Backward Birding: Here And There

02 October, 2018

Here And There

I was meaning to get to the Nose for actual first light on Saturday, but I got distracted by my latest attempt at non-disintegrating flapjacks - which actually worked!* - and so it was a little after the Sun had risen that I arrived to find that it was far too windy anyway.

Hmm.

I keep muttering about how intransigent the weather has been behaving recently. It really won't do.

But I didn't give up, and to my surprise a few things were still passing, even if grounded migrants were Chiffchaffs and Chiffchaffs. Again.

From the Nettle, the sound of munching...

Well, sunshine, anyway.

Ooh, look up!

Male Sprawk [possibly 1cy?]

mobbing Buzzard!

It was quite raptor-licious, though none of them seemed to be moving and all were known resident species. Still nice to see.

Stonechat

Right, migrants. A good sized movement was still underway, with the inevitable alba Wagtails getting into two figures, before being eclipsed by nearly three times as many Meadow Pipits. They were joined by three Grey Wagtails [one lovely adult male overhead very low; if only I'd had my camera switched on and ready..], a couple of Skylarks and a couple of small parties of Chaffinches.

I waited until things eased off, checked the bushes, checked the sea and gulls, then tried the sheltered bits of IMD and Ilsham, hoping for an early YBW.

I didn't find one.

Here are a few items of interest;

Upright Hedge Parsley

Greater Burnet Saxifrage

Hedge Woundwort

Wonderful climber in Cedar

Cider Gum

Yes, yes, garden plants...

Passing the rebuilt shelter at Thatcher Copse, I noticed something of notice;

Drugs are bad, n'kay?

So, useful info if you're not too stoned to read, but there was more

If you look before you sit

And clearly someone has a) too much time on their hands, and b) a deficiency of sense;

Yes. Really.

This was applied to every side except the one visible to the Fine Upstanding Residents passing by on their morning jogs.

Insert your own suitable comments here, dear readers...

Speaking of the 1%