A two mile walk from Uplyme to Lyme Regis Harbour and back , along the River Lim
Another nice morning tempted Dawn and myself out for a walk. Uplyme to Lyme Regis is a lovely walk but it always costs me £30-£40 everytime I do it because we have to have lunch somewhere along the sea-front.
The walk down to the sea was pretty much birdless, apart from the very common garden birds, we saw ziltch!! The seafront wasn't as crowded as it usually is on a Sunday but plenty of people were around. We ate lunch in our favourite pub then wobbled across to the Quay and the Cobb Wall with full stomachs.
I was after Purple Sandpipers, they usually shelter on the man-made breakwater, an extension to the Cobb, a 100 meter stretch of huge rocks. Today the sea was a little too rough and I saw one Great Black-backed Gull, one Cormorant and one Ruddy Turnstone. The waves were breaching the breakwater and the Cobb wall, which was very wet. I braved a soaking to look for the Purps and saw none. On the way back a single Purple Sandpiper flew in and landed not 3 meters in front of me. Wowza! I took some hand-held pictures with my Samsung phone.
the marina at Lyme Regis
Dawn was laughing at the state of my wet clothes, it always mistifies her why I have to go and look for the Sandpipers every single time we go to Lyme Regis! It's very hard to explain to none birder what a thrill it is to see a rare or uncommon bird, no matter how many times you see it. Only a birder will understand that!!
this little guy got me a saoking, but it was worth it.
a marauding flock of Ruddy Turnstones
Back at the sheltered marina I found a large flock of very 'tame' Turnstones, they chasing each around and after crumbs on the quayside.
On the walk back we found a single Grey Wagtail. There was no sign of a Dipper or a Kingfisher - I didn't expect to see them anyway.
there is a Grey Wagtail somewhere in this picture - can you spot it?