Groundhog Day - just more of the same I'm afraid!

Being an imaginative and pioneering sort, this morning I found myself on Axe Cliff again. I had waited several hours before venturing forth due to thick fog. Here's a photo of Axe Cliff from my house this morning.

It's right there above the masts and to the left of the sun!
When I got to my destination however, the scene was very different.

Thick fog lingers in the valley while the 12th tee is basking in sunshine.

What about birds? Well there were at least eight Wheatears along the side of the golf course, with a few more scattered around in the fields. The golf course itself was heaving with Meadow Pipits, I counted 67 on the 15th fairway alone, I reckon there were at least 150 of them. Also around 20 Pied Wagtails, a couple of flyover Yellow Wagtails, 4 Skylarks, 5 Siskins and a single Chiffy.

Here's a snap of Rex and 2 Wheatears ( Wheatear photo No2 - only 98 more to go)

I ventured further than usual past the edge of the golf course onto the cliff edge to get a picture of the breathtaking view from here seeing as the weather was so good, and here it is, just look at the colour of that sea. Gorgeous :)


I spotted a white patch in the baked earth, it was yet another golf ball, crushed by a tractor. Could it be a tick? Shall I free it? I thought perhaps I should just leave it to rest in peace, but no, I couldn't, I just HAD to find out!! I know your itching to see it, so here it is, it's a Slazenger - Raw Distance HE2.

Recently unearthed

Sounds really impressive doesn't it? Well, after looking it up on the internet it seems it's a real bargain basement ball, (£10 for 18 and if you buy 2 boxes you get one box free!) with rubbish reviews and nothing going for it at all except it being another tick! Perhaps it was better off buried and forgotten....

I wonder just how many millions of different golf ball species there are, (sad I know) because between us Gav and I haven't found a single repeat yet!

Now more bird news. I was delighted to to see the numbers of Linnets building up again, last autumn they peaked at around the 990 mark. I know this because on the 6th October I took a photo of a flock and counted every single bird in it. Today there were only 234, here's a photo of them, although in this photo only 188 of them are in shot.

Exactly 188 Linnets

I was planning on visiting Colyford Common at high tide, but as I drove past I could see 5 cars parked outside the entrance. Not feeling in the mood for a game of twister in a shed I decided to have a look from the Farm Gate instead. I could see the 5 Ruff and two Little Stints, (although there are now actually four) and the Osprey was again on it's favourite post eating a wriggling fish, it put me in mind of Gollum singing "Our only wish to catch a fish, so juicy sweeeeet". As I passed Coronation Corner there was still a small gathering of expectant photographers, and here they are, including Bob Hastie (the only one I recognized) tucking into a bag of crisps!

The big lenses are out again

I must try and go some where different soon, maybe even tomorrow or else my blog's miniscule viewing figures will drop into the minuses!! :(