We have arrived at Chittlehampton.

 Saturday 23rd May 2026.

This male Siskin favoured this Ash Tree to begin singing near our garden.

Day one of our holiday to North Devon and now a pleasant week’s stay within the small village of Chittlehampton. We have been here several times now and this time, it looks as though the weather is looking very good for our stay here. The drive up to the location wasn't too bad as we left sunny Portsmouth around 10am and arrived here, after a brief stop, around 2.3pm. The gorgeous cottage we are staying at has not changed much since the last time we were here last year and with the superb weather, I am so looking forward to checking out the area and its wildlife. I have brought along with me a portable Moth Box and hope to get a lot more ‘year-ticks’ throughout the week.

Chittlehampton, North Devon:

A singing male Greenfinch sharing the same tree as the Siskin.

I couldn't resist grabbing a few photos of the birdlife here by my Cottage as a lot of the birds were making use of certain trees to sing from. We have a Rookery nearby, which I know is going to be quite noisy, especially early in the morning; but with all the other birds here, it should keep me occupied, if not the Moths! Painted Lady butterflies are coming into the UK in big numbers and I wasn't surprised to see one in the garden this afternoon. Both Hornet and a Honey Bee were seen around some of the garden plants while I was checking out the back garden for the first time.

The singing male Greenfinch again in the Ash Tree and below, one of many Swifts soaring over the countryside here.

Above, the male Siskin and below, a pair of Goldfinches also settled in the same tree.

Above, a Honey Bee and below, the Painted Lady butterfly.

Above, a Common Buzzard distantly soaring over the nearby fields and below, a view of the garden.

Above, my Moth Box is all set up for tonight and below, Rooks in one of the fields behind our garden.

The birds came in thick and fast with Siskins, Chaffinches and Goldfinches using a large Ash tree in a neighbouring garden to sing from. A Goldcrest was singing from a Conifer within the garden and overhead, there were good numbers of Swifts, Swallows and House Martins (plenty of the latter are nesting under the eaves of the houses within the village) hawking overhead and a Common Buzzard was seen soaring over the countryside. Other birds noted this afternoon included a singing Willow Warbler heard in someone's garden on the opposite side of the road and a Raven soaring high over the countryside nearby. So begins a relaxing week for both Becky and myself and we also have our good friend Jackie staying with us too.

Evening update:

My first Pale Tussock moth of the year.

After a delicious meal and a few beers in the local The Bell pub, Jackie and I took the dogs for a late evening walk through the village and headed west along east street where it goes into the countryside. Careful of passing cars (there were a few youngsters driving too fast), the light was fading fast, but we were lucky enough to see a Barn Owl (my first of the year) with prey in its talons, heading high off south over our heads and then carrying on over the fields. 

Moths were dancing about in the hedgerow but too dark to ID and there were numerous Bats flying up and down the road, with some just skimming our heads. One individual, I’m sure, was a Noctule Bat judging by the size of the creature. A late calling Jackdaw passed by as Jackie enjoyed looking at the Lambs with their parents in the neighbouring fields.

Before retiring for bed, a quick look at the Moth Box revealed my first Pale Tussock moth of the year perched on the wall behind the Box and my final check of the Moth Box revealed more moths new for the year that included 2 Orange Footman, Green Carpet and best of all, the rare migrant moth, Small Mottled Willow. Two Cockchafer Beetles were by the Box and one actually came into our bedroom of which, while my wife was hiding under the covers, I had to grab it and put it outside! A Little Owl was calling in nearby gardens, but too dark to actually see the bird. A happy ending for all concerned!  

In Hampshire today:

The adult White-winged Black Tern off Hill Head this morning. Photo by Andy Friend.

It was a bit of a ‘Red Letter Day’ in Hampshire and I was already on my way to Devon when news broke out that fellow ‘Lazee Birder’ Mark Francis found an adult White-winged Black Tern off Hill Head! This was topped (if that's possible?) by a birder finding a singing Common Rosefinch at Martin Down later in the day! Incredible news and some excellent photos from the ‘Lazee’s’ too. I have only ever seen one Rosefinch and that was many years ago in North Norfolk one Autumn and that was a juvenile bird. So for one to be in Hampshire and actually seen, was amazing news. 

The Common Rosefinch at Martin Down today. What a find! Photo by Andy Tew.

Birding pal Geoff Farwell went birding today at Gander Down Wood at first and recorded the following bird sightings: 2 Hawfinch, 2 Spotted Flycatchers and 2 Firecrest. Next stop was to be Bushy Copse near Longwood Warren where he saw the following bird sightings: Hawfinch, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 5 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, a pair of Ravens and 3 Common Whitethroats.

This evening, Geoff got out his Bat Detector and checked out the Bats over Cowplain Marsh (Andy's garden). Both Geoff and Andy recorded a Pipistrelle, Noctule and even a Long-eared Bat! They also sadly found a Yellow-necked Mouse by the Pond.