The intrepid explorer from the Arctic the 1st summer Ross`s Gull was again at the Topsham Recreation Ground showing on the low tide shingle in the River Exe and will have been with us for two months on Monday and lets hope that it stays with us to the winter !
Also seen were 6 Little Egret , 10 Common Sandpiper & 3 Lesser Black-Back Gull & other things of note were the following Butterflies , 4 Green-Veined White , I Comma & a Red Admiral...... and my 1st Banded Demoiselle of the year .
Friday, 25 July 2014
Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Ross`s Gull at Topsham Rec !!
I had a look this morning at the Topsham Recreation Ground and the first bird on the list was a European Reed Warbler a site tick for me ! I carried on walking towards the moterway bridge seeing numerous Black-Headed Gull with quite a lot of juvenile birds on show , 30+ Herring Gull , 3 smart looking Lesser Black-Backed Gull , a single Great Black-Backed Gull and then the bird that I was looking for the 1st summer Ross`s Gull a superb bird to get on the Recreation Ground list and a great shame that it stayed to far away to get a good shot of it , also seen were 6 Common Sandpiper .
+.+TOPSHAM+RECREATION+GROUND+.+DEVON+.+22+.+7+.+2014.JPG)
Monday, 21 July 2014
A quick visit
A quick visit to Bowling Green Marsh today found a few birders that had come down all the way from Colchester to look for the 1st summer Ross`s Gull and they had been there quite a while without any luck , so I had a look at one of its favourite spots and was glad that I was able to find it for them !
There was also a nice adult Mediterranean Gull on show , and on the far side of the marsh numerous Common Redshank , a Spotted Redshank , 5 Common Greenshank and a few Dunlin also showed .
There was also a nice adult Mediterranean Gull on show , and on the far side of the marsh numerous Common Redshank , a Spotted Redshank , 5 Common Greenshank and a few Dunlin also showed .
Sunday, 20 July 2014
Goosemoor
A look today at the Goosemoor Reserve that's the one the other side of the railway line from Bowling Green Marsh got me the 1st summer Ross`s Gull that showed well for quite a while but just out of reach of getting a great shot , also on show was a 1st summer Little Gull ( The smallest gull in the world ) , an adult , two 2nd summer & a juvenile Mediterranean Gull were also in with a mass of Black-Headed Gull`s , there was not a lot of waders but 3 Common Greenshank , a Common Sandpiper were nice and a few Common Sand Martin were feeding over the water ,
On Bowling Green Marsh today there was 35 Dunlin with some in smart summer plumage & in the field by the viewing platform there was two Garden Warbler singing but I couldn`t get a view of them .
On Bowling Green Marsh today there was 35 Dunlin with some in smart summer plumage & in the field by the viewing platform there was two Garden Warbler singing but I couldn`t get a view of them .
Thursday, 17 July 2014
Sandwich Tern
Another look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning turned up much of the same but 4 adult and a juvenile Sandwich Tern were a welcome addition , a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull showed well along with a Lesser Black-Backed Gull but I couldn`t find the Ross`s Gull but was told that it had been seen today !
Also seen were numerous Eurasian Curlew , 6 Whimbrel , 4 Common Greenshank , 1 Spotted Redshank , 50+ Black-Tailed Godwit , a few Bar-Tailed Godwit and a nice looking Red Fox .
Also seen were numerous Eurasian Curlew , 6 Whimbrel , 4 Common Greenshank , 1 Spotted Redshank , 50+ Black-Tailed Godwit , a few Bar-Tailed Godwit and a nice looking Red Fox .
Wednesday, 16 July 2014
Close encounters of the bird kind !
A look at Bowling Green Marsh today didn`t turn up anything different but there was still some good birds on show with the long staying Ross`s Gull still showing well along with 4 Mediterranean Gull`s , an adult bird , a 1st summer & 2 , 2nd summer , also seen were 10 Whimbrel , 4 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 4 Dunlin , 2 moulting Spotted Redshank and this smart Green Sandpiper that was showing right outside of the hide.
Monday, 14 July 2014
Haldon Forest
This morning I went up to the Haldon Forest to see if I could get some decent shots of Eurasian Siskin and I was quite pleased with the results that I got !! also seen today quite a lot of Common Chaffinch , 3 European Greenfinch , a Eurasian Nuthatch , a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker , 3 Eurasian Jay and 2 Stock Dove , and the Butterflies seen today were Silver-Washed Fritillary , Ringlet and Large Skipper .
+.+HALDON+FOREST+.+DEVON+.+14+.+7+.+2014.JPG)
+,+HALDON+FOREST+,+DEVON+,+14+,+7+,+2014.JPG)
Saturday, 12 July 2014
Purple Hairstreak
A look around Chudleigh Knighton Heath this morning got me 2 Eurasian Treecreeper , 2 Eurasian Bullfinch and the following Butterflies , 3 Purple Hairstreak , 6 Speckled Wood , numerous Meadow Brown , 4 Gatekeeper , 2 Green-Veined White , 1 Silver-Washed Fritillary and a freshly hatched Peacock .
Wednesday, 9 July 2014
Emperor Dragonfly
A look at the pools on Aylesbeare Common today for Emerald Damselfly turned out a bad move as I couldn`t find any at all !! but there was a few Emperor Dragonflies and Keeled Skimmer`s and a few Blue-Tailed Damselflies , there was not a lot of birds on show today with just a few Common Linnet .
Butterflies seen today were Grayling , Small Heath and Large Skipper !
Butterflies seen today were Grayling , Small Heath and Large Skipper !
+.+AYLESBEARE+COMMON+.+DEVON+.+9+.+7+.+2014.JPG)
+.+AYLESBEARE+COMMON+.+DEVON+.+9+.+7+.+2014.JPG)
Tuesday, 8 July 2014
Garganey
A look at Bowling Green Marsh today got me the 1st summer Ross`s Gull , the 1st summer Little Gull , an adult summer Mediterranean Gull , 2 Spotted Redshank and this female Garganey .
These Butterflies were seen on the marsh today , Gatekeeper , Meadow Brown , Ringlet , Red Admiral , Comma & Green-Veined White
These Butterflies were seen on the marsh today , Gatekeeper , Meadow Brown , Ringlet , Red Admiral , Comma & Green-Veined White
Sunday, 6 July 2014
A Red Letter Day !
Today was a red letter day for me as I have been trying to get a shot of Adder ( our only venomous snake ) for years , yesterday my mate Brian Heasman found one up on the commons so this morning we went to see if it was still around and we were in luck and see not one but two of them , the photo`s are not the best as they quickly made off out of view but they are a real prize for me ! also seen were 4 Slow Worm , there was also a few Dartford Warbler`s showing with the majority being juveniles , along with a few Common Stonechat , 2 Meadow Pipit & a Tree Pipit , my first Grayling Butterfly of the year was added to the list along with a smart Small Grass Emerald Moth .
+.+AYLESBEARE+COMMON+.+DEVON+.+6+.+7+.+2014.JPG)
Saturday, 5 July 2014
Little Ringed Plover
Today I went out to Cranbrook on the edge of Exeter as a Little Ringed Plover was seen there yesterday on a large pool that is to become a reserve or so I`m told ! well sure enough I found the bird ok but as I was taking photos of it another LRP was flying in calling behind me and soon landed quite close to the other one , I don't think there was two there yesterday so this large pool seems to be pulling in birds as a Green Sandpiper flew off just as I had arrived so it may be worth keeping an eye on it , there was also quite a lot of Common House Martin flying in and collecting mud for there nests .
Butterflies seen there today were numerous Meadow Brown , 2 Small Skipper and my first Gatekeeper of the year .
Butterflies seen there today were numerous Meadow Brown , 2 Small Skipper and my first Gatekeeper of the year .
Thursday, 3 July 2014
Green Sandpiper
A look at Bowling Green Marsh today got me the long staying 1st summer Ross`s Gull , a 1st summer Little Gull , an adult and a 1st summer Mediterranean Gull , a Common Gull and 4 Sandwich tern , the waders today included numerous Black-Tailed Godwit and a few Bar-Tailed Godwit , numerous Eurasian Curlew , 1 Whimbrel , 2 summer plumage Spotted Redshank and a Green Sandpiper ......... The only other thing of note seen today was a Mink in Bowling Green Lane & its the first that I have seen near the marsh !
Wednesday, 2 July 2014
Lower Haldon Forest
This afternoon I went for a walk around the obelisk area of the Lower Haldon Forest with my daughter and grandson and I saw 3 European Turtle Dove , a Common Whitethroat and a Emperor Dragonfly and a smart looking Golden-Ringed Dragonfly.
Tuesday, 1 July 2014
Bystock Pools
I spent today around the Bystock Pools on the East Devon Commons and the highlight of the day was a reeling Common Grasshopper Warbler that reeled twice out deep in the common but I couldn`t find where it was , todays Butterflies were numerous Large Skipper and a Green Hairstreak , on to the Dragonflies ! well today was quite good with 10 Keeled Skimmer , 6 Hairy Dragonfly , 4 Four-Spotted Chaser , 3 Beautiful Demoiselle , 2 Emperor Dragonfly and a few Large Red Damselfly , the only other thing of note was a Red-Eared Slider Turtle that is not a native to Britain but is one that has been let loose on to the main pool !
