Morning visit to Emsworthy Mire, Tuesday 8th October

Eight of us convened in the car park below Saddle Tor on a very wet and windy morning. The weather forecast wasn’t promising but despite this we set off down to the DWT reserve at Emsworthy Mire, undaunted. Our main target bird of the day was Ring Ouzel. The Mire was living up to its name, as even on the higher ground that we were on, underfoot was sodden and there were streams of water everywhere.

Crows and Rooks were plentiful and a lone Buzzard was soaring. Good numbers of Mistle Thrush kept our interest. There were possibly Fieldfare too, but conditions weren’t conducive for accurate ID. Berries were certainly plentiful on the trees and bushes which gave us hope. Blackbirds were feasting, but there was no Ring Ouzel to be seen. Common birds such as Woodpigeon, Starling, Robin and Magpie were seen but the only small identifiable birds were Meadow Pipits.

A list of 10 species was all that we managed. A decision was made, in view of the constant rain and wind, to return to our cars after only an hour and a half or so. Not Dartmoor at its best unfortunately. There is always another day!

Jacqui Beevers

10 species identified:

Wood Pigeon, Buzzard, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Meadow Pipit.

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