A week in South Devon (06-13 November)

Megan and I spent an enjoyable week in South Devon based in Brixham. Cookie came too.

Saturday 06 November. We drove down stopping at Rownham Services on the M27 and for a walk along the beach at Charmouth where we saw a Raven. We drove past our cottage three times before finding it but once there it was great.

breaking the journey at Charmouth, view east to Golden Cap

view west to Lyme Regis, tide out

Sunday 07 November. We walked up to Berry Head seeing male and female Cirl Buntings just north of the car park and another along the northern ramparts. Later 2 Shags were seen from Brixham breakwater.

female Cirl Bunting at Berry Head

                              

male Cirl Bunting

another male Cirl Bunting at Berry Head

Monday 08 November. We drove to Dartington and walked from the Toy Shop along the river to Dartington Mill where we saw 2 Dippers and a Grey Wagtail. Later we drove onto the edge of Dartmoor and walked along the river at Parke seeing Jay, Mistle Thrush and another Grey Wagtail.

Dipper at Dartington Mill

                           

an unringed bird

displaying to its refection?

another Dipper was on the same section of the river

this one was colour-ringed

a local youngster, one of four ringed in a nest at Lower Stretchford (about 3km upriver) on 18 April 2021

I should have guessed it was a young bird by its small white tips to the coverts, lacking in the unringed individual which is presumably an adult

Cookie at Parke

Tuesday 09 November. We walked from Brixham north along the coast to Churston and Elberry Coves and back via Churston Court seeing Gannet, 2 Shags, Jay, 2 Goldcrests and a Stonechat and hearing Great Spotted Woodpecker, Raven and Nuthatch.

Cookie at Churston Cove

above Churston Cove

Megan at Elberry Cove

Wednesday 10 November. We took Cookie on the bus to Kingsweir and took the ferry across to Dartmouth seeing just 2 Shags before returning the same way.

Kingsweir Station and a carriage for my sister who loves South Devon

River Dart approaching the sea

young Great Black-backed Gull

Shag at Dartmouth

Kingsweir from Dartmouth

Thursday 11 November. We took Cookie on the bus to Paignton and walked back to Brixham along the coast. We saw 5 Mediterranean Gulls, 4 Gannets,  Shag, Peregrine (over Goodrington) and Jay. Frustratingly I heard a Cirl Bunting singing at Broadsands but Megan was buying a coffee and couldn't point me in the right direction and I failed to see it.

Mediterranean Gulls at Broadsands

RX10

a well travelled individual ringed as a chick in Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France in June 2014 and seen at Braunton, Devon in July 2016; Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire in April 2016 & June 2017; Finistère, Bretagne in July 2017; Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire in May 2018; Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN in February 2019; Vendée, Pays de la Loire in April 2019, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire in July 2019; Finistère, Bretagne in July 2019; Gijón, Asturias, SPAIN in January 2020; Sarthe, Pays de la Loire and Loiret, Centre-Val de Loire in April 2021

Friday 12 November. In the morning we revisited Dartington seeing a single Dipper briefly near the Mill. In the afternoon while Megan visited shops and a museum Cookie and I walked to St. Mary's Bay and around to Berry Head seeing 140 Redwings and 2 Cirl Buntings.

Cirl Buntings on Berry Head

Saturday 13 November. Our journey home involved a diversion north from Honiton due to closure of the A35 between there and Axminster. Back on the A35 we stopped at Charmouth again seeing an adult Mediterranean Gull and 13 Meadow Pipits and on the M27 Rownham. 2 Buzzards and a Jay were also seen on the journey.