River Plym and Saltram Walk

Thursday 30th April and despite the heavy showers and cool temperatures I decided to take my usual walk along the River Plym and around Saltram Park. It's been nearly 2 weeks since my last visit and the trees were noticeably in fuller leaf and the grass greener and longer but in the cool and wet weather conditions there was little noticeable insect activity.

The tide was high when I arrived at Laira Bridge but I found a lone Whimbrel roosting on the pontoon opposite The Green House where I had seen one on my last visit. At Blaxton Meadow the Black-tailed Godwit was still present busily searching for food in the soft mud and there were 7 Oystercatchers, 2 Curlew and at least 8 noisy and mobile Whimbrels present too. The only other wader species seen on my walk was as I began my journey back home, a summer plumaged Dunlin which called as it flew under Laira Bridge on its way upriver.

 Whimbrel

Black-tailed Godwit

2 Willow Warblers were heard singing along with Chiffchaff and Blackcap and I was very pleased to find around 20 Swallow feeding over the cow fields and resting on the fences. Even better were at least 20 House Martins, my first of the year, which briefly joined the Swallow before moving on.

Swallows

Singing Skylarks, a male Mandarin Duck, Ring-necked Parakeets, 3 Little Egrets, Stock Dove, Canada Geese, a pair of Mallard and a male Pheasent were also seen with May (Hawthorn) in flower along with some colourful Spurge which I think is Sun Spurge.

 Pheasent

 Hawthorn

Sun Spurge

And so April comes to an end, Lock Down continues and life carries on and I have been very pleased and very surprised at the wildlife I have been finding so close to home although I'm missing my visits to Dartmoor and Wembury.

Monopsis obviella - Back Yard