19th May 2022: Around and about on Dartmoor

- May 19, 2022

We packed a lot into today, starting with an early morning walk on foot from our accommodation. Although getting out of bed early is a bit of an effort, the atmosphere out on the moors in early morning light, full of birdsong is quite magical. The sky was clear and the sun soon warmed. A Tree Pipit singing drew us out onto a moorland path and we were soon able to locate the bird perched in a small tree, executing occasional pirouettes in pursuit of an insect, before resettling to the exact same spot. We crept gradually closer and managed some excellent views before it flew off, although a bird like this is really all about the song!

A Buzzard perched in a nearby tree, watching us as we retraced our steps back to the road, where bushes and trees were overhanging from a nearby garden. This was a favoured location for tits and finches, and a Nuthatch with a nest in the telegraph pole was noteworthy. Heading back to the accommodation for a late breakfast, we stumbled across a pair of Garden Warbler showing unusually well, as you would expect with no camera to hand! And then behind these, a Bullfinch suddenly flew across and we were able to track this for a few minutes as it flitted amounts the trees. A very satisfying start to the day.

From here, we set off for Fingle Wood, which we have never visited before, but where there were rumours of Wood Warbler. The woodland was typical for the area, with leafy green oaks and a bubbling river. We didn't initially get far, as the two photographers were immediately preoccupied with taking hundreds of pictures of a Grey Wagtail.

Grey Wagtail

Beautiful birds, but how many pictures do you actually need?! Eventually I convinced them to move on and we set off downstream. The canopy now changed to evergreen conifers, and there was little in the way of birdlife, so we retraced our steps. As we crossed an open grassy glade just before the bridge Tim spotted a Dipper in a a well lit photogenic location on the river, so out came the camera again for another long pause in proceedings...

Dipper

By now it was lunchtime so we grabbed our sandwiches and climbed a tree lined track that looked perfect for Wood Warblers! Alas, no luck, but a bonus was a pair of Ravens that cronked amongst the treetops giving several fairly fleeting views but enough to satisfy us. We returned to the car ready to move on, but heard the now familiar call of a Pied Flycatcher and sharp eyed Andy then spotted the bird and we were able to track it to a mossy covered nest in a birch trunk.

Pied Flycatcher

In the afternoon we meandered back over the moor stopping at various points to try to pick up species missed from our visit so far. We called in at Challacombe Farm, where a Common Redstart was seen in a roadside tree, but it quickly disappeared from view and we were unable to relocate it. We were advised there were Spotted Flycatchers near a gate closer to the farm, but despite spending some time looking and listening we failed to find these. However a nesting Nuthatch was a useful distraction.

Nuthatch

We had a little more luck on the track at the Warren House Inn where Andy again managed to spot a couple of Whinchat feeding on the low scrub at the bottom of the valley, together with some showier Stonechats and rather endearing cattle by the pool.