.

Not only too far out, they were too spread out to get in one shot - at least, if you wanted to actually SEE the black splots - so I'll just unleash this section on you;

A long line of long lines..

Seemingly upset by being counted, the big group fragmented and started moving inshore. I turned my attention to what else was out there. After all, with all the stuff off Broadsands etc, there must be some juicy birds up the top end, right? Right?

I scanned, and moved and scanned and moved.. Meadfoot, the Lookout, the High Lookout, Daddyhole, the Overlook...

A GND was near some scoter at the Inner Buoy Farm, another flew right overhead and into the Bay, and.. that was it.

Looking off into the distance, I picked out the 4 Velvets off 3 Beaches or so [mid morning], with at least one and probably 2 large divers, plus a probable Eider, near the Mussel Farm. A 'grebe that looked very like a RN but without posing at the right angle for its bill to catch the light could have been GC or even Slav' was well out off Broadsands as well..!

I won't pain you with more black blobs, so instead here's a few other things;

Storm? What storm?

 Thar she blows!

 

Black claw

Count the block 'eads

Ripples..

Oooh, New Red Sandstone...

Vexed with the paucity of birds up Patch end of the Bay, I made a trip doon Toon later in the afternoon and had a look off the Harbour for any BN Grebes [or ANY grebes] that might be lurking close in.

I saw;

Yay!

One of six visible along the weed of the Real Living Coast, along with at least 4 Rockits and a Grey Wag.

The sea? SFA. Ok, a pretty view;

Dead.  Calm.

The one they haven't sold.

Yet.

Not even a GC. There were a few Shags, but nowt else but assorted manky gulls.

Oh, I said those words, didn't I?

A Herring Gull!

No escape from the gullllls!

Mua-ha-ha-haaaaa

Very obliging

[[One might be tempted to wonder why the interesting-looking ones never pose like that..]]



After that notched horror, time for a radical change. Yes, something pretty and interesting. No, really!

Looksie;

Isn't this fun, guys?

I'd like to apologise to you all for that one.

A mush closer view

Sulphur Tuft and Wood Blewit. Maybe.

I'll be honest, those were 'closest' IDs - not least due to me being very rusty - and I fear I may have to go back and get creative with gloves and black and white paper...

Whatever they are, it's a pleasant change to find un-destroyed fungi on Patch [or anywhere, these days..]




Be Seeing You..