Banded Pine Carpet

Nick trapped this pristine and very rare Banded Pine Carpet in Budleigh last night and kindly invited me over to see it this morning. It's only the second record for Devon and there have only been  handful of records nationally - mainly in the south-east.

A quick look off the seafront this morning produced 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Great Northern Diver and 33 Canada Geese towards the river. A further 11 Canada Geese flew past Orcombe Point along with three Mute Swans. On Orcombe itself - at least 7 Swifts and a singing male Cirl Bunting. Otherwise today - Barn Owl Yettington and Cuckoo on Bicton Common.

Dartford Warblers have been showing well on the Pebbled Heaths...

Painted Lady.

I've always hoped to find the caterpillar of Beautiful Yellow Underwing but it's so well camouflaged that the idea seemed a bit fanciful. I somehow locked eyes on this beauty this afternoon having photographed the adult moth just yesterday. See below.

Beautiful Yellow Underwing.

Keeled Skimmer.

Small Heath.

Small Grass Emerald.

Common Heath.

The Cuckoo is still singing on Bicton Common.

Black-tailed Skimmer.

Green Hairstreak.

Green Tiger Beetle.

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

Clouded Buff.

Hard Work

Spotted Flycatcher - at least three territories found on a circular walk that Lu and I did this afternoon. The wooded edges of the pebbled heaths are pretty good for this species.

It's been extremely quiet as is pretty much the norm for this time of year in Exmouth. A look at the sea yesterday produced 15+ Common Scoters, 29 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Fulmars, at least 22 Sanderlings (estuary-bound), 1 Whimbrel, 1+ Sandwich Tern, 1 Guillemot, 5 Black-headed Gulls and at least 5 Common Dolphins. At least 50 Black-headed Gulls were off the Imperial rec.

26/5 - 2 Great Northern Divers off the seafront and 9 Sandwich Terns from Mudbank.

25/5 - 1 Great Northern Diver, 3 Manx Shearwaters and 6 Mediterranean Gulls off the seafront. 

Otherwise I've put a little time in searching for Orchids which are also not great this year...

Heath Spotted.

Early Marsh

Pyramidal - not quite there yet.

Common Spotted.

Greater Butterfly.

Early Purple.

Common Spotted.

Bee.

Southern Marsh.

Even the local Barn Owl isn't playing ball at the moment!

RVD

Red-veined Darter - Bicton Common.

Mooching round the local pebbled heaths the last few days has produced lots of the expected stuff. I've struggled to locate breeding Spotted Flycatchers in the usual traditional spots but managed to find at least one bird at Squabmoor Yard stables this afternoon - presumably one of a pair. Red Kites were over Bicton Common today and yesterday and other sightings have included 2 Crossbills and lots of Firecrests.

Early Marsh Orchid.

Lots of Firecrests in wooded edges of the heaths at the moment.

Skylark.

A Red Kite over Bicton Common after work this afternoon following one yesterday afternoon. 

Stonechat.

Heath Spotted Orchid.

Curlew Sand

Off Mudbank this morning - an adult summer-plumaged Curlew Sandpiper flew past with c25 Sanderling, resting off the Imperial rec for a few minutes before flying towards the Warren. Presumably the Warren bird that's been around since Wednesday. Also off Mudbank - a first-summer Little Gull feeding mid-river with  other gulls, 6 Whimbrel, 10+ Ringed Plovers, 6+ Dunlin, 1 Sandwich Tern, 2 Mute Swans and 9 Great Crested Grebes.

Maer Rocks first thing this morning - 4 Ringed Plovers, 3 Sanderling, 3 Sandwich Terns and a first-summer Common Gull.

Temminck's Stint

An evening trip to Exminster Marshes for this fabulous Temminck's Stint. A species I've not seen since 2014. A great little wader in glorious evening sunshine. So nice to see so many familiar faces but the beautiful evening temporarily took a stressful twist as I managed to drop my phone whilst jogging back to the car. A huge thanks to Rob and Mark for their coordinated help in finding it. I'm so grateful to them both! Only other bird of note was the singing Lesser Whitethroat.