Riverbank Tales

Apologies for not posting for a while. Things have been hectic here for reasons I’ll explain another time.

During a tour the other week I’d seen this rodent sneaking about in the undergrowth on the walk to the beach but didn’t get any good shots. It was far too quick for me. On the walk back in poorer light it was slightly more accommodating. I’ve never seen a Water Shrew with dark underparts before. It through me a little. Normally they have white underneath. However, the white ear tufts are conclusive enough.

Charming little creatures these. I think the ladies that stepped over me as I was photographing it laid flat out on the ground thought I was a bit loopy. Maybe they’re right.

Six Stripe Sprite

There’s something quite special about living on the east coast, a stone’s throw from the sea. Migrating birds apart, living in West Runton is very nice indeed; but especially so when the autumn wind is in the east and I can walk out of my front door and within 400m be watching three Yellow Browed Warblers, a handful of Redstarts and a Little Bunting. So it was last week. Well, I say ‘watching’ a Little Bunting. When asked ‘were we watching the Little Bunting?’ friend Bob replied … “It’s that little we can’t bloody see it” It was probably the most elusive individual of the species I’ve seen. It sat tighter than an Extinction Rebellion activist, hardly shifting from it’s field of Sugar Beet. When it did move it exploded from one patch of mugwort to another low and fast; as if it were on a zip wire. It did show for me eventually … but not well.

It was however the Yellow Broweds that made my day. I absolutely love seeing these little Siberian migrants. I’m not sure if it’s their bright plumage or the way they jauntily flit about picking-off every small insect they find. Maybe, it’s the fact they have travelled all the way from Northern Russia and crossed the North Sea that I find so incredible. Anyways, I really do think they are enigmatic and worth seeking out in the few weeks each year they pass along our coast. Terrific birds.

 

 

LBC’s

In Australia we saw plenty of Little Black Cormorants; LBC’s. They appear to be a sort of cross between our own Cormorant and Shags; showing features of both.

A February Tour

Please take a look at the link it’s a good value excellent tour – https://mailchi.mp/0b88d9aef72b/southern-scotland-in-early-spring-1977393

Whales, Stone Forests and Waving Tails

I was daydreaming about Australia the other day. I was carried back to a headland, Cape Bridgewater, close to Portland on the south coast of Victoria. We went mainly to look for whales, which we found … well actually Tania found in good numbers; but there was also a petrified forest there too that was worth visiting. As we walked along the sparsely vegetated cliff top this little fella jumped out and started shouting at us. A Striated Fieldwren. He had the amusing habit of waving his tails as he sang. The way he greeted us and appeared to be saying “Hi”made me smile.

Peace and Quiet

I was sat alone in a hide on the coast here last week. To be honest I was just enjoying the peace and quiet and having a bit of a reflective moment. When I was jarred into life by the appearance of this little chap almost in my face. He popped out of the reeds right in front of me. He heard the camera shutter go off and ran back in as suddenly as he came out. Seeing Water Rails in good light is always a treat so when he came out again I just put the camera down and enjoyed him for a while.