After The Lord Mayor's Show

 Saturday September 17

On Wednesday, we arrived at Snettisham at the height of high tide - too late for the flight spectacle. To-day, after a lunchtime hairdresser appointment, we went sea watching at Bacton. Yesterday was good. Some years ago, Mick F told me that the day after a storm could be as good as, if not better than, the day itself. This was a test. Again, rather late in the day, and we only stayed an hour. 

Bacton car park only had one other car, the beach was empty. Pam parked sideways on, my open window away from the chilly north westerly wind  I scoped, Pam used her binoculars beside me. 

Some birders advocate keeping one's scope steady in one place, and wait for the birds to pass. I'm too impatient for that - I have tried it several times. I prefer to slowly scan backwards and forwards, unless all the movement is from one direction. To-day, what little movement there was came from both. Two Common Terns beat against the wind, a small flock of Wigeon flew north close inshore. A Red-throated Diver hurtled through on the wind, before banking and ditching out of sight. The best was an elegant Sooty Shearwater, flying south with the wind, making its progress in huge-looping flight. Our last sightings were a flock of fifteen Common Scoter, and another flight of Wigeon, flying north. Short watch, but satisfying.

A Sanderling from Snettisham - no photos to-day 

 


My use of commas is as punctuation which mirrors my speech - somewhat eccentric. My interest was piqued by the mention of 'Oxford Commas', in a paper I read yesterday. What on earth is that?

Apparently, the debate was started by the new Health Minister, Terese Coffey, who hates the Oxford comma and has asked her staff to avoid using them.

From the internet.

What is an Oxford comma?

Essentially, the Oxford comma is a final comma used at the end of a list of things.

Also known as a serial comma or the Harvard comma, is used in a list of three or more items, placed between the conjunction and the final item on the list.

So, for example, in the sentence, “Dogs are furry, cute, and friendly”, the Oxford comma comes before the word “and”.

In cases like these, you can remove the comma without making the sentence any more difficult to understand (“dogs are furry, cute and friendly”). On this basis, many style guides recommend omitting them.

However, there are occasions in which an Oxford comma can change how a sentence is read.

“I like ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, Marmite and broccoli” could be construed as you saying that you want all three of these things on top of your desert.

However, writing “I like ice cream with chocolate sprinkles, Marmite, and broccoli” makes it clear that you enjoy all these things separately.

 

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