Unexpected

 Wednesday November 12


 Needing to post a birthday card, we set off for Bacton Post Office, Walcott PO is shut on Wednesday afternoons. We then drove to Bacton car park, finding an enormous truck parked in the disabled parking spots with the lowest railings. I spent a quarter of an hour finding nothing but Herring Gulls, when news came through of a Pallid Swift over West Runton car park. One or more of this species has been present along the coast for the last few days.

As we approached the village, we saw a group of four birders roadside, pointing long lenses into the sky. Bingo. We turned and parked almost opposite the Duffs' house. Pam immediately saw the Pallid Swift soaring distantly over the houses. The sky was empty for me, an indication of how bad my eyesight is these days. Using my binoculars, and looking through the front screen, I quickly picked up the Pallid Swift in constant swooping, diving, flight. Pam tried for some photos, as she could see it through her open window. I thoroughly enjoyed at least ten minutes of binocular views before the fast deteriorating light prompted our departure. Not before Pam turned the car, stopping near Rocky Bottom, so that I had the bird on my side. No joy.

One of the joys of Autumn is the lovely Merveille du Jour moth. The bright green is a little washed out by the vivid Liquid Amba leaf on which it is posed.


 

 

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