Rendez vous at Dunmanus Bay.

Today for the first time since weeks, I had the chance to get further from home than the Eddy's shop and the post office. The Sun was out and although JJ and my Coal Tits were trying to keep me up here at base, I simply had to go.

Since somewhere late I had not seen the little Common Teals (small Ducks) and I really wished to meet them again, before they would leave for their nesting grounds.
I have always assumed that the Teals were migratory birds, but my book is telling me that the SW corner of this island has residential Teal. Yet I never see them in summer, or anytime other than late autumn/winter or at other visits to the bay during the winter.
Before I spotted the Ducks in the bay, I was bombarded by the usual cacophony of the many Rooks and Hooded Crows repairing their nests in the large trees along the river at the church of Ireland. Although I tried, I was unable to get any shot of them. Sorry, Crow. (other time again!)
I was tempted to get up to my little "botany backroad", to see if the flock of LTTs or the Goldcrests were about. Mine might have perished, (this I assume because I haven't seen them since the cold spell hit these islands. However, the wind, very much down on previous days/weeks, was still bothering me too much.

After a little Sunny chat with a friend and her 3 dogs, en route to the school, I was glad to see parents still doing the walking school run, deciding to leave the car at home.
OK, many parents live out of the village, and a good few miles via the main road, but those who live just like my friend, between 1km-1 mile, should really let their kids get the experience of the road. It might not sound like much, compared with city traffic, I think we shuold start here. Kids should get used to either go walking, or cycling and it is quite a lot safer than the UK, yet even I would not let my kid, if I had any, out onto the main roads here. The traffic there is ruthless and it can even scare my wheels now and then. :)

As I turned onto the main road at the church of Ireland, about 5 birds were flying low over the water, and although I was unable to recognise their calls, a brief flash of black and white made me think that these were the ones I had been wanting to meet today! One or two landed on the water, close to the road, and I rode a little faster, while still trying to be as quietly as possible. From a distance, I had the feeling that they were far too small for my little Ducks, and my heart sank again. Yet the possible candidates, Black headed Gulls and Redshank, had no b&w markings on their wings nor any parts of their body. As quick as the birds had landed, they flew off again in the direction of the other bank, avross the bay. My sweet little Panasonic had not enough strength to reach that far, so her heart started sinking also.
In the end they congregated around the piece of piece of land sticking out into the bay, where the larger birds, Little Egrets, Grey Herons, Whimbrel, and Cormorants keep watch, and on which the Cormorants have "their tree" (totally empty now)

My camera had been able to shoot nice pictures of birds sitting there, I would have to do a little cropping for these photos,as these Ducks are quite a bit smaller.
My flexible case of my little bins would need another clean, I saw when taking these out, which needs doing quite regularly because the case is 'clipped onto my wheels. This way I am never without them. and also, they might be small, but I have no opportunity to bring them otherwise. I can hang shopping on the back of my wheels, for other people to remove it again, because there is no way I can reach any bag on the back. And if my neck was strong enough to have anything dangling from it, my bins would be in the way of my camera's bag which is on my lap.
In the end I was only able to get one or two shots; the wind increased and rain was getting too close. (which started indeed before I was home)

Redshank:

Common Teal:

jj, our juvenile (well, 9 months old) Jackdaw,


House Sparrows in the garden:


Earwig, on my table in the kitchen, on the first tentative step to stardom:

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.