Buses.. They're Like Buses..!

So, in another life, a long long time ago - or so it seems - I'd booked some time off. Nice long weekend over the equinox and all that.

[Insert the expletive-dotted statement of resolute determination of your choice here, folks]

Yes, wonderful timing, I'm still amazed at myself....


But anyway;
Ultra violet insolation, fresh air, handy breezes, social distancing in the kilometres [I hoped] not metres, etc. etc.


Yeah, so I - being also still recovering from that displaced rib - did not go to Wild Tor like I had intended, but instead settled for a repeat of one of my last Moor walks. I went from the Cherrybridge, about Bellever, up Laughter Tor, and sat there looking at a nice lee slope in the hope a helpful Hen Harrier or Short-eared Owl would come cruising by. Ideally nice and slow at a good range and sun angle for photos.


Can you see it coming?

I didn't, damn thing went right over the top of me - serves me right for being tucked in and inconspicuous - and I only caught the movement out the corner of my eye as it banked in the wind before vanishing over towards the Dart [west, that is]. View yes, time to even get hand on camera? No chance.
What was it?

Fricking ringtail!!!


For. F[BLEEEP!]. Sake.

[[I'm laughing helplessly, not complaining in any way, btw.    Ok, maybe the teeniest bit of 'oh come on..', but definitely ironic]]


Thus it is that you'll have to settle for the showiest raptor of the day, which came tarting about into the wind - much higher up - after I'd moved on, past the Laughing Man, up and over Bellever Tor, and around the south side.

Oh yes, fancy raptors are like frickin' buses;

Red Kite!

Apart from being dead up-Sun, it was glorious..

Patch-tastic

Forktastic

How many silhouettes do you want

Oh yeah...

Floating red porn...

Ahem.

Compare local adult beating up young pretender [below]

Buzzards

Extra territorial Buzzards weren't as showy. :)
Even this one, which made a very precarious pose in order to try to distract me from the incoming kite [which went right over it and it uttered not a squawk!]

Buzzard

Right, a little scenic scenery..

Cherrybrook

Bellever;

not just uniform conifers

A little archaeology

Bellever and assorted tors from

Laughter Tor

Looking the other way

Friendly Flying Thing

No, not a biting midge. These are the little blighters who are so keen on bathing in your drinks..

Very purdy!

Couple of these landed on my knee and waved their wings a bit...

Spot the Stonechat

Her male was singing - and moving about - the whole time I was sat at Laughter, though he shut up for a whole 7 minutes when the harrier came through!

Let's move on and look at something else;

The Laughing Man

Not an official name, but as there is none [other than 'standing stone'] I'm giving it one! :P

Also, he's at an angle to the double row leading up to him, so clearly a stone with a sense of humour.

Looking up the row

[Laughing Man on the horizon]

Someone's been busy with the mower. Unfortunately, someone else had been busy, too and most of the row is awol. I suspect a large stone wall which crosses the line of the row may not be guiltless; a pair of nearby gateposts might be the other end terminals, for example.

Not sure what this is

Because you've gotta have fun, guy.  [[Groooooan]]


Ahem.


Yeah, so.. I'll, er..


Be Seeing You...