The Safari didn't get a chance to go out early this morning but we had the scope ready for a later than normal get out if we could. But MJ brought our 'lost' camera back and told us that it was more or less a dead loss out there and very murky to boot so we put the scope back under the desk and gave it a miss.
On the way down the corridor to the printer we passed the open door of the cafe and heard the rattling trill of a Lesser Whitethroat coming across the work's garden. What a fluke, the first we've had here. It was somewhere along the Rosa rugosa hedge against the far back wall so we wandered over that way to see if we could get a glimpse of it. It rattled away again then flew in to the corner shrub thicket where we caught a very brief glimpse of it among a small number of House Sparrows before it disappeared into the dense foliage never to reappear, well not during the two or three minutes we stood watching at least. Also present was a new flock of about 10 or so Goldfinches and a couple of Swallows skimmed through.
Lunchtime came and we were a little later than normal getting out. The visibility wasn't too bad, probably better than for MJ earlier and our first few scans didn't give us anything at all except for a few gulls around a bizarre fishing craft - it looked like two inflatable canoes with an armchair attached between them, sitting what appeared to be terribly close to the water; sounds rather Health Robinson but it did have an outboard motor and the two guys in it looked comfy enough catching several small fish, perhaps Whiting.
The gulls kept getting up and flying round but not necessarily when the lads were catching something - we scanned left and right and saw something black come up next to a beer can, hopefully not thrown in by the fishermen. It came up again and was deffo a Harbour Porpoise, nice! The gulls got up again and moved a bit further away from the armchair and looking where they were circling two came up in synchrony, even nicer! Over head a flock of seven Arctic Terns (144, P2 #55) floated past, the sun was warm on our back - this was turning into a rather nice session.
It got even better when the two porpoises surfaced and another much nearer one rolled in front of them at the bottom of our field of view - three!!! Once again the two Harbour Porpoises rolled together and this time three Manx Shearwaters (145, P2 #56) sailed inches over their arching backs....oh what a session this had become, a real good to be alive moment that will be cherished for many years, the simplest things really are the most rewarding. It wasn't over yet either, three Harbour Porpoises were seen to roll, all adults, now were these three we'd seen two of a few times and the other a fourth or did number three hear the other two and head across to join them????? SMcC had had one at the north end of town on her patch this morning too, one of ours or perhaps number five along the coast today???
It got even better when the two porpoises surfaced and another much nearer one rolled in front of them at the bottom of our field of view - three!!! Once again the two Harbour Porpoises rolled together and this time three Manx Shearwaters (145, P2 #56) sailed inches over their arching backs....oh what a session this had become, a real good to be alive moment that will be cherished for many years, the simplest things really are the most rewarding. It wasn't over yet either, three Harbour Porpoises were seen to roll, all adults, now were these three we'd seen two of a few times and the other a fourth or did number three hear the other two and head across to join them????? SMcC had had one at the north end of town on her patch this morning too, one of ours or perhaps number five along the coast today???
One of the Manx Shearwaters came back or it was another, a fourth? But other than that lot and six Common Scoters there was little about.
With our boots filled with blubbery action we headed back to the desk extremely happy.
Having got our camera back we can now show you the pics we took around and about yesterday.
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| Hybrid Bluebells |
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| The Wood Warbler was directly above these at one point |
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| Great Spotted Woodpecker at the top of the tallest tree! |
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| Frank keeping cool under the shade of the trees |
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| Take a good look - really under-rated - stunning! |
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| The only Red Campion we saw but there were probably more further round the lake edge |
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| The new woodland coming along nicely |
The Oak was coming well out before the Ash buds had hardly started to swell, so does that mean this summer we'll only have a splash rather than a soak?
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| Oak Apple Galls with a faded Brown Lipped Banded Snail hanging on |
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| Frank having a pant in the sun along the path through the developing woodland |
Told you it was a good day out yesterday - beautiful even...far far better than being at the shops buying unnecessary and unneeded tat like the hordes that really need to start living their lives and leave the shops behind.
Where to next? Can tomorrow make it three in a row and be even better, or will it be back to 'normal'? One thing's for sure if you don't look you deffo won't see.
In the meantime let us know who's enjoying the armchair view in your outback.
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