The end of a great birding year for me with four new birds added to my British list with the first being the Hudsonian Godwit seen at Meare Heath in Somerset , the next was the Greater Yellowlegs seen at Titchfield Haven in Hampshire and was a great joy for me after dipping 3 before in this country , then along came the Hudsonian Whimbrel at Church Norton in West Sussex making my first 3 birds all American birds , but my last little goodie was the European Crag Martin seen at Chesterfield in Derbyshire .
Add to them a few nice finds for me including Golden Oriole , Red Kite and a Grey Phalarope , fingers crossed for an even better birding year for 2016 !!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of my readers
Dave
Thursday, 31 December 2015
Sunday, 27 December 2015
Red-Breasted Merganser
I had a quick walk around the Topsham Cemetery Grounds today but didn`t see much at all with only 6 European Robin , 4 Goldcrest , 2 Winter Wren and a Mistle Thrush .
After I had gone back home and grabbed a bite to eat I made my way down to the Recreation Ground in Topsham where I saw 200+ Black-Headed Gull , 8 Common Gull , 6 Great Black-Backed Gull , a single Lesser Black-Backed Gull , a male and female Red-Breasted Merganser ( Female bird in the photo ) and a single Grey Wagtail .
After I had gone back home and grabbed a bite to eat I made my way down to the Recreation Ground in Topsham where I saw 200+ Black-Headed Gull , 8 Common Gull , 6 Great Black-Backed Gull , a single Lesser Black-Backed Gull , a male and female Red-Breasted Merganser ( Female bird in the photo ) and a single Grey Wagtail .
Friday, 25 December 2015
Wednesday, 23 December 2015
The Exminster Marshes
This morning I went over to the Exminster Marshes for a change ! in hope of maybe seeing the drake American Wigeon but there was no sign of it today , but there was plenty of Eurasian Wigeon , Northern Shoveler , Common Teal and Mallard , also seen was this male and female Tufted Duck and a male Northern Pintail , away from the wildfowl there was plenty of Dark Bellied Brent Geese with one of the light bellied race hrota in with them , also seen were 3 Fieldfare , 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker , a Common Kingfisher and at the Turf Locks a single male Red-Breasted Merganser showed well .
Friday, 18 December 2015
The Topsham Cemetery Grounds
A quick couple of reports from the Cemetery Grounds in Topsham !
In the early hours of Thursday the 17th a Tawny Owl was calling but could`nt be found later in the day .
Today a look around the grounds got me 20+Redwing , 4 Fieldfare , 3 Mistle Thrush , 2 Common Blackbird and a small flock of European Greenfinch and Goldfinch .
In the early hours of Thursday the 17th a Tawny Owl was calling but could`nt be found later in the day .
Today a look around the grounds got me 20+Redwing , 4 Fieldfare , 3 Mistle Thrush , 2 Common Blackbird and a small flock of European Greenfinch and Goldfinch .
Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Better shots of the American Wigeon !!
Today I went down to Bowling Green Marsh again in hope of getting better shots of the 1st winter male American Wigeon and my luck was in as it was showing a lot closer than on previous days and I was quite pleased to get these shots !
There was also lots of the other normal wildfowl that you see on the marsh along with 200+ Pied Avocet , 100+ Bar-Tailed Godwit , a Spotted Redshank , a Eurasian Sparrowhawk and a Mistle Thrush , then a look from the viewing platform at the Clyst Estuary on the outgoing tide got me 5 Grey Plover , the Spotted Redshank had come out from the marsh and was joined by another one , 7 adult and two 1st winter Common Gull`s and a Common Raven .
There was also lots of the other normal wildfowl that you see on the marsh along with 200+ Pied Avocet , 100+ Bar-Tailed Godwit , a Spotted Redshank , a Eurasian Sparrowhawk and a Mistle Thrush , then a look from the viewing platform at the Clyst Estuary on the outgoing tide got me 5 Grey Plover , the Spotted Redshank had come out from the marsh and was joined by another one , 7 adult and two 1st winter Common Gull`s and a Common Raven .
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Bowling Green Marsh
The weather today was not very good with drizzle for most of the day ! but I still decided that I would have a look at Bowling Green Marsh and it turned out to be quite a good move as I saw numerous Eurasian Wigeon & Northern Shoveler , 30+ Common Teal , 3 male Northern Pintail and the American Wigeon made a return to the same field that it was found the other day but was still quite distant .
There was also a lot of waders on show with 200+ Pied Avocet , 100+ Common Redshank and in with them was a smart winter plumaged Spotted Redshank , 300 + Black-Tailed Godwit , 30+ Bar-Tailed Godwit , 50+ Dunlin and 35 Lapwing , the only other birds of note was a Peregrine Falcon , a single Water Rail and a Eurasian Bullfinch .
There was also a lot of waders on show with 200+ Pied Avocet , 100+ Common Redshank and in with them was a smart winter plumaged Spotted Redshank , 300 + Black-Tailed Godwit , 30+ Bar-Tailed Godwit , 50+ Dunlin and 35 Lapwing , the only other birds of note was a Peregrine Falcon , a single Water Rail and a Eurasian Bullfinch .
Friday, 11 December 2015
American Wigeon
I got news today from local birder Dave Bolt of a possible American Wigeon on Bowling Green Marsh so I went down for a look and after we got better views of the bird we came to the conclusion that the bird was a sub adult male , the bird was in with a flock of Eurasian Wigeon and was showing in the field to the left of the viewing platform , with luck it should spend the winter around the Exe Estuary area .
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Firecrest
For a while now I have been trying to get a shot of the Firecrest that has been seen around Bowling Green Lane , I tried again today but still had no luck again but I saw quite a few Goldcrest , Coal Tit and Long-Tailed Tits but I will keep on trying !
On Bowling Green Marsh there were numerous Eurasian Wigeon , there was a build up of Northern Shoveler now numbering well over hundred , a few Common Teal , 2 male Northern Pintail , 8 Common Moorhen , a European Green Woodpecker and 2 Eurasian Jay .
On Bowling Green Marsh there were numerous Eurasian Wigeon , there was a build up of Northern Shoveler now numbering well over hundred , a few Common Teal , 2 male Northern Pintail , 8 Common Moorhen , a European Green Woodpecker and 2 Eurasian Jay .
Tuesday, 8 December 2015
Around Topsham
This morning I parked the car at the top of Bowling Green Lane and walked down the hill towards the marshes on the way seeing numerous Goldcrest , a Eurasian Nuthatch and a Eurasian Treecreeper , I then had a look at Goosemoor but didn`t see a lot besides a flock of Long-Tailed Tit , a few Dunnock a Common Raven and this Common Buzzard !
On then to Bowling Green Marsh where 6 Dark Bellied Brent Goose , 6 Greylag Goose , 12 Mallard , 3 male Northern Pintail , a single Water Rail and a Common Kingfisher were added to the day list
On then to Bowling Green Marsh where 6 Dark Bellied Brent Goose , 6 Greylag Goose , 12 Mallard , 3 male Northern Pintail , a single Water Rail and a Common Kingfisher were added to the day list
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Brambling
There has been a couple of female Brambling being seen at Darts Farm in Topsham ! so this morning I went to see if I could get a shot of them , the finch flock has got even bigger consisting of Common Chaffinch , European Greenfinch , European Goldfinch and Common Linnet , the birds are constantly flying from the trees to a field of dead Sunflowers and feeding on the seeds so it is quite hard to pick out the Brambling but today luck was with me as I not only picked up the 2 female birds but then found another female and then this cracking male bird so lets hope that even more decide to join the flock !
Also seen today was a Eurasion Sparrowhawk , a Peregrine Falcon , a Common Kingfisher and a male and female Common Stonechat .
Also seen today was a Eurasion Sparrowhawk , a Peregrine Falcon , a Common Kingfisher and a male and female Common Stonechat .
Friday, 4 December 2015
Firecrest
With the weather a bit better this morning I decided to have a look around my local patch Bowling Green Marsh and walking down the hill there was quite a few Goldcrest and a single Coal Tit , at the bottom I turned left to have a look at Goosemoor , the tide was well out and the only things showing on the marsh were 2 Eurasian Oystercatcher and a Common Redshank so I had a look at the bushes and saw a few more Goldcrest and in with them was the elusive Firecrest and a Common Chiffchaff !
I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh and saw numerous Eurasian Wigeon and Common Teal and a few Northern Shoveler , a Little Egret , 8 Common Moorhen , 2 Water Rail and a few Meadow Pipit .
I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh and saw numerous Eurasian Wigeon and Common Teal and a few Northern Shoveler , a Little Egret , 8 Common Moorhen , 2 Water Rail and a few Meadow Pipit .
Wednesday, 2 December 2015
Black Redstart
I made the trip down to Exmouth this morning to look for the two female Black Redstart`s that have been reported around the houses/flats beside the marina and after a bit of a search I managed to connect with both of them ! there was not a lot else around the area with only a single European Shag in the marina and a single Fieldfare that seemed to be lost as it flew out to sea a couple of times but each time it turned around and came back to the houses .
A look at the Exe Estuary got me 1000+ Dark Bellied Brent Geese and 3 of the Pale Bellied race , there was also numerous Eurasian Wigeon and Northern Pintail and 2 Rock Pipits were also seen .
A look at the Exe Estuary got me 1000+ Dark Bellied Brent Geese and 3 of the Pale Bellied race , there was also numerous Eurasian Wigeon and Northern Pintail and 2 Rock Pipits were also seen .
