Monday 18th January was grey and breezy and with rain forecasted for later in the day I headed out in the morning to TR2 by the River Plym where a Black Redstart was reported the previous day.
The tide was ebbing and along the rocky and weed covered shore a Common Sandpiper showed very well as it fed along the waters edge. A Grey Heron was roosting on a buoy out in the river and the occasional Redshank and Oystercatcher flew past.
2 Buzzards were resting on the roof of a building behind TR2 and the Common Sandpiper was briefly spooked by a male Sparrowhawk cruising low over the rocks in full hunting mode but the best bird of prey was a female Peregrine which took out one of the many Feral Pigeons flitting about before flying across the river being mobbed by Gulls and disappearing from view.
There was no sign of the reported Black Redstart and with rain clouds gathering I headed home, luckily arriving there just before it began to rain.
Wednesday 20th January was a foul day with strong winds and heavy rain but I decided to head out anyway for a quick exercise walk around Plymouth Hoe. It really was a grotty day but I did see a few Gannet flying around Plymouth Sound along with a Great Northern Diver bobbing around in the swell off Drakes Island before I gave up and headed home to dry off.
Thursday 21st January was in contrast mild and calm and dry and after a morning of household chores I was rewarded with the sighting of a female type Black Redstart flitting about in the back yard and on nearby rooftops, my first ever garden sighting of one in the 33+years I have lived here.
We then took our usual lock down Plymouth Hoe walk, stopping off first at the allotment to pick some sprouts for tea. As we carried on towards The Hoe we walked over the Sutton Harbour lock gates where various gulls were flying around and making quite a noise. I had a quick scan around and saw what at first I thought was a seal swimming across the water but as it dived it showed a long tail - an Otter no less, my first ever sighting of one in Plymouth!
It had a large crab in its jaws and eventually hauled out onto the marina pontoons where it was hidden by crates but the gulls were very insistent and so it returned to the water and hauled out unseen amongst the nearby rocks to eat its catch before swimming off and out of sight. Amazing to see, I've only ever seen Otters in Shetland before so to see one in broad daylight in Plymouth with people passing close by was quite special.
Onwards to The Hoe and a look at the rocks below the Pier One cafe revealed a Purple Sandpiper feeding with 9 Turnstone. A Kingfisher was perched nearby before it flew off towards Devils Point and a few Gannets were still flying around The Sound with 3 Great Northern Divers seen loafing around on the water close to the shore of Drakes Island.
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