The long term weather forecast was looking good but as the day drew nearer it began to change as usual and strong easterly winds were forecasted. Needless to say the winds on the day were indeed strong and the trip was subsequently cancelled but never mind.
A weekend visit to Brixham in August would not be my first choice but we headed off on the train and bus anyway on Saturday 16th August, it was a windy and overcast but warm morning although the sun did eventually appear from behind the clouds.
On arriving in Brixham we walked up to Berry Head for some lunch in The Guardroom and then a look about around the fort complex. There were no Guillemots on the cliffs and a look for Autumn Lady's-Tresses drew a blank but it was good to see plenty of Autumn Squill in flower.
Autumn Squill
Autumn Squill
I had a few brief views of Common Dolphins on a look about offshore from the lighthouse, the sea was choppy and they were being very unobtrusive at the surface. A few Manx Shearwater were picked up too amongst the Gannets and Kittiwakes flying about and so I decided to head down into the quarry for a better look.
Berry Head Quarry
From the quarry I had better views of the Manx Shearwaters, I tried to find a Balearic/Mediterranean Shearwater amongst them but failed. I did however pick up an Arctic Skua, unfortunately distant and I had no scope with me but it flew up off the sea and above the skyline to harass 3 Kittiwakes flying past and flashing its pale underparts as it did so before it returned to rest on the sea. Shortly afterwards I picked up a Pomarine Skua closer in and moving west, another pale phase bird with a bulkier looking build and more languid flight than the Arctic Skua just seen. It suddenly changed gear and flew more swiftly towards a nearby adult Herring Gull, it was noticably a little smaller than the Herring Gull which it briefly harassed before carrying on its way and out of sight.
With the boat trip cancelled I returned to the quarry the following day for another look about, it was still very windy although it did start to ease a little as the morning wore on. There were Gannets and Kittiwakes again offshore but they were mostly distant with the Gannets busily diving away in feeding flocks. A few distant small Shearwaters were noted too while closer to shore Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls and 2 Fulmar were seen. Another distant Arctic Skua was picked up again, a pale phased bird heading purposefully out towards the feeding flocks before being lost to view.
With offshore viewing difficult in the wind, sunshine and choppy seas I decided to spend some time looking around the quarry itself and was very pleased to find a Small Blue, 2 Clouded Yellow, a Wall Brown and some Autumn Lady's-Tresses.
Small Blue
Small Blue
Clouded Yellow
Wall Brown
Autumn Lady's-Tresses
I headed out to The Plym for a walk on Monday 18th August, it was still windy and overcast but it felt cooler and just as I caught the bus home at the end of my walk a thunder storm (with real rain!) blew in.
I caught the bus to Laira Bridge to begin my walk as news had come through that morning of a Sandwich Tern having been seen here. On arriving off the bus I quickly picked up the call of a juvenile bird and I just caught a view of it as it flew over Laira Bridge and downriver. From the bridge I watched it noisely flying around in the company of an adult bird before they both headed towards Radford Lake.
Along The Ride a flock of around 30 House Martins were feeding low over the trees out of the wind, a few Swallow were with them along with a Sand Martin which was quite tricky to keep track of amongst the swirling flock. A Sparrowhawk appeared and the flock all noisely flew up higher before returning to their low level feeding as the Sparrowhawk drifted away. Interestingly I watched 2 House Martins separately having a go at the Sand Martin while the Sparrowhawk was present and all the flock were on high alert.
It was coming up to high tide when I arrived at Blaxton Meadow, it was to be a low high tide and there was plenty of mud and plenty of birds on show here. Along with Redshanks there were 28 Curlew (1 with yellow leg flags), 2 Oystercatcher, a Whimbrel, 8 Greenshank, a summer plumaged Turnstone, 4 Dunlin and 8 Ringed Plover present but more interestingly there was a juvenile Great Crested Grebe fishing away in the small pool by the sluice gates. Also seen here was a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull, a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull and a high count of 25 Little Egrets.
Other highlights on my walk were a 5 Mute Swan, 2 Common Sandpiper and 3 Shag along the river, the female Red-crested Pochard on the duck pond with a Brown Rat skulking amongst the pondside rocks and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Coal Tit, a male Stonechat, 2 Whitethroat and a Clouded Yellow around the Park.
Mute Swans
Brown Rat
Clouded Yellow
With rain in the forecast (at last!) for Tuesday 19th August but not due to arrive until lunchtime I caught the early (6:30am) bus to Wembury for a walk. Unfortunately the rain arrived not long after I stepped off the bus at Wembury and by the time I caught the next bus home I was well and truly soaked through. I was pleased with the rain as we really need it but I wouldn't have gone out if the forecast had been correct in the first place, I don't mind crap weather but I do mind crap weather forecasting.
Anyway, I did see a few birds despite the rain and of note were a raft of around 300 Kittiwake on the sea just off The Mewstone, a few started to fly off east but most stayed around The Mewstone during my visit with some roosting on the western end. Also of note were at least 36 Ringed Plover along the beach, they were vocal and mobile and feeding with 2 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, a Whimbrel and a Curlew. The usual mobile Mediterranean Gulls were also present out on the rocks while 2 Wheatear along the footpath were a good find and despite the weather I did see a single Meadow Brown.
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