We met up with Sam, Derek, Ben & Poppy this morning on our patch, which Derek obviously knows his way around much better than we do, being Cornish born and bred and a bird watcher since he could walk I think! It was a lovely morning (despite the rain and the fact that the pain in my finger was distracting me somewhat!). We had to give up and go home to get dry, but after a couple of hours of work I decided that as it was the last day of my week off I had to get back out. Off to Par and a Gull watch! Consequently I have many Gull shots and some of a very sociable Pied Wagtail! I added a few species to the day count at the pool and we had a walk along the beach, which we had all to ourselves with only birds for company until about five young men with a motorbike decided to descend!

A sensible adult...

.

A delinquent that SHOULD be old enough to know better!...

.

.

.

.

.

Proud of myself!...

.

.

Watching the shenanigans...

.

.

.

.

My day list:-

1. Fulmar
2. Gannet
3. Shag
4. Cormorant
5. Little Egret
6. Grey Heron
7. Mute Swan
8. Canada Goose
9. Mallard
10. Moorhen
11. Coot
12. Oystercatcher
13. Sanderling
14. Turnstone
15. Dunlin
16. Whimbrel
17. Black Headed Gull
18. Mediterranean Gull
19. Herring Gull
20. Lesser Black Backed Gull
21. Great Black Backed Gull
22. Sandwich Tern
23. Woodpigeon
24. Collared Dove
25. Swift
26. Swallow
27. House Martin
28. Rock Pipit
29. Pied Wagtail
30. Wren
31. Dunnock
32. Robin
33. Blackbird
34. Blackcap
35. Willow Warbler
36. Chiffchaff (heard)
37. Treecreeper
38. Great Tit
39. Blue Tit
40. Long Tailed Tit
41. Magpie
42. Jackdaw
43. Carrion Crow
44. Starling
45. House Sparrow
46. Chaffinch
47. Goldfinch
48. Greenfinch

Photo shoot in the garden this afternoon...

This is a sequence of shots I took of a Sandwich Tern family with a parent feeding a Juvenile. (If I ID'd them correctly that is. The tips of their bills look yellow to me and they have dark legs!). I was told there were Common & Roseate Terns in this area, but I believe these are Sandwich Terns. It was incredible to watch and listen. The images are not good I know, but I struggle to get quality at close range let alone at this distance :-)

Taken at Dawlish Warren...

Taken at Dawlish Warren...



Well camouflaged on the Harbour wall at Cockwood...

Wednesday 22nd July

.
Trevor had read on Charlie’s blog (http://parrotletsuk.typepad.com/wldlife_in_a_suburban_gar/) that there was a Slavonian Grebe in Devon and suggested we go and find it (via Dartmoor). I agreed of course, but I was getting impatient with the traveling and lack of bird watching throughout the early part of the day. Traveling is such a waste of valuable time! However, it paid off and my day list hit 48 by the time we arrived home at 10pm. At Cockwood, we found the spot where the Grebe was supposed to be and within seconds we had the scope on the Grebe and it was ticked, but I noticed something else in the background. It took me a moment or two to focus on it as it was so well camouflaged – It was Charlie in his hide at the water’s edge! I had taken some images through the scope, but they were not good and we needed to get closer. Thanks to Charlie we did just that. Charlie is a very keen bird watcher and photographer (and that is putting it mildly!). I have not yet met anyone with his enthusiasm, and it rubs off! He is well organized and travels around on a Moped, which means he can get practically anywhere, with speed and ease!

Slavonian Grebe...

We were rewarded with five Dunlin and one Ringed Plover at Par this evening (that is if I ID'd them correctly); All hanging out together...