March has finally arrived and it has come in like a lamb and not like a lion this year as the dry and sunny weather continues with warm days and clear and chilly nights. It remains to be seen what it will go out like at the end of the month though!
With a male Red-crested Pochard pitching up on the duck pond at Saltram over the weekend to join the long-staying semi-resident female bird and the female Wood Duck also reappearing I had thought about going to have a look for them on Monday 3rd March but decided to head out to Wembury for a walk instead. I wasn't feeling that great due to yet more dental problems but I dragged myself out of the house to catch the 10:05hrs bus as I really couldn't miss out on such a lovely day.
It's been a few weeks since my last visit to Wembury and quite a lot has changed during that time with repairs and vegetation clearance going on everywhere. The collapsed wall on the main beach has almost been restored to its former glory and the main paths have been trimmed back and made wider for the hordes and their dogs to descend upon them. Clearance of Gorse and Bracken has been undertaken on the hillside above the wheatfield and at The Point too but presumably now that March is here there won't be any further work.
Wembury Beach, October 2024 (L) and March 2025 (R)
Vegetation Clearance along the Footpath
It was quiet on the bird front as expected but I was very pleased to finally catch up with a pair of Dartford Warblers which showed very well as they flitted about the Gorse bushes in the company of a pair of Stonechats.
Dartford Warbler
Dartford Warbler
A showy Firecrest along the coast path was a nice find too, I seem to see more Firecrests than Goldcrests these days which is interesting but also a little worrying. Cirl Buntings were singing away, at least 3 males were heard with 2 seen, and a female Bullfinch and a Coal Tit were seen in a village garden. I also thought I heard a Cetti's Warbler calling in the valley to the beach but despite waiting around for a bit I never heard it call again to confirm. A male Kestrel at The Point was busily devouring some poor unfortunate rodent while 2 Raven called noisily overhead and around 12 Turnstone were seen feeding on the seaweed mass along the beach.
Kestrel with Mouse Sp.
By Midday I was regretting wearing my heavy winter coat but the warm sunshine meant I had sightings of my first Small Tortoiseshell and Comma of the year along with 2 Adders and 3 Common Lizards.
Small Tortoiseshell
Adders
Common Lizard
Wednesday 5th March was again a glorious day of sunny weather as we headed off to Topsham for an overnight stay. My sister had given us a Christmas gift of a Mystery Adventure/Treasure Hunt Game set in Exeter and we had planned to just take a day trip on the train to play it but then decided to stay overnight in nearby Topsham to make it more of a break away.
I checked out the tide tables to pick the best midweek days to visit Bowling Green Marsh before booking up a nights stay at The Globe in Topsham, I couldn't pick the weather but luckily managed to choose the perfect days for our visit.
The train to Topsham arrived on time at just after 11am and I headed off to the hide at Bowling Green Marsh while David wandered off to have a look around the shops. High tide was at around 10:20am and as I settled myself in at the hide there were plenty of roosting birds to be seen out on the Marsh waiting for the tide to drop. I didn't have my telescope with me, the light was harsh and it was very hazy looking into the sun but I managed to get some great sightings.
Wigeon
A Sand Martin was written up on the sightings board and sure enough as I scanned about I picked one up flitting about over the water, a definite sign that Spring is here. I also easily found the reported Spoonbill too as it slept out amongst the roosting birds before waking up and feeding along the waters edge.
Spoonbill
I scanned through the small flocks of roosting Redshank present but there was no sign of the Long-billed Dowitcher amongst them although I did find 2 Spotted Redshanks still in full winter plumage and feeding together in a small pool. A Ruff was seen too, it had been feeding out of sight below the hide but revealed itself as it flew off towards The Clyst as the other waders also began to depart the roost.
The long-staying and wandering immature male Scaup was feeding out on the water of the Marsh today along with a pair of Pochard and 4 Tufted Ducks (3 males, 1 female). The Scaup was looking smart as it continues its moult into adult plumage and the green sheen of its head was very noticeable in the sunshine.
Also of note were 2 tardy Avocets (1 was an immature bird with a white speckled, brown toned head), 3 Snipe, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a pair of Pintail, an immature male Shoveler, a Curlew, 2 Oystercatcher and a Common Gull along with the usual Teal, Wigeon, Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit. A Kestrel was patrolling about and occassionally hovering while yet another Firecrest was found in the hedgerows singing away as it moved through the branches.
Shoveler and Pintails
Wigeon
Black-tailed Godwit
Black-tailed Godwit and Wigeon
Kestrel
Grey Heron
I headed over to the viewing platform as the tide continued to drop, viewing into the hazy sunshine and misty air from here was really tricky but I did find the 2 Avocet from the Marsh feeding together along The Clyst along with 6 Grey Plover, Curlew, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit. I could hear Brent Geese calling and could just make out small skeins flying across the river from Starcross towards Lympstone but a very smart looking male Red-breasted Merganser showed very nicely out on the water right in front of the platform as it had a preen before falling asleep.
From The Goatwalk I found 9 Turnstone feeding below the walkway but the light conditions were even worse here and it was now time to meet up with David for lunch. We walked over to nearby Darts Farm, hearing a Chiffchaff and a Cettis Warbler calling in the hedgerow at Goosemoor along the way before we walked back to Topsham to check in at the hotel.
After an enjoyable stay in Topsham we headed to Exeter the following day to complete our Mystery Adventure which was interesting and quite fun - and the good weather held out until it started to rain just as we stepped off the train back in Plymouth!
Our Exeter Mystery Adventure
