A Dartmoor Walk

Sunday 23rd October was a total contrast with sunny skies and no breeze and so we headed up to Shipley Bridge on Dartmoor for a walk up to the Avon Dam and back. Unfortunately with it being a Sunday and a nice day it was very busy with walkers, not helped with it being half-term holiday time, but we managed to get a (free) parking space along the road and as we headed up the valley the crowds thinned somewhat and we ended up having a very pleasant walk. 

It was quite warm in the sunshine and a sounder of Pigs were very much enjoying snuffling away in the vegetation and having a snooze, oblivious to the people passing by. 

A very content Pig

Piggy Dreams

There were good numbers of Fieldfare flying around and occasionally perching up in the trees but only a few Redwing were seen along with a Song Thrush and the usual Blackbirds. 

Fieldfares

The thrushes I really wanted to see were Ring Ouzels and with reports of over 20  being present the previous day I kept my eyes open for them and managed to see quite a few across the hillsides. However they were quite mobile and flighty and remained distant, maybe due to the number of people around, and I didn't take my scope out with me but I had some fairly decent views. The most I saw at any one time were 4 but there were obviously many more present on site. 

Ring Ouzel

Ring Ouzels

Water was flowing over the dam this time and a female type Black Redstart was flitting about on the dam wall and catching the flies buzzing around in the warm weather. 

Avon Dam

Black Redstart

A Kestrel and 2 Buzzards were seen overhead but the highlight was a ring-tail Hen Harrier hunting distantly over the hills, it flew along the ridge line flushing small birds (Meadow Pipits?) but was unsuccessful before flying across the valley and disappearing from view, only my second ever Devon Hen Harrier after my first here at the Avon Dam in 2001!