Yellow Wagtails and Clouded Yellows

Thursday 12th September was grey and breezy but warm and humid and so we drove to Thurlestone on the South Devon coast for a walk to Hope Cove and back.

Very little of note was seen along the walk except at South Huish Marsh where there were 7 dunlin and 3 ringed plover roosting along the shoreline before they all took off and flew over the car park towards the sea. Swallows were hawking overhead and I could hear yellow wagtails calling before getting a good view of a juvenile feeding on the short grass by the car park although it soon flew off with 2 other birds.

After lunch at The Cove cafe in Hope Cove (mackerel ciabatta and a pint of Devon red cider) we walked back to Thurlestone, noting a cronking and tumbling raven as we walked over the cliffs and on arriving back at South Huish Marsh there were 21 dunlin feeding together with 16 black-tailed godwits and a very smart ruff.

 Ruff with Black-tailed Godwits, South Huish Marsh

 Ruff with Dunlin, South Huish Marsh

 Ruff with Dunlin

Ruff with Dunlin

A man was walking along the hedgerow by the side of South Huish Marsh to photograph the grazing highland cattle and in doing so flushed at least 8 yellow wagtails feeding amongst them. They flew up from the long grass and headed towards me, landing on the short grass by the car park where they showed very well for a short time before flying back to feed amongst the cattle.

 Yellow Wagtail, South Huish Marsh

Yellow Wagtail

Saturday 14th September was warm and sunny but with a night shift looming again we headed up to Plymouth Hoe and The Barbican for a walk and to visit the Seafood Festival. I didn't have my camera with me which was a shame as I had a great view of a large white feeding on ivy flowers and a very mobile clouded yellow flitting about over the grass.

Monday 16th September and a cloudy but warm morning saw me heading off to Wembury for a walk. Still no yellow wagtails were found but I did see at least 3 clouded yellows dashing around the short grass of the horse field and feeding on dandelion flowers.

Clouded Yellow, Wembury

Other butterflies seen were speckled wood, small copper, common blue, small white, large white and many red admirals and painted ladies feeding on the ivy flowers with the bees. A few silver y were disturbed from the grass at The Point too.

 Painted Lady, Wembury

Sloe Blossom (in September!)

Birds highlights included 3 wheatears, chiffchaffs, blackcaps, swallows, 37 Canada geese and 33 Mediterranean (adult winters with 3 1st winters and 5 2nd winters). Stonechats and cirl buntings were also seen in the hedgerows with 2 curlews along the shore with the oystercatchers and there were gannets and fulmars offshore.

Before heading home I enjoyed a Chunk pasty and a coffee for lunch, potentially my last of the year here at Wembury, but it had been a very pleasant Autumnal mornings walk.