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| The clifftop fields at Burton Bradstock, and the sun coming up over the West Dorset hills. Lovely. The fat end of Portland just visible top right. |
A couple of hours at Burton Bradstock this morning. Mine was the first vehicle into the Hive Beach car park, and before I'd even made it past Billy Bragg's house I was stopped by a calling Chiffy. A couple of Goldcrests in the hedge too. Ooh, action! Was this going to be the day I find a local Yellow-browed Warbler? Something I've never managed, that. More than a decade ago I found one in a little village I was working in near Chard in Somerset, but, so far, not anywhere I could legitimately call my patch. Today then??
The grass was dripping as I bee-lined for the scrubby fringe that hangs off the inland side of the clifftop fields, just where the land drops away to a NE-facing slope. The few times I've been up here have convinced me that one day it'll hold a Ring Ouzel. Today maybe??
One or two more Chiffs and 'crests, and a Lesser Whitethroat kept me buoyant. Plus there was a steady flow of overhead goings-on. Swallows, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Chaffinches, alba wagtails, assorted silent bits and bobs. And of course, that constant need to have your eyes everywhere in case a Short-eared Owl or something tries to sneak through.
Coming down off the high ground brings you to a small river, and I followed it back towards the village. It is lined with bushes and trees, including some very birdy-looking sycamores. Was my Yellow-browed along here then?? Two more Lesser Whitethroats were a surprise, a couple more Chiffies and Goldcrests less so.
Too soon I was back in the car park, but managed to string things out a bit longer by having another good look at the bushes, and then a long peer out to sea, where a very distant feeding flock of Gannets had apparently not been able to attract any skuas.
So, Yellow-browed Warbler? No. Ring Ouzel? Er, no. When I make an effort to be conscious of it, I can't help smiling at the number of times I employ that little psychological device, imagining the Yellow-brow here, the Ring Ouzel there, and so on. It certainly keeps me alert, particularly when there are some birds about, like this morning. Is it just me? I doubt it...
Your return is one being celebrated by us old gits that still read blogs Gav. As for the yoof, suggest you just tweet out the bland highlights and forego the intelligent filling... :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve, I hope there's a few more posts in me yet.
DeleteThis morning's highlights would have made a pretty thin tweet!
Gav, on discovering a new post of yours, I invariably nip off to fetch a mug of tea before settling down to see what gems have been delivered. Compulsive reading at it's best.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I have a couple of your posts from 2008! Axe Cliff Gets a Visit and Awaiting the Biggy.
I'll send them across if you want.
Kind words Ric, thanks.
DeleteI think I have those on my hard drive somewhere. Most, if not all, of NQS mkI in fact. I'll bet the Axe Cliff post involves a golf ball... :-)
I remember the golf ball post Gav, you googled the make & gave an interesting insight into the whys & wherefore about them! I also remember your tale about your Vauxhall Cavalier SRi & especially the the days bird count in the pub on the Scilly's - hilarious!! Please revisit.....
ReplyDeleteHa ha! Thanks Derek, I'd forgotten about the Scilly log call post! Ill see what I can do...
DeleteI really wish I hadn't scrubbed the earlier versions of NQS. A cautionary tale for any bloggers thinking about chucking it all in. And the lesson is: DON'T DELETE!!
Gav, that's good, at least your posts are saved in some way, rather than lost completely.
ReplyDeleteThe one's on golf balls were really classics.
Ah, the bird count in the Porthcressa. First time I was there, someone claimed a fly-over Purple Heron, which was met with a burst of scorn and doubt from one fellow. Guess who that may have been?
Ha ha! I can think of several! Scorn and doubt are the default responses to single-observer fly-overs!!
Delete