Waiter, there's a sheep in my garden!

I've not felt massively well this past week or so. Probably too much time at the laptop and not enough in the fresh air. I think I've caught a bug off my housemate, despite airing the house as much as possible whenever he's out. Meh. As for sleep - hell yeah, I remember that. Vaguely.

The weather was pretty decent today, still quite cold but the wind has dropped and not a hint of rain was forecast. Right, to the beach it is! But first, what the hell is making that noise outside my window? Sounded like someone creeping around out there, making weird chewing noises. The heck? I quietly crept across my room and cautiously leaned out of the window - and watched a sheep jump three feet into the air as it noticed me, crazy bastard thing!

Caught quietly contemplating the meaning of god, life and the sad disappearance of 80s thrash metal, I expect...

Anyway, I shooed it out of the garden and headed down to the beach. On the shop wall I somehow noticed this chap, almost invisible such was the incredible depth of camouflage exhibited

Male Winter Moth (the females are all but wingless so, er yeah - it's a male innit)

After being quite heavily stared at for taking a pic of a shop wall from a distance of about 4 inches (bloody tourists, about time they all pissed off I say), I bolted for the relative safety of the woods and the beach. Non-naturalists ought to be made to see the error of their ways. Or beaten almost to death. Maybe both. You laugh, but think about this - how different would this whole world of ours be if the folks running the planet were all mad keen naturalists rather than capitalist bastard scum corporations dealing in chemicals, pollutants, resources and oil? 

Anyway, full of hatred for mankind, I trotted into the woods and spied the gull flock out on the beach. A quick scan and I picked up an Iceland Gull again, sweet! The distance was too great to say for certain whether it was the same bird that I found last week or a different individual. I took a battery of images through the bins and hoped at least a few would turn out. They didn't. This was about the best of a bad lot

As you can see, the light wasn't great!

Zooming in real close, I think this is actually a 2w bird. My bird from last week was a 1w, so this is the second individual here in just under a week. Nationally, there has been a southward movement of Iceland Gulls over the past few days. My first bird could be in Stranraer right now, or maybe across in Ireland. This particular bird may have been in Shetland last week, or maybe just up the coast a bit at Ullapool, who knows? It was a delight to find anyway, just need that big bruiser of a Glauc to pitch in with the GBBs next. Oh, and another Ivory Gull would be quite nice too - whilst local birder Martin (finder of the last Ivory Gull) is still on holiday in Spain. Looking at a bloody Lesser Spotted Eagle, would you believe!

I watched the gulls right up until they spooked and scattered in all directions. Lowering my bins I noticed two people and their dog wander across the beach, reach the point where the gulls had been settled, then turn around and walk back again. You know how I mentioned beating non-naturalists almost to death.....

Got another mystery shroom that I need help with. Very similar to the other mystery shroom of last week, except these are a decidedly warm orange colour rather than a mottled grey-brown. Just as slimy too. Seriously folks, all suggestions welcomed, even rude ones (heck, especially rude ones!)

There's a female Tawny Owl making a lot of noise outside my window as I type this. There's no wind, it's relatively warm. I think I know what's on her mind tonight. Today has been the shortest day, so presumably tonight will be the longest? Hope the male Tawny makes it through to dawn in one piece, she really does sound rather insistent!