Blog

25 February 2023

Friday and Saturday

Spent a few hours on various parts of Dartmoor and the weather definitely getting colder, especially on Saturday on the high moor.

Friday morning was spent mostly at Yarner, while Saturday started off at Dunscombe meadows followed some time around Soussons, Challacombe and around postbridge.

Apart from all the usual stuff at Yarner, it was noticable about the numbers of Siskins, which while you do see them, dont think I have seen so many here.

Could hear a few Woodpeckers and I was pleased to see a Lessser-spotted Woodpecker fly over at Yarner, also saw several Great-spotted woodpeckers, sadly at Dunscombe didnt see or hear any of any species.

At Yarner the Squirrels were alarming all over the place, this turned out to be a Buzzard flying through the woods and this was the only raptor over the two days.

No Winter Thruses were seen, but flocks of 100+ Starling plus Chaffinch seen in various places. All the usual Corvids seen but not in any great nnumber, several Raven seen displaying.

Did see a few Crossbills at Soussons, but high up in the trees and quite mobile.

Good couple of days except for all the dogs at Dunscombe, at one point 11 off the lead running around, depressing!

17 February 2023

Yarner

I had a lovely day off just walking around Yarner, hardly took my camera out, just enjoying the sites!

Spring is defenatly on the go with 2 species of Butterfly, Red Admiral and Brimstone flying around, in warm spots Wood Ants on the move and plenty of bird song.

Didnt see or hear Lesser-spotted Woodpecker but did see and hear Green and Greater-spotted Woodpeckers.

Great, Blue, Coal, Marsh and Long-tiled Tits, Siskins, Robin, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Nuthatch, Wren, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Raven and Buzzard all seen.

Good to see Dave Holloway amongst others all enjoying the day!

10 February 2023

Bowling Green Marsh

I thought I had my timing right when I visited BGM this morning but I hadnt reckoned on the Lesser-black Backed Gull the locals call "Psycho" which had made a couple f attacks on the waders just before I arrived. I was told all the Avocets, Redshanks, Dunlin etc had left just leaving a couple of Godwits and Curlew behind.

The front of the hide was Ice with just a Grey Heron stood statue.

A few ducks about with Widgeon, Teal, Pintail, Mallard and Shoveler. Canada Geese and Mute Swan and plenty of Gulls and that was about it!

So went for a walk to Topsham, some Snipe flew over and landed in one of the fields and because the tide was in all the waders must have been over at Turf/Exminster MarshesThe only other thing of interest was a Common Seal on a body board at Topsham otherwise all quiet on the western front!!

08 February 2023

Quick visit to Dartmoor

Had a drive around a very quiet Dartmoor today and very little to see, still a few Winter Thrushes about, Corvids and the odd Buzzard.

Popped into Yarner to see what was on the feeders which was busyier with Blue, Great, Coal and Marsh Tits, Nuthach, Chaffinch, Dunock and Blackbird.

Sadly back to domestic duties!

07 February 2023

Dorset

On my way to see my brother I do my usual stop off at Radipole Lake and Maiden Castle, I try to see the Bearded Tits and Corn Buntings and was moderatly successful on this trip.

It was cold and there was still some mist about when I arrived at Weymouth, so after a cup of tea out of my trusty flask I walked up the reserve, I met som other birders who said the Bearded Tits could be heard and seen at a distance as they were at the centre of the reed beds and sure enough when you got to the far lake you could hear them and then a Female flew over and stoped on a reed before flying off again, short and sweet!

Lots of ducks here with the best being a Golden Eye and a few Pochard with all the ususal stuff you would expect to see here except no views of the Marsh Harriers? With time against me I went to Maiden Castle close to Dorchester.

Sat in the car park over looking the fields/stubble there were hundreds of birds, large and small including Corn Buntings, great to see!

Also seen were several Hares, great to see these running around.

Spent an hour here could have spent all day with so much to see, while there was large flocks of Corvids, Woodpigeon, Linnet, you probably needed a scope to see what some of the small waders were. Everything was constently being put up but not sure what by?

Also seen Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Skylark, Starling, Goldfinch and Blackbird before sadly time running out and on my journey to see my brother!

06 February 2023

Beesands and Slapton Ley

Spent time at these two leys today, first stop was Beesands. It has a great Hide that looks over the ley, unfortunatly becouse the reeds at the front of the hide has been allowed to grow without check the veiws were unfortuantly limited.

Also today on the far bank were two fisherman, apart from making a lot of noise where casting into the centre of the ley, so all the birds were mainly to the left and behind the island, so much was out of sight, was hoping to see the Ring-necked Duck but I was unlucky. It was seen the next day so it was just out of view.

I did manage to see Tuffted, Pochard, Teal and Mallard on the duck front. Other warer birds included Water Rail, Coot, Moorhen, Great-creasted Grebe, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Cormorant, Herring and Black-headed Gulls. In the hedges and back fields I saw Pied Wagtail, Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit, Cettis Warbler, Wood Pigeon, Buzzard, Kestrel and Pheasant.

On to Slapton and everything was spread out across the ley and out of camera view and the water birds seen were the same as Beesands with the exception of some Little Egret and Grey Heron. There was also some Raven and Great-spotted Woodpecker seen.

Spring starting to show with flowers out such as Primrose and Dandilion.

Great to see Richi M at Slapton!

06 February 2023

Blonde Ray

Went to Lannacombe beach on the first day of my holiday, got a week off and going to try and get out each day.

So on my first day in South Devon, a bit of early morning beachcoming on Lannacombe Beach which is close to Start Point.

Unusaly quiet and very little to see except this beautiful Blonde Ray, this for some reason seems to be the only beach I find it?

The picture on the right gets sent to the survey done by the Shark Trust and has been taken after a few hours and the tape to show its size.

© Simon Thurgood 2024
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