Springtime Continues

Wednesday 10th April and a sunny but chilly morning saw us heading up to Dartmoor for a walk around Burrator Reservoir. It is Easter Holiday Hell time but it was surprisingly quiet and we had an enjoyable walk and by the time we returned to the car at the end of the walk it had become quite warm.

Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were seen and heard but there were no hirundines seen although I thought I briefly heard the chittering of a Swallow overhead. No Marsh Tits were seen either but there were Blue, Great and Coal Tits in the trees with Wren, Robin, Nuthatch, Siskin and Dunnock.

At least 3 Mistle Thrush were singing too, a pair of Goosanders were sleeping on a small island at the top end of the reservoir, a Raven mobbed a pair of Carrion Crows over the treetops, a Green Woodpecker was heard yaffling, Great Spotted Woodpeckers were heard chipping and I thought I heard a Redstart singing briefly but couldn't find it in the trees.

Also seen were 2 male Orange Tips flitting about and an Oil Beetle trundling along on the roadside verge.

Orange Tip, Burrator

Thursday 11th April and another cool and sunny morning saw us heading off to Slapton Ley for a walk, parking up near Slapton Bridge and walking to Torcross and back. Wildfowl numbers were much reduced out on the Ley but amongst the 30+ Tufted Ducks I finally caught up with the wintering adult male Scaup although the views were distant and heat hazy as it regularly dived near the opposite bank to the road. Also seen were a pair of gadwall, coots, mallards, mute swans, cormorant and great crested grebes but there was no sign of any of the recently reported Ring-necked Ducks.

Distant Scaup (left) with Tufted Duck (right)

After lunch at the Sea Breeze Cafe in Torcross we had a quick look at the Ley from the  nearby Stokeley Bay hide and I finally managed to get some distant views of the 2 male and 1 female Ring-necked Ducks busily diving for food. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were busily singing away along with Cetti's Warblers and I had a brief view of my first Swallow of the year as it flew over the roof tops at Torcross.

Walking back along the Ley to the Bridge and I managed to get some better but still distant views of the Ring-necked Ducks while Peacock Butterflys flitted about and basked in the sunshine. From the Bridge a Cetti's Warbler showed very well in the willows and as we walked up to the car a male Orange Tip flitted by.

Saturday 13th April and I decided to head out to Wembury for a walk. It was another sunny day but with a cold and brisk breeze and it made for some heavy going birding. Despite the wind I did find an Orange Tip hunkered down on a bluebell flower and the toilet block held an Early Grey and a Double-striped Pug.

Orange Tip, Wembury

Orange Tip

Orange Tip

Early Grey, Wembury

An adult Bloody-nosed Beetle and 2 larva, Ladybirds and Shield Bugs were also found lurking on the path side vegetation.

Shield Bugs, Wembury

Shield Bugs

Shield Bug

It was good to see 2 Whimbrel on the rocks at The Point with a Curlew, Oystercatchers and Mallards and offshore I picked up a Gannet heading slowly east into the wind. Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were singing away and a Mistle Thrush feeding in the upper horse fields was a nice surprise. A very pale phase buzzard flying over being mobbed by a dark phase buzzard looked very osprey-like and a Kestrel hovered over the wheat field briefly before flying off.

Whimbrel, Wembury

Stonechats, Linnets, Goldfinch, 2 male Cirl Buntings, a Song Thrush and a female Pheasant were also seen before I decided to give up and head home, enjoying a Chunk pasty for lunch from the beach cafe before catching the bus back to Plymouth.

Cirl Bunting, Wembury

And so Spring is slowly marching on despite the recent chilly weather - and I can't wait for the Summer to arrive.