Storm Isha.

Here's an early post in case we lose power later on though the worst of the storm isn't due until around 6.00 with gusts of 50mph+ from now onwards.

First thing this morning it felt quite warm as the high ground behind sheltered us from the southerly winds. I saw one walker who must already have done a few miles up from the south, walking along with his jacket tied around his waist. I of course wasn't doing anything so energetic. Simply sitting on the terrace enjoying my tea. Once again my musings were about birds. No sooner had I sat down than a dunnock landed on the edge of the terrace looking for seeds which of course had all blown away in the night. Back in I went and fetched another handful which the dunnock, who had been sitting under the table soon noticed and hopped its way cautiously along the terrace to fill up on the seeds. Not stopping but making their presence felt was the gang of sparrows, there are at least twenty in our local flock, who kept zooming past in the same direction. I assume they were circling around behind the houses each time.

Out at sea the whole flock of seagulls were up above the bay. They weren't flying in close formation like a murmuration of starlings but were more like the milling around of ants from a disturbed nest. If I focused on a single bird I could see it flap a couple of times then get picked up by the wind, zoom vertically, over the hump and then plummet down. I wonder why they did this? Were they watching for fish? Unlikely as the sea was filled with churning sand. Or was it a way of showing off their prowess and superior strength to attract females? A possibility. Or were they just enjoying themselves? I imagine that for a bird being buoyed up in the air is much like being in the sea for us with the turbulence of the air being similar to though more random than the rolling of the waves. 

The surfers soon made an appearance though the waves were pretty high and fast making surfing quite challenging.

Out came the lifeboat crew too for their usual Sunday morning training. Good conditions for them to practice in though it must have been hard on their knees as they don't have seats in the rib.

Instead of editing my photos in the camera where it only enlarges in proportion (but you can change the orientation to correct a sloping horizon) I've been experimenting with changing the proportions editing the photos on the pc. 

In preparation for possible power cuts we've made sure everything is charged including a power pack which will charge our phones and Kindles. I walked down to the shop to buy a new battery for a spare radio but it turns out the battery is only to maintain the internal clock and doesn't power the radio itself. Naturally going to the shop included a walk along the beach. Fine when the wind was at my back but when I turned round the wind had picked up and the rain hitting my face was really painful.

It's only 2.30 but the squalls have begun. I've put the dustbins in the passage between the house and garage and hopefully everything else is secure.