Thursday 27th April and it was off to Burrator Reservoir on Dartmoor for a walk on a cool but sunny day. The wind was very fresh especially when the sun disappeared behind the clouds but it was a pleasent walk to Cuckoo Rock and I managed to get good views of a very vocal but flighty and mobile cuckoo with a second bird also heard.
Cuckoo, Cuckoo Rock
Cuckoo
Cuckoo
Also seen were mistle thrush, meadow pipit, a very tatty looking buzzard, 2 pied wagtails, a raven being mobbed by a jackdaw, a wheatear and a brief view of a male redstart with a second bird heard singing. Also heard were a nuthatch, chiffchaff, willow warblers and blackcap.
Wheatear
On the reservoir 2 summer plumaged grest crested grebes were sleeping, I think my first sighting here, but they were buzzed awake by a flyby adult great black backed gull before indulging in some display together. 2 sand martins were flying low over the water along with a few swallows and 3 male mallards were loafing around.
We had tea and cake at nearby Buckland Abbey and a walk around the gardens after was enjoyable with at least 6 swallows flying around the buildings and a peregrine falcon soaring high overhead. And on the drive home a nice surprise was a pair of red legged partridge running across the road near Lopwell.
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