With the warm and settled weather continuing we managed to get to the beach twice in a week with a trip to Cawsands and a trip to Wonwell.
It has been over 2 years now since we last had a beach day at Cawsands and it was a lovely day out as always. A Grey Seal with a red tag in its tail was a surprise sighting as it swam around the ferry in the crystal clear waters at Cawsands Beach, a young looking animal and possibly a rescued and released individual as it appeared to have no real fear of the people nearby.
A Kingfisher on the rocks along the shoreline was also a surprise with a 1st winter and 2 adult winter Mediterranean Gulls more usual while from the ferry at least 2 noisy Sandwich Terns were seen. Red Admirals, Large whites, Meadow Browns and a Painted Lady were also seen feeding on the buddleia flowers at the back of the beach and a Chiffchaff was briefly heard singing.
Our trip to Wonwell was less wildlife filled but it was as gorgeous there as ever, it has been far too many years since we last visited here. Ravens noisily flying over were the only birds of note but the scenery was just stunning and the sunshine warm and relaxing.
With 2 night shifts looming again I headed out to Wembury on Tuesday 21st September for a walk on another warm and sunny day. It was very quiet bird wise with just a Curlew and a Bar-tailed Godwit with Oystercatchers seen out on the rocks along the beach as the tide headed out. There were plenty of gulls roosting on the rocks too but without my telescope I wasn't able to count the Mediterranean Gulls amongst them although there seemed to be many more present than on my previous visit.
At The Point a Great Spotted Woodpecker was calling from the pine trees where at least 6 Chiffchaff, 6 Chaffinch and a pair of Blackcaps were also seen. Cirl Buntings were being nervous and skulky in the bushes but Stonechats were showy and confiding as usual.
A Kestrel was being noisily mobbed by Carrion Crows over the hillside behind the wheatfield with a male Sparrowhawk briefly appearing too. A Jay was even more of a surprise as it briefly flew out of the trees before disappearing back into cover while a second bird was heard only. Later a Jay was heard in the trees in the valley to the beach with another bird flying over, presumably the same pair.
The warm and sunny days have meant cool and clear nights and as a result back yard mothing hasn't been particularly exciting but I did have my first L-Album Wainscot of the year. Unfortunately I still haven't had a Large Ranunculus so far although I sadly found the remains of one in a spiders web.
Saturday 25th September was grey and overcast but warm and muggy and so I headed out to Wembury again for a walk. Unfortunately on arriving it was a bit of a white out with The Mewstone totally obscured in mist and mizzle although the visibility came and went over the course of the morning and by the time I left all but the top of The Mewstone was visible.
It was quiet on the bird front with 2 Chiffchaff and a male Blackcap noted at The Point. Along the beach a Wheatear, a Common Sandpiper, a Curlew and 5 Little Egrets were seen along with the usual Oystercatchers.
There was a noticeable increase in Mediterranean Gulls roosting on the rocks at high tide with good numbers of 1st winter birds noted although counting numbers was impossible in the mist and with birds being very mobile along the shore. I did refind the adult ringed bird Yellow 2L14 that I saw on 14th September (details still awaited) and an adult bird with a red leg ring that I couldn't read but I also found an adult bird Green RX2P that was ringed as a chick in 2017 in France.
A juvenile/1st Winter Great Black-backed Gull was seen tucking in to a fish washed up onto the beach while other Gulls watched nearby.
A Long-winged Conehead was seen on a fence post and 3 Red Admirals were flitting about despite the gloomy conditions while offshore 2 Gannets were picked up moving west and a Grey Seal surfaced briefly close to shore as it headed east.
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