Monday 26th April was yet again a sunny affair but with a bitingly cold easterly wind as I headed off to Wembury to meet work colleague Sue for a walk and a catch up.
We had an enjoyable walk and by the time we returned to the cafe for our pasty lunch the wind had considerably eased and it became surprisingly warm in the sunshine.
At least 12 flighty Whimbrel were out on the rocks on the ebbing tide along with Oystercatchers and 7 Bar-tailed Godwit (2 in full summer plumage).
Whitethroat were vocal and showy with at least 6 males seen and heard.
At Wembury Point 2 House Martin and a Swallow hawked overhead and a male Wheatear was feeding along the cliff top but the highlight was a female Redstart feeding in the gorse bushes, only my 2nd sighting of one at Wembury.
On heading home I decided to stop off at Laira Bridge to walk along the Plym to Marsh Mills on the incoming tide. Blaxton Meadow was beginning to fill up with water and out on the mud were 5 Greenshank, 3 Oystercatcher, 3 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel and a limpy Bar-tailed Godwit.
Tuesday 27th April was again sunny but pleasently warm with a gentle breeze and so I headed out to Grenofen Woods for my annual spring time walk.
It was very quiet bird wise but I did see a Tree Pipit songflighting with another one heard only, a pair of Marsh Tit in trees by the bridge with the male busily feeding the begging female and a Garden Warbler feeding on insects in an oak tree with another two heard only.
Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Willow Warbler were seen and heard, a female Mallard with 5 ducklings was seen on the river by the bridge along with a Grey Wagtail, Nuthatch were heard calling and Mistle Thrush were seen with beakfuls of food for nestlings. Buzzards, Swallow and House Martin were also seen overhead.
I used my Emperor Moth lure once but with no luck and as it was so quiet I decided to head homewards and stop off at Roborough Down for another try with the lure there.
I set the lure up in a gorse bush while I ate my lunch but after 10 minutes I moved to a different spot and within minutes a male came in, dashed around a bit and then flew off. I tried in another spot with no luck and with the clouds rolling in and covering the sun and the temperature dropping it was time to give up for the day - or so I thought.
I began to head home but decided to have one last try, more in hope than expectation, but it paid off with 2 males coming in to the lure within minutes and both settling on the vegetation nearby - result!
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