Friday 23 March 2012

Just gotta dive in

The Safari faffed around in the garden this  morning doing a bit of spring sorting out and upsetting the pair of Long Tailed Tits that wanted to get to the feeder. The moth trap held two Hebrew Characters...hope they weren't the same two as the other day as they'll be getting mighty peed off if they end up in there again tonight!
Chores over we headed back to the reserve we were at midweek, this time a pleasure trip rather than work related.
Before the serious business began we had a quick shuffy over the lakes and as we extended the legs on the tripod a pair of Mediterranean Gulls flew over calling before dropping on the edge of one of the islands for a bathe...can't be bad for starters.
Several scans didn't reveal too much, the water was pretty much empty but the island held a couple of Redshanks and then in the middle on the higher ground we spotted a bit of movement - four Ringed Plovers (134).
The 'serious' business was the launch of one of the most important books written in recent times for our local area.
Almost 50 years in the making and a seminal work! It's more than a snapshot of the past it's the starting blocks for the future!
Apparently VC 60, West Lancashire, is a not only home to over 2000 species of flowering plants and ferns but is also a hot bed of  Dandelion and Bramble taxa.
Apparently our climatic and geographical conditions mean that the only other place in the world with a similar wet upland bogs with damp lowland deciduous woodland is a small area of Chile!...We just knew Safari-land was special!
A lot of bed-time reading from now on.
The quickest of looks at the lake gave us a Little Ringed Plover (135) before heading back to Base Camp.
Where to next? not sure about tomorrow - building  works to be done at Base camp.
In the meantime let us know what's being read at bed-time in your outback.

1 comment:

Warren Baker said...

Only one photo Davo ? You worn that camera out after yesterdays Gull extravaganza!!