A week in Torbay Sunday 13th till Friday 18th August 2023

 

Coleton Fishacre - Bath Birdwatcher

Mary and Tony spent a week with her sister and brother-in-law at their lodge at Waterside Holiday Park which is between Brixham and Paignton. The site is next to the South Devon Railway and overlooks Torbay with Torquay to the left and Brixham Harbour and Berry Head to the right. We arrived late afternoon and after having something to eat I walked to the clifftop which has a flight of steps giving access to the rocks and small beach which is available only at low tide. Halfway down the steps is a good vantage point to view the surrounding rocks and another beach which has access at the other end of the small bay. Bird life was not abundant, but I did manage to see a year tick in the form of a Kittiwake also seen were Gannet, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Black Headed Gulls and a single Mediterranean Gull. Fishing in the bay to my left was a Little Egret with 2 Magpie’s close by.

On Monday we both walked to the local Post Office and as we walked back a Swift flew over and a Greenfinch was singing in a tree. Back on-site Collared Dove 2 fly by Oystercatchers were seen.

Tuesday Morning, we went into Brixham and here Turnstones and 8 Mute Swans were in the Harbour and at Breakwater Beach Shag and Great Black Back Gulls were seen. I spent the afternoon sea watching but after about an hour finding Little Egret, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull, Oystercatcher, Great Black Back Gull’s and Cormorant. 

Oystercatcher - Bath Birdwatcher

Nothing else was about so as I had seen a few butterflies as I walked down, I decided to spend a while to see how many species were about, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Small Copper and Gatekeeper were found. The best find was as I walked back to the lodge a Humming-Bird Hawkmoth was feeding on a patch of velarium. Back at the lodge I was sitting on the decking when a small flock of Swallows flew by going south followed a little later by 2 Shelduck.

On Wednesday Mary and myself walked along the coast path to Broadsands and at the start is a climb of 78 steps but that is insignificant to the 120 at the other end. We sat in the café at Broadsands for a coffee and when we had finished sat on a bench overlooking the sea, and while sitting there I could hear the call of a Cirl Bunting so leaving Mary on the bench I went to search for this bird but all I could find was a Chiffchaff, but as I walked back I heard it call again and this time a male was sat on the top of a hedge with a female close by and as we started the return walk House Sparrows were noted. Holly Blue butterflies were seen feeding on a particular shrub which has pure white berries but these butterflies were far more interested in the flowers. 

Holly Blue - Bath Birdwatcher(this one on blackberry)

As we reached the end of the walk 2 Mute Swans were flying towards Broadsands. In the afternoon I spent a few hours searching for butterflies and birds, a flyover Goldfinch being my 1st sighting followed by 3 species of butterfly Red Admiral, Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood. Looking from the top of the steps to the bay on my left a Little Egret and 9 Oystercatchers were present. 

Little Egret - Bath Birdwatcher

A Woodpigeon flew past over the sea where Herring and Great Black Back Gulls were floating. A Robin appeared on the bushes to my right but sped away when he saw me. Black Headed Gulls and another single Mediterranean Gull flew past in the direction of Brixham. In front of me was a large rock or at high tide a small islet, I noticed a small lump on the top of it and when I looked at it through binoculars it was a Rock Pipit. 

Rock Pipit - Bath Birdwatcher

On the way back for dinner I added Blackbird and Blue Tit. After our meal sitting on the patio 5 Swallows flew south and a Magpie was the last sighting of the day.

Thursday was our last full day so we all decided to visit Coleton Fishacre a national trust property with a House and Garden. We all had coffee and then Carol and Peter did the house While Mary and me did the garden. We have been here many times but had never been to the gardens to the left of the main pathway. The gardens are very mature with lots of trees and shrubs and as we passed this tree I could hear bird contact calls above me but as soon as I found a bird in my binoculars it flew away so in the end we walked on, and on our return we followed a higher path that led us to the other side of the tree where birds were still moving about. One flew out over my head and landed on a bare branch in a fir tree it was a female or juvenile Pied Flycatcher and as I was watching it another bird moved just behind it a Firecrest, two fantastic sightings at the same time. Robin, Blue Tit, Rook and Woodpigeon were also seen.

This ended a great few days for birds and butterflies and one special moth.

 

Dartmouth Steam Railway class 4MT 75014 Braveheart.

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