Battering And Filling

The Patch and a few irritating gaps in the yearlist respectively was how I ended the year.

 

[[You're not actually expecting 2022 posts in 2022, are you?!? Come on, what blog is this??]]

It's been a bit - ok a lot - samey at the Nose, perhaps the samey time of year and samey weather have something to do with that..?

But attention has been diverted a bit to this place;

Blackball Roost

I hope you're not expecting to actually see birds are you..?!???

Well, if you do, turn up to the Downs at a little before sunset with your best low-light long-range kit. [Trying to count gulls and especially pick out non-gulls when they mix {argh!} is when I truly covet a £3000 Swaro....]

My ED50 doesn't do too badly in the light stakes, but with only 20x it suffers a little when they're not right close in. The Big Scope does not like the dark. I do the best I can, though there are always still birds arriving when I have to give up...

Three evenings in the last week of the year gave maximum numbers of 1 GND,  53 GCG, 18 ComScoter, 360 SmG, and 1600 LWHG. [Though not on the same day]

Great Northern

at the Nose

Guillemot

[with funky grey cheeks]

at the Nose

Most Nose trips involve a GND, lots of auks, and the 22 Common Scoter and the female type Eider [both around the Oyster Beds]. The odd Blackcap or three in the bushes, plus sometimes a winter thrush or two [and I do mean that literally...] on land, and the usual ragtag assortment of standard winter gulls loitering.

With the year coming to a close, the yearlist I've resolutely not chased has had a few gaps, and a couple of these I decided I just couldn't tolerate.

So, Wednesday saw me toddle up to the Exe [after a standard Nose visit] and take a scenic route home.

I messed about the Matford / RVP / etc. area and after about 7km of scope-lugging finally caught up with the Prime target;

Le gasp! Waders!

That most contrasty of waders, the Green Sandpiper. Plus 4 [yes, there are if you look] Snipe.

 

Notably not here;

 

Slightly damp Matford

 

 

I know... Scrabbling to see Green Sand.. But I was not chasing and shoulder and then car issues and...

Ok, yes I am ashamed.

::Clang:: Shame!

Ahem.

Relocation for another important bird;

This photo has killed The Artist.

Killed him dead.

I'm kidding!!

 

[Anyone got a defibrillator?]

I mean these;

Brightly coloured and floating...

;)

[Better credentials than the Saltram RCP*; these are at least wary of humans and don't sit in a 20' duck pond by the gift shop..!]

Ahem.

Also present at Newton Dogs were;

Pochard, male

Pochard, female, plus 4 Gadwall

And a few of the usual suspects, though no grebes.

And so 2021 ende- Oh No, wait no it didn't.

Because the Great New Year's Eve Seawatch hadn't happened yet, had it?

:D

Be Seeing You...

[[* Which I will now attempt to shamelessly yeartick anyway. :p ]]