We have been making the most of the good weather at the moment, the humidity levels have dropped but it remains warm and sunny and we have been getting out and about.
A walk around Stoke Point on Tuesday 12th September was hot and sweaty when out of the refreshing breeze but it was as enjoyable as always. It was quiet bird wise with Kestrel and Sparrowhawk overhead and a noisy family group of 2 adult and 2 juvenile Peregrines bathing in a puddle amongst the rocks down near the shoreline of note. Good numbers of Small Copper and Wall Brown were on the wing with a flyby Clouded Yellow also seen. The highlight were 7 Yellow Wagtails feeding amongst the cattle, sadly distant views and only noticed when a Buzzard flew over and spooked them out of the long grass and up onto an overhead wire.
Wednesday 13th September was a fresher day as we headed down to Perranporth for a walk. It was a beautiful day with blue sea and skies and it was a lot quieter compared to recent years and we enjoyed the usual cooked breakfast at The Watering Hole while admiring the stunning scenery. Not much was seen on the wildlife front with a Wheatear and a Stonechat noted in the dunes, House Martins feeding overhead and the usual Trout and a male Beautiful Demoiselle along the stream the highlights.
Perranporth
Trout
Thursday 14th September and I had a very quick afternoon look around The Plym. The Great White Egrets were nowhere to be seen so have presumably moved on but I did see a Kingfisher, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker and 2 Mistle Thrush along with a Roe Deer. I had a look for Whinchat again but with no luck, I'm finding them very hard to connect with this year.
I had the moth box out in the back yard overnight on Thursday 14th September, it was a fresher night and in the morning there was only a small number of moths but I did have 2 Box Tree Moths, the first for the back yard and probably not good news for the Box growing in nearby Beaumont Park.
Box Tree Moth
Friday 15th September was a beautiful day again and with the weather forecasted to deteriorate over the next few days we decided to make the most of it and headed out for a walk from Thurlestone to Hope Cove and back. The highlight were at least 9 Yellow Wagtails feeding in amongst the cattle at South Huish Marsh with at least 3 White Wagtails and Pied Wagtails, they were as neurotic as always and flitty and mobile but lovely to watch.
Yellow Wagtail
Yellow Wagtail
A Hummingbird Hawkmoth actually landed briefly before dashing off, a Clouded Yellow whizzed by amongst numerous Large Whites, Swallows and House Martins hawked overhead and a Wheatear flitted about on the clifftop on what was a very enjoyable early autumn walk.
Hummingbird Hawkmoth
Saturday 16th September and the weather had turned, it was grey and overcast, showery and mizzley but it was still warm and humid. I was awake early anyway and despite the weather I needed to get out for a walk and decided to head out to Wembury for a look at the wader roost on the high tide which was around 7:30am.
Despite the weather and early start there was still plenty of disturbance along the beach but I did manage to see 5 Curlew, 5 Dunlin, a Knot, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Ringed Plover and 24 Turnstone along with the usual Oystercatchers. A juvenile Common Gull and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull flew east along the beach without stopping but out on the rocks and also feeding in the stubble field were around 60 Mediterranean Gulls which included 6 juveniles and at least 1 2nd winter bird. They were mobile and flighty and therefore difficult to count, one was sporting a green ring with white characters on its left leg but it was too distant to read without a scope.
A flock of around 120 House Martins flying east was an unusual sight, they were low over the water just off the main beach. A flock of 36 Mallard resting on the sea was also unusual.
Eventually I'd had enough of the weather and headed home but it had been an interesting walk to finish off an interesting and birdy week.
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