Broad-billed Sandpiper

Twenty-two years since I last saw a Broad-billed Sandpiper so the urge to see this beauty was quite strong! Strong enough for me to make the early morning trip across the river to Dawlish Warren. Also there - 3+ Turnstones, 8 Whimbrel, c40+ Sanderling and smaller numbers of Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Lovely to catch up with Lee, Andy and Pete too.

A small but pristine Striped Hawkmoth in the trap this morning. The only other immigrant species were nine Small Mottled Willow.

Small Mottled Willow.

Small Elephant Hawkmoth.

Small Spruce Tortrix Epinotia nanana.

Alexanders Straw Aethes deaurana.

This Goshawk flew over whilst on a walk (Pebbled Heaths) yesterday. Small so presumably a male.

It's so lovely to be seeing Painted Ladies everywhere at the moment. Exciting times1

Pyramidal (above) and Bee Orchids are now starting to appear in Exmouth.

Eastern Bordered Straw!

Eastern Bordered Straw has long been high on my 'most wanted' list so a massive thank you to Nick for messaging me having trapped this beauty in his Budleigh garden last night. The third or fourth for Devon. Absolutely fantastic!

Nick also trapped this gorgeous Ni Moth last night.

I trapped this Striped Hawk Moth a couple nights ago. Masses of quality migrants around at the moment! Large numbers of Small Mottled Willows are a feature of this current period of immigration. I've even seen them during the daytime along with lots of Silver Y, Painted Ladies, Diamondbacks and Rush Veneers.

Small Mottled Willow.

My now annual hunt for Bird's-nest Orchid resulted in this fine specimen. It took some searching but was well worth it after drawing a blank last year. 

North Hallsands and a distant Start Point. Lu and I spent a night on a campsite in Beeson and had a lovely meal at nearby Beesands (the Cricket Inn) to celebrate 25 years of marriage.

Beesands.

Yellowhammer.

Red Kites are seemingly everywhere at the moment. This one over Torcross yesterday afternoon.

Sunrise at Beesands this morning.

Start Point this morning. No migrant birds but masses of Painted Ladies.

Red Kites

Four Red Kites seen from the garden today. All moving very slowly in the heat. A single bird was seen yesterday. Otherwise time spent mooching around the pebbled heaths produced at least 2 Cuckoos and at least 2 Crossbills. Time spent on the evening of the 23rd watching at least 1 Hobby and a couple Nightjars on Exmouth heathland.

Heath Spotted Orchids are out in force on the pebbled heaths.

Masses of Early Marsh Orchids are out at the moment. I found loads in areas I've not seen them before.

Heath Spotted Orchid.

Roe Deer - Woodbury Common.

Lu, Maisie and I went for a walk along the Otter this evening. This Beaver put in a brief appearance.

Spoonbill.

One of at least two Cuckoos at the bottom of Woodbury Common this morning.

Bar-headed Geese

Three Bar-headed Geese on Cockle Sands around lunchtime today. Extreme distance record shot!

Mudbank just the other side of high tide - 3 Bar-headed Geese, 8 Sandwich Terns, 5 Whimbrel, 13 Curlew, 9 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Swift and 6 Mallard. A lightning-quick look at Orcombe revealed a late, presumed female 'Greenland' Wheatear. 

A morning stroll on Woodbury Common produced at least four Spotted Flycatchers, 2+ Crossbills, 5+ Willow Warblers and a singing Cuckoo.

A late Wheatear on Orcombe Point.

One of at least four Spotted Flycatchers around Woodbury Fort this morning.

A check on the local Barn Owls revealed the 2 adults (plus at least one juvenile peeking out of the nest box). Neither adult bird showed their face - carefully positioned high up in the darkest recesses of the barn.

Skylark.

Pom

Pomarine Skua.

A late look off the seafront for 50 minutes (from 0950) produced a Pomarine Skua (south at 10am), c10 Turnstones, 15 Gannets, 8+ Kittiwakes, 18+ Manx Shearwaters, 7+ Dunlin, 1 Swift and 1 Great Northern Diver.

Off Mudbank - 5 Whimbrel, 12+ Black-headed Gulls, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Common Gull and 11 Curlew.

Yesterday evening - a lovely close-in pale-phase Arctic Skua off the seafront along with 3 Manx Shearwaters.

17/5 - Mudbank - 30 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Common Gull, 3 Sandwich Terns, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 18 Whimbrel, 6 Curlew, c10 Sanderling, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Mallard and c90 Oystercatchers.

Treecreeper - East Budleigh Common.

A pair of Tufted Ducks on Bystock Pond.

One of two Crossbills on Bicton Common this afternoon. A pair of Red-legged Partridges was also seen.

Early Marsh Orchid ssp pulchella.

A pair of Spotted Flycatchers was very active and vocal at a traditional breeding spot today.