Sunday 22nd October was sunny and mild but plans for a birding day out further afield were again shelved due to there being very little around to entice me away from Plymouth and so I headed out to The Plym for a walk.
It was very busy with people due to the nice weather and the start of Half Term Holiday Hell but I managed an interesting walk despite regularly being asked by passers by what I was looking at.
The tide was heading in and Blaxton Meadow was beginning to flood as the birds arrived to roost and the numbers of wintering birds are starting to increase with 15 Wigeon, 6 Snipe and 18 Dunlin now present amongst the usual Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher. A Black-tailed Godwit and a Common Sandpiper were also present but only 8 Greenshank were seen on this visit.
A Chiffchaff was seen feeding in a pine tree, giving itself away by constantly calling and 2 Firecrest did the same as they enjoyed a spat in the trees behind the bird hide before quietly melting away.
A single Roe Deer, 2 Speckled Wood, around 20 Red Admiral and a Common Darter were non-avian highlights but with the number of people out for a walk rapidly increasing it was time to head back home for some peace and quiet.
I headed off to Wembury on Monday 23rd October, I caught the 7am bus and it was pitch black as we left Plymouth but by the time I arrived at Wembury it was beginning to get light. It became a grey and breezy day but I had a very enjoyable wander about with the weather at least keeping the school holiday crowds away.
The previous day had been perfect for some vis-mig but it was too windy and cloudy today with a small flock of around 30 Woodpigeon and a group of 3 Redwing flying overhead the only signs of movement.
Offshore there were good numbers of Gannets milling about and diving for fish along with a small number of Kittiwakes. I kept a look out for any Skua action but there were none to be seen although the squabbling and chasing amongst the Kittiwakes themselves was fun to watch. Auks were flying back and forth offshore too, a bit far out to call but probably Guillemots. A Commic Tern heading west was also too far out to call.
A brief view of a tardy Wheatear before it was flushed by dog walkers was a surprise but there were at least 4 pairs of Stonechats present and they were much more confiding.
The beach was quiet too with 7 Turnstone, 2 Curlew and 3 Little Egret seen along with the usual Oystercatchers. The usual Rock Pipits, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails were also feeding on the seaweed masses along the beach, one of which contained the sad sight of a Common Dolphin corpse.
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