Happy Failures

Contradiction in terms?

Well, I have this weekend failed to see any Wheatears or indeed any other sexy migranty things like the hirundines seemingly flooding everywhere. I also failed to see a great big frock-off* whale near or even [whisper it] in Patch waters....

But I have had some fun in my failures/ignorance.

Saturday was not my first Wheatear-shaped dip. I did, however, see the odd nice thing. Such as 200+ Common Scoters, still with a half dozen Velvets attached.
Though admittedly, they're blobs in this;

Photobombed..

Ooh, what's that?

Big grey scoter-flusher**

AKA

HMS St. Albans

Ok, enough warship porn...

Perhaps a reason any Wheatears were feeling elusive;

DFA and all that

Sunday saw me toddle off past Mor'n'ampster to a couple of favourite sites. The first having not only these;

Daffydowndillies!!

And this;

Alas poor Mipit..

And these;

Part of the Mardon Circle

[it's too big to easily photo..]

I'll be merciful and only inflict that one shot.


I moved on to the Teign, where they've been busy massacring the poor Larches.. Yes, I know the plague is the plague, but it's not their fault, is it? [Perhaps if we cut a few bio security-violators off at the ankles, there wouldn't be any more invasive surprises..?? ;) ]

One moderately shiny lining is the opening up of some sight lines, such as at Wooston Castle;

Looking over the ramparts towards Fingle

I took a few shots of the defences, but you can't appreciate them in the format, so I'll not bother putting them up. Suffice to say they're quite impressive for a small hill fort; especially the ditches, which are neatly landscaped so you can't see them until you're right on top of them. While the overlooking hill would have made the Romans snigger as they loaded their ballistae, to an onrushing iron age attacker, shield up against the sling[shot]s and arrows of outrageous defenders, either  zooming down the slope or knackered climbing up from the river, it'd be a very serious proposition...


I also took a wander and yes, there's more horror the inevitable attack of rocks!!!!;

They were having a BOGOF on trace fossils..

[On the grey bit, the long curvy thing and the racetrack-shaped thing next to it]


Even better than all that, while I was saying Hi to the glorious full Moon [plus assorted planets and stars - twere great conditions - this evening, not only did a big meteor go over [a proper one with a distinct head - real 'shooting star'!] but an owl called, too.


Be Seeing You..



[[*My spell-check came up with that, and once I'd stopped laughing, it had to go in..]]
[[**Though it must be noted that, according to the scoters, despite all the missiles and guns, she was still "Not as scary as a Bonxie.."]]