Taunton Wildlife

15 July 2008 - Ilfracombe

This bird caused some excitement, turning up in an Ilfracombe garden. It was eventually identified as a (presumed) escaped purple glossy-starling. It was making itself at home, feeding on invertebrates in the garden and allowing superb close-up views. Thanks to Katy for alerting me and allowing access.

10 July - Ilfracombe

Much quieter on the sea today, but this 3rd year gannet was one of many that came quite close...

8 July - Ilfracombe

Quite good sea-watching today with 1 puffin, 3 razorbill, 20+ gannet and 1 adult summer little gull flying west. A big bonus were the 2 cetacean species also present: common dolphin and harbour porpoise - well, it is mackerel season!

17 June 2008 - Ilfracombe

Sea-watching off the harbour was pretty good with 40+ Manx shearwater as well as 4 Balearic shearwater (life tick for me) with lots of the usual fulmar. Plenty of gannets, both adult and juvenile which were coming very close in. Close watching for cetaceans was unsuccessful but I bet there were some around.

2 June 2008 - Ilfracombe

Another evening walk around the Torrs produced only common species but I did get good views of this chaffinch and kestrel...

21 May 2008 - The Torrs, Ilfracombe

An evening walk around the Torrs was quite awesome tonight, with very close encounters with a large group of house martins and a group of swifts feeding right around me and then a sighting of two harbour porpoise. I was right up the top of the cliff when a circling gannet led me to them and it was about 8.30pm, so these are just record shots...

7 May 2008 - The Torrs, Ilfracombe

Plenty of wheatears still passing through at the moment. This one came close to death just after this photo as a sparrowhawk dashed around me, aborted its run and crash-landed just over the cliff!