Up On The Moor. 1; Rocks And Birds And..Yep, More Fungi

In which I foolishly believe the weather forecast [what am I? Charlie Brown?!?], only for it to sort of come true a bit.


Also, some stuff you've seen before, some stuff you haven't, and actually hitting the target [Ok, on the third attempt, but never before achieved, so counts for something]


If you're still here then please get yourself checked for head injuries after you've finished reading. ;)


Right, so I was led to expect blue skies, but got hill scraping cloud and sideways drizzle. Cold drizzle. Oh well. My plan to try Fox Tor and Duck's Pool and so on went bye bye [I don't mind a little bog-hopping, but not in that weather if I can avoid it..], so I went to Option B and took a rightie. Where did I goto? Here, of course;

Hingston Hill Stone Circle and Row

I think the finest cairn circle and row on the Moor. [You may note the un-nasty weather, which clearly approved of my choice, as as soon as I'd got around the hill, out came the sun. Go figure.]
This is looking back, of course. You approach it and see this;

Looking up the row from the settlement

[visible in background in first photo]

Wait.. isn't it bendy in one and not in the other..?!?  Interesting place.  :)

I spent the 11th Hour there [so now you know the when], then went past Combeshead Tor, looking for a good spot overlooking the valley beyond. I had hopes of winter thrushes, you see.

Ended up by this thing

Cuckoo Rock

[and Sheeeepstor]

It's a big rock

Also of note;

The Potato Cave

Wait.. you want an exterior shot? But then you might be able to find it... That just wouldn't do, oh no. ;)

Not that far away;

Not the mightiest river, but bank full

o;)

Onwards...

Sheeepstor, plus funky clouds,

from Eylesbarrow

But enough scenery. You are expecting birds, and on the third dash flypast, I amazed myself by not only hitting, but it being sort of in focus;

Frickin' female Merlin!!

Of course she had her wings in line when the shutter went.. But you can see what it is. Really.



::Sigh::

Observe the bill, it's a raptor. Proportionately large head, short tail [ruling out Kestrel, Sprawk], thrush-like flight action is quite a giveaway [see how the wings are held]. And if you blast the image you will see enough plumage.

Ok?

Thank you.

No, I didn't get a picture of the Jack I almost stepped on in the wet workings between Combeshead and Eylesbarrow. Not least due to being distracted going 'Argh!' 'Wha-' and 'Oh BLEEEP it's a Jack Snipe!!', by which time it was gone, being of the zoom off low and vanish variety [ie. a Jack Snipe]...


Nothing else got close, with 11 Golden Plover and 2+ Goosander the best of them [over Devonport Leat and on Burrator respectively].

Bits of rock, check. Birds, check. You know what's next;

This is...
The Deceiver!!
[It gets everywhere in every colour]

Unsure

Not a waxcap!

It's a young...

Nitrous Bonnet

Another of those
Things I can't find in my book

H. reidii

Cedarwood Waxcap

H. vitellina

Heath Waxcap
[slimy when young]

Slimy Waxcap

[growing through dung]

Vermilion Waxcap

Snowy Waxcap

Goblet Waxcap

Meadow Waxcap

P. coprophila

Golden Scalycap

Funky skies!

There are, I suspect, many who would have taken one look at how orrid the weather was and gone 'stuff this, I'm off to do something warmer and drier' - I cannot deny my temptation - but I resisted [or perhaps was too bloody-minded to give up totally] and oh, but I was rewarded. :)


Be Seeing You...