February? 25? - A Cracking month Gromit!

As a PS from last week, thought you may like to see the 2 “legs” I bought in Exeter, particularly the Mahogany nut crackers

               

………… and another PS. I said I would try and get some photographic evidence of the Drone in action checking out the Carsington Osprey nests. This photo is on the footpath at Lane End and near the bombing tower. No need to go scrambling across the muddy Ridge and Furrow field.

………Anyway, as I was saying………

Thursday 15^th February. Once again it was time for us to enjoy our annual train pilgrimage to Paignton.

With the benefit of a 30% Pensioners discount card, we pay £6.90 each for 3 hours train travel, a round trip of 162 miles, including going up and down the Exe - twice!  Now that’s good value. Best part is at Exeter St David’s, like the old days of the trams (and at Crich!) – when the train stops, you move seats to face the other way, as the train terminates, and continues in reverse!!

Simon, my brother and his wife Sarah were duly waiting at Paignton, in his superb vintage Jaguar, and after a coffee we head for Berry Head. Compared with our previous visit there, it was much calmer and we could see the little spurts of sea water as Gannets dived offshore. A Guillemot was a nice addition, but a lifetime experience for both Mary and I were to stand by the tallest **Lighthouse in England, and watch 12/15 Porpoises playing very close in.

**Berry Head lighthouse is said to be the shortest lighthouse in Great Britain, but also one of the highest, being only five metres tall, but 58 metres above mean sea level. It is also said to be the deepest lighthouse in the British Isles. Originally the optic was turned by a weight driven mechanism. The weigh is dropped 45m down a shaft. 

                                 

               

A cracking hotel, not cheap, but in the middle of a good area for birding, and Berry Head is great for sea watching, and scrubs and bushes to catch migrants. East of Start Point and well out into Lyme Bay. Torbay has good numbers of Diver reports, and the cliffs have the usual suspects.

For the rest of our holiday, we were denied finding Cirl Bunting or Purple Sandpiper, and had we known previously we could have dropped in in Gloucester for Penduline Tit.  Still, 56 was a good count for the break.

By the way, after the rotten weather on Wednesday, the Exe cruise from Topsham reverted to normal on Thursday, having been cancelled on Wednesday due to the high seas.

Sunday 18^th February and a record number of 11 people joined my Markeaton BwB. Sadly, not many species, although we did get excellent views of Nuthatches and Goldcrests. Pamela once again came with a very generous bag of mixed food and the response to filling the bird table was instant.

Tuesday 20^th February  Chris, Chris, Gill and I met up at Rutland Water for a pleasant birding session.

I spotted a Red Kite immediately after getting out of the car, and we decided to blitz the North Arm before lunch, a good area for rare Grebes and Divers. Christopher (to avoid confusion!) picked up a Great Northern Diver from Old Hall, and a Black Necked Grebe. After Scaup and Redpoll had been added to the list, thence followed a Marsh v Willow debate.

At the feeding station, I called Willow Tit saying that the Tit buzzing in and out had some white on the wings, to which an experienced local said “Not at Rutland – it will be Marsh”.  And what happened?   Despite our patience it didn’t return.

So that’s one to check later in the year when we will no doubt visit Rutland again. But it did not detract from an excellent day count of 56.

Friday 23rd February, thanks to a kind offer from Rod Key the Derbyshire County bird recorder, he offered to show me some rarities in the area, and our first stop was near Repton, where  we saw the 2 Cattle Egret, literally in a field by the side of the road. Parking on the hard shoulder also picked up a Skylark.

We then went to a new venue for me, Albert Village, just in Leicester, principally to see the Black Throated Diver, which we duly did. Rod is great on Gulls, and not just the species but virtually the date of birth! He quickly picked up a second year Caspian Gull, then a third year, then an adult, and a juvenile Iceland Gull. 

A Yellow-Legged Gull appeared but became elusive, so I left with a very satisfactory addition of 5 new birds for 2018, thanks to a very knowledgeable birder.  (Someone no doubt to be tapped again later in the year!!)

A little snippet I picked up on the Exe cruise.  4^th February 2018, an Oystercatcher ringed number M7 at Dawlish Warren was recorded at Carsington on 10^th February 2018.

So a good week, and I’m on 121 which is quite satisfactory. The next upcoming event will be Sunday March 4^th which will be the next BwB, at Carsington……….. and not long before the migrants start arriving.

Happy Birding