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Blog
23 May 2026
Challacome and Headland farms Dartmoor
Walked around Challacombe and Headland Warren and the road in between lots to see and hear.
New one would be the Spotted Flycatcher, in fact I saw 2 darting about the trees but sadly unable to get a pic, Redstarts, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blackbirds, Song and Mistle Thrushes, Swallows, House Martins, House Sparrows, Wren, Stonechats, Jackdaws, Ravens, Buzzard, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting, Wheatear, Cuckoos and Whinchat. Finally able to get a picture too!!
With some new ones that brings the total bird species to 130 for me and still missing some common birds so need to pull my finger out!
23 May 2026
More Dragons
Around the pond at Challacombe farm plenty to see with Azure Damselfly's, Broad-bodied Chaser, Beautiful Demoiselles and along the ditch a possibility of a couple of Black-tailed Skimmers, very mobile but managed to pick up some features.
22 May 2026
More Butterflies
Went to the Warren and Aish Tor on Dartmoor today looking for more Butterflies for the list.
At the Warren I found Common Blue which is a new one as well as Red Admiral, Peacock and a worn Painted Lady, surprisingly not a lot else.
Off to Dartmoor and Aish Torr, plenty of Butterflies here with New SPB Frits as well as worn PB Frits.
Also more Painted Ladies, Green Hairstreak, Brimstone and Holly Blue.
So that's another 2 species making 24, list goes-Brimstone, Small White, Large White, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Duke of Burgundy, Glanville Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, Pearl-Bordered Fritillary, Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary, Painted Lady, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Comma, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Adonis Blue, Common Blue, Small Blue and Holy Blue.
22 May 2026
Dawlish Warren
Went to the Warren today to try and get some pictures of the Sanderling in summer plumage and to see what Butterflies were about which I will talk about in a different post.
Got to the beach and the tide was coming in, surprisingly very few humans for a sunny day?
Managed to find 6 birds on the beach running the tide, beautiful birds, always moving!
Apart from these I saw quite a few other birds in the bushes, Stonechat,Woodpigeon,Robin,Kestrel, Great,Blue and Long-tailed Tits,Chiffchaff,Wren, Blackbird,Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow,Collard Dove,Magpie,Linnet,Little Grebe, Moorhen,Blackcap,Skylarks,Reed Warbler,Herring Gull,Swallow,Cormorant, Song Thrush and Dunnock.
Nice to meet up with Steve and other Rangers.
21 May 2026
Butterflies at Compton Down
Went to Dorset today which was a nightmare of a journey due to diversions, accidents and the Devon County Show traffic.
Anyway eventually got there and the journey was worth it, I stayed on the track and didn't go on the Down as my knee was hurting and didn't want to risk it, so missed the Marsh Fritillary which were up there but did see plenty of others.
11 species seen and 4 new ones for the year which were Glanville Fritillary, Adonis Blue, Small Blue and Brown Argus.
seen where Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Brimstone, Large White, Holly Blue, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood.
So the 4 new ones makes 22 species so far which is a long way behind last year, probably to do with days off that are not raining?
So the list goes-Brimstone, Small White, Large White, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Duke of Burgundy, Glanville Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, Pearl-Bordered Fritillary, Painted Lady, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Comma, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Adonis Blue, Small Blue and Holy Blue.
Met lots of nice people today that just makes the trip even better!
21 May 2026
Corn Bunting
On my way back home from Compton Down and the Butterflies I popped into Maiden Castle at Dorchester to see the Corn Buntings which is a normal thing for me, normally eat lunch here and see whats about.
Sometimes when you enter the car park they are already singing on the fence and other times you don't see them. Today it was nice and sunny and very little wind, the air was full of Skylark song, some Linnets as well and what I thought was some Corn Buntings although I couldn't see them. I used the Merlin App on my phone which confirmed what I was hearing then out of nowhere a Bunting sat up on the fence and gave me good views for 15 minutes, Brilliant!!
19 May 2026
Out and about
The weather not the best but trying to make the most of my weeks holiday so this morning I went to Exminster Marshes solely to walk by the canal to see and hear the birds. The afternoon as it was supposed to be clearer and a bit of sun to go to Stover to see if any Dragonflies about.
Exminster was better than I expected with Swifts, Sand and House Martins and Swallows flying around the bushes and canal hawking for flies.
Around the bushes Sedge, Reed and Cettis Warblers in full song joined by Song Thrush, Blackbird, Blackcap, Robin, Wren and Dunnock, also saw Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow. I didn't pay much attention to the fields and sure I missed stuff.
At Stover it was a bit cold and no real sign of many insects except the odd Bumble Bee.
A few Birds about with Mallard, Mallard X, Mandarin, Tufted, Widgeon, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Great, Blue and Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin, Chaffinch and Great-spotted Woodpecker.
12 May 2026
Butterflies at Giants Hill
Sunshine and some time off means its chasing Butterfly time and a trip to Dorset and Giants Hill at Cerne Abbas!
Really good session with 10 species found, good numbers of Duke of Burgundy, Marsh Frit, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Green V. White and Holly Blue.
So with a Painted Lady I saw at work at the Warren that makes 18 so far-Brimstone, Small White, Large White, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Duke of Burgundy, Marsh Fritillary, PB Fritillary, Painted Lady, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak, Comma, Small Copper and Holy Blue.
Met lots of nice humans as well today and got talking to a few about Small 
Tortoiseshells, apparently very few about as they have been infected with a parasite? well worth the trip!
11 May 2026
Dartmoor Birds
Had a couple of visits to Dartmoor trying to focus on the birds, plenty to see, especially from the bins but not close enough for the camera.
Lots of Swallows and House Martins about, nice to see them using the concrete nests at Challocombe Farm, also saw Redstart here as well as Willow Warbler, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff amongst the regulars.
Up the valley plenty of Wheatears but couldn't find a Whinchat which was frustrating as I know they are there as I had seen them before.
Lots of Ravens about, displays etc, a Buzzards but no other Raptors seen.
Visited Yarner, more Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers and the nesting Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers which I had a small visit, like Emsworthy with the Cuckoos iam sure it will turn into a circus!
Heard a few Cuckoos around various places as well as Skylarks, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes.
Met a few nice humans which is also a plus!
03 May 2026
Summer Migrants
Been out a few times but the weather has been against me and my camera.
Have been able though to get a few more for the list, in and around Dawlish have seen Swallow, House Martin and today a couple of Swifts from the Sainsbury car park.
Also on Dartmoor while trying to get some pics of Tree Pipit today I could hear the reeling of a Grasshopper Warbler.
So with other new ones that makes 125 species so far this year.
On the Mammal front sadly seen 2 x Hedgehogs, my first of the year and run over, also 2x grey Squirrel dead on the rd, sad start to May!
© Simon Thurgood 2026
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