Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary

The second-summer (3rd cal yr) Yellow-legged Gull was in the recycling centre, early on. A Little Egret flew east past Orcombe Point and 7 Curlew were off Mudbank. Otherwise, the only thing to make the notebook was a flock of 30 Woodpigeons and 3 Collared Doves on the Imperial rugby ground. Also today - some time mooching around the pebbled heaths and an evening dog-walk, with Lu, to West Lodge where Meadow Browns are now on the wing, along with Common Blue and Brown Argus. My first Common Darter of the summer was noted too.

Early Marsh Orchid.

Heath Spotted Orchid.

Common Spotted Orchid.

Brown Argus - West Lodge.

Cuckoo

Cuckoo - Orcombe Point. One day I'll take a half recognisable photo of a Cuckoo!

Another Cuckoo was a surprise on Orcombe Point this morning. It quickly moved through. Otherwise a male Kestrel up there was noteworthy, as was a single Collared Dove. The second-summer Yellow-legged Gull was again in the recycling centre and, off Mudbank - c60 Sanderlings, 4 Mediterranean Gulls, 5 Sandwich Terns, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Mallards, 1 Grey Heron, 6 Canada Geese and c30+ Black-headed Gulls.

On Orcombe first thing yesterday - 2 singing Reed Warblers, the Sedge Warbler and a probable Hobby, seen only briefly. Offshore - 1 Manx Shearwater and 3 Sandwich Terns. The Yellow-legged Gull was in the recycling centre at 0540 as I cycled past, en route to Orcombe, and still there on the way back, at 0730. Off Mudbank - 65+ Black-headed Gulls, 10 Canada Geese, 3 Sandwich Terns, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Knot, 1 Curlew, 1 Grey Plover and c20/30+ Sanderlings.

Small Heath - Bicton Common - just a couple on the wing yesterday afternoon.

Black-tailed Skimmer - Bicton Common.

Green Hairstreak - Bicton Common.

Yellow-legged Gull.

Swallow - Halsdon Avenue.

First-summer Mediterranean Gull - Mudbank. One of four seen off there this morning (a second-summer ad 3 first-summers).

Little Egret - Mudbank.

 Grey Heron - Mudbank.

Mudbank

Pyramidal Orchid - Dinan Way.

Mudbank - 1 Peregrine, 1+ Ringed Plover, 1 Knot, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Sanderlings, 1 Dunlin, c150 Oystercatchers, c30/40 Black-headed Gulls, 1 fs Mediterranean Gull, the Yellow-legged Gull, 5 Sandwich Terns, 13 Swifts, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Shelducks and 20 Canada Geese. A singing Reed Warbler on Orcombe Point, whilst walking the dog with Lu.

Second-summer Yellow-legged Gull - Mudbank.

Bee Orchids - Dinan Way.

Aethes deaurana

Aethes deaurana - first recorded in the UK as recently as 2017, this southern European species has now become established at a few sites in Devon and Dorset. They've been recording them at Dawlish Warren for a while now but I hadn't managed to get my act together, to search for them, until yesterday evening. A short, dusk search of the Maer, where Alexanders abound, was all that was required!

Birds today - Mudbank - 47 Black-headed Gulls, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Dunlin, 12 Curlew, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 80 Canada Geese. The Yellow-legged Gull was in the recycling centre and the Sedge Warbler was still in song on Orcombe Point.

Ringed Plovers - Mudbank.

Predictably, the second-summer Yellow-legged Gull was back in the recycling centre early this morning.

A male Stonechat singing from the top of the Geoneedle this morning - Orcombe Point.

House Martins - Mudbank 31/5/23.

Both Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler in song on Orcombe yesterday morning. The Sedgie is presumably the bird that's been on territory up there all spring.

Off Mudbank - 5 Ringed Plovers, 1 Redshank, 11 Curlew, 9 Sanderlings, 3 Sandwich Terns, 1 Black-headed Gull and 16 House Martins.

Heather Knot-horn Pempelia palumbella.

Early Marsh Orchid.

Heath Spotted Orchid.

Common Cudweed.

Whitethroat - Orcombe Point.

Bee x Fly Orchids

Bee x Fly Orchid - Somerset.

Pyramidal Orchid.