Local Wildlife

It feels quite autumnal at the moment with the weather having turned from hot and sunny to wet and breezy and leaving behind a lot of brown and scorched vegetation in its wake. However it still remains warm and humid and so with a high tide at around 06:30hrs on Monday 17th July I caught the 07:00hrs bus to Wembury for a look at the wader roost in the hope that there would be some autumnal waders present. Unfortunately that was not the case and there were only 2 Curlew, 2 Little Egret and a summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull present along with the usual Oystercatchers but it was an enjoyable morning out anyway.

Gorgeous Wembury

It was mostly sunny with occassional cloudy spells and a hint of drizzle in the breeze but the air was clear and it smelt fresh. I took my telescope out with me, something I haven't been doing much due to my ongoing back pain issues and despite being sore by the end of my walk I was glad to have had it with me as offshore I saw my first ever Wembury Common Dolphins! They were just out past The Mewstone and were attracting the attentions of Gannets but they were very unobtrusive and difficult to view amongst the waves as they broke the water surface quickly and briefly.

Also offshore were the usual Fulmars, Herring Gulls, Shags, Cormorants and Great Black-backed Gulls but with the scope I picked up 3 male Common Scoters and a Manx Shearwater heading west. I also found 2 Auks sat on the sea together, one was noticeably smaller than the other so presumably a young bird with its parent but they were too far out to confidently ID although I think they were Razorbills.

It was quiet on land too but Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat and Cirl Bunting were all still singing away and 2 Raven, 2 Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, a Swallow and House Martins were seen overhead.

There were plenty of butterflies about too with a Comma and 2 Wall Brown making first for the year appearances at Wembury. There were also 2 Marbled White at The Point but only 2 Small Skippers and it was nice to see some mint fresh Peacocks on the wing. 

Wall Brown

Peacock

One or possibly 2 Hummingbird Hawkmoths were nectaring on Valerian flowers and Six Spot Burnett were on the wing with a mating pair seen. An interesting sighting was of 2 Ectophasia crassipinnis, a parasitic fly from Southern Europe that is starting to be recorded more frequently in the UK.

Ectophasia crassipinnis

David duly arrived and we enjoyed a pasty lunch and a coffee while admiring the views from the main beach where there were Bee-Wolfs buzzing around before it was time to head off home, a very enjoyable morning out indeed.

Bee-wolf

I had the moth box out in the back yard that night but the next morning it was a little disappointing with just 7 moths of 5 species present - Large Yellow Underwing, Uncertain/Rustic, Knot Grass, Garden Grass Veneer and 3 Light Brown Apple Moths.

Wednesday 19th July was forecast to be a mostly sunny day and so we headed over to Cawsands on the ferry from The Barbican for a beach day. It was very pleasant with occassional clouds rolling over the sun keeping temperatures more bearable and we had a relaxing time.

There were good numbers of butterflies flitting about and enjoying the Buddleia flowers which included Silver-washed Fritillary and Comma and also a single Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

Silver-washed Fritillary

Out on the rocks off Sandways Beach were a group of around 30 adult Mediterranean Gulls moulting out of summer plumage and including around 5 juveniles. A pair of adult Sandwich Tern with a juvenile and a Common Sandpiper were also present.

Thursday 20th July saw me heading out to the edge of Dartmoor for a walk, it was mostly cloudy but with some warm and sunny spells and I managed to eventually find Graylings but in a different area than I usually see them.

Grayling

Grayling

Grayling

A Silver-washed Fritillary was also seen along with a Hornet Robberfly but the highlight were a pair of Dartford Warbler with the male regularly singing.

Silver-washed Fritillary 

Hornet Robberfly

Dodder

Dodder

Willow Warbler

Yellowhammer

Glad I'm not a Dartmoor Pony!

David duly arrived in the car and we headed off to The Garden House for lunch and a look around the gardens, somewhere we haven't visited for quite a few years now and it was interesting to see how much it has grown and matured.

At least 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries were seen flitting about amongst the Gatekeepers, Small Whites, Ringlets, Meadow Browns, Peacocks, Red Admirals and Large Whites along with 2 Common Darter buzzing around the pond in the arboretum and a lone Small Skipper resting on a flower.

Silver-washed Fritillary and Peacock

Common Darter

Small Skipper

To finish the week off I headed out to the River Plym on Friday 21st July for a look at the high tide roost on Blaxton Meadow. It was quiet as expected but waders are beginning to return from their breeding grounds with 8 Greenshank, 18 Curlew, 2 Oystercatcher and around 100 Redshank present. A juvenile Shelduck was out on the water and the female Red Crested Pochard flew downriver before changing her mind and flying back up towards Marsh Mills.

It was quiet around the Park too but 4 Kestrels hovering over Chelson Meadow were a nice sighting, presumably a family party, and good numbers of Swallows were hawking insects overhead with the adults feeding their fledglings in midair.

A Comma, 2 Holly Blue, a Green-veined White and 2 Small Skipper were also noted amongst the usual butterflies and a very smart looking Roe Deer showed well before running off into cover.

All in all an interesting week of wildlife and all within around a 10 miles radius from home.