A day out in Devon, June 2014

It's been a quiet year on the day trip front, with most of my time focused on consultancy work for Wild Future and what little spare time remains on adding to the website content. But last week's outing to Ashdown Forest to see the country's third ever Short-toed Eagle had got my juices flowing. When the long-staying Spectacled Warbler disappeared from the north Norfolk coast on Thursday, I switched my planned Friday excursion to my former stomping ground around Exeter in Devon.

Labrador Bay RSPB reserve (June 2014)

Leaving Woking at 5.30am, it was a beautiful drive down the A303 on a bright and sunny morning - an atmospheric mist around Stonehenge was the only time all day that the sun was not beating down. By 8.15am, I was standing in the car park atop Labrador Bay, 3km south of Teignmouth, watching and listening to two singing male Cirl Buntings perched on the thick hedgerows. [Listen to them yourselves!]

This was my first visit here - Labrador Bay was acquired by the RSPB in 2009, four years after I moved on from being their Regional Reserves Manager for south-west England. We'd spent a great deal of time looking for the perfect reserve area to provide a safe home for Cirl Buntings and it was a pleasure to finally be there.

Cirl Bunting by Andy Morffew via Creative Commons

Looking north across the reserve

It's a tremendous view from the car park. The grassland and arable fields tumble beautifully down the hill to the cliff tops. It was somewhat hazy today; Hope's Nose was clear along the coast to the south but Portland was a smudge on the north-east horizon.

Looking south to Maidencombe, Torquay and Hope's Nose

I strolled just half a kilometre into the undulating reserve to the south, along the edge of one of the arable fields and sat looking across a scrubby downslope to more grassland and, beyond, to Maidencombe and Hope's Nose. This was a spot I occupied for the next half an hour and could have stayed much longer at. Whitethroats, Goldfinches, Skylarks, a Goldfinch and a Greenfinch were singing. Three more Cirl Buntings, two females and a male, alighted briefly on a branch in front of me, giving great views.

A male Linnet perched in a shrub close by for several minutes and another male's song came from across the hillside. A Raven drifted along the cliff tops, calling, and a Common Buzzard hunted across the opposite slope of the field. Offshore, a Gannet was cruising and diving. Foxgloves added colour in every direction and a Giant Puffball was on the ground nearby. I probably wasn't paying enough attention but Marbled White and Small Copper butterflies can be seen here.

Giant Puffball (Calvatia gigantea)

With the rush hour through Teignmouth over, I made may way back to the car and took the A379 north along the coast. I took a short walk along the beach and nature reserve at Dawlish Warren, more for nostagalgia than anything else, enjoying the Evening Primroses flowering in the sandy areas near the car park (despite being invasive non-natives). Only a Black-headed Gull appeared to be offshore - no Great Northern Divers or scarcer gulls, although some were seen later that day.

Dawlish Warren south beach (above) and nature reserve (below)

I headed north again to Topsham and another RSPB reserve - Bowling Green Marsh, the high-tide roost for the north of the Exe Estuary. This time I had a particular aim in mind - the first summer Ross's Gull that had been roosting here for the last three weeks and what would be a first sighting for me. The roost gatherings here are always an exciting viewing. It's not that large an area and there's always lots of birds on show.

And so it proved. The hide was relatively full and I took to leaning against the rear wall with my scope, listening to the words of wisdom from others whilst I scanned the pool. The first bird I laid eyes on was an adult Spoonbill in the channel close to the hide - superb! There were around 800 Black-headed Gulls in three groups around the pool but with several gems inter-mixed. There were some Mediterranean Gulls wading, and I had great views of second summer and adult birds. A Bonaparte's Gull was loafing on the water - only the second I had seen - and a Little Gull rested in the bay. And on the back mud shore - the Ross's Gull was just visible amongst the Black-heads. The world's two smallest gull species in the same place - fantastic. I'm not that fond of gulls but with Common and Herring Gulls also present, it was quite a collection.

The high-tide roost at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB

There was also a big group of waders present in front of the reedbed at the back. I was pleased to see about five Bar-tailed Godwits amongst the Black-taileds and, on the edge of a group of 80 or so Redshank, two Spotted Redshanks in their glorious black and speckled summer plumage - both species I don't see too regularly. Four Whimbrel were also present to make a great trio.

(above) Mediterranean Gull in flight, by Maarten van Kleinwee, via Creative Commons,
 and a beautiful Spotted Redshank by Michele Lamberti, via Creative Commons (below)

After an hour or so I was preparing to leave when a discussion broke out about an odd looking Herring Gull on the far bank - or was it a Caspian Gull, a rarity in Devon? We knocked some ideas around for a while and came to the conclusion it probably was just a Herring Gull - but it was an informative debate which is encapsulated in this blog post from Tim Worfolk.

No visit would be complete without a stroll on the Pebblebed Heaths and I stopped off at Woodbury Common and Aylesbeare Common RSPB reserve for some more fresh air and exercise.

Woodbury Common (above) and Bicton College (below)

The final call of the day was at my alma mater, Bicton College, near East Budleigh, which specialises in land-based and environmental education. There's some improved accommodation and new facilities, but it retains the same 'small school' feel I remember from the mid-90s. Maybe I'll see if I can do a refresher or two there!

And so the day ended with the drive back to Surrey, not disturbed too much by the pre-solstice traffic management - perhaps June 20th isn't the best day for this drive but it didn't hold me up for long. A fantastic day out.

Virginia Water, Windsor Great Park, July 2011

Mute Swan

After getting to know Windsor Great Park over the last year, I'd been keen to visit the beautiful lake of Virginia Water. With Heather horse riding in the park tonight, and with the weather looking good, I took the chance to explore.

Virginia Water is part of the The Royal Landscape (map here), one thousand acres of landscaped gardens at the south end of Windsor Great Park comprising Savill Garden (paid entry), Valley Gardens and Virginia Water, the latter being the most informal area. Dammed in 1753, the lake was the largest man-made water body in England until large reservoirs began to be created. The surrounding woodland was planted when the lake was created and is now a mature habitat, with the areas to the south and west part of the Windsor Forest and Great Park SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), mainly for the veteran trees.

Looking south along the eastern side of Virgina Water

I decided to try the Virginia Water entrance, off the A30 near Wentworth, as it's the shortest walk to the lake itself. With the car park shutting for the evening as I arrived - the park itself is open from dawn until dusk - I parked in a layby approximately 200m north of the entrance. Even at nearly 7pm, the area around the park entrance was quite busy, but after a few minutes walk it appeared that most groups weren't venturing much beyond the first viewpoint over the lake. The light was beautiful - I was enjoying concentrating on the photography rather than the birds for once - and promised a lovely sunset.

Looking north on Virginia Water's most easterly arm, towards Wick Pond

Sweet Chestnut

After reaching as far as Wick Pond, I walked in the easterly fringes of the Valley Gardens. This 250 acre area is a beautifully landscaped and planted woodland garden, with extensive shrub beds and grassy clearings amongst the trees, where flowers carpet the forest floor. It's an enjoyable walk and a fine area to photograph.

Valley Gardens, The Royal Landscape, Windsor Great Park

(photo by Wendy Cutler via Creative Commons)

With the sun starting to set behind the trees, I quickly headed back to the viewpoint near the Virgina Water car park, from where you can look west down the entire length of the lake: perfect for sunset shots! The area was pretty deserted now so I had only the odd walker to share a stunning sundown with.

Whilst concentrating hard on the camera and the beautiful scene unfolding before me, an equally beautiful Mute Swan crept up on me to investigate my camera bag - allowing me to take the portrait at the top of the post at extremely close quarters! Finding no food and scared by the rather large camera lens, he made a sharpish exit and swam away...allowing me to catch a shot of him bathed in the sunlight.

Mute Swan

An enjoyable couple of hours - and no doubt just the first visit of many.

Colourful day at Dungeness, July 2010

Looking west along Dungeness' shingle beach

Dungeness has become one of my very favourite spots to visit over the last couple of years: the various elements - the RSPB reserve, Denge Beach, and the wooden shanties dwarfed by the nuclear power station - are a unique environment - it feels like a foreign shore, forty years in the past.

Purple Heron over reedbed by Jean-Jacques Boujot,

under Creative Commons licence

The birds are great too. Dungeness has brought me three 'firsts' over my last two visits and, on a Sunday morning in July, I spent a couple of hours on the Dengemarsh Road hoping for the Purple Herons - the first to breed in the UK - and a Great White Egret to show. It was a beautifully sunny morning and it was extremely pleasant to simply lean against the car and scan the reedbed, meadow and pool; even the soundtrack of machine gun fire from the adjacent MOD range was not an irritation. In the couple of hours that I watched, an adult Purple Heron came in just once to where the nest was presumed to be, flying low over the reeds, and the Egret also only showed briefly, wheeling up into sight above the reeds as he moved along the pool to a more likely spot to fish. But it was one of those days when it didn't matter; a couple of Corn Buntings sang and three Yellow Wagtails bobbed arund the meadow.

From the reserve, I did my usual and drove down to the beach for a stroll - although without enough time for my normal lunch stop at the Light Railway Café.

Looking north from the beach,

near Dungeness A power station

I spent 15 minutes watching The Patch (left) - the bubbling hot water outfall from the power station that enriches the biological productivity of the seabed and attracts seabirds from miles around - trying to turn the Black-headed Gulls into Med Gulls without success.




The trip finished with a few flypast photos of gulls whilst strolling back. For those who haven't been, I can heartily recommend a visit to this unique and wild corner of Kent.

Herring Gull

Birdwatching in west Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, June 2010

A trip out through Suffolk and Cambs in mid-June was aimed at seeing two or three unusual bird species. I pitched up early at the Lakenheath RSPB reserve in Suffolk - just north of the town on the B1112 - in hope of seeing Golden Oriole in the UK for the first time, but the weather proved less than ideal and there was no sign or sound of the little blighters in overcast and slightly damp conditions. I spent a couple of pleasant hours walking along the Little Ouse River and the droves around West Wood, with Marsh Harriers active (photo, above), a Grasshopper Warbler reeling and pairs of Cuckoo perched both in the open and the birch woodland, before the sun peeped through and a few bars of that flute-like Oriole voice floated through West Wood...but that was it! Still, an enjoyable first visit to this reserve and I look forward to visiting again at other seasons. There is a good visitor centre and some great viewpoints over the fen.

Pied Wagtail, Welney WWT

Things went less well at Welney WWT centre, with no Bluethroat on show and just three hours sunburn and a Pied Wagtail (above) to show for the effort! Naturally, it turned up about twenty minutes after I left and sang its heart out... Actually, despite Bluey's no-show, Welney was great - a friendly bunch of folks waiting, baby Sedge Warblers (below) getting fed within a few metres and Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets flying overhead.

Best was saved for last. Under the evening sun in a beautiful blue sky, I stopped off at Berry Fen, near Bluntisham - a newly restored area in the Hanson-RSPB wetland project to create Ouse Fen nature reserve.

Berry Fen RSPB, June 2010

It wasn't easy to find but eventually parked up just west of Earith and walked south-west along the Ouse Valley Way. The habitat looked superb and enjoying it, freshly arrived from nearby Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB, was a Blue-winged Teal. It was a little distant for the camera and directly into the sun, but there are some great pictures of this individual on the Back in Birdland blog by Mike Lawrence. I will definitely call in again when in the area.

 Blue-winged Teal, under Creative Commons licence

  

The slight struggle to find Berry Fen was worthwhile, however. I stumbled across pretty St Mary's in Bluntisham and spent a half hour exploring the churchyard, which is a beautiful mixture of managed and wild areas.

St Mary's Church, Bluntisham, Cambs 

Isle of Skye (3): Small Isles & seabirds, June 2010

If you've made it as far as Skye, it's a must to go a little further and take a trip out amongst the Small Isles - Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna.

Isle of Rum from Camasunary

We took a trip in a rigid inflatable boat (rib) with Aquaexplore (part of Bella Jane) out to the waters off Soay, Canna and Rum and thoroughly enjoyed it; there are also a couple of other comapanies offering different trips. All outer clothing was provided (although some a little large!) and you can wear your own if you have good waterproofs. Do wrap up warm though, whatever the weather.

First stop was the islets of An Coileach and A' Charc (left) off the coast of Soay, where Grey Seals and Shags loaf and sunbathe. The seals can be quite inquisitive and we got good views as a couple bobbed around the boat.

Under the towering cliffs of Canna

After a 15 minute blast across the water, with a Great Northern Diver, Guillemot and Arctic Skua lifting off from our path, we reached the northern coast of the Isle of Canna. The towering 400ft granite cliffs are home to thousands of nesting seabirds. Guillemots and Razorbills sat packed on ledges whilst Puffins took leaps of faith from their grassy burrows and whistled past our ears as they tried to flap hard enough to get airborne. Fulmars and Kittiwakes were also on the cliffs in smaller numbers. An eagle - Golden or Sea, I couldn't tell - soared high overhead.

After drifting along the cliffs watching the birds, we landed at the island's harbour for a quick explore and restroom stop. The scenery was stunning and I hope we can return for a longer stay in future. We had only a quarter of an hour but reached the tiny St Columba's church (see photo).




Just as we were boarding the rib to leave for Rum, the island doctor landed and let us know that a couple of Basking Sharks had been seen in the area. With excitement, we headed out into Canna Sound and quartered the sea in hope of seeing one.

Just as we were on the verge of giving up, we spotted one of these fantastic fish dead ahead. It was feeding back and forth in the sound and, besides its unmistakeable dorsal fin, its nose could just be seen peeking through the waves, allowing us to estimate its length at about 20ft.

Sadly leaving the Basking Shark, we passed by the Isle of Rum where Red Deer are regularly seen along the shore on our way back to Elgol to complete a memorable trip.

Elgol harbour from the water

Isle of Skye (2): Loch Scavaig coast & the Bad Step, June 2010

One of the best parts of our holiday on Skye in June was exploring the beautiful Loch Scavaig coast around Elgol on the Strathaird peninsula. It offers the sea coast, Camasunary beach, the infamous Bad Step and Loch Coruisk - or as much of this as you desire, depending on how far you want to walk - all with the backdrop of Blaven and the Black Cuillin.

Looking north to Blaven and Camasunary beach on Loch Scavaig

There are a few ways of tackling this area. We split it over two trips: one on foot from Elgol to Camasunary and then up the track north of Beinn Leacach to the B8083 near Kirkibost (if you have two cars you can drop one at the layby here to shorten the route, or walk back along the road to Elgol like we did); and the second was from the layby over the Beinn Leacach track to Camasunary and up to the Bad Step and Loch Coruisk, then back by the same route. However, there are also boats that sail directly from Elgol to Loch Coriusk so you just have to stroll back along the coast - and looking back, I wish we'd done this! The track isn't that enjoyable...although there are some good views:

 

East from the Beinn Leacach track across Loch Slapin

photo by Heather

North from Elgol, the path peters out into a sheep track along this gorgeous stretch of coast. Although mostly easy, there are a few short vertigo-inducing bits! Initially, birds were slow...Meadow Pipits, singing Willow Warbler and flypast gulls and Shags.

One odd shape on the sea caught my attention though...maybe it was a seal? After a while, Jago refound it...it was a rich brown, dove often and had four legs and a tail - Otter! We sat and watched it gradually work its way closer to the shore...and then another...and then another!



The three worked their way slowly up the beach and under a large rock which we guessed was the holt. Wow!

 An otter crunches into a crab whilst a Hooded Crow waits for scraps

With a good idea of where to find the family again, we slipped back on our last night. After an hour with no sign, we were just starting back when Jago spotted a lone otter coming into shore, with a huge crab for dinner! We spent ages watching him take it apart...alive! A Hooded Crow kept close attendance in case of a chance for leftovers. I managed to grab a few shots through the telescope with Heather's Canon Ixus 50.

 

The coast has the best views into the heart of the Black Cuillin

By now, we were getting great views across the loch to the Black Cuillin. A ten second glimpse of a White-tailed Eagle got pulses racing! After lunch at Cladach a' Ghlinne, we pressed on to Camasunary beach (probably took us 3 hours in total) and bathed in the afternoon sunlight. A pair of Shelduck with an amazing 12 chicks swam along the beach and Arctic Terns posed on the rocks offshore.

 

 The author on the Bad Step
(photo by Heather)

From Camasunary beach, it is still another hour and a half to the Bad Step - a rocky slab of gabbro that blocks the path with just a crack to work yourself along - with no way round other than to swim! Its bark is worse than its bite, but you still need a bit of a head for heights...there's a fifteen foot drop to the waves below!

Heather and I ran out of time a little, so Jago was the only one in our group to get all the way to Loch Coriusk...but it gives us yet another reason to go back. This area is absolutely fantastic...but I do recommend doing one-way by boat!

 

The view up Loch Coriusk

Photo by Ylvas, under Creative Commons licence