BIKING BIRDER I June 17th 2010 Wallabies and Orchids, Moths and Moonwort

 

Thursday 17th June
 
Woke early and read my book from my elevated position. Frightened a birder from Stevenage who had not expected anyone to be around so early and after breakfast of the usual a male hen harrier was seen. Then across the opening in front of the hide hopped out a wallaby! Then another - and another. I took some what will be appalling photographs. If any deserve the title 'record shot' these will.

Went along the boardwalk back towards the field that contained the most orchids and, as I came out of the bushes, the male hen harrier was seen fantastically close, no more than 10 metres away.  It spooked a little at the sight of me { and who wouldn't? } but continued quartering the field unperturbed.
 
Cycled to another Manx reserve, Cronk y Bing on the North West coast and was amazed that I was the only one on such a huge beach. Felt like Robinson Crusoe! [Come along now - do you remember the tune to the series in the 1960's? Da da da da da daaaa. Da da da da da dada da!]
 
Little terns and gannets were here and six-spot burnet moths on the marram grass, which hid a few pyramidal orchids.
 
Walked about a mile or so to the north to a dilapidated hut on the cliff and then back to carry on to the next Manx reserve at Ayres. There met Keren, who with her husband maintains the Isle of Man Birding website  [ http://www.homepages.mcb.net/wormwell/  ]  She took me to see the diminutive moonwort plant. A real stunner at 3 cms high but a real rarity too. We also looked for the scarce crimson and gold moth but to no avail. [Until later when I returned to the spot in the evening and found it, photographed and realised how we'd missed it in the afternoon - it's tiny!]
 
Also saw some Dark Green Fritillary butterflies here and watched about 200 Gannets feeding offshore using their spectacular diving technique, wings being straightened behind them a split second before they pierced the water, making their white bodies streamlined and arrow-like.
 
I walked along the coast to the lighthouse at the Point of Ayre and camped about half a mile or so to the south on the east side of the isle now.

Tickle My Feathers