A day out birding with my mate Andy Bond with our first stop at the Matford Marshes to look for a reported Little Ringed Plover from yesterday & after a bit of a search we found the bird but found out that it had no eye-ring so it must have been a 1st year bird ?
We then went to the Powderham Park to look for yesterdays Osprey but there was no sign of it today but we did see around 30-50 Little Egret`s in with quite a few nesting Grey Heron`s and a bit further on we had a male Yellowhammer on the Powderham road ( a very good bird for the Exe Estuary area ) , the next stop was at the Powderham Marsh but we only had 3 Chiffchaff & a Blackcap was heard singing , the last stop of the day was the Exminster Marshes where there was 3 Greylag Geese & a very nice adult Little Ringed Plover .
Friday, 30 March 2012
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Cattle Egret
This morning I got a call telling me that there was a Cattle Egret on my local patch Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham ( Thanks Keith ) the bird was on the far side of the marsh with 13 Little Egret but showed quite well but there was a little haze , also seen was a male Pintail , 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker`s , 2 Chiffchaff & a look off of the viewing platform at the Clyst Estuary got me 2 male & 4 female Red-Breasted Merganser`s
Saturday, 24 March 2012
The Exminster Marshes
A look at the marshes this morning go me the female Hen Harrier that flew in from the Lyons Rest area & up to its usual spot on the north of the marshes , it was watched for about 5 minutes before it was lost from view ! also seen were Peregrine Falcon & Buzzard & 2 Water Pipit both looking splended in near full summer plumage , there was also quite a lot of waders on the marsh with the best being 40+ Bar-Tailed Godwit , 4 Dunlin & a Knot , also seen were 4 Cetti`s Warbler & 3 Chiffchaff .
And an extra Highlight was getting very close up views of 4 Field Voles !!
And an extra Highlight was getting very close up views of 4 Field Voles !!
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
1st Blackcap Of The Year !!
A quick look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me a few Gadwall & Tufted Duck , a male Pintail & these two Roe Deer that came out of the reeds on the far side of the marsh .
I then had a look in the copse at the top of Bowling Green Lane & saw 2 Chiffchaff , a Willow Warbler , a male Blackcap & 2 Bullfinch .
I then had a look in the copse at the top of Bowling Green Lane & saw 2 Chiffchaff , a Willow Warbler , a male Blackcap & 2 Bullfinch .
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Not a lot !!!
A quick look of of Exmouth today got me my first 3 Sandwich Terns of the year sat on a bouy out in the bay , I then went to West Lodge on the Exe Estuary in Exmouth where the long staying Yellow-Browed Warbler showed well but not for very long before it was lost from view again , also seen was a Raven at Mudbank Lane .
Monday, 19 March 2012
A Spring Day
An early morning look at the Powderham Marshes only got me a few birds to talk about with a singing Chiffchaff , 2 Buzzard , a Mistle Trush & numerous Linnet & Reed Bunting .
And a look at the Exminster Marshes was not much better ! with only 2 Water Pipit , 2 Meadow Pipit another Chiffchaff & my first Willow Warbler of the year .
And a look at the Exminster Marshes was not much better ! with only 2 Water Pipit , 2 Meadow Pipit another Chiffchaff & my first Willow Warbler of the year .
Friday, 16 March 2012
Hen Harrier at last !!!!!!!
In Topsham Cemetery this morning there were the following birds ! Great Spotted Woodpecker , Green Woodpecker , Mistle Thrush & Jay also seen was this cheeky Grey Squirrel .
Later in the afternoon I went over to the Exminster Marshes & met up with Dave Hopkins & we walked out to the metal gate that looks out over the northern part of the marsh & after a short while we picked up the female Hen Harrier a bird that most people have seen this year but not us !! so it was a welcome year tick , we watched it for about 5 minutes until it flew over the moterway bridge & was lost from view , also saw my first half a dozen Sand Martin`s of the year over the main lagoon .
Later in the afternoon I went over to the Exminster Marshes & met up with Dave Hopkins & we walked out to the metal gate that looks out over the northern part of the marsh & after a short while we picked up the female Hen Harrier a bird that most people have seen this year but not us !! so it was a welcome year tick , we watched it for about 5 minutes until it flew over the moterway bridge & was lost from view , also saw my first half a dozen Sand Martin`s of the year over the main lagoon .
Monday, 12 March 2012
Greenshank
This morning Topsham was covered in mist & it didn`t lift until around mid-day !! so I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh but there wasn`t a lot to see with only 3 Little Egret , a male Pintail & a lone Avocet worth talking about ! but I did see my first Butterfly of the year a Red Admiral , I then had a look from the viewing platform at the Clyst / Exe Estuarys but only saw 6 Red-Breasted Merganser`s & this Greenshank .
So the next stop was a look in the small copse at the top of Bowling Green Hill were I had 2 male & 2 female Bullfinch & 2 more Butterflies a Peacock & 2 Comma .
So the next stop was a look in the small copse at the top of Bowling Green Hill were I had 2 male & 2 female Bullfinch & 2 more Butterflies a Peacock & 2 Comma .
Saturday, 10 March 2012
A good day
This morning I met up with Brian Heasman & we went down to Dawlish Warren to look for a reported Red Necked Grebe , we walked out to Warren Point & met up with the Warren birders & they put us on to the bird which was a bit distant but still good to see , there was also a few Great Crested Grebe & Red Breasted Merganser`s , a Mediterranean Gull & a Sparrowhawk flew over us .
We then went back to Powderham Marsh were we saw a Grey Partridge & also a Red Legged Partridge two very good birds for the marsh .
Later in the day I met up with Mat Knott at Exmouth & we saw a 1st / 2nd winter Iceland Gull on one of the sand bars in the Exe Estuary that was still visable .
We then went back to Powderham Marsh were we saw a Grey Partridge & also a Red Legged Partridge two very good birds for the marsh .
Later in the day I met up with Mat Knott at Exmouth & we saw a 1st / 2nd winter Iceland Gull on one of the sand bars in the Exe Estuary that was still visable .
Friday, 9 March 2012
At Last !!!!!
YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE on my 6th attempt I managed to catch up with a Caspian Gull in Devon on the Axe Estuary this afternoon , the bird was a 1st winter & showed very well !
Also seen were 3 adult summer Mediterranian Gull`s , plenty of Common Gull`s & 2 Bar-Tailed Godwit , Many thanks to Bob Bailey for the lift to there today .
Also seen were 3 adult summer Mediterranian Gull`s , plenty of Common Gull`s & 2 Bar-Tailed Godwit , Many thanks to Bob Bailey for the lift to there today .
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Not a bad day !!
Today the weather was a bit overcast with a slight wind so I went up to an area near the Haldon Forest where I saw 10 Raven , 6 Buzzard , 5 Skylark & a Green Woodpecker was heard on call , the next stop was at Dunchideock where a Little Owl was added to the year list & at Splatford there was 4 Yellowhammer`s .
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Brambling
After looking at the Powderham Marshes quite a bit lately it finaly payed off today but not with what I have been looking for !!! as I was stood looking at a row of bushes when a flock of Chaffinch landed on them & in with them was a female Brambling my first of the year , the only other birds seen on the marsh today were Buzzard & Kestrel .
Then a look at the Exminster Marshes got me the 5 Barnacle Geese , the American Wigeon , a Water Pipit & 3 Cetti`s Warbler .
Then a look at the Exminster Marshes got me the 5 Barnacle Geese , the American Wigeon , a Water Pipit & 3 Cetti`s Warbler .
Monday 5th March . 2012
An early morning look at Powderham Marsh got me four birds of prey but not the one that I was looking for !! with the best being a female Merlin , also seen was a Bar-Headed Goose of unknow origin & 20-30 Reed Bunting , & a look at the Exminster Marshes got me the 5 Barnacle Geese & the male American Wigeon .
Friday, 2 March 2012
Spoonbill
A quick trip over to the Exminster Marshes this afternoon to look for a reported Spoonbill & after a walk down the track beside the railway lines good views were had of the bird but it was always quite distant , also seen was a male Peregrine Falcon , 2 Raven & a Water Shrew !
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Steps Bridge
A look for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker today at Steps Bridge turned out to be a fools errand !! but I did see numerous Nuthatch & Marsh Tit , 2 Buzzard , a Grey Wagtail & this Dipper !! but hey the weather was great & it was a nice walk .
