Kites, Hobbies, Worms and Flycatchers

Red Kite, Colyton Hill, 09/05/2020 (Copyright T D Wright)

Spotted Flycatcher, Colyton Hill 07/05/2020 (Copyright T D Wright)

Slow Worm, Colyton, 09/05/2020 (Copyright T D Wright)

     Well, Cownhayne was good for a while with another Whinchat on 3rd with Lesser Whitethroat, Swifts and myriad hirundines. On 5th, BHM held 2 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, 7 Whimbrel and 2 Curlew. The Bar-tailed Godwit from 2nd was still present on the estuary.
     On 7th, a walk to Jobble's Lane produced my first Spotted Flycatcher of 2020 on Colyton Hill. The 9th was very warm and sunny and several Slow Worms were out on the tarmac around Colyton. As I climbed higher past Whitwell Lane I saw my first Red Kite of the year thermalling towards Colyton Hill. At last! Then, like Red London Buses they piled through en masse and I soon had double figures. Within an hour I counted 11 but just as suddenly as they started, they dried up. 7 Common Buzzards, 2 Kestrels and 2 Sparrowhawks added to the raptor count but I had to wait until Sunday to see my first Hobby from Colyton picnic site. Today (11th) I got more glimpses of Hobby from Clay Lane but how many are there? People from Rousdon to Southleigh and North to Axminster have also been reporting Hobbies as they pass through our neighbourhood so when that settles down we might work out if they are breeding this year. Stay ALERT, everyone!

Whinchat, Cownhayne 03/05/2020 (Copyright T D Wright)