Wednesday 4th January was grey and breezy but dry and so we had our Boxing Day Walk Day and headed up to Dartmoor for a wander around Burrator Reservoir where at least it was relatively dry and not too muddy underfoot following all the recent heavy rain.
The Reservoir was full to the brim with water gushing over the dam, something we haven't seen for quite some time now.
Burrator Reservoir Dam
The highlight of the walk was a male Crossbill singing away in the top of a tree despite the wind and overcast sky, a beautiful and mournful sound but very distinctive. It showed very well with its pale red rump almost glowing in the dull light and it was eventually joined by a female before both flew off over the trees.
Very little else was seen on the walk with a single female Siskin, a Goldcrest and 3 Long-tailed Tit found along with Coal Tit, Chaffinch and Robin while out on the water 5 Cormorant, Mallard, Herring Gull and the long staying white feral goose were seen.
Thursday 5th January and I finally got out for my first proper birding day of the New Year with a walk along The Plym and around Saltram. It was overcast and breezy with occasional mizzle but I managed to see 60 species of birds with a bit of effort, not a bad haul.
The Grey Plover was still present on Blaxton Meadow along with 5 Turnstone, 5 Greenshank and the usual waders. The 2 male Red-breasted Merganser were also still present out on the river with 7 Goosander (3 male, 4 female) while on the duck pond the female Red-crested Pochard was still present with 9 Mandarin Ducks (6 males).
Other highlights included a Kingfisher diving for fish in the ditch below the bird hide, a Mistle Thrush singing away at the top of a bare tree, 2 noisy Ravens flying over, a Peregrine causing complete panic amongst the Dunlin roosting on Blaxton Meadow as it unsuccessfully stooped amongst them and around 24 nervous and flitty Redwing feeding on Ivy berries amongst the trees.
Friday 6th January was earmarked for a Wembury walk but the thought of negotiating the muddy footpath after all the recent rain really didn't appeal to me and with a Laughing Gull being found at Beesands Ley I decided to visit there instead. I caught the early bus out to Torcross, arriving at around 9:15am and walked along the cliiftop and beach to Beesands for a look about.
Quite a few birders were present but there had been no sighting of the Gull although the presumed returning male Ring-necked Duck showed very well out on the Ley amongst the Tufted Ducks while Cettis Warblers and Water Rail were heard in the Leyside vegetation.
After an hour with no sighting of the Gull I decided to head back to Slapton Ley for a look about instead, walking back along the beach and clifftop towards Torcross. I scanned across the sea from the cliff top footpath wending down to the village and found a female Common Scoter close in to the beach and set my scope up for a better look. I also scanned through the assorted Gulls roosting along the beach nearby through my scope and was very pleased to find the Laughing Gull amongst them - result!
Laughing Gull, Slapton
Laughing Gull
Laughing Gull with Black-headed Gull
Laughing Gull
I put out the news on the What's App group before walking along the Ley towards the roosting Gulls where I enjoyed some great views of the Laughing Gull before the birding hordes arrived, a smart looking bird and quite distinctive and my second ever sighting of one in the UK after my first in Brixham back in 2006.
Laughing Gull
Eventually the Gulls were disturbed by people on the beach and the Laughing Gull flew off towards Beesands along with most of the other Gulls but I was pleased to have caught up with it.
I had a scan offshore and found a Great Northern Diver, a Guillemot, a few Gannet, 2 Red-throated Diver and a distant flock of around 40 Common Scoter while on a scan of Slapton Ley it was good to see 2 male and 3 female Goldeneye with one of the males busily displaying.
Black-headed Gulls, Coot and Tufted Duck, Slapton Ley
I then met up with David at Torcross and we drove back to Beesands for some lunch at The Brittania Cafe and before driving back to Plymouth after finishing our meal the Laughing Gull was again seen flying up and down the beach and feeding on a dead fish amongst the pebbles as the forecasted rain duly arrived.
Laughing Gull, Beesands
A rainy Beesands Ley
A good start to the year and my second good Gull sighting of the year too, let's hope it continues!
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