Where to begin?
Oh yes, Friday.
Did I mention Friday?
Not much to say, as whilst being in the Exeter area, I tried to get to Exminster Marsh but failed due to flooding.
Just a little, the access road was flooded from almost the roundabout...
Not giving up quite so easily, I tried from Powderham/Starcross and even less dice were to be had. No time to double back and park up at Countesswear, then walk down the canal [the only accessway not requiring waders!].
Oh well, worth a try.
Saturday and I got to the Nose only fashionably late [look down].
There weren't vast numbers of birds passing in sunshine and quite surprisingly vicious squalls, but what there was...
Glonk Corner, 4hrs
Gannet 79
Kittiwake 18
Razorbill 13
Guillemot 2
Auk sp. 1
Seaduck sp. 1
BHG 7
Med Gull 1
Little Egret 1
Great Northern Diver 3
[also 2 landed on sea]
And.
Leach's Petrel 1 [Foraging just beyond Lead Stone 1142]
2 [S together on Manx line 1320]
Storm Petrel 2+ [1132, 1238, plus several glimpses]*
Great Shearwater 1 [N and foraging ~2km to E-ESE 1247-50]
Merlin 1 [f low from NW and hunting Rockits around Ore Stone 1059]
Great Northern Diver 16+ on sea
Med Gull 3+ on slick
Common Gull 5+ on slick
BHG 26+ on slick
* The Teacher had more than 20 Stormies and a Little Auk - which got right past me, much to my dismay - from Fence End, aided by 3 Irregulars. He missed the Merlin [which may have come from onshore? I picked it up not far from the Ore Stone], the egret, and all the Leach's [very uncharacteristically picking the wrong time to first go and check the Quarry, and then leave. Ouch.] and couldn't get on the Great Shear [being lower down really didn't help, I fear].
For some strange reason, both Teacher and Backward Birder found themselves at the Nose again the next day....
I called by on the end of a Patch Patrol, once again failing to find anything sexier than a Firecrest [though admittedly they are wonderful] and a couple of Chiffs. Flocks of Woodpigs - largest 44 - appeared now and again, though most likely not passing by as stuffing their beaks with acorns!
Teacher again esconced at new favourite [when it's not raining] spot of The End Of The Fence [an access point down the raised beach deposits, at the South end of The Mounds, very close to The Outfall], this time I joined him and we ended up there for a little while,
End of the Fence, 1.5hrs
Passing,
Stormie 3
Arctic Skua [dk juv.] 1
Gannets, Kittiwakes, Razorbills in small numbers
The Teacher had been there a little while and had more Stormies.
Loitering with Intent,
Med Gull 3+
BHG 92+
Purple Sandpiper 3
Redshank 1
GND 15+
4 Grey Seal on Thatcher Rock, another off the Lead Stone.
alba Wagtail over S
We had quite a lot of fun, despite getting rained on hard again. [Previous frisky showers were avoided by means of handy trees - I do so love Holm Oaks - as I had foolishly believed the forecast {oh, when will I learn?}]
I have some very nice [honest] fungal pictures, but until The Evil Ones see sense*, you won't. See them, that is.
[Groan]
Be Seeing You...
[[* See last post. Don't worry, the rude words have now been censored.]]
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