Yup, just the one.
[You think I might be behind or something?]
Real clickbait to start with;
Still a few Yellowhammers
in Devon, it seems.
Woo.
Sometimes the birds come to you. Just sit quietly. [Or, in this case, stand about nattering with another birder..!]
Sometimes you have to work, wander about, hunt the buggers down.
Sometimes they're still naughty
Black Swan family
Just, from a slipway. After a couple of hours.
Now, there is a whole issue about feral species, who are deemed by the ptb to have 'self-sustaining populations', as opposed to 'escapes' who don't. I deem you have to have successful breeding to qualify, and after that, as long as an individual hasn't been shown to be an escape [a nice plastic ring, clipped wings, that sort of thing] then they're in the same category as Canada Geese, Mandarin, and so on. Judging how many there are, according to a number derived, falls foul of unscientific practice, as you have to apply your rules evenly. If instead self-sustaining means maintaining or increasing numbers, then there are an awful lot of species who don't qualify. There is, after all, a special 'feral' category [and a feral vagrant one, too; Ruddy Shelduck, looking at you] for a reason, and these birds need to be recorded properly.
Ahem.
[[I know, I know, I've ranted on this before.. I'd like to say I won't again, but, well....]]
Meanwhile, neither knowing nor caring what humans think of them;
Four, possibly five cygnets
I like Black Swans. They're nicer - in both looks and deeds - than Mutes, and far preferable to frickin' Canada Geese!
Interlude;
Different kind of bird
Blenheim!!
Spitfire!
Cadillac of the sky!
Not sure how D-day Blenheims are.? [Much more Dunkirk Spirit, I'd think.] Subbing for the Dakota {presumably due to a mechanical issue} Still very welcome, especially with the BoB Flight tragically grounded.
Now if that'd been a certain Mosquito, you'd be bang on. Or perhaps even better, a Typhoon!
They did sterling service keeping the panzers off the beach heads and took heavy losses from ground fire and marauding 190s [Tiffy a great low level fighter, but not so much with a couple of thousand pounds of ordnance under the wings..]
Ahem.
Getting back to it.
I went South, had an amble, looked at the sea, usual stuff.
Foraging
Successfully
Sheep's Bit and Hawkbit
[Ouch]
So I saw an Arctic Skua
[with Herring Gull for scale]
[Also 6 Gannet and a couple of hundred roosting - when not startled by passing skua - Herring Gulls]
To the left
To the right
I had company, enjoying the hazy sunshine,
Closest you get to a selfie
Confiding Painted Lady
Wait.. where'd he go?!?
Getting Napoleonic
[Navy watch station]
It was better in person, honest
And now for something completely different.
Being on a lead doesn't stop
a dog having a good time
The Folks' 'orrible slobbery dog enjoying a good roll at Emsworthy.
Still a few Bluebells
and a June Cuckoo
Green-veined White
on Ragged Robin
You see one Flavous Nomad Bee...
Marsh Woundwort
Froglet
But finally, the Star of the Show, the Highlight of the Weekend...
Or, a cautionary tale.
When up on t'Moor [or along the coast], it is always wise to watch where you walk.
Look here, dear reader;
Do you see?
Look closer. Carefully, mind....
Don't tread on me!
Adder!!
2cy male, about 30cm long, almost slithered over my foot before taking shelter under a little bit of Bracken.
😁
I've never managed to get an Adder on record before, so you can understand my joy. Isn't he gorgeous?
And on that wonderful note I shall
Be Seeing You...
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