Saturday 27th May and a change in the weather as I left the house - cool, breezey and mizzley - but by the time I arrived at Exminster Marsh by the River Exe the mizzle had lifted and the sun gradually began to appear from behind the cloud until it became another hot and sunny but breezey day.
I started my walk along the back path and within a few minutes was watching a female marsh harrier flying over the marsh and spooking all the birds until it disappeared behind some trees. A short while later and I refound it soaring high overhead before it dropped down onto the marsh and was again lost from sight behind trees. There was no sight nor sound of the lesser whitethroat but a common whitethroat, chiffchaff, blackcap and reed warbler were heard and sedge warblers were very vocal and showy. Swifts, swallows and house martins buzzed overhead and a peregrine surveyed all the activity from the top of a pylon.
Peregrine Pylon Peek-a-boo
A male shoveler and 3 male tufted duck were on the lagoon and 2 little ringed plovers were feeding along the back of the pool by the road where 2 noisey and nervous looking Egyptian geese were feeding before flying off, my first sighting for the year.
Egyptian Goose
Egyptian Goose and Shelduck
Egyptian Goose
Egyptian Goose
Some nearby birders called me over to view the female marsh harrier flying over the marsh again and we chatted about birds for a while including the recent influx of red kites in the south west which occurs every year around this time and as I had a quick scan above I picked up a red kite soaring high overhead heading east, another first for the year. I always like to see red kites in Devon at this time of year as they feel more like genuine wild birds than those I see from the train or car on the journey from Plymouth towards London but it seems that the birds over the south west at this time of year are in fact individuals from the introduced English population having a bit of a mass wander.
Damselflies were on the wing - large red, blue tailed and azure - and there were quite a few large dragonflies whizzing around too and the ones I managed to get a good look at and photograph threw me on their ID at first but I think they are immature male broad bodied chasers, recently emerged and still in their teneral phase and yet to develop the blue body colouration of mature males.
Mating Azure Damselfly
Broad Bodied Chaser
Broad Bodied Chaser
Broad Bodied Chaser
Broad Bodied Chaser
Broad Bodied Chaser
Broad Bodied Chaser
Broad Bodied Chaser
Heading onwards to Dawlish Warren and at Starcross railway station there were 14 turnstones feeding along the shoreline and Herbert the resident Slavonian grebe now in summer plumage was seen distantly out on the river. Dawlish Warren was packed and I questioned my sanity on visiting here on a hot and sunny saturday on a Bank Holiday weekend but as I headed off into the nature reserve it was peaceful and quiet.
Chiffchaff, whitethroat and blackcap were heard and by the main pond a male reed bunting was seen and a reed warbler heard. Offshore viewing was difficult on a very low tide with harsh light and heat haze but a scan overhead revealed another red kite drifting over heading east.
Red Kite Record Shot
Red Kite
I spent some time wandering around the Greenland Lake area where there were lots of southern marsh orchids and blue eyed grass in flower along with quite a few butterflies including 2 meadow brown (my first of the year), a small copper, common blues (with just a single female seen) and 3 brown argus - 2 very tatty looking males but still with plenty of vigour as they constantly chased after any male common blue that passed nearby and a much smarter looking individual which was also constantly buzzing common blues passing by and making getting a decent photo quite difficult.
Southern Marsh Orchid
Southern Marsh Orchid
Small Copper
Blue Eyed Grass
Brown Argus
Brown Argus
Brown Argus
Brown Argus
Brown Argus
Brown Argus
Brown Argus
Clouded Border
Another red kite was seen soaring high overhead and heading east on a brief look upwards from all the butterfly action but the clouds were beginning to build and as I caught the train back to Plymouth the sun had disappeared completely although it was still very hot and humid.
And so not a bad day out with 2 plastic year ticks to boot and some nice views of brown argus - I just wish I had another week off work!
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