The overnight temperatures have suddenly dropped and so it was slim pickings in the back yard moth box on the morning of Friday 26th August with the highlight being a Pyrausta despicata.
After sorting out the moth box I headed out on the bus to Wembury for walk despite the grey skies. It started to mizzle as I got on the bus in Plymouth and by the time I arrived at Wembury the heavens had opened and I ended up seeking refuge in the church which was fortunately unlocked. I've never been in the church before and after a 20 minute look around the rain stopped and I began my walk along the clifftop path heading east towards The Yealm.
I walked along the cliffs to the field where I saw Yellow Wagtails a few years ago but there were no cows present this time and therefore no Yellow Wagtails but I did see a nice Whinchat for my efforts.
I headed back to the main beach and then began my usual walking route west. There were 3 noisey Sandwich Terns diving for fish close to shore off the main beach, a juvenile with 2 adults that have so far survived the ravages of Avian Flu. A small flock of waders were also picked up offshore heading towards the beach, eventually they landed on the rocks and revealed themselves to be 6 Turnstone and a Ringed Plover.
The tide was out and Oystercatchers, a Curlew, 2 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron were out on the rocks with the roosting Gulls, mostly Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls with a few adult Great Black-backed Gulls and an adult and 2 juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls. There was also a noticeable increase in Mediterranean Gull numbers including at least 5 juveniles amongst the adults but they were mobile and flighty, moving between the rocks and the stubble field to feed and so difficult to count. Again none were ringed which is unusual.
A nice find was a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull in the stubble field but just as I had finished setting up my scope it sat down amongst the browned stalks and went to sleep! I stuck around waiting for it to wake up but all the Gulls were eventually flushed by something and off it flew heading east showing a nice white rump and dark tail band as it went.
I finally managed to find at least 2 juvenile Willow Warblers amongst the Chiffchaffs in the pines at The Point, looking very lemony and giving off a skinny Wood Warbler vibe. A Green Woodpecker was still finding life at The Point funny as it yaffled away and Blackcap and Whitethroat were also seen.
A few butterflies began to emerge as the sun appeared in clearing skies with 2 Clouded Yellow, 2 Small Copper, a Red Admiral, Common Blues, Meadow Browns, a Speckled Wood and Large and Small Whites all seen.
Along the stream 2 Golden-ringed Dragonfly and 2 male and a female Beautiful Demoiselle were flitting about and perching up to bask.
A big surprise was finding 2 Bee Wolf above the main beach, a first sighting at Wembury for me following my first ever sighting of one at Minsmere back in July.
I caught the bus back to Plymouth and after checking my phone for any bird news as we left Wembury I foolishly turned my phone off until I arrived home which meant I missed the Whats App message regarding the Plym Osprey making a reappearance just as I was crossing Laira Bridge! I headed straight back out to The Plym with news then coming through on Whats App of a Pied Flycatcher being found as well but needless to say I didn't see either! A big fat Double Dip!
I had an enjoyable walk anyway and managed to get some lovely views of 5, possibly 6 Spotted Flycatchers including 2 juveniles. The Barnacle Goose was amongst the Canada Geese on Blaxton Meadow again and a Kingfisher dashed across the pools as the meadow filled on the incoming tide.
Sunday 28th August and with it being the Bank Holiday weekend we drove out to Wembury for a walk. The tide was heading out and there were again good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls amongst the Gulls roosting on the rocky foreshore. A Turnstone, 2 Little Egret, a Curlew and Oystercatchers were also seen out on the rocks and 2 Buzzard and a Kestrel were seen overhead. At least 2 Bee Wolf were still present at the main beach and a Clouded Yellow was seen flying past.
Tuesday 30th August was hot and sunny again and with a text coming through regarding Yellow Wagtails in Saltram Park from Plymouth birder Pete I was jolted out of my sofa malaise and headed out for a look. They had been reported the previous day while I was at work but I hadn't expected them to have stuck around.
I caught the bus to Marsh Mills to begin my walk and as we travelled along The Embankment by the River Plym I was very pleased to see the Osprey flying about off Blaxton Meadow and putting up all the Gulls before it was lost from view. After stepping off the bus I quickly walked down to the viewing platform overlooking Blaxton Meadow where Pete was present and he had seen the Osprey too. We scanned around and eventually we refound it as it circled overhead, at one point it came down low and almost landed on a wooden post on the Meadow before changing its mind, and after a few minutes of flying around it circled higher and higher and was lost to view.
I was very pleased to finally catch up with the Osprey on my 4th attempt, a ringed juvenile hatched in Scotland this year, and hopefully it may stay around for a little bit longer.
A Kingfisher and at least 4 Common Sandpiper were also seen on the Meadow while a Sparrowhawk soared overhead amongst good numbers of House Martins (100+) and Swallows.
I carried on my walk up to Saltram House to have a look for the Yellow Wagtails amongst the cattle herd nearby, at first there was no sign of any birds at all but eventually I found a few Pied Wagtails hidden in the grass and then a Yellow Wagtail which flew up into a dead tree to preen for a few minutes before disappearing back down into the grass. There may have been a second bird present but I couldn't be sure with viewing difficult due to distance and the Wagtails being mostly obscured as they flitted about and fed in the grass.
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