Meanwhile, On The Patch...

Because that's as far as I got this weekend, due to being an infirm old git suffering a niggling injury stuff happening, I only got out about the Patch yesterday and won't be off yomping until further notice, and probably not a lot of that. Hmph.

Anyway, there's always stuff happening out the window, sometimes very close out the window.

"I got the feeling, somebody's watching me.."

Fluffy piranhas!

[Three of seven] 

[AWFUL PUN DELETED]

The birds have been feeling very mobile, and often showing exquisite timing, like the GSW which landed on the railing while I was stood with my back turned, so of course when I turned around off it went..

Others notable but not so visible. Last night, while looking for the lunar eclipse, I had three male and two female Tawny Owl calling at once.. And there may have been as many as seven birds present [gaps in listening due to traffic - tut - meant that birds starting up in new places could have been prior callers who could fly very fast!]

As for that Blood Moon..

8 oktars. Typical.

Getting back to matters terrestrial [ish], some birds have sat still for longer, though obviously not as close;

Song Thrush

Doing what it says on the tin

Sometimes a Blackbird will shut up and pose.

Sometimes.

Dunnock

Another Dunnock

Spadger Silhouette

Slightly sharper LTT

Trees do have fingertips...

Buzzin' the Moon

Meanwhile, the year is certainly turning, and the longer days are having an effect. Behold a few flowers from hereabouts;

Snowdrop

Crocus

Daffydowndilly

Primrose

Mimosa

[in January!]

Birdsfoot Trefoil!

Wild Clary!

Some expected, some not so much. Interesting times and all that.


Not so easy to get on camera was the lovely pod of Common Dolphins - at least 19 including 3 calves - which were working north  off the Nose. The scoter still hanging about the Buoy Farm were slightly easier to get on camera, picked out by the sunset, but, well...

Yep, blobs again.

Hmm.

That sunset, though. Here's something purdy for you to end with;

Fire in the sky

Wow.

The Flaming Arch

And on that note, I shall



Be Seeing You...

Out For A Jolly. 2; Lots Of Birds

Note: Despite this being still a catchup, we shift into 2019 again. Sense? Order? Come on...


In which I tart off up to Zumerzet.
I nearly went up on the 1st, but a Tawny Owl had other ideas.

[[What could have happened if a nocturnal Crow had gotten vocal is a matter for an alternate timeline. Probably we've all been zapped by alien invaders by now...]]


I managed to get to the Corner before dawn, and was rewarded with a sky literally full of Starlings. I kid not; horizon to horizon birds coming over. And this is the Levels, where that's serious!
So serious that I just stood and was suitably awed. [Not that my Bleep!ing camera would have behaved...]

Onwards around and about Avalon [as far as Noah's anyway], where a few birds were to be seen. The now-inevitable [and how brilliant is that?] Great White Egrets were around in numbers - at least 11 and probably more - and Marsh Harriers also came by frequently - at least 7 if not 9 - though Bitterns were thin on the ground. This is not unexpected at this time of year, or course. I'll be back :) Bearded Tits were present but elusive, Cetti's present and noisy, and while the Whooper Swan reported on Noah's was AWOL, there were a few birds on there.

Pictures;

More like a painting than a photo

I really like this, despite cursing my camera at the time for the usual 'I won't focus on anything so nyaaa' routine.

I was aiming at the egret, but these three

trolling by in line ahead just

had to be included

Always amusing

"I'm a Cattle Egret, really!"

Tough to be a fish on Avalon..

..Really tough.

A few ducks on Noah's

Mostly Wigeon

"Boo!"

Mrs. Marshie

Landing gear down

Mr. Marshie

Actually not a Buzzard!

Ditto!

Also present;

Looks like a parasol sp., but dark gills
so I'm stumped

Oysterling

Birch Polypore

Elsewhere on the Levels, a horde of Cattle Egrets picked a very inconvenient spot to lurk with cattle..

White blobs

Are this, honest.

Up to the windbowl that is Cheddar Res., where a few good ducks were verrrrry far apart. Also, lots of Coot [shock]

Slice of Mendips

Scaup

1w male

Red-crested Pochard

This is how you show, people

Then it was back south again, to make the yomp up the Mump.
Oh yes.

The Mump.

[Beware of the Sheep*]

The swans are out there...

Two Bewick's plus a Mute

Really. 

[Far back centre of above picture]

Two Whooper [right] meet 2 Mute.

Honest. 

[Rear right - to left of small copse - in top picture]

Before you get too humourous, note the comparative sizes, whiteness, and especially tails. You can also see the odd critical yellow pixels in there. Really.


A little further on, I took a swift stop to note this;

The Isle of Athelney.

[Alfred Monument on the left]

A lot smaller than you'd expect, but then a secret base amongst the reeds wouldn't be Mump-sized, would it?

It was a good day.


Be Seeing You...





[[*They've definitely seen 'Black Sheep'. Be duly warned...]]