On The Beach

I popped over to Seaton Hole with Rex this morning, he can't manage long walks these days but still seems to make lighter work of the steep accent from the beach than I do!  I was hoping for at the very least a nice Black Redstart and although conditions on the beach were superb (tonnes of  seaweed and millions of flies) there was very little birdy activity. All I saw were a few Robins and a couple of Rock Pipits.  While Rex stretched his legs I had a rummage about in the seaweed looking for my favourite gastropod (doesn't everyone have one?) Patina pellucida which feeds on kelp.

 Fitter than he'd have me believe.

Lots of lovely kelp, just a shame the birds don't seem to have noticed yet.

Patina pellucida, The Blue-rayed Limpet.

These are very small, only about a centimetre across and have the most beautiful bright iridescent blue spots. When I first spotted this one I thought it didn't have any. Worryingly though, they are all too obvious in the photo. I'm going to have to start taking my reading glasses into the field soon!

I stopped to chat to Steve on the esplanade just as a flock of six Greylag Geese flew over  and straight out to sea, they didn't look like stopping before they reach France. Steve told me the Snow Buntings were still there so I popped in to see them on the way home. I took a couple more photos but with my super-zoom this time. I thought it would be interesting to see how it could do.

Not bad. This shot of the male turned out quite well.

It was nice to get a shot with them both in it as when I digiscoped them on Tuesday they were just too near for one.

I tried to get an arty-farty shot with the waves breaking in the background but you'd probably not know there were waves in the background if I didn't tell you!

And just in case your not sick to death of the Snow Buntings (as if anyone could be) here's a video I took of them this morning. Turn the sound down as there's lots of wave noise and yakking in the background.