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20 September 2015

Challacombe, Dartmoor.

Went up on Dartmoor today and took the time to have a walk around the farm and a few adjoining fields.

You can tell the difference to yesterday down on the coast, a few birds, but No Butterflies, Dragons or other big insects such as Wasps or Bees.

All the birds were in the bushes looking for the remaining flies and midges with the exception of a Stonechat and a very smart Whinchat.

In the bushes there was Blue Tits, Great Tits, Chaffinch, Robin, Wren, Blackbird and a Dunnock.

Carrion Crows and a Raven flew over with Woodpigeon in the large trees, the call of a Green Woodpecker was a surprise and a few remaining Swallows hawking around the buildings.

With a chill in the air winter is on its way!!!



06 September 2015

Topsham and Exminster Marshes

After a late start again I went over to Topsham for a walk around starting at Darts Farm.

At Darts Farm itself there was very few birds about apart from a small flock of House Sparrows feeding on the feeders on the balcony of the RSPB shop also a fly over of a Magpie and Woodpigeon and that was that!

Along the cycle path there was a bit more life with Dunnock, Blue and Great Tit, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Magpies, Robin and Woodpigeon. The River Clyst was empty of birds because of a family enjoying the water with canoes and swimming and in this glorious weather why not??

Goosemoor was a different story with 20+ Greenshank, Redshank, Dunlin, Ruff, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck, Little Egret, Grey Heron and Black-headed Gulls. Fly overs from Woodpigeon, Buzzard, Magpie and Carrion Crow with Wren, Robin, Blue Tits and Woodpigeon in the bushes.

Around the reserve and along the road there was Blue, Great and Coal Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Carrion Crow, Bar and Black-tailed Godwits, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Avocet, Knot, Cormorant, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Canada Geese and Swallows hawking over the field. A Buzzard and quite a few gulls flying high above the reserve.

At the Platform the water was still quite high and a bit of disturbance with canoeists and people on boards so not many birds, but with the help of David B and his scope could see a Little and Sandwich Tern on buoys down river. Also Oystercatcher, Godwits and Knot around.

Apart from Black-headed Gulls nothing at the Goatwalk, in Topsham there was also very little apart from a lone House Martin taking food to its chicks that was it!

A few Butterflies about, especially on the Buddleia on the cycle path, Large and Small White, Painted Lady, Small Tortishell, Speckled wood and Holy Blue.

Good to see some Dragonflies and saw several Hawker Sp and a Emperor, Common Darter and best of all a Stunning Male Migrant Hawker behind the platform.

After getting back to the car I went off to Exminster Marshes again to look for some Yellow Wagtails after some had been seen around the cattle but sadly no sign, plenty of Pied Wagtails but no Yellows!! Also saw Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Stonechat, Swallows and Goldfinches feeding on the Thistle heads.

Thank you to David B for use of scope and to the rest of the birders I've met today as well as most of the human race I've bumped into today its been a blast!! I did meet one idiot on the Goatwalk who was on his bicycle, obviously couldn't read the signs that say NO Bikes!!!



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