Walk from the Forest Inn with Martin and William Briggs

On Tuesday I took Martin and William Briggs, two visitors from Kent, on an evening walk from the Forest Inn.  Martin is a professional photographer and his son William recently won a national wildlife photography award for this photo of a chaffinch in flight:

http://bwpawards.org/c/galleries/2012-winners-wildpix-young-peoples-awards

Martin and William had already been out tramping the hills all day, so I took them on a gentle excursion along the River Swincombe looking for photographic subjects.  We were rewarded with good numbers of newly arrived Swallows and House Martins, and the real target for the walk - two Dippers, as well as nesting Ravens, Grey Wagtails, a Heron, Stock Doves and my first Redstart and Tree Pipit of the spring.

It was a real pleasure to meet these two enthusiasts - and well done William.  I'm sure he slept well that night!

 

Beech growing around a granite boulder

Bellever Tor lit by the last of the sunlight.

On the way home

Evening Spitchwick expedition

One of the first violets of the spring

Bracket fungus on an overhanging branch

Joe, Grace, Lonnie and Gus on the island

A remarkable liquorice allsorts-like fungus under a log washed up by the river

What a day!

On Saturday I was lucky enough to take Naomi and Andrew, two visitors from London staying at Prince Hall Hotel on their very first visit to Dartmoor, on a day-long walk from the hotel.  Starting at Prince Hall at 10 am, we first walked across Muddilake Newtake, up to Littaford, Longaford and Higher and Lower White Tors.  We then visited the ruined farmstead at Brown's House, pausing to watch some hapless Ten Tors trainees doing their best to get stuck in the mire, then turned south east, skirting Hollowcombe Bottom and heading down into Bellever Forest via Gawler Bottom.  Then it was Bellever Tor and back to the hotel via Lower Dunnabridge Plantation and the lower Cherry Brook.   

A walk lasting nine hours, passing through a wide variety of Dartmoor scenery, mainly blessed with glorious sunshine and warm temperatures.  One of our many achievements on the walk was to visit both ends of the Cherry Brook - its source above Hollowcombe and its 'foot' where it enters the West Dart below Prince Hall.

 

Along the way there was a great deal to look at and talk about, including several Common Lizards as well as many singing Skylarks, Wheatear, Stonechat, Buzzard, Kestrel, Raven, Siskin, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Snipe, Green Woodpecker and, best of all, a pair of Red Grouse near Brown's House.  We also heard my first Cuckoo of the spring.  This was truly the first day of a late spring and a memorable walk. 

Many thanks to Naomi and Andrew for being such willing and able walkers, and such excellent company.  Photos from the walk are below.

 

Common Lizard near Muddilake

Dartmoor pony, one of four on Longaford Tor.  The conical summit was the only place in the vicinity with any new grass.

Andrew and Naomi at Longaford Tor

Looking west from Longaford

At the Tinner's Hut near Brown's House

Ten Tors participants crossing the top of Hollowcombe Bottom.  These were the only threatening skies of the day.

Part of the Lich Way in Bellever Forest.  The calm and green of the woods was a welcome contrast after the parched yellow of the open moor.

 

At Bellever Tor
 

Looking east towards Laughter Tor from Bellever Tor

One of the lovely secret corners of the moor - by the lower Cherry Brook

At Cherry Brook Foot

Lichens, mosses and succulents on a wall top in the evening sun



 

 

 

The children at Wind Tor

Recently I took Joe, Grace and Gus to an aptly named Wind Tor, latest in our ongoing project of visiting as many tors as possible with the children.  They have now climbed Combestone, Sharp, Luckey, Mel, Leigh, Wind, Hound, Huccaby, Saddle, Bell and Rippon Tors, Bonehill Rocks and Buckland Beacon at least - probably more if I gave it some more thought and consulted the map to jog my memory.  Gus even ascended all the way to the top of Rippon Tor on his own feet when he was two!

Migrants and butterflies

The first butterflies of the year, would you believe it, were in our garden on Tuesday, in some warm sunshine (also the first of the year).  In a 'normal' spring you would expect to see Brimstones and perhaps others such as Large Whites and emerging Red Admirals back in March, but not this year.  The ones today were Tortoiseshells.

Another herald of spring around here is the Wheatear (also usually first appearing in March), but there are still very few about, and most of them that I have seen have been, unusually,  in a grazed field just off the high ground of the moor.  A party of four was in this spot this afternoon - evidently newly arrived and just about to brave the uplands after the contrasting perils of Africa and the Mediterranean.  A couple of weeks ago while it was still very cold I saw a miserable looking female huddled in the road at Venford Reservoir.

Swallows are still in short supply, though starting to filter in.  Still no Willow Warblers in these parts.  What a peculiar spring!

Next monthly walk - Fernworthy Reservoir 5th May - all welcome.

The next of our regular series of monthly walks will start at Fernworthy Reservoir on Sunday 5th May.  This will be a longer walk of approximately 5 hours, taking in a wide variety of habitats and sites of natural and historic interest.  Meet at the main car park at grid ref SX669838 at 10 am.  Please email dartdays@gmail.com for more information or to book.  Be ready for rugged terrain!  See you there.

River walk with the Hemmings

A great walk yesterday with Mr and Mrs Hemming, staying at Prince Hall. Some spells of sunshine - even some warmth and flying insects to tempt the birds out of hiding. Chiffchaffs (still not singing) and a frog, stoneflies and Otter prints in sand by the river - plenty to keep my guests busy.  Chaffinches, Wrens, Goldcrests and Skylarks singing (and more).

Red crest lichen

Newly emerged Stonefly

Otter prints

Oak tree entirely encased in moss, Lower Dunnabridge Plantation

'Reindeer moss' (actually a kind of lichen)

Warren House, Golden Dagger, Challacombe, Headland Warren; 7th April

The first of a regular series of walks on the first Sunday of each month began with a circular walk from the Warren House Inn on a bitterly cold April morning.  It was great to see at least three Ring Ouzels at Headland Warren and hear another one singing briefly into the easterly wind in front of the Inn.  These newly arrived and increasingly rare summer migrants were hanging around with their northern cousins, Fieldfares - a real overlap of the seasons typical of this run of bizarre conditions.

A few Chiffchaffs are starting to be seen on the moor, but there are still no Willow Warblers and not even any Blackcaps, which usually arrive a few weeks before the former.  These easterly winds have kept everything, including the vegetation, pinned down and still in the grip of winter, but now, finally, temperatures are rising, the wind has switched round to the south west, and things might start to move.

Mum and my sister Nichola at Headland Warren

At the 'buddle pit' at Golden Dagger tin mine

Stone wall, Challacombe Down

Out and about on Dartmoor, April 2013

Looking West towards Snowdon

Snow on a sunlit hillside, looking SW from Brownberry

Sun on Waterworks Hill, Dart valley

Grooves made by a beetle grub beneath the bark of a twig

Grace and Lonnie, Great Combe, Michelcombe

Buzzard feathers, Huccaby (cause of death unknown)

Dot has a Clipping Good Time

Here are some photos of Dot during and after a walk in the Warren House Inn area on 7th April.  Many thanks to Sarah Pipe at A Clipping Good Time dog grooming service in Ashburton (pipe007@btinternet.com ; 01364 652040)  for the care attention that enabled the latter pic to be taken....  Thanks to the tin ore in the bogs in the West Webburn valley for the orange colour in the former.

Before....

After!

Birdsong event and family nature activities at the Tamar Trails Centre

On Friday morning I led an event at the new Tamar Trails Centre near Gunnislake, exploring the mysteries of birdsong for the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  It was a beautiful blue-skied day, even with some warmth in the afternoon, but the woods were much quieter than expected due to the delayed return of summer migrants.  Resident birds too are not singing as much as they would normally at this time of year, being preoccupied with warmth and survival rather than attracting a mate and defending their territories.

In the afternoon I led an 'exploring nature' workshop for families at the same venue, which was     very well attended by some lovely youngsters who really seemed to get engrossed and enjoy themselves, making their own birds' nests and learning about birds and their life cycles.  Thank you to Tom, Henry, Billy, Hannah, Isla and all of you for being such fantastic participants.  Here are some photos from the day.

Tamar Valley 5/4/13: Hingston Down, Blanchdown Wood and Devon Great Consols mine, with Kit Hill in the background.
There were some late Redwings feeding in the field in the foreground.  Despite the sunshine it was bitterly cold in the easterly wind, and you could hardly blame these birds for not setting off north just yet.

One of the birdsong walk participants completing a 'sound card' to depict what she is hearing.

Hannah with the 'bird nest' that she made.



Some brave souls setting forth in search of birdsong.

Tom with his bird nest and treasures found on the walk.

One of the youngest participants designing her own birds' eggs with mum.

Some woodland treasures found on the afternoon walk.