Light exercise

If you were thinking, dear reader, that during January and February, I&T wasn't keeping up with the expected number of posts, then you would be correct. You would also be forgiven for speculating that if this trend were to continue, Old Tense was going to be in a spot of bother come December, what with his arbitrary annual 100+ blogposts rule.

However, you're very not allowed to say "Thank Goodness for Covid-19 and the global lockdown, now Tense can up his game!" That would be bad, very bad, but thanks for the unsettling and unnerving sentiment.

This morning I used my allotted quota of 'temporarily leaving the house for a walk' to potter around the old kirk loop, not in the company of Our Lass (as she was working), but with a new set of bins. Don't worry, my trusty old set are still fine, but looking at their objective lenses (the big end), the housing around one of them is a very mis-shapen oval, rather than the eminently more preferable circular. They're on borrowed time, I would say.

To be honest, I was hoping for some rare and spectacular migratory bird to fill my field of view, so that the bins could be properly 'christened', somewhat like the Woodchat Shrike which Eagle-eyed M managed on her first foray with new bins last year. It's ok, I'm not bitter, I'm completely over it and barely mention the incident more than twice a week.

As it turned out, despite news of Wheatears in other parts of the island, there wasn't too much to report, but the sun was shining so I just soaked up plenty of photons reflected off feather, fur and flower.

On the lichen-encrusted cemetery wall of the old kirk, a couple of Starlings were sat, looking rather resplendent in their glittering sequined costumes. I've heard it said that when their bills change colour for the breeding season, the base of the male's is blue, whilst the base of the female's is pink. No idea if that's true or just a fanciful meme, but this photo seems to show both colours. However, in these gender neutral times, we'll just have to jolly well go on wondering, eh?

Heading for home, as the road climbed up from the shore and between fields, there was a noticeable increase in Lapwing activity on the rough pasture. The birds were calling and displaying more, and a few individuals were a bit nearer the road in a wet flush. Still nowhere near enough for a decent photo, mind, but with the peachy light I thought it worthwhile trying to capture an image.

Iridescence! [Happy sigh]