Blog

26 December 2023

Boxing day on Dartmoor

Went for a trip around Dartmoor today, my knee was playing up so spent time with my trusty flask of tea sat watching from my car.

Started early as expecting a few humans about it being Boxing Day but wasn't until midday at Cadover Bridge when did I really come across many humans.

As the sun was coming up and quite strong, plenty of birds sat high in the trees warming up, the best of these was a Goshawk, sadly a bit far away for a picture but watched for 20 minutes with the bins although its white chest stood out in the sun, beautiful bird, it flew into the forest and then alarm calls from Great spotted Woodpecker as it was on the hunt for breakfast!

Saw quite a few Fieldfare but no other Thrushes seen of any species? Plenty of Blackbird, Robin, Great, Blue and Coal Tits. Several flocks of Chaffinch, large flock of Starling close to Challacombe Farm, Good numbers of Stock Dove, Woodpigeon and single Collard Dove. Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Stonechat, Siskin, Crossbill, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, several Buzzard, Raven, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie and Jay seen.

All in all a good day out.

17 December 2023

Exminster Marshes

Went for a nice walk around Exminster Marshes today, doing a circuit from the carpark to Turf via the road and back along the back path which wasn't as wet as I expected. A bit grey, not the best for taking pictures!

The tide was on its way out but still high enough to keep birds off the mud for the first part of the walk, by the time I got to Turf the tide had gone down enough to show some mud and waders doing their thing in front of me especially the Avocets, sadly because of an idiot with a camera trying to get closer and closer he kept frightening off the birds, the stupid thing was he had a massive lens so he could have done what I did and sat on the bench and they came closer, sadly no "Field Craft"!!!

Saw a good selection of Waders, both on the marsh and River Exe with Lapwing, Avocet, Godwits, Curlew, Redshank, Dunlin, Golden and Grey Plover.

Other Water based Birds were Mallard, Shoveler, Teal, Widgeon, Pintail, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Water Rail, Coot, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Brent and Canada Geese, Black-headed, Common, Herring and Great-black Backed Gulls.

Around the hedgerows Starling, Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Woodpigeon, Goldcrest, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chiffchaff, Pied Wagtail and Robin.

A few humans about and great to see Steph and Rob Murphy.

15 December 2023

Yarner

Spent a lovely couple of hours walking around Yarner on Dartmoor today. All the leaves have finally fallen and definitely the look of winter about the place. Noticed only a few berries left with obviously been taken by the Winter Thrushes which were seen on route as I parked up on Trendlebere Down. Saw a couple of Grey Squirrels but the numbers have defiantly dropped compared with previous years, result of hunting Goshawk? All the Wood Ant nests looked very dormant as well although some looked like they had been attacked, Badger?

Great to see so many Woodland Birds not only around the Feeders, but around the trees, looked like the Rangers have been clearing some of the Holly to give space and light on the woodland floor so hopefully we will see some woodland flowers appear in the spring.

Saw a nice Tit Flock with the usual suspects, Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits. Also flock of Chaffinch, couple of Siskin, Blackbird, Dunnock, Wren, Goldcrest, Robin, Stonechat, Treecreeper, Fly-over Raven, Woodpigeon and Buzzard. Others seen around the feeders not already mentioned Marsh and Coal Tit, Nuthatch and Great-spotted Woodpecker.

Very quiet on the human front, in fact I didn't meet anyone?

01 December 2023

Beesands and Slapton Leys

Day off and not raining so with camera and my trusty Flask of tea off I went to South Devon. Beautiful sunny day which would plague me to be honest, because of the low Sun I had issues driving and trying to take pictures, can you believe it!!

First stop was Beesands which has always been good for Ducks but the ley was empty with just a few Mute Swans, Gulls sat in the middle, couple of Tufted and a single Gadwall, so didn't stay long here.

Off to Slapton, this was a different situation with large numbers of birds on the water, unfortunately the low sun was right in line with my Bins and Camera Lens, did manage to pick out Widgeon, Mallard Tufted, Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler, Great-crested and Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Cormorant, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed, Herring, Great and Lesser-black Backed Gulls, Grey heron and Little Egret. Iam sure there were lots more I missed on the water.

On the Hedgerows and of both Beesands and Slapton, not forgetting the Quarry at Slapton was full of birds with the best being a couple of very mobile Firecrest, also seen Goldcrest, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Treecreeper, Woodpigeon and Buzzard.

So a good day.

01 December 2023

Lannacombe Beach

Today, whilst in the South Hams I spent some time on Lannacombe beach which as you can see was covered in a large dump of Kelp. It looked like a mixture of Cuvie and Furbelows from the "Holdfasts".

I had a very succesfull search for egg cases and almost certain to have missed lots underneath the mountain of weed.

Lannacombe Beach is South facing and a great beach for Beachcombing!

Best result here was the 12 Nursehound Catshark which was the first time I have found them here after many years of searching on this beach.

Other results were as follows 24 Thornback Ray, 2 Undulate Ray, 2 Small-eyed Ray, 1 Spotted Ray and 1 Blone Ray.

All results to the Shark Trust

© Simon Thurgood 2024
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