Our holiday to Devon has begun.

Saturday 27th July 2024.

An evening roost of Swifts over the Village numbered easily over 60 birds. Superb spectacle.

Becky and I are staying from today, up until next Saturday in the beautiful quiet hamlet of Chittlehampton, in North Devon. We have rented a gorgeous bungalow set within the village, which we think was well above our expectations, with spacious rooms and a veranda overlooking a reasonably sized garden and plenty of trees and bushes that backs onto farmland in the distance. I, of course, have brought along my Moth Box (well actually, it's Andy’s Moth Box as this can be flat packed and transported easily in the car). The near four hour drive down here was without incident as I took my time and appreciated a lot of the countryside we passed. 

Above, a lot of Corvids came into the roost late evening including these Rooks. Below, one of several House Martins hawking insects over the gardens.

Arriving around 3pm, we quickly unpacked, let the dogs explore their new garden for the week and then chilled out till about 7pm when we got ready for a meal in the local Pub, the Bell Inn. So, during that time, I notched up 18 species that included a soaring Common Buzzard nearby, an incredible display from at least 60+ Swifts over our Bungalow and good numbers of House Martins hunting over the gardens and village;  with a few Swallows among them as well.

Above, a view of the back of the property, garden and nearby.

Other species noted included Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Rook, Magpie, Chaffinch, Siskin (one flew over), Greenfinch, Linnet, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Blue Tit, Coal Tit and a Goldcrest, which was constantly calling in a nearby Conifer. Not too bad a start and I am so looking forward to early morning when checking the Moth Box and see what goodies lay in wait for me.

Another shot of some of the Swifts late evening.

My two Birding chums, Andy and Geoff went to Longwood Warren, back in Hampshire, for the day and notched up 6 Red Kites, 4 Common Buzzard, 2 Kestrels, 2 Ravens, 750 Wood Pigeons, Marsh Tit, 2 Chiffchaffs, 150 Starlings, 45 Linnets and a single Corn Bunting. They also had a good array of butterflies that included a late Purple Emperor! In Hampshire today, three adult and one juvenile Roseate Tern were seen to fly onto the Titchfield Haven Reserve and a Grasshopper Warbler was seen reeling at Bransbury Common; a site where us guys saw our bird in the Spring.