As elusive as an elusive thing from Elusivesville

The Safari didn’t see anything on R’ouzel Puddle this morning but a dog walker had just walked past so there’s a small chance we might have missed something. That’s the only problem with it; it is right slap bang in the middle of dog walker central.

Once in the office we got the scope out of the draw while the computer was taking its usual age to boot up and we meandered down the corridor with thoughts of cetaceans on the flat calm sea. We didn’t get as far as the first set of doors! The Redstart from yesterday was still here; no doubt forced to stay another day by atrocious overnight weather – there it was only 6 feet (2m) away on the other side of the window! Luckily the windows have a mirrored finish and it couldn’t see us – back to the office for the camera we scurried. It was a little flighty and hopped around all over the place but eventually settled on the path for a poor record shot before yet more dog walkers appeared and flushed it.
We went outside but couldn’t relocate it so headed for the sea wall. Our quarter of an hour staring at the sea gave us precious little, a Gannet, six plus one Common Scoters and three Sandwich Terns.

Meanwhile back in the gardens the Redstart must have been moving around a bit and from our desk we heard it calling! Looking round it was just there outside the office window but again a grab of the camera was too slow. We went out and had a look but got only the briefest of glimpses. 

A local birder appeared and we had the briefest of glimpses again...it seemed as though it could hide behind it’s own shadow or at least  had a Romulan cloaking device (thanks to CR for this info not knowing much about Romulans, Vulcans or anything else Trekky ourselves) or perhaps could even morph itself into a Dunnock 

 or Pigeon. 

Lunchtime came and more birders arrived and though there were many eyes watching and we saw where it went could it be found in the tiny patches of Tamarisk? No chance, maybe it’s befriended the Rabbits and goes underground! Tbh we’ve never know anything so brightly coloured to be so invisible!

The rain started to come down and the birders left, we’d run out of time so went back inside giving the rising tide a miss today, could have been good too, one of the birders had seen a few Arctic Terns earlier in the morning.

If there’s no improvement in the weather our little friend could well be still here in the morning but if you do come down for a shuffy bring a shed load of patience with you and steel yourself for the briefest of flight views.

Where to next? We'll see if we can avoid the lure of the Redstart and watch for some serious tern passage.

In the meantime let us know what's luring you away for doing 'proper stuff' in your outback.