Red Legs, Wings and wishful thinking

I had planned to get out on Tuesday, according to Sky News’ weather forecasters. As we all know, this is one of the most difficult jobs on earth, unless you are one of the US weather girls. They make a real showbiz out of their job.

Tuesday came and went, it was dry mostly, but it was those few showers which would get in my way and keep the Lumix locked in her bag. Thursday sounded good, yet it was too far off for me and my trembling wheels, which needed strong ties to keep her indoors. So on Wednesday, Francis left for town and the shopping. A few hours later and I was off too. I needed to be quick though; being on the road around three o’clock till four is a very busy time with school pick-ups and when many do their local shopping also. High tide was way off, coming in around five or six, but I didn’t mind, it was the fresh air one needs and any Birds would be a bonus.
Last autumn the bay was honoured with five Common Teal Ducks, and somehow I am hoping that they, or any other of their species have returned to this part of the world. Have they? Will they? (And then, when you browse the books again, you suddenly notice that they are Resident Birds! Silly me-thinking-no, -being convinced- that they were migrants- Then why have I only seen them in February? Mallards I have seen this summer, but no Teal, which are so cute. Anyway, here they are: Four of the five I saw that day.
Common Teal, (Anas crecca)

(sorry for the quality of this photo, I only had the camera for 2 months, and was still getting to grip with bird photography. )
I will keep looking for them or any other wintering species. And what has happened to the flock of Long Tail Tits? Are these still around up there? I have not seen them since. Have they bred here? Successfully? So many questions, where can they be..

I am happy that we still have (late) Bees around, along the road and in the garden.
Last year's Redwing, which I spotted near Riverside Cottage, our previous home in February, is also on my wish-list for Soon-to-be-seen-Birds. Or it's cousin, the Fieldfare perhaps?
(those observant readers among you, might even note that there is no talk of maybe or perhaps in that line either. I just really expect these ones to return for a better portrait. If not them, than perhaps some other migrants coming this way?
Redwing (Turdus iliacus)


After turning around from the pier, all I saw was mud, beautiful blue-grey mud, full with life underneath, yet boring above... or is it? Wait, I can see something glitter amongst the blue bottom of this bay. It walks slowly, bill down into the grey mud, coming up with its lunch. The Red legs are standing out like traffic lights. It is amazing how obvious these are. And then all of a sudden it takes off-no not into the air, yuo silly!-it starts running, something they are amazingly good at. Before, last winter/spring, when I tried good photos of them, they would race away from me. This time, they did not spot my camera (and bag on my lap) until I had a few images already on the card.
Redshanks have always populated this bay, and the most I've ever spotted were three,and not only that, I've hardly ever seen them apart. Here's two of them,
Common Redshank, (Tringa totanus)




Blackheaded Gull,(Larus ridibundus)




Many Hooded Crows were flying about or foraging the mud, lying bare for another few hours till the new tide comes in, here's a few pictures, of the two which agreed to posing.






I'm a lover of the Living Walls with the Lichen and Mosses growing over and on it. For weeks I have been smiling at the many Wild Daisies which grow along the road, their roots going down deep and I often wonder if they are realy adapted to survive on salt water. Do they? So many of the Daisies actually grow in-between the stones of the coastal wall along the bay, and grow inside the bay, so to speak. These are some of the few which are growing on dry land.