The poster advertising our Wembury walk teased the possibility of migrants, residents, singing Skylarks, hirundines, butterflies and if lucky, an Adder. Skylarks could be heard singing from the car park and Swifts passed overhead as 18 birders set off.
We walked down the tarmac road in clear bright sunlight. More Skylarks and good views of Stonechat and Whitethroat were to be had, together with our local speciality, Cirl Bunting, in fine voice with its long, rattling, trill like song. An eagle eyed observer found a Common Lizard in the Ivy at the side of the path.
Searching for more migrants we turned downhill towards the beach area but continued towards the west end of the site. Over the sea a Buzzard was being given a hard time by a Carrion Crow. Some members were lucky to see an Adder basking in the sunshine. In this area, we were surrounded by bird song, identified as Cirl Bunting, Chaffinch, Wren, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, Blackbird and Wood Pigeon, confirmed with sightings by the group.
Heading to the beach area to view the rocks, sea and the Mew Stone, we saw Oystercatchers, Rock Pipits, with flyby Gulls, plus Cormorants and Fulmar on the Mew Stone. We were then treated to another Wembury speciality, a chill sea mist spread across the hillside obscuring the village and the radar masts, but quickly dispersed. We returned to the tarmac road, and up the steps into the paddock behind the masts from where there were good views of Gannet in the Sound. The National Trust currently have a number of ponies with foals in the paddock area and therefore the vegetation had been well cropped, perhaps not surprisingly, there were very few butterflies. More sightings of Cirl Bunting, Pied Wagtail and House Martin kept the group entertained. Returning to the car park passing the properties near the masts we were accompanied by a Kestrel.
This figure of eight route of 4-5km covering different habitats can easily be extended or shortened. It easily fulfilled the poster promises.
36 species seen or heard(H)
Shelduck , Mallard, Fulmar, Gannet , Cormorant, Little Egret, Buzzard, Kestrel, Oystercatcher Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove (H), Swift, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock , Stonechat, Blackbird, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler (H), Chiffchaff, Wren, Blue Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Cirl Bunting
Butterflies: Comma, Marbled White, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Small Skipper
Reptiles: Common Lizard, Slow Worm (dead), Adder
Report by Rob Massey
