A mixed bag for a grey and dreary Sunday

The Safari was hoping to get out early for a wander down along the dunes just south of Patch 2 this morning but it didn't happen. Instead we ended up heading north with Wifey who had an errand to run for her sister who was working in her shop today. While Wifey went inside we stayed out to watch the car and watched the urban wildlife flying round the rooftops. Mostly Herring Gulls and Feral Pigeons.

Once the errand was completed we took Monty for a slither up the hill over the estuary at the rather soggy Country Park.

Looks like he's discovered mud!!!

Chomps more grass than the average horse too!

There were a lot of flighty thrushes flying around. Mostly Redwings and Blackbirds with a few Fieldfares and a Mistle Thrush or two thrown in for good measure. None of them allowed anything like close enough approach with the camera. Put on the muddy banks of the dropping river in the estuary there were a decent number of Lapwings taking to the air from time to time. 

Closer, on the marsh, but not close enough was a Little Egret working its way along a small creek.

Back at Base Camp Monty was washed down and a bite of lunch was eaten, then it was time to hit the dunes in search of a Snowflake which we now knew probably hadn't been seen since early morning.

We started off at the bottom of Patch 2 and walk the strandline south watching for flits and hits of movement among the clumps of washed up seaweed lying at the top of the beach. As expected we came across a couple of Pied Wagtails after only a couple of minutes.

Once passed those our luck ran out and we didn't see another small bird for ages until a female Reed Bunting was spotted lurking in a patch of Marram Grass on the edge of the dunes. We continued for about a mile seeing just another pair of Pied Wagtails before the light really started to fade. The area of the lower dunes just behind the posts was awash with doggy footprints so we can only imaging our lovely little Snow Bunting had been dogged-off...but will it reappear in the week when it might be a little less busy.

At the farthest point a couple of lads were having a blast up and down the beach on their kite trolleys. Even in the very light breeze they were getting a fair turn of speed going.

We hurried back to the car and leaving the beach watched a couple of folk watching an enormous gaggle of Starlings lined up on the tram's overhead wires. The lady asked us if we were filming the birds so it would have been rude not to point the camera at them even though the light was atrocious.

We left and headed back to Base Camp passing the pier where no roost had started and the sky was dull and grey. As it transpired there was an awesome sunset just after we reached Base Camp and had settled down to a nice cuppa. What a shame we didn't stay out a few more minutes and catch the murmuration with a totally fiery sky.

'Our' Peregrine was roosting in its usual place close to Base Camp when we took Monty out for his tea-time mooch round the block, probably been there all day as we saw when we left this morning.

Where to next? A day off work tomorrow with some jobs to do but we're sure we'll find some wildlife somewhere to tell you about.

In the meantime let us know who's been dogged-off in your outback.

Sad days and better days

The Safari said a final goodbye to mother yesterday, a hard day especially with father becoming so frail recently as well and requiring extra attention. Add to all that a whole heap of traffic problems and it was a pretty stressful day for the family. Our stress was lessened by Monty going to a doggy-sitter. He had a great time playing all day with new friends - shattered today.

For a bit of a chill-out we took him to a local he's not been to yet and let him have a rare run around off the lead. Before we left he had a few minutes in the garden where up above something had upset the gulls and they were very vocal for a few minutes keeping his attention transfixed on them.

At the park he had a good old run around 

 and a great game of fetch, which at only 16 weeks old today is getting pretty good at.

We've still no idea what he'll look like in six months time, he could be twice this size or just a little larger and he could be silvery grey rather than jet black making look well old before his years.

The field was alive with bird sounds, mostly House Sparrows - one particular Blackthorn thicket must have held abut 40 of them, all exceptionally camera-shy. Flitting across the pathways were occasional Blackbirds while overhead we saw a few Magpies and Goldfinches.  

He slept all afternoon while Wifey was out n about with eh-up Muvver and we caught up with a few hours of doing very little indeed, which was just what we needed after a hectic few days.

We agree with everything SE mentioned in his comment the other day and would add that those dog owners that bag the sh*t only to throw it in the bushes rather than walk to a bin should have their ears cut off and  those that don't pick up at all should be made to lick it up!!! Neither should be allowed anywhere near a dog never mind own one!

Where to next? Might get out somwhere locally tomorrow - we hope.

In the meantime let us know who's doing all the running in your outback.

 

What a squaccing good show

The Safari was chatting to our Extreme Photographer the other night. He was telling us that a Squacco Heron had been found wandering around a private garden not far from his work. Limited access had been arranged by members of the local bird club so off he went. Apparently it was frequenting a large garden pond in a large garden that backed on to the estuary on to which it disappeared for parts of the day.

However he struck lucky and the bird was there when he arrived although he did say that the home-owner was very chatty which put him off getting some better/action shots of the bird. We don't think he did too badly though...

What a garden tick for someone! A bird we've only seen once in Britain long ago in the mid 90s after a mad after work dash across the Pennines to East Yorkshire arriving to see it go to roost just as the light was fading - a great twitch in the old Lada estate.

Back at our Extreme Photographers Base Camp tucked away in the deep depths of the Pembrokeshire countryside he has a Buzzard which often visits his garden on the look out for the Rats that are attracted to the spilled seeds under his bird feeders. He tells us that it is very very wary and extremely hard to approach.

Not at all wary and extremely approachable, actually it approaches him rather than the other way round is his young tame Fox which we think could be curled up on his sofa come Christmas!

Continuing the canine theme and just as cute our little Monty is 10 weeks old today and running us ragged. His sharp puppy teeth are ripping the backs' of our hands to shreds while he is playing...aka fighting - he plays rough!

When he's not playing rough he looks as though butter wouldn't melt in his mouth - don't be fooled!

That can't be comfy!

He gets his second inoculation on Monday so will be out n about starting his birding list in the big bad world the following week.

Where to next? More motorway birding tomorrow as it's another day of hospital visiting.

In the meantime let us know who turned up at your garden pond from far away places.