Dartmoor and Wembury Walks

Wednesday 4th May had been reserved for a birdy day out with my mate Mavis and we decided to visit Burrator Reservoir on Dartmoor for our walk. It was cool in the breeze and fairly cloudy but when the sun shone it was quite pleasant.

We parked up at Norsworthy Bridge and started our walk, quickly noting a few singing Willow Warbler along the footpath and finding a very nice male Redstart singing away right by the footpath before flying off into the trees. Later we managed to get some better views of the Redstart as it sang from the top of a Hawthorn Bush. 

Redstart

A stake out of a patch of woodland eventually provided views of a vocal and very mobile male Pied Flycatcher along with good views of a very showy Treecreeper and we heard Blackcap, Green Woodpecker, Raven and Cuckoo too. 

I had hoped to see a Cuckoo and eventually we managed to get some decent views of one being mobbed by Meadow Pipits as it called from the top of a tree. 

A male Kestrel, 2 male Wheatear, a songflighting Tree Pipit, a pair of Stonechat and 2 Buzzard were also seen but the day was all about Emperor Moths with quite a few males seen flitting about with the use of my pheromone lure.

Wheatear

Emperor Moth

Emperor Moth

Emperor Moth

Emperor Moth

A Common Lizard, a male Orange Tip, a Selatosomus aeneus (a species of Click Beetle), a surprisingly docile Green Tiger Beetle and the usual unidentifiable Bees were also seen before it was time to head back home.

Selatomous aeneus

Selatomous aeneus 

Green Tiger Beetle

Green Tiger Beetle

Green Tiger Beetle

Green Tiger Beetle

Common Furrow Bee

It had been a very lovely day out, the scenery was stunning, the wildlife was amazing, the company was great and I felt very calm and contented, a feeling that has been somewhat in short supply in my life over the past 6 months.

Mavis is very much a Moor person and that is where her heart lies but as much as I love Dartmoor and the unique wildlife found there my heart very much belongs to the coast and on the following day with a parcel to pick up from the Royal Mail Office at Plymstock and a night shift looming again I decided to combine it with a walk along the coast path at Wembury. 

It was a sunnier day than yesterday and the breeze had dropped and it became a very warm day indeed by the time I headed home. As a result there was plenty of insect activity with the highlight being 5 Green Hairstreak along the path at The Point in 3 different locations. 

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Along the beach I was pleased to see 8 Bar-tailed Godwit with 3 of them developing into their summer plumage. 11 Whimbrel were also noted along with 20 Oystercatcher. 

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit

Whimbrel

Blackcap, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff were busily singing away along with a Cirl Bunting. There were no Red-legged Partridge seen in the wheat field although the wheat is now getting quite tall but a Red-legged Partridge was calling along the track to the sewage farm. A Kestrel and 3 Swallow were noted overhead but offshore was very quiet with just the usual Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls noted and a lone Canada Goose and Fulmars seen on The Mewstone. 

Two very contrasting days with different wildlife experiences but for me the coast  is the place to be.