Devon

Thought I would do a short blog post on my few day's holiday in South Devon. Over the last few day's I visited some local birding spots that I have visited since a very young age. Here are a few images of some of the wildlife and places I visited.

Took a day trip few miles down the road from our friend's house, where we stayed the week to Wembury Beach (National Trust). Wembury is a fantastic site for spring migrant birds on passage, Basking Sharks in summer, rock pooling ( A favourite childhood past time) and coastal walking.
The coastal footpath going towards Jennycliff and Plymouth is a very reliable site to see Cirl Bunting on warm spring days. During the day I came across several Cirl Buntings, 6 Wheatear, Chiffchaff's and a first for me.... 2 basking Adder's!!! This is the first time I have ever seen Adder's despite the many times I searched for them on heaths ad under gorse bushes on summer day's. After photographing the Adder's I returned along the coast path in glorious sunshine and spotted several displaying Buzzards overhead, more Wheatears, nest-building Stonechats and a hovering Kestrel.

Male Adder basking in the sun

Wembury coastal path

The Mew Stone Rock

During the week we visited several other fantastic birding spots including Stover Country Park near Bovey Tracey...Another one of my favourite nature reserves that I've visited since a young age. On this visit, it was a bit early in the year for spring migrant birds such as Nightjar, Tree Pipit, Hobby which are regular around the lakes, but I had a fantastic encounter with several Marsh Tit coming down to some seed left on a picnic bench, allowing me get some great photos. Along with the pesky Grey Squirrels coming bit too close to the camera lens, it was a very pleasant walk around the reserve. Also saw Goosander, 2 Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Bullfinch, Buzzard and Mandarin Duck.

Marsh Tit

"Did someone say peanuts!!??"

Yum yum yum...all for me

Took a trip to Buchfastleigh to photograph some Steam Trains with my dad.... It was a very wet day so birding was out of the question so spending a few hours with the steam trains was an excellent idea.

A few images from day out on Dartmoor near Princetown..A stunning place, full of wildlife with amazing landscapes.....

A 2nd trip down to Saltram House along the plym estuary was very rewarding yesterday with finding a 2nd Cal/Year Glaucous Gull, 2 Little Ringed Plover, Osprey, Green Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper... Spring waders here and Osprey's now in...Spring is here!!

Carrion Crow on the Saltmarsh

Egret landing

Glaucous Gull 2nd Year

Female Wheatear

Record shot of Cirl Bunting

Male Cirl Bunting giving great views

Spring Chiffchaff's arriving in big numbers now

Hopefully return to Devon later in the year in search of more migrants and explore more of the moors.