Andrew
wibble wibble
Many apologies for the lateness of this report, I have not had time to get this finished earlier . . . .
12-04-03
Location : Exmouth, Woodbury Castle and Bowling Green Marsh, Devon. SY022797, SY035874 & SX973875
After learning about the Exmouth to Sandy Bay coastal path recently we decided to give it a go and arrived at the sea front car park in Exmouth late in the morning. An early lunch was consumed and then we began the climb up a long and steady path to the top of the sandstone cliff edge. The path was covered by windswept Blackthorns in bloom most of the way and ran along residential gardens. Many birds could be seen coming out of these gardens and these included the first two of 44 Linnets, two of 6 Dunnocks, again just two of 7 Chaffinches and five of 17 Greenfinches.
Half way up the hill was a welcoming bench offering respite and a view of the sea and sandbars exposed by the low tide. The view was spoilt by a growing number of sun worshippers flocking to the beaches and using the coastal path. To the left of the bench I could see a spectacular sight of three of today’s 16 Sandwich Terns crashing into the sea for food without actually diving into the water. They regained height, moved on a short space and repeated the process again many times. I scanned the Maer Rocks with the scope but it was a waste of time as there were only several Herring Gulls and a few Great Black Back Gulls prepared to put up with the families using the rock pools.
Moving on up the path, with the air filled with the divine smell of the yellow Gorse blossoms, we came across a few butterflies only identifying a Common Blue. On the roof of a house there was a Pied Wagtail running along the ridge in a hurry and in the bushes 9 Blue Tits took refuge from a disturbance in a garden. With the hill completed we were glad to see a small public area with benches. Resting here with good sea views, we saw more Linnets and Greenfinches with five of 24 Starlings and 7 Blackbirds probing the manicured grass. In front of the bench were some hyacinth like flowers and a vivid purple Mesembryantemum in full flower.
Our energy reserves and enthusiasm restored, we walked on down a gentle slope towards the National Trust reserve, High Land of Orcombe. There were two each of 4 Magpies and 7 Wood Pigeons in the trees on the way down. As soon as we entered Orcombe there were lots of birds to be seen including larger flocks of Linnets, many Greenfinches, a few Chaffinches and quite a few of 8 House Sparrows.
There were very low patches of uncultivated bramble growth and a few Orange Tips fluttered about with one or two Large Whites and a Speckled Wood. It was now noon and the cliff edge trees threw up one of 3 Robins, the days only Chiffchaff that was very inquisitive of us along with a single Skylark that flew over to a field behind a tree border. I went to the gate to view this ‘playing’ field, it was not clear what the purpose of the field was for. I could see two of 11 Carrion Crows, 3 Song Thrushes and a single large Mistle Thrush. There was no sign of the Skylark that had earlier hovered over the path. Another large Linnet flock passed over us.
Further on we could see the needle made up of five different stones from through the Heritage Coast. On the way over there was a field visible to the left and it offered a Meadow Pipit and I saw some Linnets gathering the loose sheep’s wool then making for the far away hedges. Arriving at the needle we read all about the stone industry of many years ago and marvelled at how they transported large stones by horses. From here I could watch two more Sandwich Terns fishing close to the shore line and I searched for any Wheatears or Stonechats with none showing. A large flock of 8 Goldfinches battled their way against the wind to the east.
Another long steady climb had to be made up to the next higher part of the cliffs. There was a fenced off field and in here were lots of Green Winged Orchids distributed throughout. With no one looking I climbed over the barb wire and took a few macro shots taking care not to do any harm. A bird swooped close over us prompting me to shout out “Swallow!”. It was my first of the year and it made it’s way inland so it must have been a fresh arrival from France.
At the top of the point we could see the caravan park and decided this was as far as we went. I could see Straight Point through the haze and made out some Cormorants, Shags, Herring Gulls and Great Black Back Gulls on the rocky point. We rested on the grass in a shaded corner and indulged in the customary cups of lemon tea and some chocolate biscuits. During this refreshment pause a Kestrel passed right over our heads. I made some frustrating attempts to photograph some of the ubiquitous Greenfinches and a Chaffinch with only poor results to show for my efforts.
After the rest it was time to retrace our steps. On the second bench we stopped and I viewed the tip of the sand bank system where there was a flock of sixteen Sandwich Terns roosting and 3 Common Gulls passed by along the cliff edge. I concluded that I had sixteen Sandwich Terns today not knowing whether any of the eleven recorded previously were different birds.
The beaches were now chock a block with tourists and day trippers which did not please me one bit. We returned to the car at approximately two o’clock and the ice cream kiosk in the car park offered nothing other than poor excuses for icy sustenance so we declined and made our way up the scenic secondary roads to Woodbury Castle. It was just past four in the afternoon when we pulled into the car park. A Buzzard circled high up over the heathland in the scorching sun.
After a cup of tea we walked through the woods of the old castle grounds en-route to the open gorse and heather covered heath. It was in the wood that we had close up views of three of 5 Chifchaffs mingling with each other. I was about to take some pictures but some more day trippers had followed us here and walked straight into the shot spooking the birds. Out in the open, I managed to take a picture of a well behaved Peacock butterfly and a male Stonechat weaved his way across and disappeared into the heather. The heather and gorse was full of twittering sounds and it was frustrating not seeing anything at all despite waiting patiently. This place is very hard for seeing birds and requires a patient vigil so as we have done before we sat down on the edge of a path and watched for birds. We did not see anything this time, probably because it is too early in the season.
Round the other side of the woods’ edge we finally connected with some birds in a birch tree. A Marsh Tit moved around busily yet close to us. I tried to take a picture but there was too much of the tree in the way for a good shot. A warbler perched in the trees behind and disappeared deeper into the woods. It could be heard and we watched for it to show again, discussing the song and plumage I was confident it was a Wood Warbler but did not count it. A Holly Blue briefly rested on a tree leaf and I tried to digiscope it but it’s stay was too brief.
Moving on up back towards the car park I notched up the second Swallow of the day. We walked back through the woods with no identifiable birds to record but there were several groups of fast moving warblers. Back out in the edge of the wood I saw more Chiffchaffs on the path and recorded my first Willow Warbler of the year along with 2 Long Tailed Tits. Back at the car park I was horrified to find the car had a flat tyre. I wanted to finish off the day at Bowling Green Marsh so I set about replacing the tyre.
Fifteen minutes later with dirty hands and clothes, we were once more on the road to Topsham via Woodbury and Clyst St George. At half past six in the evening I parked down the lane and walked to the hide. I did not bother with numbers here only recording the species seen and counting the rarer species. From the hide I could see many wildfowl on the water including some Shelduck, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneyes, Coots, Moorhen, Mallards, Shoveler and a single Little Grebe. In the fields were 2 Greylag Geese and several Canada Geese. There were plenty of waders to keep me occupied and these were 8 Greenshanks, a Spotted Redshank, 5 Whimbrels, Curlews, Black Tailed Godwits and some Redshanks.
There were also 9 Little Egrets and 4 Spoonbills. The Spoonbills were preening each other of which I managed a record shot in the low light. I searched for a Little Ringed Plover or Little Gull and did not find either, nor did any of the other birders in the hide. There was the consolation of a Black Tailed Godwit is full vibrant breeding plumage. A high number of Black Headed Gulls had come in to roost for the evening and the Little Gull was not among them.
I walked on to the viewing platform and no sooner had I closed the iron gate I could see my friend Izzy the Glossy Ibis feeding away in the pool. I took some photographs six feet away, but the light was not good. Lowering my tripod to the ground spooked Izzy, who took flight to the edge of the field fifty metres away. The scope came into play and I must have taken about fifty pictures but Izzy’s busy feeding nature caused most of them to be useless. The Ibis’ plumage is beginning to change with white specks appearing on it’s head.
I strolled on to the reed bed in the hope of the reported Reed and Sedge Warblers with no luck yet added 2 Chiffchaffs and a confiding Willow Warbler in the path side hedge. On the way back to the car up the lane I looked at the sky above the pool and saw some more Swallows along with my first Sand Martins of the year and a single undoubtedly darker Swift. The Swift is a lifer for me despite seeing them before because I only started my list last August.
I went home late a very happy man after a very interesting day in three different habitats clocking up fifty one species and many butterflies with several nice wild flowers thrown in for good measure.
12-04-03
Location : Exmouth, Woodbury Castle and Bowling Green Marsh, Devon. SY022797, SY035874 & SX973875
After learning about the Exmouth to Sandy Bay coastal path recently we decided to give it a go and arrived at the sea front car park in Exmouth late in the morning. An early lunch was consumed and then we began the climb up a long and steady path to the top of the sandstone cliff edge. The path was covered by windswept Blackthorns in bloom most of the way and ran along residential gardens. Many birds could be seen coming out of these gardens and these included the first two of 44 Linnets, two of 6 Dunnocks, again just two of 7 Chaffinches and five of 17 Greenfinches.
Half way up the hill was a welcoming bench offering respite and a view of the sea and sandbars exposed by the low tide. The view was spoilt by a growing number of sun worshippers flocking to the beaches and using the coastal path. To the left of the bench I could see a spectacular sight of three of today’s 16 Sandwich Terns crashing into the sea for food without actually diving into the water. They regained height, moved on a short space and repeated the process again many times. I scanned the Maer Rocks with the scope but it was a waste of time as there were only several Herring Gulls and a few Great Black Back Gulls prepared to put up with the families using the rock pools.
Moving on up the path, with the air filled with the divine smell of the yellow Gorse blossoms, we came across a few butterflies only identifying a Common Blue. On the roof of a house there was a Pied Wagtail running along the ridge in a hurry and in the bushes 9 Blue Tits took refuge from a disturbance in a garden. With the hill completed we were glad to see a small public area with benches. Resting here with good sea views, we saw more Linnets and Greenfinches with five of 24 Starlings and 7 Blackbirds probing the manicured grass. In front of the bench were some hyacinth like flowers and a vivid purple Mesembryantemum in full flower.
Our energy reserves and enthusiasm restored, we walked on down a gentle slope towards the National Trust reserve, High Land of Orcombe. There were two each of 4 Magpies and 7 Wood Pigeons in the trees on the way down. As soon as we entered Orcombe there were lots of birds to be seen including larger flocks of Linnets, many Greenfinches, a few Chaffinches and quite a few of 8 House Sparrows.
There were very low patches of uncultivated bramble growth and a few Orange Tips fluttered about with one or two Large Whites and a Speckled Wood. It was now noon and the cliff edge trees threw up one of 3 Robins, the days only Chiffchaff that was very inquisitive of us along with a single Skylark that flew over to a field behind a tree border. I went to the gate to view this ‘playing’ field, it was not clear what the purpose of the field was for. I could see two of 11 Carrion Crows, 3 Song Thrushes and a single large Mistle Thrush. There was no sign of the Skylark that had earlier hovered over the path. Another large Linnet flock passed over us.
Further on we could see the needle made up of five different stones from through the Heritage Coast. On the way over there was a field visible to the left and it offered a Meadow Pipit and I saw some Linnets gathering the loose sheep’s wool then making for the far away hedges. Arriving at the needle we read all about the stone industry of many years ago and marvelled at how they transported large stones by horses. From here I could watch two more Sandwich Terns fishing close to the shore line and I searched for any Wheatears or Stonechats with none showing. A large flock of 8 Goldfinches battled their way against the wind to the east.
Another long steady climb had to be made up to the next higher part of the cliffs. There was a fenced off field and in here were lots of Green Winged Orchids distributed throughout. With no one looking I climbed over the barb wire and took a few macro shots taking care not to do any harm. A bird swooped close over us prompting me to shout out “Swallow!”. It was my first of the year and it made it’s way inland so it must have been a fresh arrival from France.
At the top of the point we could see the caravan park and decided this was as far as we went. I could see Straight Point through the haze and made out some Cormorants, Shags, Herring Gulls and Great Black Back Gulls on the rocky point. We rested on the grass in a shaded corner and indulged in the customary cups of lemon tea and some chocolate biscuits. During this refreshment pause a Kestrel passed right over our heads. I made some frustrating attempts to photograph some of the ubiquitous Greenfinches and a Chaffinch with only poor results to show for my efforts.
After the rest it was time to retrace our steps. On the second bench we stopped and I viewed the tip of the sand bank system where there was a flock of sixteen Sandwich Terns roosting and 3 Common Gulls passed by along the cliff edge. I concluded that I had sixteen Sandwich Terns today not knowing whether any of the eleven recorded previously were different birds.
The beaches were now chock a block with tourists and day trippers which did not please me one bit. We returned to the car at approximately two o’clock and the ice cream kiosk in the car park offered nothing other than poor excuses for icy sustenance so we declined and made our way up the scenic secondary roads to Woodbury Castle. It was just past four in the afternoon when we pulled into the car park. A Buzzard circled high up over the heathland in the scorching sun.
After a cup of tea we walked through the woods of the old castle grounds en-route to the open gorse and heather covered heath. It was in the wood that we had close up views of three of 5 Chifchaffs mingling with each other. I was about to take some pictures but some more day trippers had followed us here and walked straight into the shot spooking the birds. Out in the open, I managed to take a picture of a well behaved Peacock butterfly and a male Stonechat weaved his way across and disappeared into the heather. The heather and gorse was full of twittering sounds and it was frustrating not seeing anything at all despite waiting patiently. This place is very hard for seeing birds and requires a patient vigil so as we have done before we sat down on the edge of a path and watched for birds. We did not see anything this time, probably because it is too early in the season.
Round the other side of the woods’ edge we finally connected with some birds in a birch tree. A Marsh Tit moved around busily yet close to us. I tried to take a picture but there was too much of the tree in the way for a good shot. A warbler perched in the trees behind and disappeared deeper into the woods. It could be heard and we watched for it to show again, discussing the song and plumage I was confident it was a Wood Warbler but did not count it. A Holly Blue briefly rested on a tree leaf and I tried to digiscope it but it’s stay was too brief.
Moving on up back towards the car park I notched up the second Swallow of the day. We walked back through the woods with no identifiable birds to record but there were several groups of fast moving warblers. Back out in the edge of the wood I saw more Chiffchaffs on the path and recorded my first Willow Warbler of the year along with 2 Long Tailed Tits. Back at the car park I was horrified to find the car had a flat tyre. I wanted to finish off the day at Bowling Green Marsh so I set about replacing the tyre.
Fifteen minutes later with dirty hands and clothes, we were once more on the road to Topsham via Woodbury and Clyst St George. At half past six in the evening I parked down the lane and walked to the hide. I did not bother with numbers here only recording the species seen and counting the rarer species. From the hide I could see many wildfowl on the water including some Shelduck, Tufted Ducks, Goldeneyes, Coots, Moorhen, Mallards, Shoveler and a single Little Grebe. In the fields were 2 Greylag Geese and several Canada Geese. There were plenty of waders to keep me occupied and these were 8 Greenshanks, a Spotted Redshank, 5 Whimbrels, Curlews, Black Tailed Godwits and some Redshanks.
There were also 9 Little Egrets and 4 Spoonbills. The Spoonbills were preening each other of which I managed a record shot in the low light. I searched for a Little Ringed Plover or Little Gull and did not find either, nor did any of the other birders in the hide. There was the consolation of a Black Tailed Godwit is full vibrant breeding plumage. A high number of Black Headed Gulls had come in to roost for the evening and the Little Gull was not among them.
I walked on to the viewing platform and no sooner had I closed the iron gate I could see my friend Izzy the Glossy Ibis feeding away in the pool. I took some photographs six feet away, but the light was not good. Lowering my tripod to the ground spooked Izzy, who took flight to the edge of the field fifty metres away. The scope came into play and I must have taken about fifty pictures but Izzy’s busy feeding nature caused most of them to be useless. The Ibis’ plumage is beginning to change with white specks appearing on it’s head.
I strolled on to the reed bed in the hope of the reported Reed and Sedge Warblers with no luck yet added 2 Chiffchaffs and a confiding Willow Warbler in the path side hedge. On the way back to the car up the lane I looked at the sky above the pool and saw some more Swallows along with my first Sand Martins of the year and a single undoubtedly darker Swift. The Swift is a lifer for me despite seeing them before because I only started my list last August.
I went home late a very happy man after a very interesting day in three different habitats clocking up fifty one species and many butterflies with several nice wild flowers thrown in for good measure.
Last edited:
