Southern coastal wanderings

Today was always going to be a strange one. In the evening I’ve got a presentation to the Fleet WI (stitched up (get the WI pun there!!) through my sister-in-law, she of the nephews from yesterday) on our trip to Antarctica. Before that though I took a swing down to the south coast as Judith was going to be in town. Didn’t leave till about 11.30 once I’d got my my charts sorted out for the evening. Started off going to Farlington. In the winter it’s pretty good for geese and I got red-breasted last year. Not much around on birdguides but worth a look. Started off with a nice mixed flock of waders – grey plover, dunlin, godwits, redshank, couple of possible curlew sands. In the very, very far distance I also got an osprey in a tree easting a fish. Only just make-outable. Was about to trudge off to get closer when BG came up with “semi-p sandpiper at Abbotsbury. Quick change of plans. It was about 90 minutes away, but doable to still leave me time to get back for my talk. So, a dash along the south coast got me to Abbotsbury about 3.45, just before it closed. £11 got me entry and the warden showed me to the way to a (new) hide. The semi-p was showing brilliantly, down to about 30 feet, together with 5 curlew sands AND I LEFT MY CAMERA IN THE CAR!!!!!! Mental note – do not do that again. The other 3 guys in the hide were firing away like mad, but no photos from me I’m afraid. Year list now up to 188.

Quick dash back along the coast and up to Fleet got me to Fleet in time to dazzle the ladies of the WI with my talk on “Conservation issues in the South Atlantic” so I’ll leave you with a photo from that!!