A pair of adult swans on the West Park lake had found some sort of food source on the lake bottom. They were spending long periods of time up-ended so their beaks could get down to it. Occasionally they moved into slogitly shallower water, so that they could reach the food just by stretching their necks downwards.
Views from the Morte penunsula which forms the northern end of Woolacombe Bay. The main picture looks towards the Morte Stone standing in the sea in an extension of the peninsula. The other pictures are of the vista to the north east, across Rockham Bay and with Bull Point lighthouse on the top of the next promontory.
Another view of the protective structure above the weir by Exeter Quay, showing the number of cormorants using it as a perching post.
Winter visits to the north Devon coast often have lots of opportunities to see waves pounding the shore. The continuing strong winds over Christmas promised powerful seas. But while I was there, full high tide time was always before dawn, then after sunset. So none of these pictures were taken at the peak of the action.
New growth sprouting at the end of December from a pennywort growing on the top of a stone wall.
View looking eastwards along the rugged north Devon coast at Ilfracombe. St Nicholas Chapel is on a small hill on the seaward side of the harbour. The higher Hillsborough beyond has traces of a prehistoric hill fort near the top – a very exposed spot.
Carrion crow perched on River Exe protective fencing, keeping a look out over the river and on the people passing by.
Looking downstream along the estuary of the Torridge at Bideford. The boat in the foreground had been left high and dry bu the low tide, but there were motors running, and the sound of voices aboard.
Pied wagtail running along in the short grass by the River Exe, by the same Exeter Quay weir which provided the location for several recent posts.
Tree trunk which had floated down the River Exe until it was caught at the top of the weir by Exeter Quay. It must have been there for some time, sufficient for it to provide a home for a variety of flora including bracket fungi and mosses.
A flock of sheep on salt marshes near the Tarka Trail at Braunton outside Barnstaple, across a stream from where I was standing.
The most adventurous of the sheep come up a rise on the stream bank to inspect me. In short order, they decide they don’t like what they can see. They turn and lead the entire flock to the opposite side of the field.
A patch of blackthorn bushes, cut down so that only a few inches of trunk remained of each. All seemed to have some witch’s butter, a common jelly fungus, growing on them.
