Yellow Wagtails at Wembury

After finishing my 2nd of 2 night shifts on the morning of Tuesday 1st September I headed home to bed for a couple of hours sleep before taking a trip out to Wembury to look for Yellow Wagtails that have been reported there over the past few days. The Woodchat Shrike was last reported on Sunday while I was Osprey-watching at Warleigh Point but I thought I would have a look around for that too.

Needless to say there was no sign of the Shrike but I did find the Yellow Wagtails, there had been 20+ reported but I was very happy to find 8 as they fed around the feet of sheep and cattle in a field by the footpath heading past the church towards Newton Ferrers.

I have only ever walked this footpath once before in all the years I have been visiting Wembury but feel I may be walking it more regularly now, very interesting habitat (but difficult viewing in places) and some stunning views.

The Yellow Wagtails were a delight as always, one of my favourite birds, and eventually I managed to get some excellent views of them. Initially I found just 2 birds feeding around the feet of the cows at the back of the field, distant and heat hazy views only but eventually they followed the cows closer to me and the heat haze diminished as the afternoon cooled allowing much clearer and closer views.

A third bird flew in calling followed by 5 more and when the cows stopped feeding and sat down to chew the cud the Wagtails each attached themselves to a grazing sheep instead to feed around their legs.

I spent 2 hours watching them along with 3 Wheatear, Pied Wagtails, a White Wagtail and Swallows before I had to head home but I had a wonderful time enjoying their antics and calls while taking in the views and soaking up the September sun, a nice antedote to the stress and strain of 2 night shifts and little sleep.