Pre-Lock-Down Dipping

My year list currently stands at 199, quite an achievement for me in any year but a surprise this year considering the COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place for some of it.

Wednesday 4th November was a glorious day with clear blue skies, no breeze, sunshine and an early morning frost and I wanted to have a good day out as we start another 4 week lock down tomorrow. And I also wanted to try and reach the magic 200 for my year list before the lock down starts. 

I decided to visit the River Exe, starting at Exmouth to look for an American Wigeon amongst the Eurasian Wigeon flock. The tide was just starting to ebb and out on the water and close to the path was a mass of birds - Wigeon, Brent Geese, Pintail, Mallard, Shelduck, Teal and Mute Swan - but try as I might I couldn't find the American Wigeon amongst them. As the tide receded the birds began moving out to the mudflats and flying upriver to feed and eventually it was time to call it a day and head on to Dawlish Warren.

Brent Geese and Wigeon, Exmouth

It was much quieter at Dawlish Warren on arriving there than it had been on my last visit during Half Term Holiday Hell and with the tide low I concentrated my efforts in the bushes and woodland to look for a reported Yellow-browed Warbler. Needless to say I didn't see or hear it but it was pleasant wandering around in the warm sunshine.

6 Swallow flying east were a surprise while at least 4 Chiffchaff feeding in the bushes were not so much. A pair of Shoveler, a Little Grebe, Moorhen and a feral male Mallard with a female were on the Main Pond and a Water Rail was heard squealing with another bird seen briefly dashing across a gap in the reeds, my first Water Rail sighting of the year after hearing them just about everywhere this year.

Male Shoveler, Dawlish Warren

A Goldcrest, 2 Great-spotted Woodpecker, Coal, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Stonechat and Goldfinch were also seen with flyover Shelduck, Cormorant, Meadow Pipit and a few Woodpigeon.

A nice day out despite the double dip and a year list still on 199 before a 4 week lock down in November but there's still time yet - just got to get through the next couple of weeks as life goes back to eat, sleep, work, limited birding and repeat, such fun.

Wet and Windy Dipping Week Off Work

With a week of annual leave I had plans for some birding trips but the weather pretty much put paid to this with rain and very strong winds courtesy of Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis.

Monday 10th February saw us heading down to Padstow in Cornwall for an overnight stay with the plan being to firstly have a walk along the coast at nearby Trevose Head. However it was incredibly windy with squally hail and rain showers following Storm Ciaras arrival the day before and while David stayed in the car I braved the elements. I managed 30 minutes before giving up and returning to the car, struggling to stay upright on the muddy paths and in the strong winds and getting soaked in the process. I did see a lone gannet offshore struggling in the gales and a few rooks and skylarks in the fields but frustratingly I did see a bunting species fly up from a stubble field with a few skylarks before it disappeared from sight like a bullet from a gun as it shot across the headland in the wind. It gave a difficult to hear twittering call as it flew up from the stubble but with snow and Lapland buntings being seen here recently and being unfamiliar with either of their calls I wasn't sure what it was - probably a Lapland bunting but I didn't get any plumage details on it either, very frustrating indeed.

A Bonapartes Gull had been found at Padstow on Sunday 9th February and so I kept a look out for it during our stay there but without any luck. I did see a noticeably smaller gull than nearby black-headed gulls feeding out on the Doom Bar as the tide receded on Tuesday 11th February but it was too far away to get much on it other than its smaller size and I think it was probably just a runty black-headed gull rather than the Bonapartes gull.

It was onwards to Bude for the day on Tuesday 11th February before returning to Plymouth but the weather was still wet and windy and so I gave Maer Lake and Lower Tamar Lake a miss but I did hear 2 male blackcaps quietly singing in cover in a sheltered area at a garden centre in Wadebridge along the way.

Wednesday 12th February was dry and calm with rain forecast for later in the afternoon and so I headed off to Wacker Quay on the River Lynher near Torpoint for a look around and the hope of seeing spoonbill and spotted redshank being reported here this winter. On arriving the tide was just starting to ebb out but as expected there was no sign of either spoonbill or spotted redshank. I did see 2 great northern divers downriver near the naval school along with quite a few great crested grebes plus the usual teal, wigeon, shelduck and mallard.  Also 2 greenshank were roosting together with redshank, curlew and lapwing and a flock of 12 knot and 6 grey plover flew in to feed on the exposed mudflats.

I returned to Torpoint to have a look off Marine Drive and immediately picked up a flick of 7 pale bellied brent geese feeding out on the mudflats with around 200 dunlin, 3 turnstone, oystercatcher, redshank and curlew.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese, Marine Drive, Torpoint

Pale-bellied Brent Geese

Pale-bellied Brent Geese with Common Gull and Mediterranean Gull

Great crested grebes were diving for fish along with a little grebe and a pair of red breasted mergansers and 2 immature male and a female eider were a surprise sighting too. 2 adult Mediterranean gulls were roosting out on the mud amongst the common gulls but with the rain beginning to arrive it was time to head back home.

Thursday 13th February was very windy but dry and we headed off to Exeter for the day before an overnight stay at Exeter Airport. The airport hotel was originally booked before our early morning flight to Edinburgh last November but was not needed when Flybe cancelled the flight and rebooked us on the afternoon flight instead. The hotel was non-refundable but we were able to change the date hence our journey there for the night.

Friday 14th February was calm and dry and after our stay at the airport we travelled onwards to Topsham for me to have some birdwatching time and for David to look around the antiques shops. The tide was ebbing out when I arrived at the hide at Bowling Green Marsh and with the long-billed dowitcher having been reported there that morning I was hopeful of catching up with it at last. However there was no sign of it yet again but I did see 2 greenshank, 2 greylag geese, a male and female tufted duck, a little grebe and 3 male and 2 female pochard amongst the usual waders and wildfowl.

Shoveler and Wigeon, Bowling Green Marsh

Wigeon, Shoveler and Moorhen, Bowling Green Marsh

Stock dove, buzzard, redwing, great spotted woodpecker and a pair of stonechat were also noted before we had a walk over to nearby Darts Farm for lunch where I saw a few more redwings with some fieldfares from the bird hide. Time was marching on and it was soon time to head back home to Plymouth on the train as the gales and rain arrived yet again on what has been mostly a wet, windy and dippy week of birding.

River Exe and Wembury Revisited

Tuesday the 4th February was dry and sunny but with a strong wind and so I decided to visit Exminster Marshes to look for the elusive Long-billed Dowitcher which had recently been seen there along with a reported ruff and spotted redshank. Needless to say there was no sign of the Dowitcher again nor the spotted redshank but the ruff showed very well.

Ruff, Exminster Marsh

The birds on the Marsh were very skittish and flighty due to the attentions of a Peregrine buzzing about but I did see a nice selection of waders and wildfowl - curlew, redshank, dunlin, lapwing, golden plover and black-tailed godwit along with wigeon, teal, pintail, shoveler and mallard.

A few Redwing were feeding in the fields and a vocal chiffchaff showed well in the hedgerow while a snow goose was feeding out on the Marsh  amongst the large numbers of Canada geese.

Redwing, Exminster Marsh

Before catching the train back to Plymouth from Starcross I walked down to Cockwood for a scan of the River Exe on the ebbing tide but there was still no sign of the red-necked grebe nor Herbert the Slavonian grebe but male red-breasted mergansers were displaying to the females and the male and 2 female Goldeneye seen on Saturday were still busily diving close to the sea wall.

It was also nice to see good numbers of Brent Geese feeding on the golf course close to the road at Starcross on the walk back from Cockwood to the train station.

Brent Geese, Starcross

Brent Geese, Starcross

Brent Geese, Starcross

Saturday 8th February was dry and sunny too and so I caught the bus out to Wembury for a walk. I had hoped to refind the water pipit but there was too much disturbance from walkers with dogs and eventually I had to give up searching through the mobile and flighty meadow pipits and rock pipits feeding on the seaweed masses along the beach - a sunny Saturday in February on the low tide is not a good time for birding.

 Robin, Wembury

Meadow Pipit, Wembury

I did get to finally see my first kestrel of the year (they really are becoming quite scarce now) and it was good to see a small flock of flighty cirl buntings in the stubble fields including a couple of singing males. The gull roost out on the rocks included 2 adult winter plumaged Mediterranean gulls and an adult lesser black-backed gull along with a curlew, a little egret, 2 male and a female mallard and oystercatchers while offshore 2 gannets and a few fulmars were noted.

 Cirl Bunting, Wembury

Violet Sp., Wembury

An Early House Martin

Wednesday 27th February and the continuing unseasonal warm and sunny weather saw us head off for a walk at Lopwell Dam near Plymouth. We stopped off first at the allotment at Pennycomequick to pick some parsnips for tea and while digging them up a small tortoiseshell flew past, my first butterfly of the year. On arrival at the car park at Lopwell Dam a brimstone also flew over and on the walk I saw a few more dark butterflies whizz past but they were too quick and/or distant to confidentally ID.

The tide was beginning to recede and along the estuary 5 little grebes and a great crested grebe were seen along with curlew, redshank, shelduck, around 100 dunlin in a tight flock, little egrets, 2 common sandpipers and Canada geese.

A stock dove was cooing in the woodland while overhead at least 5 ravens were displaying and cronking with at least 5 displaying and mewing buzzards and while enjoying tea and cake on the terrace at the cafe by the dam a great spotted woodpecker was heard drumming and a grey wagtail fed along the waters edge with a pied wagtail.

There were plenty of pheasants in the fields and while driving along the road down towards the dam a single red legged partridge ran across the road. On the return journey 2 red legged partridge were seen feeding together along the verge but all are unfortunately targets for shooting parties held in the area.

Saturday 2nd March and it was time for my annual River Exe boat trip with Mavis, cancelled from last month due to the snow and ice and rescheduled for today. It was mild and sunny on arriving in Exmouth but with wind and rain forecasted for later in the day and after enjoying breakfast at The Dockers cafe we set sail along the estuary.

The usual birds were seen - curlew, redshank, dunlin, sanderling, black-tailed godwit, turnstone, bar-tailed godwit, oystercatcher, golden plover, avocet, grey plover and greenshank representing the waders and wigeon, pintail, mallard, shelduck, red-breasted merganser and teal representing the ducks with 3 immature male eiders also seen resting on the sandbanks. Herbert the Slavonian grebe showed very well in winter plumage off Cockwood and a few great crested grebes were seen along the river. Common, lesser and great black backed, herring and black headed gulls, little egrets, brent geese, cormorants and shags were also noted.

 Cormorant with Eiders, River Exe

Avocets, River Exe

 Brent Geese, River Exe

Brent Geese, River Exe

After the cruise we drove to Darts Farm at Topsham for a walk around Goosemoor to Bowling Green Marsh in increasingly cloudy skies. From the hide at Bowling Green there were plenty of ducks out on the very wet marsh where water levels were still very high - tufted duck, shoveler, teal, wigeon, pintail, shelduck, wigeon and mallard were all seen along with snipe, coot, moorhen and 3 greylag geese while redshank, curlew, black-tailed godwit, a lapwing, a knot, an avocet, dunlin and a greenshank were all seen in the high tide roost.

Shovelers, Bowling Green Marsh

Curlew, Goosemoor

With the recent warm weather summer migrants have been trickling in and I managed to pick up 2 sand martins hawking insects over the tree tops at the back of the marsh, distant views but great to see and I think my earliest ever. A third bird joined them but looked different and as it twisted and turned over the trees it showed a nice white rump and black upper parts, a house martin no less and definently my earliest ever in the UK, an unexpected but nice surprise. We watched them for a while although they remained distant and mobile before they headed towards the hide and then off towards the river never to be seen again - a nice end to a good day and just before the forecasted rain arrived.

Wintering Whimbrel at Wilcove, Torpoint

Wednesday January 30th was a cold but sunny morning with patches of hail on the ground and despite my late awakening I decided to take the bus across the River Tamar to visit Torpoint for a walk.

I arrived at Marine Drive in Torpoint at just after 11am to find the tide higher than I expected and the only waders noted were a few redshank and an oystercatcher. 2 great crested grebes were diving for fish out on the water along with a few cormorants and a small flock of Canada geese flew upriver. The overwintering brent geese which I had hoped to see were however showing very well close to shore, 4 pale bellied types that always kept together and 8 dark bellied types.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese

Pale-bellied Brent Geese

Brent Geese

Dark-bellied Brent Geese

Brent Geese

I walked on to nearby Wilcove, noting on the walk there 2 mistle thrush and a curlew feeding on the school playing fields, a small flock of linnets, chaffinches and meadow pipits in a weedy stubble field, a chiffchaff in a small wood by the roadside and a few redwing with a song thrush and blackbirds in a cow field.

At Wilcove there was still a little mud on show on the incoming tide and I found a greenshank, a black tailed godwit, a turnstone, redshank, 2 common sandpipers and a whimbrel busily feeding. The whimbrel presumably is the same bird that overwintered here last year and was a strange sight on a cold January day.

Common Sandpiper

Also noted here at Wilcove were a kingfisher, wigeon, teal (no sign of last winters green winged teal amongst them), cormorants and a noisy flyover raven.

I walked back to Marine Drive where the brent geese were again showing very well close to the shore and a noisy chiffchaff showed very well in a nearby garden before  I caught the bus back to Plymouth - a nice local walk with some good sightings as January comes to an end

Bonaparte's Gull, River Exe

A visit from Mum and Sister Vik, work and continuing family health issues have meant little recent opportunities for birding.

Monday 6th February and a grey and drizzly day meant just a quick look at Burrator reservoir with Mum and Vik but it did provide a sighting of a jay, my first of the year. The water levels were higher than on our last visit but still not high enough for water to flow over the dam.

A walk around Plymouth Hoe with them on Tuesday 7th was bright and sunny and I found 2 great northern divers close in off Tinside Pool, my first for the winter.

Wednesday 8th and with a few free hours to ourselves after Mum and Vik had returned home we took a walk around Burrator reservoir on a sunny and still day. A muscovy duck, mallards, 2 white geese, Canada geese, a male teal, a little grebe and cormorants were seen on the water while the woods held siskins, coal tits, goldcrests, blue tits and great tits with marsh tits and nuthatches seen coming to peanuts put out by photographers at the car park.

 Feral Geese, Burrator Reservoir

Feral Geese, Burrator Reservoir

Wednesday 15th February and finally a day to myself and so I headed off to Dawlish Warren on the train despite the rain.The rain began to ease as I stepped off the train at the Warren and eventually the sun appeared and it became a pleasently mild day.

Offshore it was quiet with a male common scoter close in off Langstone Rock and a great northern diver close in off Warren Point busily munching away on crabs being the highlights. At least 15 variously plumaged great crested grebes were dotted around the Bay and there were 3 distant common scoters resting offshore and an adult Mediterranean gull developing a black hood was seen flying along the seawall.

From the hide at high tide there were hundreds of dunlin with 6 ringed plovers, a sanderling, grey plover, knot, redshank, oystercatcher, turnstone, curlew and bar tailed godwit. A male reed bunting, 2 skylark, linnets and rock pipits were feeding in the salt marsh and another Mediterranean gull flew past, this one with a much more extensive black hood than the bird seen from the seawall.

As usual there were bark bellied brent geese dotted around The Bight and in the estuary along with a small flock feeding on the golf course.

 Brent Geese, Dawlish Warren Golf Course

Brent Geese

On the main pond were a summer plumaged little grebe and a pair of shoveler along with a snipe sleeping amongst the waterside vegetation.

Shoveler and Little Grebe, Dawlish Warren

I then walked over to the nearby Cockwood Steps, somewhere I haven't visited before, and on the outgoing tide I soon found a Slavonian grebe, presumably Herbert the resident bird and looking a bit scruffy as it moults into summer plumage, but later I saw a second bird looking much smarter with a bright white neck. 2 Harbour seals were hauled out on the sand bank, some distance apart from each other and both a very pale colour. A female goldeneye, red breasted mergansers, 2 little grebes and a greenshank were also seen but there was no sign of the regular wintering Bonaparte's gull which has been most regularly reported from here this winter.

Harbour Seal from Cockwood Steps

I kept scanning the gulls resting on the mudflats and flying around but there was no sign of it although there were quite a few common gulls noted. A local birding couple then arrived and within a few minutes one of them found the adult winter Bonaparte's gull resting on the mud towards Shutterton Creek, a little distant but its bubble gum pink legs, black bill, black blob behind the eye and smaller size compared to nearby black headed gulls were all noticeable.

It flew down to the waters edge and then flew off down river when disturbed by a bait digger when its white underwings lacking any dark markings under the wing tips were noted but unfortunately it landed out of sight and I never refound it. I was very pleased to see it though and all thanks to the local birder finding it - apparently it is best looked for in the afternoon downriver from the steps on a outgoing low tide - and it helps to have a better telescope than mine!

Another Spoonbill - Dawlish Warren, Devon

Since my trip to Hayle on October 30th to see the Franklin's gull I haven't done any real wildlife watching - work, weather, other commitments and a general feeling of pissed-offness and can't-be-arsed-ness have prevented me from getting out. Father-in-law is now at a rehab unit following his surgery for his broken leg but doesn't seem to be getting anywhere fast and mother-in-law goes in for a hip replacement in the next week so God only knows what we are going to do with the pair of them! A stinking cold hasn't helped matters either and moving the caravan from the camp site at Bude to a nearby storage site was quite frankly a disaster on a wet and cold and muddy day with the caravan wheel falling off on the journey (I kid you not!) and David leaving his trolley jack by the roadside (a 21st birthday present many years ago). At least sister-in-law is doing well following her stem cell transplant and is now at home recovering, early days but things are going well and at least going to work is no longer as difficult for me now that she is no longer a patient there.

I had been tempted to return to Hayle as there had been quite a few good birds found there with all those birder eyes looking for the Franklin's gull - another spoonbill, black redstart, pink footed goose, cattle egret, green winged teal and American golden plover - but even these goodies couldn't tempt me off the settee.

But with the day off to myself on Sunday 20th November and a sunny but cold day following overnight gales and rain I decided to head off to Dawlish Warren for the day, only £7.40 return on the train, a complete bargain. I really didn't fancy going but forced myself to and I was glad I did as it was an enjoyable day out and good for my blue mood.

At Langstone Rock a mass of gulls were feeding in the surf and along the beach on starfish and mussels washed up by the overnight gales - I had a good scan through the herring and black headed gulls for the elusive Bonaparte's gull which has returned again for the winter but with no luck although I did find a smart adult winter plumaged Mediterranean gull and a few great black backed gulls amongst the throng.

Herring Gull - looking like it's about to yak up after swallowing a large starfish

Heading off to The Bight on the high tide and a flock of common scoter were strung out on the water offshore, around 150 birds and all busily diving for food. A great northern diver and 2 great crested grebes were also seen and I had a distant and heat hazy view of what I think was a long tailed duck flying low over the waves before splashing down amongst the scoters and being lost from sight.

In The Bight were the usual waders roosting on the high tide - curlew, oystercatcher, grey plover, knot, dunlin, ringed plover, turnstone and sanderling - along with shelduck, wigeon, cormorant, shag and brent geese. A female goldeneye, red breasted mergansers and a great crested grebe were also busily diving along the river.

 Brent Geese in The Bight

Brent Goose

A nice surprise was an immature spoonbill roosting amongst the cormorants and shags - my 5th sighting of the year but only my 2nd for Dawlish Warren. As usual it stayed resolutely asleep, occasional waking for a 5 second preen before returning to its one legged slumbers.

 Sleeping Spoonbill - between the shags and cormorants on the left and gulls on the right

Sleeping Spoonbill - above the flapping mute swan

Walking back along the coast to the train station at Dawlish  I had a quick look at the black swans along the river and was surprised to see 3 very small cygnets with 3 adults.

Black Swan with cygnets - Dawlish

And so a nice day out and mildly restorative, I really hope my mood lifts soon.

More Dipping

Sunday 8th November and I had a quick look around Ford Park Cemetery again in between chores on what was a grey and dank and windy afternoon and again there was no sign of a yellow browed warbler. I did see 2 goldcrests, a jay and around 25 redwings before heading off home after an hours wandering around.

Monday 9th and a grey and dank and windy day again but I headed off to Exmouth on the train to have a look for the reported serin. I left Plymouth after 9am to have a lie in and to get a cheaper train ticket (£10 return instead of £20 prior to 9am). While walking from the railway station in Exmouth to the football ground where the bird has been showing I bumped in to a birder called Dave who I see sometimes at Bowling Green Marsh and he pointed me in the right direction. A few birders were already assembled by the double decker bus by the football pitch where the serin was being regularly seen but there had been no sign of the bird - and after an hour and a half I had had enough and gave up. While waiting around I did see 8 redwings fly over and 2 peregrines soaring high overhead along with chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch and pied wagtails which helped to pass the time.

I walked back towards Exmouth along Mudbank Lane and had some nice views of brent geese and pintail feeding on the mudflats and eel grass beds along with wigeon, mallard, shelduck, oystercatchers, curlews and gulls including 2 adult common gulls and an adult lesser black backed gull.

 Pintail, Brent Geese and Black Headed Gulls

 Pintails

Brent Geese (Dark Bellied)



At the Imperial recreation ground a raven gave some very close views as it eyed me up, presumably waiting to see if I had any food it could scavenge from me.

Raven



Heading home and from the train between Exeter and Dawlish I saw a green sandpiper in a drainage channel near Countess Wear, black tailed godwits and greenshanks feeding on the mudflats and red breasted mergansers and 2 Slavonian grebes on the River Exe near Cockwood.

Hopefully my dipping streak will cease very soon!

Clouded Yellows - at last!

A Wembury walk on Tuesday 15th September was still quiet in overcast skies. A chiffchaff singing at Wembury Point sounded very mournful and a few others were heard calling from cover. A lone swallow flew overhead (surely they haven't left Wembury yet?) and 2  wheatears flew off inland from the top horse field.

Offshore a few gannets were flying around but the best sighting were 14 brent geese flying east low against the waves, appearing to fly in to Plymouth Sound. There were a few sightings of brent geese along the south Cornwall coast on the same day (15 at Marazion and 16 at The Lizard), maybe they were the birds I had seen? I suspect the birds may have been pale bellied types but they were too distant and low to get any detail on (the Marazion birds were pale bellied).

Despite the overcast sky a few butterflies were on the wing, noticeably red admirals, along with a small tortoiseshell, a speckled wood and some whites, but the highlight were 3, possible 4 clouded yellows, my first of the year. They were feeding on thistles in the sheltered corner of the wheatfield but were very flighty and would land on the ground in the stubble of the wheatfield where they just seemed to disappear. Very pleased to see them though and it brings my butterfly list for the year to an amazing 36 species.

 Clouded Yellow

I also had some nice views of a dark bush cricket resting on the fence post along with a longwinged conehead and 2 small common lizards, and there was a lone flounced rustic in the toilet block but the general lack of birds was a bit disappointing.

 Dark Bush Cricket

A perfect autumn day on September 19th and I decided to head out to Wembury again, ditching my original plan to visit Dawlish Warren for the high tide roost. It was a beautiful day - warm, sunny and still - and I wasn't expecting much in the way of birds but it turned out pretty good.

 Stunning views from Wembury Point

The Mewstone, Wembury



No moths were found in the toilet block which wasn't a good start but a grey wagtail feeding on the nearby beach with a pied wagtail was nice to see. Walking along the coast path towards Wembury Point and robins were very noticeable, they seemed to be everywhere and were noisey and feisty with birds regularly seen chasing each other.

 A peregrine calling overhead alerted me to its prescence along with all the roosting gulls on the beach taking to the air. It had a bird in its talons, probably a magpie, and was constantly mobbed by 4 carrion crows as it flew over. A pair of kestrel and 4 buzzads also flew over along with 4 swallows heading east and a lone house martin over Heybrook Bay.

Wembury Point was the place to be with a good range of birds seen. A whimbrel and a common sandpiper on the beach near the sewage pipe kicked things off nicely along with a juvenile/1st winter Mediterranean gull on the nearby rocks, and roosting on the rocks below the cliffs were 9 curlew, 30 oystercatcher and 6 little egrets. A meadow pipit was feeding on the beach with rock pipits and pied- and white wagtails and a few more meadow pipits were heard calling overhead.

Juvenile/1st Winter Mediterranean Gull



Stonechats were noticeable around the old HMS Cambridge rifle range and this was where the bird of the day appeared, a first winter whinchat, flying in to the top of the brambles before being chased off by nearby stonechats. A very smart bird - nice peachy flush on the breast, pale supercilium and plain upperwings with no white markings in flight.

Also around The Point were 5+ whitethroat feeding on blackberrys, 3+ chiffchaff, and 4+ blackcap (1 male) feeding on elderberrys. 3 male cirl buntings were singing with 2 seen and another nice surprise was 1+ juvenile  Dartford warblers flitting around the brambles near a party of stonechats - very active and mobile and skulking and there were probably 2 birds present.

My usual high quality snap of a Dartford Warbler



A peacock, a small tortoiseshell, a holly blue, large white, small white, 2 speckled wood, red admirals, 2 painted lady and a clouded yellow were seen along with a rush veneer, a common carpet and a silver y.

And so a good day out at Wembury at last - a nice range of birds and buterflies, a Chunk pasty and coffee for lunch and a snooze on the beach in the sunshine - perfect!