Interlude.

Before I finally finish the Easter frivolities, time has been passing and I even did a little birding. Though not the birding I'd intending, as once again that pain in my neck [ho frickin' ho] got in the way of my intended jolly on Saturday. Then a Saturday Night Special [possibly a Saturday Evening Special?] screwed Sunday, in true added salt style.

Bugger.


So I decided, looking at the forecast, to exercise my frustration and go sulking about Exminster in the [forecast] rain. Thinking at least it'd be quiet and maybe that Garganey might feel showy for once..


Oh come on.

Crossing the Haldon Hills in rain, I descended into warm if not balmy sunshine.

Thank you Met Office.


It did, to give them their due, rain a bit eventually, but it was a long hot claggy time [I was expecting rain, remember?] until then.

I did find a drake Garganey, which did tart about in the open [can you feel the walls of reality shake?], but riiiiiight at the back of Powderham Marsh. Great through a scope, not so much for little cameras.


The Little Gull was still there as well, and showed better, even flying around. As did my first Hobby of the year - at least until the Lapwings noticed it... ouch - so not all bad. Warblers all about the place, with seven flavours [though not including Willow?!?]. Much more heard than seen, of course.


Generally, things are settling into Summer mode, with very few non-Shelduck waterfowl and a scattering of waders. Though having said that, I was surprised to find a group of 87 Blackwits on Powderham over the tide [such as it was]. Also a Greenshank and a small wader that looked horribly like one of 'those' Dunlin. You know, the odd lone Dunlin you find in Spring or Autumn which doesn't look 'right' and gets you all paranoid about other things. Things from far away. It's always just a Dunlin, of course. But you can't be a birder and not at least wonder [and check it carefully].

Anyway, let's see some 'pretty' pictures. And some awful ones, because range and heat haze and frockin' drizzle..

Also two Whimbrel

Did I forget them? Found them by Lions' Rest, late on.


You deserve at least one 'yes that's what he says it is'. Getting to the other lot;

Little Gull and Greenshank

The Little Gull spent a long while feeding along the mud, like it thinks it's a Green Sand or something..?? [A Com Sand turned up, laughed so hard it fell over, then flew off]

Waders..??

Flying like a Com Sand

"Oh wait, I am a gull!"

Small wader sp.

[it's a Dunlin!*]

Yes, that's the best shot I got. It lurked by the pylon - ignoring the Blackwits when they flew back to the Exe - and generally tried hard not to pose in an easily photographable location. Oh well. It was just a funny very small Dunlin with an all-white belly and a straight bill and sandy fringes and a nice cap and a Sanderling-y feeding style...*

Ahem.

Small wader sp.-sized plovers

Don't know what those are, how many present, or what they were doing.
[How many can you not see in that?]

The Egyptian Goose!

Yes, you would show better....

That bleeeping Garganey...

If you can see it,

it's a Blackcap

The lone posing Blackcap - I caught it preening - with everything else, all the Reeds, even the Sedges, hiding. I blame the crowds...


Change the topic.

Something that did not only fly past but do so in a manner my camera was not offended by;

Climbing out of Exeter Airport.

Verrrry carefully.

Observe the double winglets and engines almost stuck on the leading edge of the wings. Yes, this is a 737MAX; one of the smaller ones, which are not grounded [that's the big 8's]. It came by in a wide shallow climb** and so showed quite beautifully from the viewpoint. This is barely cropped, btw.

Closer to, and also showing well;

Oak Bracket

Herb Robert

Growing right next to

Shining Cranesbill

Also flowering..

Hawthorn

Germander Speedwell

Bush Vetch

Garlic Mustard

Bugle

Looking up, and indeed all over the place;

Sand Martin

Mostly Sand Martins above, with a few small groups of Swallows and House Martins moving through.


Recap service will resume presently.

Be Seeing You...



[[* Ok, so the outside possibility of Semi- Sand may have occurred, but come on, odds here???]]
[[** I don't think I need to say more...]]