Dartmoor Redstarts

A trip in April to Emsworthy mire on Dartmoor with friends to look for some of our avian summer visitors, a few Cuckoos were around but always a bit distant for any photos ( still not got a decent photo of a Cuckoo),but the stars for the day were the Redstarts with seemingly good numbers having already started to set up territory and start nest building. The male really is a very smart bird and they were in good voice as the female went about collecting nesting material.

Two trips to Marazion

Marazion seems to have turned into our go to place in the van when we have a few days to spare, we took two recent three day trips, one in March and another in April,staying at Dove Meadows campsite which is right next to the marsh and just a short walk to the beach, this suits us both as I can spend early mornings and evenings birding and looking for wildlife to photograph and at other times popping down to the Lands end area or having or look around Penzance via the bus. I saw quite a nice selection of birds including the rare Savi's Warbler, ( no photo though). NIce to see a few Whimbrel on the beach

along with a few Dunlin, Sanderling and a nice summer plumaged Knot.

Other commoner species photographed included Cetti's and Reed Warbler,

Great Egret ( am I including that with the common species now!),

Green Sandpiper,

Carrion Crow,

Canada Goose,

Linnet

and Stonechat.

Early Butterflies.

In April the first Butterflies start to show, with Orange Tip ( photographed at Roadford lake) and Speckled Wood ( in our garden.) both posing nicely.