Misses And Hits

After Friday's glorious fun, I figured Saturday was time for a long shot cunning plan. This involved me, my Big Scope, and checking all of the waters off The Patch on the off chance a certain diving thing had wandered into range...

After the lack of sun on Friday, there was a surfeit, and so all the sodding jetskis and speedboats were out and roaring about. Needless to say, there was sod all on most of the waters.  :(

Pretty birdless

Not quite everywhere, as the proximity of the Buoy Farm gave protection for some diving things. These being 4 Eider [presumably up from Broadsands?] and at least 19 C Scoter. But they were the limit and extent. Hm.

[That's right, no divers, not even any grebes to be seen...] On shore, a Blackcap was singing. But nowt else fancy. Here's a poser, though;

Pretty bird

Not all posers had it so easily, alas;

Lovely day for a soar...

..or maybe not.

Sunday's weather seeming to defy the forecast and actually be sunny saw me toddle off inland in search of some cheering shrikey goodness. This was forthcoming, as the Vitifer Great Grey Shrike was the very first bird I laid eyes on!

Grrrrreat!

Lookin' at you lookin' at me..

The weather was.. less than hoped for, with for some reason sun shining on the far side of the valley but not the near [where the bird was], which seems to defy various Laws.. Until you remember the Irish One..
The shrike never came close, despite me stalking it carefully, setting myself up with forethought and waiting for two sodding hours. [Lunch may have been involved.. :) ]  Oh well. I did see a couple of nice Green Woodpeckers;

Photo one Green Wood, get another free!

Eventually, the sideways drizzle convinced me that no joy would be forthcoming, so I took a toddle about Sousson's and wandered back. It was nice, and very warm out of the wind.

Looking over the Great Gert towards Golden Dagger

In other news, I've been out and about The Patch some more, catching up with the reported scoter by the Buoy Farm - there were about 250 of them, south of the Inner Farm, when I finally found the right mix of viewpoint, light, and birds behaving themselves to get a decent count - and the odd singing Blackcap [though no Wheatears here! :( .
I also have various things to show you [oh yes, more optical torture photos to come...]. Said things are numerous enough for a separate post, so that's what's coming. At some point. [[Don't panic too much, some things are really quite pretty. No, really]]. So it is that I shall



Be Seeing You..