More Ketchup. Pt.3, I Suppose The Patch Gets Some Attention, Too

Because it's there.

[Ok, technically that's 'Here' but whatever...]

The Hope's Nose Irregulars have sustained effort, with a scattering of Black Redstarts, Purple Sandpipers, and Med Gulls the result.

Some of those I've even seen myself...

But let us look first away from birds-

::CRASH!::

::Trumpets blare!::

"NO ONE EXPECTS THE BIRDING INQUISITION!!!"

"BURN THE HERETIC!!! BURN HIM!!!"

Oh great....

Look, guys*, there will be birds. There are birds. I just want to put these on the thumbnail, ok?

 

"So why did we leave that nice

platform in Brixham Harbour again?"

 

Grey Seals on Sandy Point!

[Scuse the vegetation, but I was keeping my distance and not silhouetting myself so as not to disturb them.]

Also, at the very same time;

North shelf, Thatcher Rock.

Count the seals!

How many can you see[al]?

Answer here**

AND!

The east shelf 

of Thatcher Rock

Yes, that's *** present. Now readers with long memories may recall I once photo'd that many piled up in Hope Cove a few years back, but 'tis not a frequent sight.

Right, birds;

Great Northern

Numbers have been dropping down from double figures to 0 to 3, with the shift away from rough weather.

Wait. That's not a

Block 'ead....

Same? Different?

Look, birds, plural. Now go put your Question to someone else.

Ah.  Well, I suppose that's ok then.

BURN THE HERE-

Cardinal Bill, please?

BURN!!!....      Oh. Right.          Sorry.

::INQUISITION EXITS, STAGE LEFT::

Right. Where was I?

Ah yes,

I have - when weather and Life permitted - been seawatching as much as I can [Obviously.]

A couple of 2hr watches from Glonk Corner;

First one gave a couple of hundred each of Gannet and Kitt, with 2 GND and 5 Fulmar [wow, I hear you cry], the second about 140 Gannet, 20 Kitt, 13 Fulmar, a GND, a diver sp. [small one], and a GCG.

So no great shakes.

 

Common Dolphins have been offshore - though not as close as they have been! - and there have been periods of feeding frenzies, with Tuna in attendence [though getting more than a scything fin in view...],

 

Two discrete frenzies,

about 2km offshore

 

 

Guillemots are back locally - making counting passing auks difficult - and BHGs and Common Gulls continue to frequent the slick when it's there [which it has been with the heavy rain of days past]. About 9 Oystercatchers are wintering on site, with a few Purple Sandpipers.

 

 

Slight size difference, there

 

 

Let us end on a note of flowering,

Heliotrope

All over the shop, as per standard.

Be Seeing You...

[[* Gender equality in the Inquisition?!? ]]

[[** There are 9. You missed one on the far left. ]]

[[*** So 13 Seals 'around'. Not bad. ]]