Get Shorty

 

I think I might have been the only person in Devon daft enough to try seawatching on Sunday.

You see, my shoulder gave me a little gyp on Friday afternoon and so I decided to be cautious and not go toting big scopes around - or indeed fighting bumble shoots - and so kiboshed a planned first proper seawatching trip the day after. It did rain a whole lot*, and my elders and betters scored a bit but not a lot at BH, so mayhaps the right call?

I certainly didn't think so when I dragged up at first light on the day to see skies clearing to sunshine even as the sun rose... [There may have been naughty words uttered, such as I dare not repeat in public...]

But I persisted [Number Two in the Holy Trinity of Birding, remember?] and when I got down to The Steps [nice to have some west in the wind], actually looked at the sea and saw what was passing... And how much of it... Well, I went 'Oooooh'. The massive showers and increasingly frisky wind helped, too. 

But I cannot wait to fully write it all up [I need to find some more zero's... :) ]; I had to share this.

It took the poor thing 18 minutes [1035 to 1053] to get through the gauntlet of deranged gulls, but finally - after being driven back, aside, and even up up up... - this wonderful clockwork bird [they do fly so mechanically] got in/off.

" FFS, I'm not a Buzzard!!"

Just look at that beauty... :)

Short-eared Owl.

All those wings.

This is mid morning in a phase of, as you can see, blazing sunshine. Yes, quite windy. Also gbfo squally showers knocking about [I did mention the four figure passage? You'll see... :) ]

But still.

Wow.

And... This very day I hear a SEO has been seen at the Nose, so my hopes that it managed to find somewhere secure to roost seem to be confirmed! :D

Anyways. SEO. In/off. Hope's Nose. On camera. Joy.

:D

Be Seeing You... 

[[* This may be something of an understatement..!]]