Quite early this morning we drove to Mudeford to look at the sea. The sun briefly outlined the horizon; the waves were very choppy and
determined to bubble over the wall onto the promenade. I needed to be unaccustomedly quick on my feet to keep them dry, whereas
a reflecting fisherman just paddled patiently.
As I watched the water dripping from a walker’s uplifted foot I wondered whether his dog really wanted a walk as it hopefully hugged the bollards yet would probably pick up wetter paws when circumventing each vacant bench ahead.
Sailboarding was under way –
more so in the more sheltered harbour away from the open sea. Some of these gentlemen, nevertheless couldn’t keep out of the water for long.
One came a cropper behind a capsized sailboat against which the thud of the waves syncopated with the
tinkling of the rigging of the parked sailboats
and drowned the gentler lapping of the soft sea foam frothing over the coastal pebbles.
From her car Jackie focussed on a more distant fisherman who was himself beset by spray battering rocks.
Nearer at hand she was so engrossed with a clutch of iridescent-flecked starlings that she might have missed the one perched upon her wing mirror had it not begun to shout at her.
Gulls soon moved in, one pointing out the necessity to pay for parking, and another
attempting to join in the starlings’ communal bath.
Finally she snapped her fisherman packing up.
The evening we dined on “definitely the last serving” of Jackie’s still succulent beef and mushroom pie, boiled potatoes, carrots. cauliflower and runner beans, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank The Second Fleet Lime Stone Coast Shiraz 2019.
The endings of your posts always make me hungry. Beautiful captures of the starlings and the gulls.
Thanks very much from us both, Carol
Such poetic captions to your outstanding images. That starling by Jackie’s mirror wanted to be certain to be included in the portraits,
It did, too, GP. Thanks very much
Such wonderful photos and descriptions, but the bird photos are outstanding. I love those bathing starlings!
Me, too, Merril. Thank you very much.
The water looks rough.
It was surprisingly so, because it wasn’t so windy inland. Thanks very much, Mrs W.
Your welcome.
I enjoyed you stormy day by the shore.
Thanks very much, Sherry
For some reason I feel wet, cold and thinking about a beef and mushroom pie.
🙂
🙂 🙂 Thanks very much, Chrissy
I’ve enjoyed the visit to the coast, thank you.
Seems like Jackie is a bird whisperer and hasn’t yet realised.
Is Nugget still not around? Neither are the ones that usually appear here. I haven’t seen any since spring.
And thank you, Sue. Jackie is a bird whisperer it seems. We haven’t seen any either.
I am still hopeful of Nugget.
It’s all rather wintery. Looking at those fabulous pictures of feathered friends I’ve decided that Jackie’s a bird whisperer.
🙂 Thanks very much, Sheree
I hadn’t realized that starlings were so gorgeous. I’m sure that poor dog was longing to be home on his rug by the fire. 😅
You are right about both the starlings and the dog 🙂 Thanks very much, Sylvia
Thanks, Derrick. I do so love to be right. 😅
🙂
Fantastic black and white photos of the choppy waves, Derrick. Your sailboarders are brave fellows to challenge this kind of weather.
Thanks very much, Dolly. I’m pleased you liked them.
You are very welcome, Derrick.
A fine selection with the starling on the wing mirror my pick of the day.
Your pick pleased Jackie. Thanks very much, Tootlepedal
Wow! Great photos today, Derrick. Of course, I love the bathing starlings…more nuggets! Whatever you do, don’t get too close to that rough water! Jackie’s up close shots are fantastic. What a great day!
Thank you very much from us both, Jill
I was immediately taken by the header photo and then came to the companion photo with the seagull saying, “Hey, what about me?” I also really liked Jackie’s black-and-white photos. I got a kick out of the definitely last serving of beef and mushroom pie. When my brother and I were growing up and we turned our little (or teenaged) noses up at the fare, my mother would observe tartly, “You will see it again.”
Jackie read your little noses story out to me before I reached it, Liz. Thanks very much from us both 🙂
You’re most welcome, Derrick!
Moody but beautiful photos! And what a dinner 😋
Thank you very much, Ribana
I often wonder how birds feel about wet and cold weather. Your photos make me appreciate being home – warm and dry.
Thank you very much, JoAnna
delightful photo story as always, Derrick! great images all around though i feel sorry for the dog the very wet starlings! 🙂 🙂
Thanks very much, Lola. I think the starlings were having fun 🙂
That was an entertaining visit to the roiling coastline and the players attempting to gain traction in some form or other. Your philosophical brooding about the inconvenience the dog was put to unbeknownst to his keeper is at par with the fisherman gazing at the surging waves. The syncopated noise on the wind lends an aural dimension to the narration.
Thank you very much, my eloquent friend, Uma.
The sea looks a bit wild there today! Those starlings are beautiful, as are the photos. I love that one on the side mirror, Jackie. 🙂
Thanks very much from both of us, Lavinia
The (European) Common Starlings here sport yellow beaks as this is their breeding season. I enjoyed the photograph of their communal bathing for, even on the hottest of days, I only see one or two at the birdbath.
Thanks very much from us both, Anne
OOH, handsome sailboarder and handsome fisherman! 😀
All of your photos today are beautiful, Derrick…rich with motion, action, textures, emotions!
Jackie’s photos are so great! That little starling is so precious and had some things to tell Jackie! 🙂
Most dogs don’t like wet of any kind…so I’m sure that doggie wanted to be at home. 🙂 Coop doesn’t mind snow…but he’s not fond of rain. 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thank you so much, Carolyn. X
You’re welcome.
BTW: I was gonna’ say something about the communal bath, but in a rare moment I held my tongue. 😛
You must be feeling unwell 🙂
Ha! 😀
You have captured a good early Winter day. It remains mild and dry in the east.
Thanks very much, Andrew
Your photograph of the young starlings talking their energetic bath is lovely. Starlings used to be a familiar bird in our street, but, alas, they have become rarities over the last decade at least.
The starling set was Jackie’s, John. Thanks very much from us both
Lovely windswept pictures! 🌊
Thank you very much, Beck
The sea is beautiful in every weather, I think. Such an awe inspiring thing to behold – especially when the wind is whipping it up. Love the shot of the bathing starlings!
Thanks very much, Anna.
Wonderful top picture. I really got the sense of motion as the birds shook water from their feathers. Also, an exciting day at the ocean.
Thank you very much from us both, Laurie
I enjoyed this wet day with you. I am surprised to see so many people out in the wet and wind, but all those different characters do give me a sense of a typical winter day, as Andrew said. I just love that Jackie caught the iridescence on the feathers of the starlings, which is probably my favourite thing about their appearance. There is so much water splashing over the barriers, it seems dangerous. Are there ever stories of people being washed away by the waves? Sadly there are stories like that every year here. People can’t resist the stormy days and head down to the sea wall to watch – sometimes at great risk.
The wall is stout and the railings robust, Crystal. There are other more precarious spots along this coast. Thanks very much.
Those starlings look like they’re having a fine old time in your lead photograph. 😀
They were. Thanks very much, Widderd
Starlings are another thing to add to the list of imported animals that have outlived their welcome.
As for fishing I wonder if anyone has done a survey on just how many hours are spent and for what result. I have only ever seen a few people actually pull a fish in from the sea.
Quite so, John. Thanks a lot