Wednesday 24 August 2011

In then out - could almost be an Indian batsman!

The Safari didn’t see the Peregrine(s) last night, nor were any there this morning...what’s going on???
Nothing to report at the Great Crested Nothing zone apart from we found a Brooklime plant growing in a corner of the field which has escaped the mower, must be a relic from when the area was much wetter than its now drained state. Great Latin name - Veronica beccabunga - where'd that come from?

The drive to work along the prom was dolphin free; as is the case 99.999999999999999% of the time...we also scoured the coastal blogs and websites to the north of us and found no mention of said dolphins...musta been a figment of our imagination???
Just as we were parking up we heard a Whimbrel calling, couldn’t see it/them from the driver’s seat and were concentrating on not reversing into the car behind. Later from our desk we heard a/some Curlew(s) going over too. A very quick look at the sea gave us a scattering of Common Scoters and a Grey Seal.
At lunchtime we had a similarly quick peek over the wall with AB but there was nothing happening apart from a solid wall of heavy rain rapidly approaching so we dashed inside just as the first drops were landing.
Not long afterwards, when the worst of the rain storm was over, we were out on the beach with gang of families. A soggy hunt through the rockpools ensued for an hour on a ‘typically’ cold and very wet summer’s afternoon.


Some pairs of Green Shore Crabs were wrangled along with a small Hermit Crab again in a Tower Shell. Another large Barnacle was found, hot on the heels of our first ever last week - this one stuck firmly on a Necklace Shell and a ton of Common Prawns netted.


A number of these anemones were found; these two were in the same pool and were about the biggest seen being around an inch (2.5cm) across. We think they are both Sagartiogeton undatus of different colour forms but are prepared to be corrected. Could do with a submersible camera - that'd help anyone trying to ID these underwater creatures.



Once back in the office we started to dry out uncomfortably. Not long before going home time we got an urgent call from the front desk – a Feral Pigeon had got in to the cafe and no-one was able to get it out...a job for a pigeon-wrangler extraordinaire, or the Safari, whoever was nearest. After a little coaxing it found its way through the open door to freedom, giving the solid windows a miss for a change – job done...who needs a pigeon-wrangler extraordinaire anyway.
Where to next? A real rarity treat later tonight; we’re joining a bat walk in the big park. We’ll also be taking the net and pots in case there are any moths to be found.
In the meantime let us know what’s got into your outback.

1 comment:

Warren Baker said...

Good luck for tonight Davo, sounds like good fun :-)