A Wembury Wryneck

Monday 28th August was the Bank Holiday and my first non-working one. I'm not really sure what you're supposed to do on Bank Holidays as I'm usually at work but it just felt like another boring Sunday after a usual boring Sunday.

Anyway I did head out for a quick walk along The Plym for something to do, it was very quiet but I did finally see my first Plym Black-tailed Godwit of the year on Blaxton Meadow as the tide came in along with a Kingfisher, 8 Greenshank and 25 Curlew while Blackcap, Swallow, Ring-necked Parakeet and a Common Darter were seen in the park.

Common Darter, Saltram Park

Waking up on Thursday 31st August and it was as grotty as forecasted, grey and wet but mild and with just a light breeze and as I really needed to get out and about I donned my waterproofs and caught the bus to Wembury for a walk. However within 20 minutes of arriving off the bus at Wembury the rain stopped and the sun occassionally appeared from behind the clouds and fortunately for me it didn't start raining again until I was heading back to Plymouth.

The tide was heading out but there were still waders feeding along the beach including 2 Redshanks, my first at Wembury this year. A surprise was a flock of 13 Knot which dropped in onto the rocks for a quick rest and a preen before continuing on west. Also present were 2 Whimbrel, a Curlew, 4 Sanderling, 4+Dunlin, 4+Ringed Plover, Turnstones and Oystercatchers and amongst the roosting Gulls were 4 Mediterranean Gulls (3 juveniles).

Knot

Knot

A big surprise was a cracking Wryneck which I found in the radar station compound at The Point, unfortunately there is no access here so views were from the perimeter fence only but I managed some brief and distant views and I was very pleased to have self found my third one here at Wembury. It has been a while since I last saw a Wryneck and I had forgotten how small they are, how exquisitely marked they are and also how mobile and elusive they can be!

Wryneck - honest!

Also present here were 2 juvenile Green Woodpeckers and a Wheatear and I was struck by how interesting the habitat is here, I never visit this area and only did so today because I thought I saw 2 Stock Doves fly over and land here and went to check it out - no Stock Doves were found but a Wryneck was more than adequate compensation!

Wryneck Habitat, Wembury Point

Also of note were a juvenile Peregrine which was buzzing back and forth along the beach as it practised its hunting skills, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats flitting about in the brambles and a few Red Admirals feeding on Ivy flowers in the sunny periods.

Red Admiral

It was warm, humid and cloudy on Friday 1st September as I headed out to Wembury again although the cloud did eventually clear and it became a hot and sunny day, the warmest day we've had for some time. It was high tide when I arrived at The Point and a very high, high tide which left very little beach uncovered but assorted waders were still present - 2 Whimbrel, 2 Sanderling, 2 Curlew, 3 Ringed Plover, a Redshank, Turnstones, 10 Dunlin. Oystercatchers and a Common Sandpiper. Also present were a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 38 Mallard and 3 Little Egret.

Sanderling

I had a look again for the Wryneck but there was, as expected, no sign of it but I did find a very smart Tree Pipit, only my second sighting of one this year and a delight to watch as it regularly pumped its tail as it perched in a tree. I also found 2 Stock Doves, presumably the pair from yesterday!

Tree Pipit

A Wheatear, a Green and a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Sparrowhawk, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth, a Hornet Robberfly and a Common Lizard were also of note.

Hornet Robberfly with prey

Saturday 2nd September was warm and sunny too and with a high tide at 08:20hrs I headed out to The Plym for a look about. It was a very high tide again and Blaxton Meadow was totally flooded but 25 Curlew, 2 Common Sandpiper and 8 Greenshank were trying to roost with 2 Black-tailed Godwit and Redshanks.

Black-tailed Godwits

Black-tailed Godwit 

Black-tailed Godwit 

Black-tailed Godwit 

It was also quiet around the Park with a Sedge Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers feeding together in a presumed family group, a Kestrel and a Collared Dove of note. A Teal was on the duck pond but there was no sign of the Red-crested Pochard.

Teal

Giant Polypore

The Plym is very slow at the moment, it was very bird packed this time last year but not so this year. However Wembury is on fire at the moment with a good run of birds being seen and as a result my Wembury year list has passed my 100 species target for the first time ever (currently it's on 101) but The Plym is only on 96. How times change but the year is not over yet!