Friday 9th to Friday 16th June 2023 - South Devon.

 


Salcombe - Bath Birdwatcher
We have recently returned from a week in South Devon with Mary’s cousin Hazel and her husband Terry, we stayed at a small village called Marlborough just outside Salcombe. And what a week, great weather, smashing company and very relaxing.  We spent the 1st couple of days shopping or relaxing on the patio where we had a panoramic view right to the distant Dartmoor. Birds seen from the patio on day one included Rook, Jackdaw, Swift, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow, Swallow and Lesser Black Back Gull. Day 2 we added Dunnock, Goldfinch, Sparrowhawk, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Herring Gull, Starling, Linnet, Great Tit, Pheasant and Wren.

Chaffinch - Bath Birdwatcher

Greenfinch - Bath Birdwatcher

Day 3 we visited Overbeck a National Trust Property and here as we sat having Coffee House Martins were flying around. Walking around the garden which contained a lot of mature trees I heard the call of a Firecrest which I found high in a tree. Later in the morning as we walked back to the car I found a Song Thrush in full song that we were all able to enjoy.



Overbeck garden-Bath Birdwatcher

 As we drove back to our house I spotted a Cormorant. Day 4 we drove to South Milton Sands a lovely beach but also an area of marsh reedbed and open water where we bumped up the weeks sightings by adding Grey Heron, Mallard, Mute Swan with a single cygnet, Canada Geese with lots of goslings, and a Moorhen. Sitting on the beach we watched an Oystercatcher sat on a rock and while looking a Sand Martin flew past as did a Kestrel. All went quiet for a while until a Little Egret flew in low over the sea and disappeared behind some boulders. While scanning with my binoculars I found a Peregrine high in the sky but as it came closer I was able to get the others on it. On the way back to the car on the open water we found a Coot, Black Headed Gull and Magpie. 
South Milton - Bath Birdwatcher

On our final full day we visited North Beach, Salcombe where Pied Wagtail was added and driving back to our house a Collared Dove was my last new sighting of the week. Each evening we enjoyed the most beautiful sunsets which a picture cannot do justice to.
South Devon sunset - Bath Birdwatcher

Kingsbridge - Bath Birdwatcher

Immature Herring Gull - Bath Birdwatcher


 

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 2, 2023 at 9:55 PM

    It was fabulous to be with you Tony & enjoy your knowledge of bird recognition by sight & by sound. We can’t tell you how much we enjoyed the week with you & Mary

    ReplyDelete

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