Thursday 15th April was sunny and warm and so we took a walk around Plymouth Hoe to catch some rays and enjoy the fresh air and scenery. As we sat on the steps below the Pier One Cafe enjoying our cups of coffee I was pleased to pick up a distant Sandwich Tern flying around out by The Breakwater in Plymouth Sound. I was also pleased and also surprised to find the wintering Purple Sandpiper still present, busily feeding on the seaweed covered rocks with a Turnstone as the tide receded.
Friday 16th April was sunny again but cool and breezy and with 2 night shifts looming we had a return walk from Marsh Mills to Saltram House before shopping in Sainsburys and returning home.
It was a quiet walk but it was nice to watch at least 4 Swallows flying around the stables as we enjoyed a cup of coffee. Along the river a Greenshank and 3 Oystercatcher were seen and there were 3 male and a female Mandarin on the duck pond. A Green Woodpecker and a Chiffchaff were also heard and I was pleased to see my first male Orange Tip of the year flitting about in the car park at Sainsbury's.
Monday 19th April was yet again a sunny day and felt much warmer than of late and I had another quiet walk along the River Plym and around Saltram Park. The warmer conditions brought out a few more butterflies and I saw a male Brimstone, 2 male Orange Tips, Peacocks and Whites flitting about along with a few Dark Edged Bee Flies.
On the high tide there were 9 Mute Swans resting out on the water of the Plym before they all flew off downriver, a high count for here. The high tide hadn't flooded Blaxton Meadow and out on the mud were 3 Oystercatcher, a Curlew and a winter plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit with a noticeable limp along with Shelduck, Redshank, Carrion Crows, Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls.
On Chelson Meadow 8 Roe Deer were resting in the grass before being chased off by a little dog but soon returned after it had moved on. 2 male Wheatear were also feeding in the grass and Swallows flitted about overhead. A female Sparrowhawk flew over twice and at one point looked quite Merlin like as it took a few, unsuccessful swoops at Skylarks.
At Laira Bridge a Shag was a surprise find resting on a buoy while a Cormorant dived for fish nearby, a nice end to my walk.
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