Return to Emsworthy Mire
Emsworthy Mire on Dartmoor is one of my favourite places. It’s easy to get to, close to home, and not very busy.
It’s also photogenic. The above is a poor phone picture, but you can imagine it at sunrise, with golden light sparking the highlights and beautiful long shadows, because I’m not getting up that early for you. I’ve taken some lovely photographs of Redstarts here before:
It’s the perfect time of year to try to get some better ones. There’s a nest in the old walls already and the chicks must be hungry given how often the parents are returning. Here’s the female:
And here’s the male, with a background of purple native Bluebells:
The texture of the granite, the brightness of the green spring grass and the intensity of the purple Bluebells make a wonderful scene.
I particularly like this one’s quizzical look:
They’ve been bringing in beautiful orange and black Snipe Flies, with their decorative wings, as well as Lacewings and Staphylinid beetles. I wish them well. It’ll be great to see them again next year. Maybe I’ll get up early and take a sunrise photograph for you.
And maybe I won’t.
More Redstarts
Female Redstart The female Common Redstart is often less easy to photograph. It's more camouflaged and stealthy in its behaviour. It's just… read more
Redstart There's a flashy Common Redstart on Dartmoor. The Old English word steort means tail. Redstarts are Red Tails. read more
Redstarts Redstarts are a joy to watch. Whenever I'm lucky enough to find a pair and see them feeding their chicks,… read more
Orange Redstarts and purple Bluebells "When will I have time for Redstarts?" I asked a few weeks ago. Well, 'today' is the answer. read more