A GREY DAY (14/12/09)

 We drove the six or so miles up to Lydford Gorge at first light. Difficult to tell, a murky chilly morning not looking too promising for pictures. The object of today's foray was the tallest waterfall in Devon. The gorge is owned by the National Trust so was prepared to be charged a Kings Ransom to get in. Things started to look good when having disembarked from the van we found the place closed. A convenient gate solved this small problem. We had barely walked two hundred yards when we met a Trust employee coming in the opposite direction. Very helpful he was too, he comes every morning to feed the birds. They have a hide and he kindly gave us directions. So off we headed for some more blurred birdies. Here they come.

       A Great Tit.....Feel free to correct my dubious identifications.

      A Grey Squirrel.........Pinching the birds nuts (excuse the expression)

      Female Chaffinch.

  Robin

Willow Tit

There were dozens of these. We stayed for an hour and a half till Molly started whining and generally making her presence felt. Not really that much about. A young Kestrel made a couple of disruptive appearances after it's breakfast. Not much chance of success as the birds had long gone when it emerged over the feeders.

We continued our wander in search of the waterfall.

Found this old mine adit which it seems is now home to several species of bat. Might have had more luck with them they don't move in the day and not at all at this time of the year.

As is usually the case I find it hard to get a good perspective on falls. I suspect the only way is to abseil down from the top snapping as you go. There are some big whirlpools in this gorge but the bird feeder said not to go as it was closed for the winter. He'd been kind to me so I accepted that it was shut. It had also started to rain which clinched the matter.