2020 highlights of a wilder Devon life – part 2
In July I went walking with my son on Dartmoor and he took a rare portrait of me Walking the Hunters’ Path:
I’d been busy documenting the local South Devon fields which are due to be ruined for nature and make the local farmer a multi-millionaire by building houses all over it.
It’s a precious habitat, close enough to a large population to give a great deal of pleasure to thousands, as well as providing vital wildlife habitat.
![Hares - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Abbotskerswell-The-Hall-of-Einar-4-725x408.jpg)
![Buzzard - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Abbotskerswell-The-Hall-of-Einar-8-483x725.jpg)
![Abbotskerswell - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Abbotskerswell-The-Hall-of-Einar-2-725x483.jpg)
![Abbotskerswell - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Abbotskerswell-The-Hall-of-Einar-13-725x725.jpg)
![NA3 - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/NA3-The-Hall-of-Einar-1-1-725x725.jpg)
![Kestrel - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Abbotskerswell-The-Hall-of-Einar-2-1-725x725.jpg)
It was summer. The seasons turn, circle by circle. Bud becomes flower becomes fruit, ripening in the long days. When you know it’s summer:
One of the most exciting times of 2020 was finding a Reed Warblers’ nest and placing a remote controlled camera near it. I managed to shoot so much wonderful, intimate, family videos with it I’ll be processing and sharing the rest of it this year.
Aren’t they fabulous? It’s a long journey from Africa to South Devon to breed here.
There was a delightful evening in Teignmouth:
![Teignmouth - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Teignmouth-The-Hall-of-Einar-1-725x408.jpg)
I had the closest of close encounters with a Sparrowhawk for over an hour:
![Sparrowhawk - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sparrowhawk-The-Hall-of-Einar-3-725x408.jpg)
I watched Stonechats at Emsworthy Mire:
![Stonechat - Emsworthy Mire - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Emsworthy-Mire-The-Hall-of-Einar-12-725x483.jpg)
And then Meadow Pipits at Emsworthy Mire:
![Meadow Pipit - Emsworthy Mire - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Emsworthy-Mire-The-Hall-of-Einar-1-3-725x483.jpg)
And then I watched their parasites, Cuckoos at, you guessed it, Emsworthy Mire:
![Cuckoo - Emsworthy Mire - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Emsworthy-Mire-The-Hall-of-Einar-32-725x408.jpg)
The Meadow Pipits weren’t impressed by their presence.
There was the joy of finding orchids:
![Orchid - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Orchid-The-Hall-of-Einar-1-2-725x484.jpg)
![Bee Orchid - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)](https://www.thehallofeinar.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Bee-Orchid-The-Hall-of-Einar-1-725x484.jpg)
And a return to Challacombe Farm:
It wasn’t despite the lockdown and global pandemic, but because of it, that I managed to have so many wonderful nature experiences in 2020.
I hope to have many more in 2021 and to share them all with you here. Thanks for joining me.