Devon Bird Bonanza!
Another trip down to Devon... ...in search of winter wading birds! This was my favourite shot of the trip - and its not of a wader! Its a male Kestrel, taken at Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve. I spotted him hovering some distance away, he then flew off and perched right at the top of a tree. It was lovely to see its plumage up close. This Ringed Plover was on the Otter Estuary in the town of Budleigh Salterton, where I was staying. I took many photos of it but this was my favourite as it shows movement. The Otter Estuary Nature Reserve is also classified as a SSSI and covers 57 acres of tidal saltmarsh and mudflats. It's a very important place for wildlife in the area and at the moment the Lower Otter Restoration Project has started work. There's some more information on this new project here: http://www.lowerotterrestorationproject.co.uk/ Here's a Redshank - taken on the same day and location. And a Curlew! I have never managed to get this close to one before so ...