I decided to take time out today to write a post. Much the same as always, I stocked up the feeders early morning and huddling my cup of tea I did the head count. Today is the first day for a long time that we have had 4 Long Tailed Tits feeding. There have only been two for a while now. The number of Swifts is increasing too. I saw my first two over the house early last week and the count now is 12. After I came in Trevor went out and within minutes I heard something that made my heart sink. It was Trevor sounding like something awful had happened… “Oh no… oh no, no, no…” I raced outside and he looked devastated. He had been watching the Wren, who has been spending a lot of time in the garden lately. It wandered along the fence and onto next door’s fence. The cat from next door but one must have been hiding, as, in Trevor’s words “it just appeared from nowhere and snatched the Wren”. I just hope that Wren got away; I have to believe it did.

I then went out to get Molly some sweets and chocolate. She loves fruit jellies. I visited her (in the residential home where she is staying) before heading out to her house to sort a few more things out (you can collect a lot of “stuff” in 88 years, and at this rate Molly will be 100 before we are finished sorting it all out!). We didn’t go for a walk in the garden today; it was far too cold for Molly, and me, truth be told. We sat by a window and talked, but we still managed to see a Green Woodpecker, Great Tits, a Nuthatch, Corvids, Swallows and a Buzzard!

I managed 20 minutes at Porthpean late afternoon. The sea was choppy and it was blowing a hooley! I could hardly keep the scope steady. I heard a Chiffchaff and saw GBB Gull x 3, Gannet x 5, Fulmar x 23, Great Northern Diver x 3, Cormorant x 3, Shag x 1, Sandwich Tern x 5, and just before I was planning to leave I spotted two back dots on the horizon, which appeared to be heading towards me. I watched them getting closer and closer until eventually I realized they were Swifts. As they got closer to land one took a drink from the sea, and then headed in towards Par. It was lovely to see them arrive. A very special moment and much needed after the sadness of the Wren this morning.

One of our garden Wrens…

My garden Wren is no longer camera-shy!
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We stayed local this morning. I wanted to walk to Spit Beach, but I didn’t think I would manage it, as my feet are not good again so we started off at Manoa and then to Par BP. I ended up walking all the way around the pool so I suppose I could have managed Spit! I am suffering for it now mind you. The highlights of PBP had to be close up views of Snipe in flight and male and female Bullfinch together. Yes, it really is that time of year again; love is in the air and the sound of the spring chorus is incredible. We had a quick look in the bay too, before heading up to Menabilly Barton and on to St Andrews Pool. This afternoon we went over to Colliford to look for the Black Duck. Located a Black Duck look-alike sleeping in some reeds. Only problem is it never woke! I watched and watched, but there was no movement. It appeared to be facing us, with its head tucked over its body and facing left. I convinced myself I could see the bill and the outline of the eye. I drew a sketch for a guy from Devon who was watching it with me. He then drew a sketch, which was completely the opposite of mine. (Later he rescinded and decided mine was more like it – he’s obviously well trained by his wife who was sitting in the car patiently waiting to get home!) It’s no good though… I just cannot tick it because it didn’t move. It could have been anything!

The day list was a very confident 68, including the Firecrest in the garden first thing, which gave me hope that it would be a good day. I took so many pictures, it was a struggle to decide which ones to put up!

Marsh Tit at St Andrews - Thanks to a nice lady for feeding them :-)

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Springtime blooms...

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Redwing (behind PBP)...

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Dunnock - PBP...

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Songthrush - PBP...

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Oystercatcher enjoying the sunshine at PBP...

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Wren at Manoa - I really struggled to get this shot!

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Trouble at PBP... I was watching the Adult Lesser Black-Backed Gull and the Juv. H Gull came from no-where... I have no idea what the LBB did to deserve what ensued. They were some distance away, so the images are not good, but I had to put them up - I don't get action shots very often!

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Victory!

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If looks could kill...

I so wish I had been closer to this Wren. I never get so much time to watch them as they normally flit away quickly, but this one even had a snooze. I suspect if I had moved closer though, it would have been gone in a flash!


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Common Darter
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Greenshank. On this same bird yesterday I auto contrasted and it was too bright so I have tried to tone it down a little today. Sometimes AC works well though.

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Starlings at Par Beach Pool at dusk this evening giving a stunning acrobatic display before going to roost in the reeds...
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I’ve not been able to sit out or even by the back door in the mornings lately due to problems with my hands. I’ve being doing my morning head count from the kitchen window! I decided to treat myself this morning and sit at the back door with two pairs of gloves on! Having filled the feeders I was making my tea when I heard the usual sound of a bird that I hear in the garden nearly every day, but never see long enough to get a shot at – The wren! This morning however it seemed closer so I glanced out. There were two, darting about as is they owned the place. I ran for the camera and managed to get a couple of half decent shots. I think one of them was a Juvenile.

The House Sparrows are causing problems as they have taken to turfing out the seed they don’t like from the feeders – literally chucking it on the floor! Consequently, we are filling the seed feeders up every day!

Managed to get out for a while this evening, and got some shots, albeit taken from quite a distance…


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My day list:-

1. Shag
2. Cormorant
3. Grey Heron
4. Mute Swan
5. Canada Goose
6. Mallard
7. Moorhen
8. Coot
9. Oystercatcher
10. Dunlin
11. Whimbrel
12. Sandwich Tern
13. Black Headed Gull
14. Mediterranean Gull
15. Herring Gull
16. Lesser Black Backed Gull
17. Great Black Backed Gull
18. Woodpigeon
19. Collared Dove
20. Swift
21. Swallow
22. Rock Pipit
23. Pied Wagtail
24. Wren
25. Dunnock
26. Robin
27. Blackbird
28. Willow Warbler (I think!)
29. Great Tit
30. Blue Tit
31. Coal Tit
32. Magpie
33. Jackdaw
34. Carrion Crow
35. Starling
36. House Sparrow
37. Chaffinch
38. Goldfinch
39. Greenfinch

:-)

My day…

I forced myself to go out today :- ) I’ve been lazy though, and I am sure I could have seen more, but I had a late night last night and too much wine with the visitors!

Went on our usual drive around, not staying anywhere too long; Walmsley, Pentire, Camel Trail (only a quick look in a wooded area by the river where I caught a glimpse of a Dipper), a wet and dismal Colliford (where I was lucky enough to see a Lapwing) and surrounding area!

This little one seemed unsteady...

A Hornet I think... I heard something scratching and this was what it turned out to be. They scrape wood and mulch it with saliva to build their nests...

My day list:-

1. Little Grebe
2. Cormorant
3. Grey Heron
4. Mute Swan
5. Canada Goose
6. Mallard
7. Teal
8. Buzzard
9. Pheasant
10. Moorhen
11. Coot
12. Lapwing
13. Black Tailed Godwit
14. Black Headed Gull
15. Herring Gull
16. Woodpigeon
17. Collared Dove
18. Swift
19. House Martin
20. Swallow
21. Skylark
22. Pied Wagtail
23. Wren
24. Dipper
25. Dunnock
26. Robin
27. Song Thrush
28. Blackbird
29. Sedge Warbler
30. Willow Warbler (singing perfectly!)
31. Chiffchaff (heard)
32. Grasshopper Warbler (heard only, but I am sure!)
33. Great Tit
34. Blue Tit
35. Coal Tit
36. Magpie
37. Jackdaw
38. Rook
39. Carrion Crow
40. Starling
41. House Sparrow
42. Chaffinch
43. Goldfinch
44. Greenfinch
45. Reed Bunting