Thursday October 11

Yesterday's post ended with the prophecy that ropey weather would put paid to any further wildlife watching action.

This morning there was a southerly gale and driving rain. But at 11.00 am I glanced out at the rain-splattered patio as I headed to make us a cup of tea, and blow me there's a Black Redstart sheltering under the garden furniture.

Black Redstart

It didn't stay long, and I just managed a couple of poor shots before it hopped through a gap in the fence into the neighbours garden, and from there disappeared into the farm. The rain stopped an hour later, but I couldn't relocate it. There was another (or the same) Feathered Ranunculus in the porch though, and even more unexpectedly a Hummingbird Hawkmoth did a brief tour of the garden before being blown northwards.

In the afternoon the sun came out and the wind dropped. We headed to Tate St Ives to look around the  gallery at the 20th Century art housed within. Not everybody's cup of tea, but the views of St Ives were stunning.

On the way back we stopped for an all too brief look at the Hayle estuary. The tide had not come in yet, but there were plenty of trip ticks standing around. I don't get the chance to see many Mediterranean Gulls nowadays, so I was quite happy to settle for them. Arguably the Whimbrel on the RSPB reserve was a scarcer bird these days.

Adult and 1st winter Mediterranean Gulls

Whimbrel

So the weather really is supposed to be bad tomorrow. No chance of anything else...is there?