Missed A Bit

I know I've missed out a bit of Patch stuff from recent times, but I'd also forgotten that I'd forgotten that I've been out as well.
You see, after getting various bits of Stuff done, I decided I could allow myself to go look at the long-staying Pec Sand at South Huish. Yes, I've forgotten for a while..
"Only a yeartick", they chorus, but I've only seen one and that was by accident, so perhaps after a lot of dips [when chasing Devon yearlists, most notably] this one would be as good for me as it had for everyone else.

I toddled over straight after work, with sun shining and so on.


You can see it coming, can't you..?


At least it had actually gone, and not just hid from me for the more than three hours I spent checking from every angle I could find, then started showing again next day...

I wasn't entirely surprised.

The Snipe were showing well

Lots on site - the most I had in view at once was 17 - and this one came close, lit up all pretty like in the low sunshine.

Awful shot!

Water Pipit less obliging. You can sort of see the brown rump of 'not being a pale Rockit'. Many many Meadow and Rock Pipits, plus assorted alba Wagtails.

"Try mobbing me now, Crows. Please...."

Buzzard shows them how it's done.

A scenic dip.

I wanted to stop by Slapton on the way home, but delays involving a bus and a crane [if you've travelled the road between Kingsbridge and Torcross, you'll be wincing in sympathy...], meant it was a bit dark by the time I finally got there. Defying said dark, I had a look to see if any diving ducks were identifiable [you may recall that I've spent some time this year looking at RNDs in particular].

What do you think?

Even 'better' awful shot!

In front of a line of Coot, we have a duck with a grey back and a distinctive silhouette - yes, it's a male Scaup. No, really. Look also at the head shape, the way it sits low in the water [no prominent tail].
[It did look much better through the scope, honest!]

It's not really a record shot, more of an 'oh come on...' shot, isn't it?

Ah well.

The Starlings put on a brief display, but I managed to completely miss the Bittern somebody else had from the bridge. All I can say is Drat.

Here's some pretty reed heads, taken as my camera refused to shoot Starlings.

Almost art.

Closer to, in both time and space, I have today done my first check of the Blackball roost of the winter. Despite it having been blowing a hoolie for some days now, I found not a single diver or grebe there, though ~400 small [mostly Kittiwake] and 1450+ large [90%+ Herrings, of course] gulls were present in a string of rafts by 1650.

Posting about the Patch will be coming, including what I did find earlier and even the odd picture of things you can identify.


What do you mean, you don't believe me??!?!?

Woodpigeons!

Hah!

:D


Be Seeing You...