Thursday: Buntings

We set off for Prawle Point to look for Cirl Buntings. There was a sign saying the Prawle Point car park was closed for maintenance so we parked in the village of East Prawle, next to the green. We walked down the lane a bit and saw our first Cirl Bunting sat high up on the hedge. Then a good view of a Yellowhammer.

View from the road (sheep)

We went down the the coast path and walked eastwards with the sea to our right and cliffs to our left.

Prawle Point

A pair of Kestrels were about, and we watched one perched high on a ledge above us. A Peregrine also. In the stubble fields there were Stonechats and Cirl Buntings.

Dunnock

We went back up the track to East Prawle and had more good views of Cirl Buntings.

Cirl Bunting

Back in the village there were lots of Swallows flying about. It seemed late in the year for them. Lots of Pied Wagtails too, in a field, and five Yellowhammers perched up on a telegraph wire.

Bird on a wire

We drove to Slapton and had lunch in the Queen’s Head. We were headed for the Tower pub, up a tiny alley next to the ruined tower, but it was closed. There was some bunting hanging from an ancient-looking bridge across the road. Jail Ale, ham and cheese sandwich, ploughman’s.

Queen’s Head

Then we went round the Slapton Ley nature reserve.

Nature
Autumnal

Back at the hotel, nice dinner (oysters, mackerel, beetroot, steak, orecchiette, French wine).