Down South

Last year, a Night Heron turned up by Slapton Bridge.

It was a young one, all streaky and so on, and as I had seen Night Heron in Devon [whole family of them, you may recall] and was chasing on the Patch only, I let it go.

Guess who's [likely] back?

Now much shinier and of course Yeartickier, I had to gosee.

Navy-crowned Night Heron

Yes, I know what it is officially called. But that colour is navy blue; in no way, shape, form, or stupid internet dress meme is that black.

That is not a typical view, though. This is;

Sexy leg[s]

Ahem.

It was tough to be a fishie down there by the bridge, as the NH was not alone....

"The first one to make a Dad's Army

 joke loses a hand..."

That Pike is a good metre long.

I also managed to yeartick the mighty Mr Evans, and after a Sarnie break-

Told you

-witnessed him use his Power to summon the Ring-necked Duck out from where he'd been hiding. 

 

Prior to that I'd checked Ireland Bay on the offchance a reported 'brief female Scaup' from a few days before hadn't been that Tufty with all the white around her bill base [You know the answer], meeting many mundanes and a few nice flowers

Wood Avens

 

 

If I'd been more efficient - or at least more psychic - I'd be able to tell of heading back via going further away.

But no, so it was on the Monday that I got down to Beesands in search of a proper Devon Tick.

As I've told, the Hooded Crow clearly needed a hug [and possibly a ball and chain...]. But I persisted when I ran out of patience. This may well be at least partly due to the lovely ladies who were giving out free coffee and cake at the [also lovely] little church. Proper no-strings giving, just like you're supposed to.

Warmed the cockles, it did.

[Yes, I did give something, but only because I chose to.]

So perhaps a little Divine Intervention made me wander around, go up there, wait just long enough and look across on my way back to see the Hoodie sat in a tree like it hadn't been awol for 4 hours...

"Got any cake?"

Best view I got.

I ran to find the only other birders left on site... It vanished. Half an hour later it pulled the same trick on another chap.

Later still it started behaving a bit better, and Baileys - returning from the Heron - got on it nicely. Well, briefly.

More views;

Re-refound you!

"This is my 'hench crow' pose"

"I do NOT have googly eyes!"

Also wandering in front of the camera;

Yup, you're in Devon

A moderate aside,

Playing les buggeurs risibles with Sedge Warblers at Exminster is a standard of anyone with a camera. Along the causeway you are just so close to them, you can't not spend ages being teased and tormented.

Getting revenge on the sp. as a whole, though...

>:D

At the Ley;

Perched on Reeds, even!

:D

Singing!

Facing towards me

Yar boo sucks to you and other comments.

:P

Ahem.

Dunnock

Now that's a pose.

:)

I tried an old site for Turtle Dove on my way home. Not even a hint of dice, but, well, you have to try.

[I'd give odds of 20:1 against my getting one this year, but that's not stopping the trying. ]

Anyways,

Be Seeing You...