Smudger's Nature: 2020

Fremington, Devon : 29th September 2020

It was 7.15 am when I arrived at Fremington Pill in North Devon. Bang on sunrise and the middle of my break in the South West.

It's a part of the world I know very well. Previous trips visiting family and friends have given me the opportunity to explore it in detail. I was due to have a weeks holiday here with my wife and my mother in law but our plans had changed at the last minute so I came alone, while still visiting our friends Liz and Debs, especially as it was Liz's 90th birthday, so a time of celebration.

Those of you who have followed my blogs over the years might remember a post from a few years ago when I had a memorable walk along this stretch of coast. My endeavour then was to capture my first sighting of the rare Glossy Ibis. This is a bird that made a breeding attempt in Lincolnshire in 2014 so it's a matter of time before it takes a foothold in the UK. There are several sightings around the country every year and Fremington seems to be a regular haunt of the bird. Some seven individuals at one time a couple of years back. After much searching back then, I finally caught up with this subtle beauty but it did give me the runaround. I was hoping for an easier time on this day...

I've since seen a few, not least back at this tidal creek, so I was hopeful, as two had been reported in the previous days.

It was two hours after high tide but with shallow sides to the muddy channel the water had dropped markedly. Perfect height for an Ibis to feed in however.

Not too dissimilar in size and bill shape, the Curlew are common here in Autumn and Winter, belying the fact it has been put on the red list of birds in danger of going extinct as a breeding species in the UK.

It's eponymous haunting call is a favourite sound of marsh and moorland.

Along with a bright day, the wind was slack giving mirror reflections in the creek, coupled with the light being behind me it was perfect for photography.

My luck with the Ibis was just like the first time so far, proving elusive, so I walked back and forth along the mile or so length of the creek as it could drop in unseen at any time.

There were many other waders to fill the memory card with however. The usual large numbers of Redshank and a few Dunlin at first. Then inbetween these I picked out something rarer, a Curlew Sandpiper. As you will see in comparison to a Dunlin, the Sandpiper on the right of the shot is slightly larger, has a pale breast lacking the speckles of the Dunlin. These birds will disperse, eventually leaving the Dunlin to stay all season which can number in the thousands. Curlew Sandpipers are barely seen in double figures.

Here, another comparison of the larger Redshank, two Dunlin with the Sandpiper on the right.

For another identifying clue, thanks to it wing flapping. It has a white rump whereas the Dunlin has a dark arrow to the tail.

Latest score so far.. Curlew 3 - Ibis 0

While the Common Redshank number up to over a hundred along this stretch alone, it's cousin, the Spotted Redshank like the Curlew Sandpiper will rarely reach double digits but unlike the former, will be seen season long.

Such a lovely little bird. The black eyestripe, needle like bill and finer markings setting it apart from it's more ubiquitous cousin.

The more I walked up and down, the more Curlew, some with a great backgrounds and reflections

5 - 0...

My final trudge up the Pill to the Quay saw the Curlew Sandpiper break out on it's own..

The cafe at Fremington is always worth a stop off, even if it's only for some decent coffee. It's right on the famous Tarka Trail which is the old railway line linking North to South Devon. The cafe itself being the old station building.

Part of the cafe is a museum describing the uses of the area in days gone by such as being a busy port exporting clay which it was famous for and the import of coal.

Nowadays, it's a conservation area with tourists using the trail to explore this beautiful part of North Devon, either on foot or bicycle.

I bought a veggie bap from the cafe and sat by the quay with a Rock Pipit and Black Headed Gull for company. The later keeping a close watch to see if I was going to be generous and provide a titbit.

Looking back up the Pill, which is a word meaning tidal creek, the tide looked low but was another two hours to it's lowest ebb.

In the opposite direction looking up the Taw Estuary where it meets the Torridge river and spills into the Bristol Channel and Atlantic Ocean.

Fully fuelled up I decided to walk south in the direction of Instow which nestles opposite the town of Bideford on the Torridge river.

This section of the Tarka trail begins with the metal railway bridge then onto a cut through the hillside full of scrub, trees and harts tongue ferns that thrive in the damp sublight.

It soon opens out onto farmland. To the north bordering the estuary sits Home Farm Marsh which is managed by the Gaia Trust that farm with nature at it's heart to increase biodiversity. It acquired the site in 2002 and has slowly converted it back from intensive dairy farming to low intensity farming, restoring some of the wetlands on the 71 hectares and so in turn, species have made a remarkable comeback.

There is a path that completes a loop around the area so I took this away from the cyclists and dog walkers.

Many pools, ponds and ditches have been created. Even in the few visits I've had to this part of the trail, it was clear that there has been an increase in species.

The path follows the estuary but in sheltered places many butterfly species took advantage of the warm conditions. Speckled Wood were thriving, at least a dozen along this path alone.

Small Copper too, a good half dozen and a pair I saw ready for mating.

Halfway along the sheltered path there is a stile with a bench on the other side overlooking the estuary.

With the tide out, the exposed sands in the wide Taw river gave up great textures

As I sat and contemplated the scene a chap stopped to ask directions to Isley Marsh which is the next nature reserve on from Home Farm and managed by the RSPB. He had a telescope slung over his shoulder so I knew he was a birder. I know Isley Marsh well, it's a great place to see Spoonbill that like feeding in the step muddy gullies at low tide or roost on the marsh itself.

He informed me that the two Glossy Ibis had been reported there some two hours previously. Maybe my luck was in at last?

I gladly gave him directions and said I would catch up with him soon.

After finishing my tea I did just that, stopping occasionally to photograph some gems along the way. Another butterfly species despite being at the beginning of Autumn - a Comma this time.

The reason for it's name being apparent when it closed it's wings.

Common Darters at this time of year are just that and sit politely for photos.

Then the Small Coppers were back in action and getting jiggy with it. The male would follow the female and walk up to her, she would flutter her wings tantalisingly, then fly off, such a tease !

The edge of Home Farm reserve to the north western point joins Isley Marsh and follows the sea wall and estuary. I carried on and saw the birder (Vince) in the distance. I caught up with him but he hadn't seen anything, definitely no Ibis. We carried on around the reserve, checking the ditches and gullies. Still no sign. Lots of Curlew flew into roost on the marsh though, by now I had lost count, it was at least 30 - 0 ! After quite a while he gave up and headed back. I stayed and took my packed lunch out of my backpack and sat on a bench.

Some ten minutes later a Spoonbill lifted up out of an unseen ditch from where I was sat. I just hoped Vince had seen it from the trail but somehow I doubt it. The old adage of 'You should have waited ,it appeared just after you left' rang around my head. Been there so many times before !

A bit distant but great to see this fantastic bird with an amazing bill.

Another bird taking a foothold in the UK but breeding in small numbers unlike the Ibis.

Happy with my sighting I headed back to the Tarka Trail which would complete my circle of Home Farm.

I passed a field with some Dexter cows munching on the grass. In the lower corner was a fenced off boggy area, obviously part of the regeneration of the reserve. No sooner as the thought 'If I was an Ibis I would be feeding down there' had entered my head I saw a dark sleek looking bird pop it's head up. Bingo ! My heart raced as I lifted my binoculars to my eyes, then my camera took it's place.

Just so frustratingly distant again. I walked a little way into the field but being so open I would frighten the bird off if I got any closer so I made do with what I could and happy I had at last seen one on this walk. By the darkness of it's head it looked like an adult.

It's quite ironic, my last words to Vince as he left was that after all our searching, I bet the Ibis would be feeding in Fremington Pill on our return, just like the first time all those years ago.

And so it came to pass... My feet were shot, my energy levels low but when I turned off the trail and walked not 200 yards along the creek, there was the other Ibis nonchalantly feeding on the rising tide. Suddenly there was a spring in my step. 30 - 2 it may have been to the Curlew but it was like winning the FA Cup !

That's what it's all about, nothing is guaranteed, just a bit of knowledge, bit of homework and the rest is down to luck and right place, right time.

The sun was now in front of me so taking pictures of a dark bird with light behind usually means silhouettes but with a creature of such iridescence if you catch the light right and set the camera right, there's a fighting chance to let it shine.

Making it doubly difficult is when the bird flies from light to dark background but with a bit of adjustment to the shot afterwards it can look quite effective and still bring out the colours of the amazing plumage.

As is plain to see, I over indulged in the Ibis but I was as happy as pig in ....

I had time, so sat and waited. I wasn't overawed with the shots so far, so patience, which isn't always my forte, took hold for once.

I took the time to concentrate on a Greenshank at the river edge

I noticed it look up , so I did too..

A Sparrowhawk glided above before zipping over the trees. The Greenshank could breathe again...

The Ibis was on the opposite shore. It's profile so indictive of the bird.

Although a little grainy in shot the light speckles to the head suggest this to be a juvenile. Definitely a different bird to the one along the Tarka Trail.

It took off and flew in a circle over the creek and across the fields behind me. As I followed it a man stopped and asked me if I'd seen the Ibis, I'm watching it fly around our heads, I explained as it dipped back into the creek. Oh, he exclaimed !

Having located it a few metres upstream, I quietly sat and rattled off a few initial shots. Bearing in mind my camera can produce ten frames per second, sometimes things get missed. Only after getting back to base did I notice the luck of this shot. Unfortunately it focused on the Black Headed Gull to the left but just under the slightly out of focus Ibis on the right, The King decided to photobomb the picture. A one in million shot as it flashed up the creek !

My last parting shot of this stunning bird was as it lifted off and out of sight. So I took full advantage. Patience definitely paid off again. A little bit of deja vu...