At Least It Went Out With A Bang

After a birding-less Saturday, I decided that Sunday was the day I'd finally go and have a look at this fancy Desert Wheatear that's been tarting about Thurlestone for all and sundry.

The day was a sunny and not very windy one, seems like a good call?

The Thurlestone

Having been told that it was showing well, I was in good spirits as I approached Leasfoot Sand - a pretty little beach, slightly eroded and be-golfed, but you can't have everything, right? - seeing a couple of well-ensconced photographers, I figured my gen was solid.

Yeah, you know what's coming, so I'll just get on with it, shall I?

"Ooh, another camera to pose for!"

Sat on its favourite boat

"..And this is my underwing pattern"

On a posing perch

"Yummy mealworms"

Foraging

[because a bird can't live on mealworms alone]

"Can't have too many posing perches"

"Don't forget to get this side, too"

It wasn't all posing, though. The Dessie was vociferous in guarding his patch, especially against the local Stonechats, and frequently sallied forth to peck rump

Just bashed a Rockit

It wasn't all wheatear-centric, as there were Blackstarts on them thar cliffs!

"Here's looking at you"

"Bored now"

Looking down, the beach itself was notable for a large amount of these things, washed up amongst the weed;

Cuttle bones great and small

Marine biologists and budgie owners take note!



Tearing myself away, I toddled up onto nearby Warren Point - having the usual care you should take for any golf course [and indeed cliff edge..] - and sat myself down with the Big Scope to see what I could see on or over the sea.


Not an enormous amount. Despite good conditions [No, not excellent; not as calm as it looked and a bit hazy] there wasn't a whole heap, at least bird-wise. Mostly gulls and the odd Gannet. Eventually a group of 4 chunky ducks flying up from the south resolved into male-type Eider, but they stayed well out :( A single Razorbill on the sea, what might have been a distant RTD.. Hmm.

BUT. Under the sea, it was better - Harbour Porpoises! They came from the north and hung around, a bit far out for the naked eye, but there were lots! 14 at least, with 3 young ones and 2 calves with mothers.. I even got a shot! It's a little eye of faith, but out beyond the BHGs, what do you see?

About 2 o'clock from the flying one..

Time for a quick scenic shot;

Pretty pretty

Heading back, I was quick to try to get a flight shot of this old bird;

Wow!

[A side-on near overhead was foiled by the Evil Autofocus, unfortunately..]




Later on in the day, I toddled over to the Thatcher Overlook to see if the nice light would give me usable shots of the scoter flock off the Buoy Farm..

There were fewer present; 4 Velvets [3f] and 112+ Common, but when I tried to shoot the Velvets - who were posing nicely, for once - I discovered that my evil camera had decided to go on strike! The lens refused to deploy, so that was that. [I've since tried all the software fixes to no avail, so its crap hardware - failed motor or the connection to the motor - thank you Sony for your wonderful build quality.]

I wasn't stopped, of course, but it was back to the phonescope [You might want to shut your eyes...];

Four Velvet Scoters, all in a line..
[I know, I know...]

I'm not very amused, I must say. I know you always take a chance with 2nd hand gear, but 23 weeks is not much life, is it?


I'll sign off with the last photo my camera took;

Be Seeing You..