A random miscellany

Incapacitated as I am by a ricked back, I'll take the opportunity to post a few pics which have been overlooked recently (and which would have been lost in blessed obscurity otherwise).

Above is the only picture taken at the Wilson's Phalarope twitch. Yes, I know it's not, but the bird was so far away its features were only just discernible, whereas the swan against the storm-cloud background is at least visible.

As is often the way at twitches, the best thing was the craic, and putting faces to blogging names.

Won't be long before Autumn now, as the gentians have all but faded. This one at Park Gate Down was one of a cluster with white flowers.

Old Man's Beard seems profuse this year which according to the lore means we'll have a hard winter. We saw early this spring that flowers were blooming well after the long cold winter so maybe this trend is continuing with the Traveller's Joy. The berry crop is full too.

A caterpillar crawled into the house and promptly curled up.
Although this shot was taken last week (i.e. in summer) it could be a cold winter's morning, as the bare branches of the dead tree are deceiving.

The painkillers are quite strong and are starting to work, so I can sit in the car for a bit of seawatching. A few bits moving - an occasional Capercaillie flew south, a lone Black Grouse (n), and some Storm Petrels caught insects in the bushes.

Perhaps the pills are a bit too strong.