Wryneck at Wembury - 13th September 2012

A cool morning on arrival at Wembury despite the sunshine but as the day wore on it warmed up nicely and it became a beautiful Autumnal day.

The toilet block held 2 flounced rustic, a snout, a single-dotted wave, a dead double-striped pug and a Cypress pug.

Flounced Rustic

 

Cypress Pug

 



Heading out to Wembury Point red admirals and small tortoiseshells were very noticeable along with a few speckled wood, meadow brown and large white and 1 painted lady.

Red Admiral

 

Small Tortoiseshell

 

Painted Lady with a Meadow Brown in the background

 



I spent some time at Wembury Point in the vain hope that the recently reported juvenile red-backed shrike would still be around but I had no luck, it was last reported on Sunday and today has been the first chance I have had to get out to Wembury to try and see it. However a juvenile green woodpecker and a flyover great spotted woodpecker and some coal tits in the pine trees kept me amused but the best bird was a brief flight view of a wryneck as it flew low over the ground between some bramble bushes. I spent some time scanning for another view of it but with no joy.

Along the beach I found at least 3 yellow wagtails amongst the pied/white wagtails feeding on the masses of stinking seaweed although the were very flighty and mobile. 4 juvenile wheatears were also feeding along the beach with rock pipits and at least 2 meadow pipits.

Curlews and Oystercatchers were feeding amongst the rocks with a common sandpiper, 3 turnstones, 2 redshank, 3 ringed plover and 2 whimbrel. A herring gull flock roosting on the rocks held an adult lesser black backed gull and a 2nd Winter Mediterranean gull. A little egret fed amongst the rock pools and at least 24 mallards were seen with only 2 males remaining in eclipse plumage. A kestrel did its usual impression of a hobby by eating something from its talons as it soared overhead and a peregrine flew over with what looked like a magpie in it talons.

2 common lizards were seen along with 2 male long-winged coneheads and a dark bush cricket. Lots of garden spiders were also seen sitting in the centre of their webs, a sure sign that Autumn is here.

Dark Bush Cricket

 

Garden Spider

 



A very pleasant walk after my night shifts, no red-backed shrike but a nice bonus in the form of my second UK wryneck ( my first UK wryneck was also at Wembury about 20 years ago!).