After a year of far too much apathy and only 209 spp. in Devon, I am once again actively after a yearlist.
While you could call this a Big Year, I feel that having an actual job means that I can't truly dedicate myself to it in a manner that befits that title.
Anyways, after my little foray about the Exe [told you I had ulterior motives] the weather [VARIOUS COMMENTS DELETED] shifted and rain was forecast, incoming with prejudice.
Bugger.
Well, getting at it not optional [it's not a proper yearlist if you don't go for a Glorious First, imho], and things started better than expected.
Nothing was expected at midnight as the local idi- deni- er, people... yes, people, clearly didn't have any access to timepieces of any sort [or were too 'merry' to look at them] as salvoes of fireworks opened up at about 20 to, then 10 to, and then continuously from 23:58.... I was leaning out of my window, very vocally expressing my annoyance at such, when a Tawny Owl went bombing by up the street, flushed by said barrage.
Ok, not happy about circumstances, but I'll take it. Species 1. Tawny Owl, 1/1/24 at 00:00 [and about 40 seconds]
Eventually thimgs quietened down enough for me to get some sleep.
But up again before dawn and the dawn chorus [2. Robin 3. Dunnock 4. Blackbird] was joined by a male Tawny hooting away with gay abandon.
A good omen.
Maybe.
I hit the Nose, where a nice variety of land birds met a few sea birds - most enjoyably, the female Eider was about the Buoy Farm near the 15 Common Scoter - kept me there a little longer than planned, but getting Eider meant I could skip Dawlish Warren and head straight for Topsham [useful with rain heading in, though it was blazing sunshine, look;
Morning!
Not exactly 'tipping down' yet...]
Plenty of GNDs about
Heading to Bowling Green, I noticed this
Stock Dove
Which certain birders walked right past [though they got a Mistle Thrush I totally missed, swings and roundabouts]
Also
Lady Marshie
Spot the Barwit
That Snipe again
Looking a bit more overcast? Yep, here comes the rain, there go my hopes of a new record...
But we surrender to nowt but Darkness!
[And then only after a good fight]
A damp lunch scoping waders from the Quay later; on to Stover!
Spot the not a Pochard?
Mandarin
Just
So
Very
Pretty.
Then to Yarner, in the vain hope that the rain would relent and birds appear.
It didn't.
They didn't.
93 spp. for the day, could have been worse.
And it was rather fun in places, despite being cold and wet and soggy*.
But like the title says, Devon is no county for old birders.
[Well, not if you mean it, anyway ;) ]
This may well be a theme**
And I shall
Be Seeing You...
[[* Yes, you can be. ]]
[[** The 'Pt.1' may well be a clue, there.? ]]
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