Right Then.

Where were we? Oh yes, I'd been to Broadsands and gotten rained on, foiling hopes for a nice Sibe Chiff to add to not seeing the Red-necked Grebe...

But I had seen one or two nice things, though miiiiiiiiles away, naturally.

Anyways, the story continues;

Being on Nights, the next weekend started on Friday, and I was after Red-necked revenge.

The weather was not helping, but I wasn't letting that stop me. I nailed the RNG from Slapton Bridge, then advanced to the corner of Ireland Bay, where I got an awful photo of a rapidly-fleeing grebe and better ones of two of the three Goldeneye visible.

I didn't hang around; job done and I had other fish eyeing the pan worriedly....

Beesands Ley and the long-returning Ring-necked Duck saw me coming and fled for the SE corner. Too late.

While he cowered, I counted Tufties [33] and Gadwall [13] and had a bite of lunch in the warm and dry. I like hides.

Then I went out into the blast and did some seawatching [sanity? Not here, dears]. I was rewarded with 2 Razorbill heading north.   Oh well.

Strete Gate was hit, but in all three locations, no GWE were to be seen, let alone Bittern. Drat. Wind not helping, though.

Now what? 

Well, the Scaup eventually showed for about 10 seconds at Bowling Green, and I hit him [he's looking much Scaupier, now]. Also 1 lurking Snipe and a large group of possibly not quite so plastic as usual Greylags. And tons of the usuals.

[Yes, Topsham from Slapton. C'mon, it's hardly Shetland from Scilly, is it?]

Next day was far less well-travelled, with the Patch stayed on. There were 15 Purple Sands on the Real Living Coast, with GND and RTD offshore, but not a single grebe to be seen.?!?

Sunday saw a concerted effort to find Isbis on Exminster. I started at Countess Wear and headed down to Turf. Did I find it? Did I f-CENSORED BY GOOGLE-ll did I find it....

Ahem.

Isbises are surprisingly small birds and can vanish in a fold in the ground, never mind behind rushes or into channels, and Exminster has vast arrays of all three. Bugger.

I did spawn onto a passing Great White Egret; flying south parallel to the railway line between M5 and Lion's Gate. So that was good. Also got a few other yearticks including a halfway ok Marsh Harrier photo. Down at the viewing platform, no sign of male GW Teal, but a possible female - on the way back in the gloom, and hiding her rear end, but the front I could see looked interesting - was lurking close enough for a bad pic. Nobody else has mentioned, but then again, who looks for females? Or would try to claim one not in the hand?

Yeah, exactly.

On my way home it was dark enough to try for Woodcock at a classified [sorry] Woodcock site, but the clouds which had so darkened my Isbis hunt melted away and the fullish Moon blasted away. I got nothing...

Bugger again.

And we come to the Great Booted Eagle Hunt.

Ah yes.

Sleep is for sane people, said I as I went from a Night shift to the side of A30, not quite as far as Marazion. I missed the eagle by 15 mins..

After getting brassed off at assorted Buzzards and the Bootie not returning, I decided to go after it. As "It went North reallllly high", I went north to find something reallllly high.

 

Trencrom Hillfort is a petite but spectacularly-viewed place, and lugging a scope up the straight way was enough of an effort to burn off the vexation. A bit. Nine Ravens were a good omen, I decided.

Even more Buzzards ensued while I had some lunch in the gentle breeze.

Heading back, I missed the eagle by 5 minutes.

I didn't give up. I was resolved to wait until dark if I had to.

I needed only until 1355. The Booted Eagle appeared off to the East, cruised at rooftop level over a farm, and navished into 'its' Pines. It didn't show again.

But I got a photo!

And I got home without incident.

Result.

Little happened next day [I may have slept until the afternoon], but he day after I was out again.

Bramblings, Green Sands, and Eiders were visible but not helpful.

When I found the Ring-necked Parakeets waaaay up Maer Lane [of course I walked, it's not that far], they were more willing to be photo'd. Not super helpful, but you can see what they are without any eyes of faith.

I couldn't find the YBWarbler, but wasn't really expecting to.

Things weren't going too badly, so I tried Exminster again for GWT.

Nope.

I tried for Woodock again.

Nope.

::Bangs head against wall::

Monday afternoon and another trip to Exminster led once again to no GWT.

Mondays.

Birds.

Anyways, getting closer, and next time we will have Storms, Seawatches, and Superb Views!

[And not just of Blue Tits]

Be Seeing You...