Searching for Summer Migrants

I returned to Wembury on Friday 10th April, the weather had reverted to the more usual April conditions and it was overcast and cool with a gentle breeze. I caught the 9am bus and as the morning wore on the wind picked up, the temperature dropped and rain arrived and as a result I didn't see a single butterfly, in fact the only insects I saw were a few robust Bumblebees. It was therefore a surprise to see a male Adder in the usual spot despite the lack of sunshine but there was no sign of a female this time.

Adder

I've enjoyed quite a few sightings of Adders at Wembury this spring but have yet to see a Common Lizard or Black Oil Beetle following the National Trusts path upgrade and removal of the old fencing and hedgerow. I also haven't seen a Dartford Warbler since the National Trust cleared away a lot of Gorse in their usual breeding territory but apparently this is all so-called conservation management. At least the Green Hairstreaks are still present in their usual area following yet more Gorse clearance by the National Trust but there were none seen today in the chilly conditions.

The usual birds were seen and heard along my walk with at least 3 Whitethroats still present and singing away and 2 Swallows seen flying overhead and heading west. The highlight though were 2 White Wagtails feeding along the beach amongst the Pied Wagtails, a male and a female bird with the female showing a less demarcated line between the black head and light grey back than the male.

White Wagtail

White Wagtail

White Wagtail

White Wagtail

I had a quick walk along The Plym on Saturday 11th April, starting at Laira Bridge and finishing at Marsh Mills. It was mostly sunny but cool and breezy and again not a single butterfly was seen along my walk. All the usual birds were present though with Blackcap and Chiffchaff heard singing away and a single Swallow seen flying north overhead.

It was coming up to a high neap tide but Blaxton Meadow had even less water in it than on my visit on Monday and only Shelduck, Canada Geese, a Little Egret and Gulls were present roosting out on the mud with Redshanks and 6 Greenshanks choosing to roost on The Embankment on the opposite side of the river. 

Blaxton Meadow on the high tide - a thoroughly depressing sight

Blaxton Meadow

A single Curlew was present on the mudflats near the gas pipe along with 13 Oystercatchers and 2 Common Sandpipers,  the Curlew had a yellow leg flag on its left leg but it was too far away to read the code, presumably it is the headstarted Dartmoor bird J7 that is a frequent sighting along The Plym. It's ironic that the "habitat improvement" being undertaken by the National Trust on Blaxton Meadow to create saltmarsh for endangered Curlews has seen them vacate the site and the headstarted bird pushed off the Meadow to roost along the nearby river.

I had planned a quiet day for Monday 13th April but on waking up in the morning the sun was shining and so I caught the 9am bus out to Wembury for a quick walk. It was a beautiful morning and by midday had become very warm, helped in part by the recent cold and brisk wind having abated, and I had an enjoyable walk.

Wembury - Just Gorgeous

As the bus headed down into Wembury village I was pleased to see 4 House Martins over the rooftops, my first of the year, and along my walk other summer migrants seen or heard were 2 Sandwich Tern, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, 4 Swallows, a Whimbrel and Chiffchaffs. Also of note were 4 Red-legged Partridge feeding in the sheep field.

Stonechat

The warm sunshine brought out the insects too and I saw my first Orange-tips of the year along with Peacock, 2 Speckled Wood, 2 Red Admiral, a Holly Blue and 2 Green Hairstreaks. The female Adder was sunning herself in the usual spot but I again failed to find any Common Lizards, Black Oil Beetles or Dartford Warblers.

Orange-tip

Green Hairstreak

Adder

Adder

St.Marks Fly

Easter in Hampshire and a Mini Heatwave

It was off to Andover in Hampshire on Thursday 2nd April (Maundy Thursday) to meet up with my Mum and Sister for a few days away over the Easter break to celebrate my Mums 80th Birthday. The weather wasn't kind and it was cool, breezy, mostly overcast and damp but we had an enjoyable time and I had a few interesting wildlife sightings along the way.

"King Arthurs" Round Table, Winchester

The highlight was a sighting of a Brook Lamprey while out walking my sisters rescue dog Morse at Anton Lakes, it was swimming around in the gravel in the crystal clear water of the River Test and at first I thought it was an Eel before I saw it  moving small stones around with its suckered mouth, unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me! 

A close runner up though for the sighting of the trip were at least 3 Spotted Bee-fly seen while on another dog walk at Danebury Fort, they were buzzing around Primrose flowers in brief sunny spells while a Violet Oil Bettle was also seen bimbling along nearby.

Spotted Bee-fly

It was too chilly for a single butterfly sighting on our visit but it was great to  regularly see Red Kites soaring overhead and also to see plenty of Cowslip in flower and I was pleased to hear a Cetti's Warbler calling away on yet another dog walk at Rooksbury Mill.

We drove back to Plymouth on Easter Sunday 5th April and expected a nightmare journey along the A303 but the road was pretty clear, even around Stonehenge, and along the way I saw more Red Kites and a Roe Deer and sadly lots of road kill consisting of mostly Badgers, Deer and Pheasants.

Easter Monday 6th April was sunny but cool and breezy as I headed out to The Plym for a walk. It was high tide but Blaxton Meadow was virtually (and depressingly) waterless as usual although there were birds present and including 8 Greenshank, 3 Curlew, an Oystercatcher, Redshanks, 5 Black-headed Gulls and 2 very dark-backed adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls presumably of the Larus fuscus fuscus race.

At the duck pond the pair of Red-crested Pochard were present with the female looking much more relaxed around the male, maybe we will have baby Red-crested Pochards later in the year. It was lovely to see 3 Swallows flitting about overhead, my first for The Plym this year, and a female Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen in a nearby tree.

Red-crested Pochard

Other sightings of note were 4 Roe Deer (1 male), 4+ Linnet, a pair of Grey Wagtail, 2 Kingfisher, a Common Sandpiper, a female Brimstone and a Coal Tit.

Canada Geese

I headed out to Wembury on the 7am bus on Tuesday 7th April, it was a sunny day but there was a strong easterly wind, stronger than I had expected, and as a result the birding was a little heavy going. 

Along the beach I inadvertently flushed a roosting flock of Gulls when I peered over the cliff top, all were variously aged Herring Gulls except for an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull with very yellow legs and a very black back and presumably another fuscus type. Also along the beach were the usual Oystercatchers with 3 Little Egret, 3 male Mallard and 9 Turnstone.

I picked up 2 Swallows coming in off the sea with a further 5 seen heading east along the coast, 3 Sand Martins were also seen overhead and heading inland.

I had taken my scope with me in the hope of some offshore action and even though the winds were stronger than forecasted I had a good seawatch (for Wembury). The highlight were 3 flocks of Common Scoter (7, 12 and 8) all heading east, a high count for Wembury, and amongst the Gannets and Fulmars flying about were a few Manx Shearwaters, Auks and Kittiwakes although all were mostly distant. I also had a brief view of a Common Dolphin fin breaking the surface but in the choppy seas I failed to refind it or any others.

A male Brimstone flitted past me in the relative  shelter of the valley to the beach and an Adder was again sunning itself in the usual spot and presumably the same one I've seen on my previous visits.

Adder

With a Hoopoe being seen at Heybrook Bay in the afternoon after I had returned home and a weather forecast later that evening of a hot and sunny day to come I decided to revisit Wembury to have a look for it on Wednesday 8th April. Needless to say there was no sight or sound of the Hoopoe but it was a very hot and sunny day as forecasted and unlike the previous day there wasn't a breath of wind and I had a very interesting walk.

A Whimbrel roosting on the rocks amongst the Oystercatchers started things off well swiftly followed by a Peregrine seen perched up high on The Mewstone before it launched itself after a passing Woodpigeon which somehow managed to evade being caught. There were at least 4 Whitethroats singing away too, presumably fresh in overnight, and a Swallow was seen coming in off the sea. Offshore was much quieter than yesterday but at least 15 Manx Shearwater were picked up moving east and 4 Common Scoter flew west. At least 3 Common Dolphins were seen leaping out of the water before disappearing behind The Mewstone and at least 6 Harbour Porpoise were seen moving west and doing their usual blink and you'll miss it surface rolls.

Butterflies were on the wing in the heat and sunshine with a Wall Brown, a Small White, a Comma, a Speckled Wood, a Holly Blue and Peacocks seen but the best were at least 3 Green Hairstreaks, my earliest ever sighting of them and thankfully seen flitting about in the Gorse bushes in their usual spot despite The National Trusts clearance work.

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

The Adder was in the usual place and enjoying the sunshine but today she was joined by an amorous male and I watched spellbound as the male entwined around the female although she didn't seem very receptive to his advances. The views were unfortunately obscured by the vegetation and so I quietly moved away and left them to it.

Adders

Adders

Flowering Pear Tree - not a Plymouth Pear