Wednesday 28th October was very windy with sunny spells and heavy showers and a day of "life admin" (as the youngsters call it) was broken up by a walk to Plymouth Hoe to look for any storm driven birds and especially Grey Phalarope. It was sunny when I left home but by the time I arrived at The Hoe the heavens opened with torrential rain and hail while lightning and the loudest thunder I have ever heard raged overhead. The upshot was I got absolutely drenched through and the only bird of note I saw was a Turnstone!
Fast forward to Sunday November 1st and after more days of wet and windy weather and sightings of Grey Phalaropes in Cornwall I took another walk up to The Hoe for a look around. It was windy and misty and mizzley and I got soaked through but this time I found a Grey Phalarope for my troubles!
It was feeding around floating masses of seaweed and flotsam, one of which contained a Portuguese Man-o-War, but it was mobile and flighty, disappearing from view at times and then suddenly reappearing elsewhere.
I first found it just as I was about to leave and walk home and at first I thought it was a plastic water bottle bobbing around in the swell until I got my binoculars on it. I then realised I had left my camera and phone at home and so after a few minutes of watching it I dashed home to get them and to put out the news. Fortunately it was still in the same place when I returned and local birders Russ and Dan had arrived on site too. I then had some lovely views of the bird and managed to get a few decentish shots (for me) in less than ideal conditions.
A lovely bird and my third ever and all have been in Plymouth Sound but this is the first one I have found myself.
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