Annual Birdwatching Bonanza, Sunday January 18th 2026
The weather forecast for the day did not bode well as we left our North Devon car park to go on our annual bird trip to Dart’s Farm, under grey skies and drizzly rain. Travelling along the Link road an overhead red kite brightened our journey a little. On arrival our numbers more than doubled with those members who made their own way to the venue. One member gathered two similar leaves from nearby red dead nettle plants. Closer inspection showed one of them to be from a cut leaved dead nettle. Meanwhile the rain had become heavier so it was decided to drive down to the bird hide rather than walking and then park in the fisherman’s car park.
Arriving at the bird hide we frightened off a cormorant fishing on an adjacent pond. This was probably good news for the resident fishermen who seemed to indulge in their pastime in all weathers. Later a moorhen created a kerfuffle as it crashed in to land on the same pond sending plumes of water at regular intervals nearly spanning the whole pond.
The rain eased slightly as we drove around to the Goosemoor reserve. Looking through the viewing gaps in the open air viewing hide we could see some teal on the mud banks and a lone mute swan relaxing amongst the vegetation.
There were not too many photographic opportunities for the keen photographers in our group, but they were seen taking close ups of lichens on nearby trees. Often in this spot a mistle thrush is seen on a tall tree loaded with mistletoe but not so this year, although we were compensated by the melodic singing of a song thrush. One of our group who decided to walk to Goosemoor reported seeing very few birds but something he had not witnessed before, a pair of mating foxes..
On then to the hide at Bowling Green Marsh where we ate our packed lunches whilst admiring the usual array of waterfowl in front of us. More difficult to spot were several snipe dotted around on the islands. In the distance a marsh harrier glided back and forth across the reed beds.
Lunch over, it was onwards to the viewing platform overlooking the River Clyst. Here we saw common gulls and a common sandpiper and most interestingly a pair of little egrets shuffling their feet around the weed covered stones in the shallows hoping to catch their lunch with a quick dart of their beaks.
Walking back along the muddy path we passed a birch tree loaded with it’s catkins and plenty of ivy with berries providing much needed Winter food for the birds. A small flock of greenfinches flew into a nearby hedge behind which Canada geese were grazing.
Now down to the Goat Walk where a turnstone was seen amongst the shoreline rocks. Although the rain had eased a splendid array of multi coloured umbrellas passed us as we stood looking out over the mud flats at the avocets. These are the birds adopted by the RSPB for their logo, looking elegant as they swished their upturned beaks from side to side seeking by touch worms and crustaceans to eat. With their thin beaks, long thin legs and slender bodies they are the ballerinas of the mudflats.
Heading back to our cars in the descending gloom we passed a small flock of great tits. A young dogwood tree looked splendid displaying its bare red branches. The leafless branches of a honeysuckle along a long stretch of hedge was still showing off its bright red berries.
Nothing left to do now but to retire to a nearby cosy pub for a warming and refreshing coffee.
Home now to watch Countryfile which would you believe, came from the Exe estuary. JS
Annual Indoor Meeting Thursday February 12th, 2026.
The annual Indoor meeting was very well attended as always. Ali North gave a superb talk on the release of Pine Martens onto Dartmoor and Exmoor. The Grey Squirrel population is apparently being effectively controlled by these predators. Ali said that each of the pine martens has a unique bib pattern which helps the team to identify each individual that is released into the wild. A collection of photographs of their bibs she lovingly called her ‘bibliography’. Radio collars also assist with monitoring the pine martens that have been released.
This is an ongoing project and pine martens are bouncing back with the Two Moors Pine Marten Project. Pine martens have been missing from our countryside for 150 years but to find out more or to take part visit www.twomoorspinemartens.org.
It was a fascinating talk. The raffle and teas, coffees and biscuits were held in the break with lots of prize winners! We couldn’t have the book stall this time as we needed the space for extra chairs. The picture of Ali giving her talk shows the front few rows, but the whole room was packed. It was a successful evening and we would like to thank our Chairman Brian Sims for organising, and the helpers Mandy, Ali, Sandy and the team as well as Ali North for her fascinating talk. EB
Velator and Horsey Island. Sunday 8th March 2026
And so it was, as a small group gathered in the gloom of a drizzly day for our first outdoor meeting of our 2026/7 season. A quick check around the car park verges for early Spring flowers and then off we went to the accompanying notes of a song thrush to the Velator Quay car park where we found most of our party had travelled to directly.
Velator Quay sits alongside the River Caen which empties into the River Taw as it makes its way to the Bristol Channel. Today the Caen was on an ebb tide, as we plodded along the muddy riverside path. Pausing at its junction with Knowle Water, a grey wagtail posed with its bobbing tail.
All around the blackthorn was now in full bloom and further on a roadside bank displayed clusters of tiny flowers emerging from their Winter dormancy. These included fumitory, shepherd’s purse, Danish scurvy grass and spurge.
Soon we were on the Tarka Trail, a solid pathway popular with both walkers and cyclists. Sparrows chirped in the hedgerows and a magpie gave away its presence with its harsh call. These birds have a craving for strange foods as they will eat almost anything.
Looking out over the adjacent “scrape” a lone heron was standing stock still almost hidden by the surrounding reeds. In contrast two more herons were seen in the distance walking too and fro in front of a hedge instead of their usual behaviour of standing still on their long spindly legs and an occasional dart into water having carefully selected their prey. Instead they were constantly on he move, regularly probing the ground in front of them . It was suggested they may have stumbled across some frogs spawn.
There used to be a wooden walkway leading to a pier jutting out into Velator pond, a favourite haunt for water birds. This has now been fenced off as it had been deemed as unsafe. However we were able to glance through gaps in the trees and saw pochard, gadwall, moorhen, coot and mute swan.
Returning to the cars for a bite to eat we passed an unusual parasol fungus growing out from the side of an upright stem. It had a whitish colour with an orange/red circle in its centre, After much discussion it was identified as one of the 59 Lepiota species found in this country.
Further along we had a nice sighting of a goldcrest and in the same tree a bumblebee lumbering its way through the rough branches.
After lunch a trip out to Horsey Island via the toll road. As we stood on the grassy bank a cold wind seemed to get up and chill the bones. So we decided to call it a day but not before one member gathered a handful of sea beet for her supper.
Since our last visit to this area there have been changes with hideous concrete structures appearing alongside the river where once butterflies fluttered and insects buzzed. A scrub area on the bank now tidied up so no longer do you hear the clinking song of stonechats emanating from it. The once large scrape now reduced to a small pond even after two months of virtually continuous rainfall. It is now overgrown with reeds and not a teal to be seen. A line of trees beside a stream, once the home of tits and finches, now all cut down. And as already mentioned the wooden pier now derelict from where families used to feed the swans and ducks.
Thanks to Brian and Grahame for help with the bird and flower lists. JS
Horner Wood. Sunday 12th April 2026
We are now in Springtime and as the daffodils begin to face and the snowdrops are a distant memory, our thoughts turn to early Summer migrants and to the heights of Exmoor.
Carefully winding our way down the steep narrow road to our first venue, we passed the occasional clump of nodding bluebells. Down we went through the isolated Cloutsham Farm until we met the East Water where we parked just short of the water splash as the stream flooded over the road before making its way down through the narrow wooded valley towards the lower reaches of Horner Water.
Of course , now in a valley we were having to climb up a steep path to the mature woods at the top of the moor. Our ascent was made more pleasurable with the accompanying song of a chiffchaff and colourful showings of celandine, violet and wood sorrel.
Reaching the top we were able to take in the breathtaking views across the moor to the Bristol Channel and Wales in the distance. A solitary house martin crossed above us with its purposeful flight to who knows where. Then a single swallow confirming the old adage that it did not constitute a Summer. It’s flight seemed to be partially governed by the now strong winds. These winds sent dark clouds scudding across the sky which frequently unloaded their contents sending heavy showers down upon us. It was with some relief to reach the shelter of the mature oak woods. This was where we were hoping to see pied flycatchers and redstarts where after their long journeys from Africa they start to make their nests in the holes and cavities of the older trees. This was not our lucky year as none were spotted although they had already been reported some 20 miles to the South West in the Mole valley. So it was left to us to admire these old oak trees, covered in mosses and their branches supporting row upon row of polypody ferns.
Below them whortleberry plants grew in abundance as a buff tailed bumble bee was seen lumbering through them.
Descending through the woods a buzzard soared above us and blackthorn stood out from the surrounding woodland. Soon this will be followed by the hawthorn some of which were still showing the now reddish purple fruits of the previous year. Many of these were dropping off onto the old wet leaves that carpeted the ground.
Upon reaching the valley bottom again a sharp eyed member spotted the pale green moschatel plant. This was our wild flower of the day as it is not that common. Back at the water splash snacks were consumed as a grey wagtail flew overhead before heading downstream.
The afternoon saw us wandering down alongside the Chetsford Water towards its junction with Emberscombe Water. A flock of meadow pipits battled the strong winds above us, a dipper was bobbing up and down on a mid stream rock and a wheatear flew out from the newly established ponds at the top of the valley. These flood prevention ponds are providing fresh habitats for a range of wildlife.
Trudging back up the coombe we were reminded of the temperature by a sudden hailstorm before a flatish rainbow appeared in the sky as we departed to a nearby cafe.
Halwill Junction Sunday 10th May 2026
Making our way through the narrow lanes deep in the West Devon countryside a rabbit shot across in front of us and a pheasant lived dangerously close to the car wheels. Our destination, the tiny village of Halwill in which there was once a thriving railway junction which became one of the victims of Dr Beeching’s axe. The last freight service ran in 1982 after which the track was removed and the area abandoned allowing wildlife to start colonising.
Parking in the aptly named Beeching Close we made our way along the fern lined old railway track accompanied by the singing of blackcaps, chiffchaffs and chaffinches. The two and a half hectare site was purchased from British Rail in 1990 by the Devon Wildlife Trust. There seems to have been little management involved as nature appears to have taken care of itself. Walking was easy along the hard even track mostly surrounded by abundant willow with the occasional splash of flowering hawthorn, Now and then we would come across mature oak trees below which scores of shin high oak saplings had started to grow. Numerous wild flowers lined the pathway and butterflies danced in the more open sunny glades among which were newly emerged green veined white.
Retracing our steps back to the cars we stumbled across one of those unusual occurrences which makes nature watching so interesting. This was a grey squirrel being chased through the undergrowth by a male blackbird. Perhaps it was defending its nest containing eggs or chicks.
In the afternoon we had been invited to a small privately owned estate called “The Stables” and managed for nature. The owners, Vanessa and Philip, proved to be welcoming and enthusiastic hosts as they took us around their mainly wooded land. Typical woodland flowers encountered included English bluebell, primrose, dog violet and speedwells. Being situated next to forestry land it was not uncommon for deer to wander around the wet fields which were largely covered in rushes apart from where there had been regular mowing in order to give the wild flowers a chance.
This 40 acre estate is situated in a predominately wet area so is largely unproductive. Wildlife however is abundant whilst a few Exmoor ponies graze the land. Walking up through a wooded slope, the mature trees were covered in mosses. Some had moss all around their trunks (moss is more abundant on the north side of a tree trunk) so navigation could be a bit tricky!
The wild landscape included a hedge which had been left to grow to an impressive width and was estimated to be some 300-400 years old. Then the sighting of the day nearly got trodden on as a large hornet lying on its back in the grass was trying to right itself.
We then visited Vanessa’s secret garden of meditation which is always warm as it faces south and is in a very sheltered spot. She had planted several types of fruit trees there and is surrounded by deer and rabbit proof fencing!.
Back at our hosts home we were treated to tea and biscuits whilst looking out over two recently created ponds, one a deep one for swimming, the other more shallow one for wildlife which had already attracted a pair of Canada geese and a broad bodied chaser.
Numerous siskins fed on a nearby feeder as a bold pheasant tidied up the spillage underneath. A feeding station had also been erected which has been regularly used by a buzzard. Before leaving we were treated to a flypast of a greater spotted woodpecker and some of us saw a red kite on the way home.
Thanks to Brian, Endymion and Mandy,who kept the lists of birds, flowers, butterflies and odonata. JS
A walk by the River Mole. Sunday, 28th June, 2026
It is now late June and after enduring the recent record heat wave we found ourselves on the western edges of Exmoor for a riverside walk. The River Mole rises on the south western corner of Exmoor and meanders its way down through steep, picturesque wooded valleys towards North and South Molton which are associated with its name.
A spot of overnight rain had cooled things down for us as we made our way along a narrow tree lined path bordered by numerous ferns. Amongst the flowers was cow-wheat, an indication of an ancient woodland. Coming out into an open area we found ourselves being watched by a blackcap atop a nearby tree.
A short descent took us to the valley bottom and to a wide open grass track which ran parallel to the river. Numerous meadow brown butterflies danced in front of us along with the occasional painted lady and red admiral. A small skipper fed on a bramble flower along with a buff tailed bumble bee. On our right the alarm call of a wren emanated from the woodland and a nuthatch identified by one of its many songs. On our left a rough area of reed bed stretched across the valley floor towards the river. This yielded water forget-me-not, marsh bedstraw and interestingly ragged robin. In this habitat we had probably the sighting of the day of a pair of silver washed fritillaries mating on the reeds and also in flight.
On the path itself was our worst observation of the day. A recently deceased crow already covered in flies. Strangely the head was missing but the feathers were intact and no sign of a struggle. Various theories were put forward. Was it killed by a bird of prey or even a fox but human disturbance prevented it from being eaten or was it a natural death?
An unusual feature in the valley was the growth of some tall willow trees which had obviously been planted as they were evenly spaced in rows. Thought to be cricket bat willows (Salix alba var.caerulea). These trees are fast growing with straight trunks and thrive on the rich riverside soil. Their appearance was further enhanced with swathes of the creamy meadowsweet growing beneath them.
Our lunch was consumed on the grassy river bank with the crystal clear waters trickling over many well rounded stones. Numerous male and female beautiful demoiselles fluttered around the thick clumps of hemlock water dropwort growing of the riverside banks. Other odonata patrolling the area included emperor, brown hawker and golden ringed dragonflies and just as we were leaving a trout jumped out of the water.
Further along a gap in the woods gave way to a steep sided open field rising up to the skyline above which two mewing buzzards were performing aerial acrobatics with each other. Our walk ended at a riverside caravan park where we all enjoyed a refreshing drink of our choice. JS
So it was now time to have a spot of lunch by the river. As we sat on a large log underneath an overhanging beech tree, the theory of waiting for nature to come to you, rang true. As after hearing a kingfisher there was a flash of blue as it flew passed us and through the arch of the old packhorse bridge which spanned the clear sparkling water of the river. Shortly afterwards a dipper and song thrush appeared and all the time golden ringed dragonflies and beautiful demoiselles constantly treated us to their aerial skills.
Meeth. Sunday 16th August 2026
We have now just endured our fifth heatwave of the year and the weather experts tell us that this is the hottest Summer since records began. So as we gathered in the spacious car park of the Devon Wildlife Trust’s Meeth Quarry nature reserve we were hoping for some respite from the recent high temperatures. We were not disappointed as when we set off under a thin layer of wispy white cloud a gentle breeze sprung up. This 150 hectare reserve was formerly dug out for its china clay but now the resulting pits are filled with water. Before leaving the car park we passed a large old log which was sporting a chicken of the woods fungus as had been noted there on previous visits. Walking over the surrounding spoil excavated from the pits the wet clay, which on previous visits had stuck to our boots, was now baked hard.
Despite all this there were still remnants of wild flowers notably hoary ragwort, montbretia and the occasional purple of the knapweed. These were attracting many small white butterflies. A small pond, normally alive with a wide range of species, was completely dried up. However it still had a good stand of water mint and water pepper which left a strong taste in the mouth for 15 minutes or so.
Rose hips were turning from yellow and green into a feint red. Hawthorn berries were showing bright red, the purple sloes of the blackthorn looked well advanced and blackberries were ripe enough to be eaten. Observations we would normally expert to see towards early Autumn. Bird sightings and their songs were few and far between and largely limited to larger species flying overhead such as crow, wood pigeon, herring gull and buzzard. This was thought to be due to the post breeding moulting period when the smaller birds are more prone to predation. However this was more than compensated for by the abundance of clouded yellow butterflies. A southern hawker dragonfly made an appearance along with a female common darter and lots of common blue damselflies. What flowers that were there (sneezewort and fleabane) were attracting smaller critters such as a brown coloured dock beetle, alder leaf beetle and scorpian fly.
As we sat on wooden benches consuming our packed lunches adjacent to a pond well below its normal level a migrant hawker patrolled its surface. Below the surface several roach swam around in a haphazard manner. Before we left an emerald damselfly put in an appearance as a kingfisher flashed by.
Slowly making our way over the clay spoil scrubland, a spiders web caught the eye and a light finger touch on it produced a hungry spider which proceeded to make its way across arms, legs and clothing. It turned out to be a four spotted orb weaver and was duly returned to its web. Nearby and possibly our find of the day, a dingy skipper was photographed late in its flight period.
Making our way back along a hard baked path (in previous years we have been dodging thick mud and puddles) we came across a migrant hawker hanging from a slender branch. Face flies were perched atop a wooden gate all pointing in the same direction below which was an orb spider perched on a leaf. Then a shiny blue/black alder leaf beetle belied its name by landing on a hazel leaf.
It was now a short journey across the parched North Devon countryside to an old Devon longhouse in front of which we consumed a well earned tea. Thanks to Amanda for the impressive odonata and insect lists and Brian for the birds and butterfly lists. JS
The Water Festival Bideford North Devon Saturday 6th September 2026.
Taw and Exmoor branch Chairman, Brian Sims, kindly organised a stand at the Water Festival in Bideford last Saturday in conjunction with Bideford Rotary. Always a popular event and well attended. It was a sunny day, a great turn out with lots of young naturalist leaflets handed out! At least one new adult member gained, with nature books sold in aid of the BNA. Thanks to all the BNA members who turned up on the day to help man the stall.
