Fingle Bridge,

Fingle Bridge,

Saturday 31^st March

19 bird watchers aged 7 to 70 met at the fabled Fingle Bridge on Dartmoor with hopes of seeing lots of woodland and river birds, and maybe the very rare Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Whilst I was putting on my walking boots, early folk saw a Kingfisher & a Dipper from the ancient 3 arched bridge. Here we also had good views of a Grey Wagtail before setting off on the riverside path towards Castle Drogo. Songs & calls could be heard everywhere but the birds were surprisingly difficult to spot - even though leaves were not yet on the trees.

A German birdwatcher joined us for the day, armed with his guide book, enriching our knowledge of bird names in German. As you may know some names are similar to our English ones, but others are not as you can see from these few examples:-

Kleiber Nuthatch Rotkehichen Robin

Blaumeise Blue Tit Wasseramsel Dipper

Singdrossel Song thrush Mäusebussard Buzzard

Buchfink Chaffinch Eisvogel Kingfisher

Feldlerche Skylark

At intervals, we listened intently, in the hope of hearing the distinctive call of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. High in a large oak tree we heard & saw a pair of nuthatches, foraging on mossy branches. A Marsh Tit, a small party of Long-tailed Tits, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, thrushes and several more common species were seen but no barred woodpecker. The lovely song of a Blackcap greeted us from a hedgerow near the castle, but we were unable to locate it despite a determined effort.

Lunch was taken at a lookout along the Hunter’s Path, where spectacular views of the river Teign & Castle Drogo were enjoyed. Far below several Buzzards dashed through the trees- a very different view from watching them glide leisurely in thermals.

This is surely one of the most scenic walks in Devon especially during springtime when primroses, violets, gorse & wood sorrel are beginning to bloom in profusion. Sometimes it can be a good place to see our smallest woodpecker but not today. One young member renamed it the ‘Never’ Spotted Woodpecker. Never mind, there is always next time!

Thank you, Richard, for organising such a beautiful walk..

Number of species seen 27

Carolyn Channing

Birds seen, in BOU order or alphabetic order

BOU order

Mallard

Buzzard

Moorhen

Wood Pigeon

Kingfisher

Green Woodpecker (H)

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Sky Lark (H)

Grey Wagtail

Dipper

Wren

Robin

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Blackcap (H)

Chiffchaff

Goldcrest

Long-tailed Tit

Marsh Tit

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Nuthatch

Carrion Crow

Raven

Chaffinch

H - heard only

Alphabetic order