The Safari has been busy the last couple of days with little opportunity to get out from a small (but not darkened) room. We've had some laughs doing some serious work we'll be able to tell you about shortly.
Today we had a later start than originally anticipated and that gave us the chance of a few minutes on Patch 2 (wonder if we'll ever get to Patch 1 again)
The first thing to catch our eye was a Pied Wagtail along the top of the wall catching flies. Over the other side the tide was in and not too far out our first scan with the scope revealed a fair number of Cormorants concentrated in a small area of sea. There must have been some fish about. Also in the general area and continuing the black and white theme, probably waiting for the chance of a steal, were half a dozen Great Black Backed Gulls and a Lesser Black Backed Gull too.
More Cormorants came in and then we saw the distinctive rolling black fin of a Harbour Porpoise much closer in. It took a few more minutes before we got onto it again well to our right this time. We saw it twice more and then time was really pressing but as we turned the go we heard the 'chisick' of more Pied Wagtails and just had to stop for a look. Glad we did, there was a Wheatear with them - always worth checking a late Wheatear...just in case, and this was one of those cases! OK so it wasn't a vagrant species of Wheatear but a paleish Black Redstart (177, P2 #80) a female or immature. Great stuff but time to go, nice way to start the day is a self-found local scarcity.
And that was the last opportunity for wildifing for the rest of the day. nice to see a small crowd gathering for a look as we left for our appointment, a very quick chat revealed it had 'gone' but thankfully it was relocated not far away a little later.
Where to next? Back on Patch 2 in the morning and we should be able to get a lunchtime look too...what will we find?
In the meantime let us know if it's a black and white in your outback.
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