River Plym and Saltram 1st November 2011

A new month, a day off and sunny skies so we drove out to Sainsburys at Marsh Mills so David could pick up a final few things to make this years Christmas Puddings before we headed off for a walk from Sainsburys to Saltram House and back.

I found a moth on the wall of the underpass under the A38 which I think is a either a Winter moth or a November Moth, either one being a new moth for me.

Winter or November Moth?

A kingfisher was a nice sight perched on a branch overhanging the river quiet close to the path, I managed a quick photo but it flew off before I could get a decent shot. I later saw the same bird or another further down river flying low over the water. Nearby a grey wagtail was feeding along the river bank.

Crap photo of a kingfisher before it flew off!

Along the river 3 little grebes were busy diving for food. 4 little egrets, an oystercatcher, curlews, mallards and gulls were seen along the river with 2 cormorants. On Blaxton Meadow as the tide was on its way out a small sandpiper fed along the banks of one of the islands but was too distant to fully identify. Later when walking back to the car with the tide now fully out the spotted sandpiper fed along the river bank giving excellent views.

Other birds seen were a male kestrel, 2 jay, a female bullfinch and 2 ravens mobbing a buzzard. A nuthatch was heard calling in the woods and a mistle thrush was seen perched in a tree opposite the cafe at Saltram House as we enjoyed a cup of tea.

We had a wander around the garden of Saltram House where a red admiral fed on some lemon blossom. I found a moth on the ceiling of The Orangery but it was too high up to get a good photo. With my binoculars it was very dark green with a carpet moth shape, probably a red green carpet. David used a nearby window pole to try and disturb it and bring it closer to ground level but it promptly flew off out of the open window and out of sight! Never mind.

Red Admiral feeding on lemon blossom

So it was a very pleasent walk in the warm sunshine and we managed to buy a Christmas present for a friend in the art gallery in the garden of Saltram House as well. A checkout glitch at Sainsburys (not down to us, I hasten to add!) also meant we got 2 bottles of white wine initially reduced to £6 a bottle for 49 pence each! So not a bad day all round!