Saturday 4 April 2020

Butterflies and a Swallow

Lock down continues, the weather remains dry and sunny but windy and I am starting to get a bit of cabin fever after just 2 weeks but Saturday 4th April duly arrived and it was time to head out for my weekly, solo, local, socially distanced wildlife walk from home to Saltram, something I have been looking forward to immensely all week long.

It was cool and breezy but out of the wind it was very warm and I was abl9le to walk around with just my t-shirt on and I wished I had worn shorts and not my jeans.

The tide was heading in as I arrived at Laira Bridge and along the Plym there were the usual suspects - Little Egret, Redshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher. Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Mallard, Shelduck and GBB + H + BH Gulls with 1 adult LBBGull. A Greenshank and 22 Turnstone were also noted.

Little Egret

Little Egret

Little Egret

Turnstone

In the woods a Stock Dove was cooing and Ring Necked Parakeets briefly screeched while Chiffchaff and Blackcaps were singing away and 2 Green Woodpeckers yaffled away unseen.

Bluebells were flowering amongst the violets and primroses and it was lovely to see my first Orange Tip and Small Whites of the year along with a Brimstone and Peacocks.

Bluebells

Bluebells

Peacock

Peacock

Peacock

Orange Tip

Orange Tip

Small White

Small White

Small White

Small White

A herd of 14 Roe Deer were again seen resting together and a Grey Squirrel played peek-a-boo in a pine tree, making a lot of noise as it scrabbled up the rough bark of the tree.

Grey Squirrel

The highlight though was my first Swallow of the year which I picked up skimming low over the grass before it gained height and flew off north, a very welcome sight in these weird times and proof that life carries on during this lock down period.

Robin

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