Autumn Waders

Sunday 1st September and I decided to stay local and headed off to the River Plym for the high tide roost at Blaxton Meadow, spurred on by a report of a flyover wood sandpiper over the Plym that morning. Unfortunately there was no sign of the wood sandpiper on the meadow but there were 8 greenshank, 34 curlew, a dunlin, 3 common sandpipers and redshanks on show with little egrets, Canada geese and gulls plus a flypast kingfisher and flyover raven, ring necked parakeet and stock dove.

 Curlew, Blaxton Meadow

Curlew

I walked downriver to Laira Bridge through Saltram Park and noted a comma, a speckled wood, a red admiral, small whites, meadow browns and a clouded yellow flitting about while swallow and house martins hawked overhead. A toad sheltering under a large piece of plastic was a surprise.

 Toad

Toad

At Laira Bridge 4 turnstone were feeding on the seaweed covered rocks as the tide receded and on nearby Blagdon Meadow a few common blues were flying around and there was a good showing of Autumn Lady's Tresses.

 Autumn Lady's Tresses, Blagdon Meadow

 Autumn Lady's Tresses 

 Autumn Lady's Tresses 

Autumn Lady's Tresses 

Tuesday 3rd September and I headed off on the train to the River Exe for the day but faced the usual dilemma - Bowling Green Marsh or Dawlish Warren for the high tide wader roost? I plumped for Dawlish Warren which turned out to be the right choice for a change and the day started well with 40+ Ring-necked parakeets noisily leaving their roost at Plymouth railway station as I waited for my train.

The train journey was hassle free and I arrived at Dawlish Warren on time at around 9am, heading straight to The Bight as the high tide approached. On arriving at The Bight there were small waders roosting along the edge and so I gave the hide a miss and stayed by the waters edge to scan around. Dunlin, ringed plover, turnstone and sanderling were all noted but viewing was difficult as the birds were active and mobile and flighty or hunkered down amongst the rocks and vegetation or obscured by fencing.

 Dunlin, The Bight

Sanderling, The Bight

Eventually I picked up my target bird, a very smart curlew sandpiper which flew along the waters edge flashing its white square rump before landing amongst the assembled waders and beginning to feed in the soft sand. It gave some nice views at times but was very flighty and often disappeared from view but it was great to see it after a blank year last year.

Other waders seen were curlew, bar-tailed godwit and redshank roosting distantly on the salt marsh by the railway line, a grey plover in front of the hide and 4 Knot with the oystercatchers on The Spit.

A wheatear was also feeding along the beach in The Bight along with 2 very noisy ravens and a very scruffy looking pair of carrion crows while offshore a few Gannets were seen with 2 distant common scoter flying towards Berry Head also noted. Sandwich Terns were fishing in the estuary and offshore too and regularly flew over the dunes between the 2 areas calling noisily.

A small copper was seen in Greenland Lake with common blues, meadow browns and small whites and a speckled wood along the dune ridge was a surprise. Painted lady and a red admiral were also seen along with a few large dragonfly whizzing by and a long winged cone head. Autumn Lady's Tresses were showing well too.

 Small Copper, Greenland Lake

Autumn Lady's Tresses, Greenland Lake

Buzzard, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were all seen overhead but there was no sign of any ospreys although one was reported mid river around midday which I failed to see. And on the train journey home along the River Teign the gulls and waders were all up in the air on the low tide and on checking the Internet sightings that evening an osprey was reported here at the time I was passing by - never mind.

Wednesday 4th September and it was time for our annual autumn trip to Perranporth. It was mostly sunny but with a strong and cold onshore wind which covered my glasses with sand and sea spray although it didn't spoil the enjoyment of the day.

Gannets were very obvious offshore with a few diving for fish quite close to the beach and a few fulmars and distant Manx shearwaters were noted too while a juvenile peregrine dashed across the beach and made a few unsuccessful stoops at an adult Mediterranean gull before moving off. There was no sign of the recently reported brown booby though.

The stream held the usual brown trout and a red admiral was seen feeding on an ornamental buddleia in the formal gardens. I did keep an eye out for choughs without any luck but you can't have it all.

Chough Poster, Perranporth

And so summer is coming to a close and autumn is definently on its way- who knows what it will bring?