I went up to Woodbury Castle this afternoon to look for some reported Brambling but again I was out of luck . But I did see a nice pair of Eurasian Bullfinch .
On the way back home I stopped of at Bowling Green Marsh where I saw a Mistle Thrush , a Common Kestrel and around a half a dozen Common Linnet .
Saturday 4th January
I went down to the Brandy Head area to look for the Velvet Scoter that has been seen there but I was out of luck . But as I was scanning the sea I came across a Slavonian Grebe a bird that is now quite hard to come across down here in the South West . I watched the bird for quite a while as it drifted towards Ladram Bay where I lost view of it .
Not a lot else to report with just 6 Northern Gannet & a Northern Fulmar . A look then at the Otter Estuary got me a male Goosander , Common Sandpiper & a Common Kingfisher .
Sunday 5th January
I went down to the Otter Estuary to look for a reported Snow Bunting and today my luck was in as my birding buddy Tim who had put the news out was still there and soon put me on to it .
I then went to Brandy Head again and still got no luck with the Velvet Scoter in awful weather . But I did find a nice Siberian Chiffchaff near the Otterton Sewage Works .
My 1st stop today was at Bowling Green Marsh where I got my 1st view of this year of the long staying Long-Billed Dowitcher .
On then to Exmouth to look for a reported Yellow-Browed Warbler but there was no sign of it today . News then came out of yesterdays Red-Necked Grebe seen off of Shelly Beach but again there was no sign of it after much searching . But this Great Northern Diver showed quite well eating a flat fish .
