Mid-Summer Birding

Wednesday 22nd July was hot and sunny and so I headed out to Wembury for a walk. It was busy with walkers and beach goers and I was glad to get home and out of the sun but I had a very enjoyable walk.

It was high tide and along the beach by the sewage pipe were a roosting flock of birds although unfortunately they were regularly disturbed by walkers. A Little Egret, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel, 20 Oystercatcher, 26 Dunlin, a Redshank and 4 Mediterranean Gulls (2 Juveniles) were all seen before moving out onto the rocks exposed by the outgoing tide - Autumn is on its way.

Cirl Buntings, Stonechat and Whitethroat were all vocal and showy along the walk along with a few Chiffchaff, a singing Blackcap keeping deep in cover, Linnet and 2 Skylark.

Plenty of butterflies were on the wing in the hot conditions - a Wall was a nice find along with a Red Admiral, 2 Small Skipper, Small Copper, Common Blue, a Comma, Gatekeeper, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small White, Green-veined White, a Peacock, Speckled Wood and Large White. A male Beautiful Demoiselle, a Silver Y, a 6-spot Burnet, a Rusty Dot Pearl and a Drinker were also seen.

Small Skipper

Small White

Red Admiral

Wall

Silver Y

On arriving home I found a moth in the kitchen which at first I thought was a Snout but on potting it up and checking it out I was pleased to find it was a Bloxworth Snout (thanks to @MothIDUK), my second back yard sighting of one.

Bloxworth Snout

Friday 24th July and I finally visited Dawlish Warren for the first time this year. It was mostly grey and overcast but warm and muggy and still and I arrived at the closed due to COVID-19 and sadly vandalised bird hide for the high tide roost at around 10:00am.

There were plenty of Terns roosting on the island and the wooden posts of "Woodhenge" and I quickly found a beautiful adult Roseate Tern with a silver leg ring perched on a post amongst the Sandwich Terns and Common Terns and which was being admired (and the leg ring read) by the Dawlish Warren Birders present.

Roseate Tern with Sandwich Terns on Woodhenge

A Little Tern was also found roosting amongst the Terns on the island and it was great to watch and listen to the comings and goings of the Common Terns and Sandwich Terns as the adults brought in sand eels for the juveniles.

 Little Tern with Sandwich Terns

Little Tern with Sandwich Terns

 Common Tern with Sandwich Terns

 Roseate Tern with Sandwich Terns

Roseate Tern with Sandwich Terns

Also seen from the hide area and along the beach were Dunlin, Sanderling, Ringed Plover, a Redshank, Whimbrel, Oystercatcher, a Little Egret, a Common Gull and 2 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls.

 Sanderling

Sanderling

Common Gull with Black-headed Gulls

Despite the lack of sunshine I had a look for Brown Argus but without any joy but I did see at least 2 Clouded Yellow, a Small Skipper, a Peacock., Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Green-veined White, Small Copper, Common Blue, a Red Admiral and Speckled Wood in the dull conditions.

 Clouded Yellow

 Clouded Yellow

 Common Blue

 Bee Sp.

 Bee Sp.

 Bee Sp.

 Strawberry Clover

 Strawberry Clover

 Marsh Helleborine

Marsh Helleborine

Cirl Bunting, Swallow, a Great-spotted Woodpecker on the fence posts along the Dune Ridge and a Little Grebe, Mallards and Mute Swans on the Main Pond were also noted on my wanderings before I headed home, having had a very productive July visit to The Warren.

A report of the day by the Dawlish Warren Birders can be found by clicking on the link here -

http://dawlishwarren.blogspot.com/2020/07/friday-24th-july.html?m=1