THE LAST BLOG OF THE YEAR
LYME REGIS 29TH DECEMBER
The weather conditions looked OK for a long walk so we decided to drive down to Lyme Regis for our usual walk. We parked in Uplyme and walked the 1 1/2 miles along the River Lim trail hoping to see a Dipper or two!
As luck would have it we saw only Grey Wagtails along the River, but all was not lost, because after our lunch-treat of Fish n Chips we walked to the very end of the Breakwater called the Cobb we found several Purple Sandpipers mixed in with Turnstones. At the end of the rocky breakwater extension we saw Cormormants, Shag and few Great Black-backed Gulls.
Two pictures of Purple Sandpipers with Turnstones
Birds along the quay besides the mariner included Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails, whilst we sat down sipping a hot drink along the sea-front, a Rock Pipit came very close foraging for food around our feet. The return journey back to the car produced a lot of common species but still no Dipper, I am starting to believe that the Dippers have left the River!
SOMERSET LEVELS - 31ST DECEMBER
Today (31st) I did a quick run around the levels to check on roads, access and bird activity. I never stopped for long at any particular site but the birds were so close at Catcott Lows that I couldn't resist taking a few pictures.
A Eurasian Wigeon - have a close look at the vermiculation on those grey feathers, its amazing
a bunch of Shoveler with many sleeping Wigeon and a few Pintail in the background
Great White Egret - there were two of these at Catcott
this little fellah came very close to the blind where I was standing.
We I returned home I was shocked when I found the corpse of a Pheasant in the car park, my first instinct was to take a closer look to see if it was Fez.
My last picture of 2024 - not a happy one I'm afraid.
Much to my relief it wasn't Fez, it was the second Pheasant (Fez 2) that had started coming into my garden to be fed, it does not approach too close, still very wary of human beans!
just to really 'get my goat' Guy Campbell sent me this picture of the Baikal Teal that he took at RSPB Greylake yesterday, I have this very birds five times and all of those sightings have been at such a distance that it was impossible to get a picture, Bah humbug!!!
I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR FOR 2025 and may all the birds you want to see turn up in good numbers!!
I am staring a a short break trip tomorrow, the weather forecast is atrocious, so wish me luck as I battle the winds and the rain.