[Several days late, but blame Circumstances] Let's get on with it;
Seawatching ! Woo!
Or would be
woo! if I had been on Nights last week. But I wasn't, so had to work while hordes of luverly birdies went swanning by...
So I was determined to get down the Nose on Saturday, even though the business end of the weather would have passed by, pretty much. There were showers and cloud and wind forecast for the morning, and if said wind was more West, well that just made sitting on a far more exposed section of the Steps possible. See? Silver linings.
Up before the Sun to find clear skies and seeming light winds. I cannot deny that I said some very naughty words. But quietly as I like my neighbours.
I was so determined that I went over anyway, and was rewarded on the way down by being rained on. And nearly shredded by assorted pointy vegetation. But there was some wind blowing, and rain gives hope.
So, to my new spot, about 6' left and 3' up from my old spot; which is now legs-dangling-in-fresh air, thanks to the joys of sea-thrown boulders. Still, some things don't change, as I was swiftly greeted by an old friend. Now in her third year of loitering with intent;
Trouble!
Moulting nicely into 2S plumage, and still with the distinctive gammy wing [she can fly but not perfectly], this here Herring Gull has been my 'friend and companion' ever since she noticed me throwing bits of sarnie to the Rockits. Who now get very short shrift, poor wee things.
So, after far too long [I don't even dare look to see how long it's been or indeed how little I've done this year...] I was back at the Nose and staring at the sea.
Ever so slightly different view, and, as I don't exactly have wonderful shearwater photos for you [shock], here are some scenic ones;
That 'famous' view,
with some weather coming in
But not quite the same - isn't that..?
Berry Head
Yup, now the floor's been taken from under my little spot, which was wedged in next to a handy rock buttress, 'The Steps' is exposed to South as well as SE wind. Joy.
But not an issue this time.
Drat! Shower misses North.
I suppose I shall have to inflict some blobs on you now for form's sake.
Spot the birdies!
There are 4 Manxies and an Oyk in this shot. Really. Honest.
White blobs.
Adult Med Gulls.
Eye of faith people, eye of faith.
:)
It was a day of, while not huge numbers, a pleasing selection. Even if they were a bit far out. [Thus blobs]
In three hours [only three, oh the shame];
5 Balearics [including a 4], 52 Manxies, 30 Med Gulls [more than half juveniles], 4 Sarnies, an Arctic and a Common Tern [together too, fishing in the Bay first thing], a Bonxie playing with the poor gulls, plus two other skua spp. [small ones - a prob. Arctic and a 'looks like'..], an annoyingly evasive juv. YLG.
Of the 'common' stuff, 64 Gannet, 8 Fulmar, 18 Kittiwake, 7 Guillemot and 2 Razorbill. 3 BHGs were 10:1'd by the Meds, which isn't a frequent occurrence!
Everything was S except the Sarnies [who'd probably been fishing in the Bay and were heading back to the Warren]
Eventually - well, mid-morning - the showers dried up and it was just sunny and windy. Looking into the Sun isn't the best way to do it, even more so when the birds have dried up, too.
So, I packed kit up and ambled back the very slow way, looking for onshore thingies. Cue better photos!
Rock Samphire
That stuff
Common Vetch
V.s. sativa
Sea Aster?
Plus cute wasp sp.
Mouse-ear Hawkweed
Yarrow
with June Bug and Fly sp.
Prickly Sowthistle
Saw-wort
Tufted Vetch
Greater Knapweed
with 6-Spot Burnet
Common Knapweed
also with 6-Spot Burnet
5-Spot Burnet
[Possibly even Narrow-bordered?]
Spot the Hummingbird Hawkmoth!
Wall
Small Skipper
[Note thicker, more curved sex brand, and lack of black in antennae tips compared to Essex Skipper from previous post]
Small Skipper
Different ind., with thinner sex brand
Green-veined White
Holly Blue
Moth sp.
Another "Huh?!?" one, here. You'd think a very white moth with that distinctive wing shape would be easy, but... Could be a very evenly worn and oddly-posing Clouded Silver, or likewise White-spotted Pinion [one of which I spent too long chasing about 50m away, but that had the obvious black markings]. Or... A White Satin [minus the fluffy thorax?!?] or.. er..?? Oh well.
Making Burnets
Speaking of making things...
Lead Stone Oyks do it again!
Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Crows, Ravens, Peregrines, Buzzards, Kestrels... And yet, year after year, they get it done.*
World's. Hardest. Oystercatchers.
:)
Be Seeing You...
[[*The adorable young distinguished by being pale of leg and with a shorter darkish bill]]
