A walk from home along the River Plym to Saltram and back has become more of a fortnightly event now that we are well and truly in the Summer Doldrums and with the day free on Sunday 28th June it was time to head out again for another look around.
It was quite breezey and there were only a few brief spells of sunshine but I managed to find quite a few butterflies flitting about in the more sheltered spots although many were quite worn looking. A Peacock, a Small Copper, a Red Admiral, Small and Large Skipper and Marbled White were looking quite smart but Ringlet, Small Heath, Common Blue and Meadow Brown were mostly all looking the worse for wear.
Small Skiper
Peacock
Marbled White - newly emerged
Marbled White - still pumping up its wings
Small Copper
Small Heath
Ringlet
Birding was slow but a Common Sandpiper and a 2nd Summer Mediterranean Gull were nice finds at Blaxton Meadow on the high tide along with 8 Curlew, a juvenile Black-headed Gull amongst around 100 variously plumaged adults, a Grey Heron, 3 Little Egret and a juvenile Shelduck amongst the adult birds present. Chiffchaff and Blackcap were heard singing with Skylarks also songflighting and House Martin and Swallow were skimming for flies over the grassy fields. Stock Dove were heard cooing and 2 birds were seen together flying overhead. A female Pheasent was disturbed from the long grass and put on quite a display as its young chicks dispersed away into cover.
A nice walk but already with a sense of approaching autumn in the air.
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