Dumpton Gap to Broadstairs

It was some time back when fellow angling blogger "Bure Boy" wrote that the most boring photo collections were those of single species fisher folk. Scanning through my recent posts would certainly seem to confirm his theory. If my blogging is not about my recent Pike sessions then it's Foxes and Hedgehogs taking centre stage. Time to throw a few avian "observations" into the mix I feel. 

The view from Dumpton Gap this morning. France is out there somewhere!

The van needed its' annual MOT in order for me being allowed to part with £290 for road tax covering the next twelve months. Today was to see a further £300 added to the bill as the guys doing the MOT also needed to fit two new tyres and do an oil change, with a new filter, being part of the deal. Still, now it's done I know that my fishing won't be disrupted due to vehicular issues as they had been last year. I digress, the MOT station is in Broadstairs and my van was booked in for 08.00 hrs this morning. This meant that I drove to the garage just after 07.40 hrs, left the van and took a slow stroll back home along the seafront. The weather was horrible. Heavy, grey skies, intermittent rain and a brisk N/NE wind making it feel very chilly as I made my way back to the bungalow. 

Ancient Fuji Finepix camera and awful light conditions - it's still a Purple Sandpiper

I'd walked the coastal pathway because I still needed Purple Sandpiper for my self-found 2023 year-list and it didn't require much effort to ensure mission accomplished. However, because of the conditions, I had only taken a cheap Fuji Finepix camera and my photographic efforts were pitiful. A couple of phone call later, I was told that the van would be ready for collection at 14.00 hrs and, thus, I made my way back along the coastal fringe, this time carrying my proper camera kit. Not only did I secure much better images of the Purple Sandpiper(s) I also managed to capture a series of photos of Scandinavian Rock Pipit. 

Whilst I'm very happy to be corrected on my id of said Pipit, all I can say is that the vivid supercilium, and grey/blue tones to the head plumage, make this individual glaringly different to those boring little brown jobs which nest around Ramsgate Harbour.

Normal service will be resumed shortly. I think I've now got all the images required to complete the self-take blog offering? The repetitive trophy shots might well be boring to my blog visitors, the capture of the photographic subjects certainly isn't.