Monday 22 August 2011

The Same But Different

Earlier today I got to thinking that it was possible that Autumn Ladies Tresses were growing on patch, on Goat Island to be exact. I've seen a total of nine species of orchid there and Ladies Tresses would make a nice rounded ten! And here they are:


This time not on Fontmell Down but 'on patch' so totally different!

Large areas of Goat Island were carpeted with Autumn Gentian, mostly not in flower at the moment they are going to look spectacular in about a week I reckon.




Stunning flowers close up.



I've never seen a completely pink Small Scabious  like this before.


The sea was completely flat and I could just make out some cetaceans feeding about a mile off Beer Head which made me wish I'd taken a scope along. There wasn't much in the way of bird activity, just a few Linnets, Yellowhamers, a couple of Wheatears and a flock of  63 Swallows and a single Sand Martin resting on wires along the lane where I park.

This evening I made my usual Monday pilgrimage to Black Hole Marsh, one of only two evenings when I can get there and the evening really is the best time to be there, very few punters and more often than not superb light. I asked Martha along, she wasn't all that keen and when I took my scope out of the boot she exclaimed "Oh no! I didn't know you were bringing that, you'll be ages now! I thought we were just going to have a quick look"



Ten minutes later....  and I can't get a look in!

Still, with  my bins I noted lots ( I couldn't be bothered to count them) of Dunlin, two Ringed Plovers, three Greenshanks, three Wood Sandpipers, five Common Sandpipers, a Lapwing and a Knot. The Knot was quite distant at first and seemed rather unsteady on its legs, flapping every time it moved. All became clear when it flew a bit nearer and we could see it was actually unsteady on its leg!


Pretty sure it only had the one leg. It seemed to be managing well enough though.


I'm not sure what this Woodsand was trying to hide from.


 I've never had so many great views of  Wood Sandpipers.

4 comments:

Tim White said...

Hi Karen, the Knot does have two legs (assuming it's the same one as yesterday which it probably is). It was very unsteady yesterday when I saw it, kept flapping to balance itself when it moved. Definitely got two legs in some of my photos though.

Karen Woolley said...

Thanks Tim, Yes, I saw that on your blog after I'd written mine. It even flew in with only one leg dangling. Must have tucked the other one in for the night! :-)

Steve Waite said...

Hey up! You should have given me a call about the cetaceans, I would have gone down and scoped them from the seafront...we gotta get white-beaked off here one day...

Sally Warmington said...

Hi Karen, I am interested in your photo of the Knot standing on one leg from 22 August 2011 - "The same but different". I am wondering whether I would be able to use your image in my PhD thesis because I have a chapter called "Standing around on one leg" and I really like this image. I would like to use an image for the title page of each chapter. Of course I would acknowledge your work. If you be happy to let me do this, can you please let me know whether you would want payment as well? It will probably only be read by a handful of people. Thanks for considering this request. You can contact me on sallygw@iinet.net.au. Love your pictures, all the best from Sally Warmington, Melbourne, Australia.