The Patch In Winter

The calender may have said Spring, but the weather disagreed.


After a lovely day on Thursday, Friday was work but also birding free due to my head.. I was only able to keep the balcony loaded with supplies - including taking the hammer to the minipond - and zap the odd picture.

Yes, this is a long one...

Buzzard in blizzard!

This was Wednesday - I was impressed at the time

And then..

 

He lives!

Venturing forth

Rations!

And for my next trick..

..I become a Ring Ouzel!

;D

Trying to look cute

Once the snow level dropped

he could glare from closer to

Awwwww

Two of four!

 

Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"I'll stick with the fatballs, thanks"

 

"Git orf mah land!!"

And violence ensued..

Eventually I had to intervene now and again to let other birds feed - he even drove birds off the peanuts which he's never touched, what a git!


Out and about time now!
Saturday dawned with the thaw and I was a lot better, so I went off to rescue my car - safely and legally parked in a bit of vehicular skiing I am quite proud of - and saw a few birds on the way.
Sunday saw me patrolling the bits of Patch I missed on Saturday in the hope of something interesting.

Yup, hit it!

Baby Mutes off the Abbey

GC Grebes survived

On the..er.. beach?

Flotsam. Jetsam.

The odd gull, too...

A Med Gull!

Another Med Gull!

Another Med Gull

Hold on..

There were a lot of them; at least 12 [counted at the same time, via a bit of legging], probably more like 15. Not bad at all!

In the air, on the sea, on the shore, on the duck pond..

Further inland, a few winter thrushes;

And other things...

Yuck

Aww

And now, more horrible gulls, this time in sunshine! :)

ID Test

How many species can you see?

On the Sole platform*. Apologies for long range, but as I feared when I stopped and shot from the Second Slope, a dog walker flushed the lot before I could get within decent distance.. :(

Here's another,

Wonderful mix of resident, wintering, and passage birds

As apologies for the larid horror, here's a couple of prettier things;

It is Spring. Definitely.

But maybe not quite over there..

And finally, here's another survivor

Black-necked Grebe

Outer Harbour

Summer Is Coming

As I type, I've also seen Coal Tit but no sign of Mr Blackbird. Still some snow lying in sheltered and higher patches.


To come, that Dartmoor post from waaay back before the snow.



Be Seeing You..




[[*That's the wave-cut platform exposed at low tide along the bit between Sandy Point - the heel - and the Nose itself - the Toe - which makes up the Sole of the north-pointing foot the Nose looks like from above. Yes, I was asked to clarify]]