Tuesday, 30 August 2016
Bowling Green Marsh
Another look at Bowling Green Marsh this afternoon didn't turn up anything different but some good birds were still show with , a Eurasian Spoonbill , 11 Little Egret , numerous Black-Tailed Godwit of the Icelandic race , 2 Bar-Tailed Godwit , a large flock of Common Redshank had 15 Common Greenshank & 2 Spotted Redshank in with them , around a 150+ Eurasian Curlew , 4 Whimbrel , the juvenile Wood Sandpiper was still here but was on the far side of the marsh today , 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper with one showing very well , 12 Common Ringed Plover were quite nervous flying in and out of the marsh at times , 1 juvenile Ruff , 20+ Red Knot and yesterdays juvenile Little Stint was also still here , the only other bird of note was a male Peregrine Falcon that flew over the marsh putting everything to flight !
Monday, 29 August 2016
Migrants
The weather was glorious this morning so I went down to have a look around the top fields at Gore Lane in Exmouth and between 6.30 to 9.30 the birding was quite good as I saw 9 Northern Wheatear , a female Common Redstart , a Common Whitethroat , 2 juvenile Willow Warbler and a Common Chiffchaff , birds were also seen flying over with 5 Yellow Wagtail and a Grey Wagtail seen .
Later in the afternoon a look at Bowling Green Marsh got me the Eurasian Spoonbill that has been on the marsh for a few days , 2 Spotted Redshank , a juvenile Ruff , 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper , the long staying juvenile Wood Sandpiper , a Common Sandpiper , 2 Red Knot and a new in juvenile Little Stint the first for the marsh this year !
Later in the afternoon a look at Bowling Green Marsh got me the Eurasian Spoonbill that has been on the marsh for a few days , 2 Spotted Redshank , a juvenile Ruff , 3 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper , the long staying juvenile Wood Sandpiper , a Common Sandpiper , 2 Red Knot and a new in juvenile Little Stint the first for the marsh this year !
Saturday, 27 August 2016
Common Kingfisher
A look at the Clyst Estuary this morning got me this male Common Kingfisher that flew in and landed on the post but was gone again in a flash , also seen were a few Common Greenshank , a Sandwich Tern and quite a few feeding Grey Mullet .
On Bowling Green Marsh the superb Wood Sandpiper was still showing very well along with the Eurasian Spoonbill , 2 Common Sandpiper , a Curlew Sandpiper & 2 Red Knot , also seen was a Eurasian Nuthatch .
On Bowling Green Marsh the superb Wood Sandpiper was still showing very well along with the Eurasian Spoonbill , 2 Common Sandpiper , a Curlew Sandpiper & 2 Red Knot , also seen was a Eurasian Nuthatch .
Thursday, 25 August 2016
Eurasian Spoonbill
Today there was a Eurasian Spoonbill on Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham the bird was an adult and a first for the year on the marsh , another new bird in was a Curlew Sandpiper that spent most of the time in with the pack of Common Redshank , Common Greenshank and a couple of Spotted Redshank , also seen was half a dozen Whimbrel , a Bar-Tailed Godwit , a Common Sandpiper and the Wood Sandpiper that spent most of the time feeding and flying up and down the channel close to the hide , then a look off of the viewing platform turned up 2 Curlew Sandpiper and a Common Tern .
Tuesday, 23 August 2016
Eurasian Wryneck
I got to Dawlish Warren at 7am this morning to look for a Eurasian Wryneck that was found yesterday by Warren birder Lee Collins ! but after spending quite a long time looking for it I did manage to see it but only in flight as it flew from one part of Warren Point to another as these can be very highly elusive birds .
A look in the bay at the waders got me a numerous Dunlin and Common Ringed Plover and in with them were juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and juvenile Little Stint and also seen was a male and female Peregrine Falcon .
A look in the bay at the waders got me a numerous Dunlin and Common Ringed Plover and in with them were juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and juvenile Little Stint and also seen was a male and female Peregrine Falcon .
Sunday, 21 August 2016
Little Stint
I was coming back from Lyme Regis early this morning so I stopped off at Blackhole Marsh to have a look for a reported Little Stint and it did`nt take long to connect with this smart little wader as it performed in front of the hide and it was so good to be able to get close views of one of these birds for a change !! also seen were 2 Common Sandpiper , a Red Knot and an adult winter Mediterranean Gull , I then drove on to Aylesbeare Common were I saw 3 Grayling Butterflies but no sign of any birds at all in the strong winds , my last stop was at Bowling Green Marsh were the Wood Sandpiper was again showing in the channel close to the hide .
Saturday, 20 August 2016
Another YLG
It was very windy this morning so I went down to Exmouth sea front in hope that there would be some seabirds on show , the first thing I did was go through a pack of gull`s on the shore but there was nothing except Black-Headed Gull`s so I had a look at the sea but all I could see was half a dozen Northern Gannet , a single Black-Legged Kittiwake , a Great Skua and 3 Sandwich Tern , I then met up with a mate and we went and had a look at the Exmouth Cricket Pitch where this Juvenile Yellow-Legged Gull was showing well in with a small flock of Herring Gull`s and I was happy to be able to get these nice shots of it .
I then headed for home stopping on the way to have a look at Bowling Green Marsh where I saw 2 Spotted Redshank , 2 Common Sandpiper , an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover , a Mediterranean Gull and my first Yellow Wagtail of the autumn !
I then headed for home stopping on the way to have a look at Bowling Green Marsh where I saw 2 Spotted Redshank , 2 Common Sandpiper , an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover , a Mediterranean Gull and my first Yellow Wagtail of the autumn !
Friday, 19 August 2016
A Good Day !!
A very early look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me a Wood Sandpiper a bird that we don't see a lot of on the marsh these days ( Thanks for the message Matt ) the bird was seen in the far left hand side of the marsh but spent most of its time out of view , there was also a good selection of other birds to back it up with numerous Common Redshank , 2 Spotted Redshank , 6 Common Greenshank , masses of Black-Tailed Godwit with 2 Bar-Tailed Godwit in with them , usual high numbers of Eurasian Curlew & also 30+ Whimbrel , numerous Dunlin in all different plumages , an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover , 3 Red Knot & 4 Common Sandpiper .
Later in the day I popped down for another look and the Wood Sandpiper was showing in the channel just beside the hide & a male Ruff was also found on the far side of the marsh
Later in the day I popped down for another look and the Wood Sandpiper was showing in the channel just beside the hide & a male Ruff was also found on the far side of the marsh
Monday, 15 August 2016
A look at Goosemoor in Topsham this afternoon got me 11 Common Greenshank , a Spotted Redshank and 3 Northern Lapwing , on the to Bowling Green Marsh where all the usual waders were on show but the best birds of the day were 5 Common Ringed Plover , a Common Sandpiper and a Stock Dove , also seen was this Jersey Tiger Moth .
Friday, 12 August 2016
Some shots from today !!
Another look around Bowling Green Marsh in hope that there might be some change in the birds but alas there was none but these birds were seen today , numerous Black-Tailed Godwit and Common Redshank , the winter plumaged Spotted Redshank , 100+ Dunlin , 3 Little Ringed Plover were seen today but I only managed to see 2 of them , 3 Common Sandpiper , 2 Stock Dove that dropped in for a drink but were soon gone again , 6 Barn Swallow , 4 Common Chiffchaff including this dullish juvenile bird and this very bright Willow Warbler , away from the birds 2 Holly Blue Butterflies and a Jersey Tiger Moth were also seen .
Add On , 11.30 pm I have just come in from the garden after watching some of the Perseids Meteor Shower......Quite a rewarding sight !!
Add On , 11.30 pm I have just come in from the garden after watching some of the Perseids Meteor Shower......Quite a rewarding sight !!
Wednesday, 10 August 2016
Painted Lady
Seen around my garden in Topsham early this morning was a European Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker , later on I went for a look at Bowling Green Marsh were I saw numerous Black-Tailed Godwit , 2 Bar-Tailed Godwit , numerous Common Redshank , a Spotted Redshank , 100+ Dunlin , an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover ( great to see on the marsh again ) , 3 Common Sandpiper and a female Ruff !!! also seen were these Butterflies , 8 Speckled Wood , 2 Large White and this nice looking Painted Lady .
Monday, 8 August 2016
Lesser Whitethroat
A look at Goosemoor in Topsham this afternoon got me 20+ Common Greenshank and a winter plumaged Spotted Redshank , I then had a look around Bowling Green Marsh and had 2 Common Sandpiper , around a dozen Willow Warbler , 2 Common Chiffchaff , a brief view of a Lesser Whitethroat , a female Blackcap , a Eurasian Nuthatch and also seen was this very smart male Southern Hawker .
Sunday, 7 August 2016
Willow Warbler
I had a look around Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham this afternoon , I didn`t see a lot but there a small fall of Willow Warbler and the odd Common Chiffchaff , also seen was a Great Spotted Woodpecker , I then had a look at the Clyst Estuary where I saw 200+ Dunlin , 20+ Common Redshank , 10 Common Greenshank , a single Whimbrel and this Common Seal that had hauled itself out of the water to bask in the sunshine .
Friday, 5 August 2016
Spotted Sandpiper
A late afternoon trip up to Sutton Bingham Reservoir in Somerset to look for a reported summer plumaged Spotted Sandpiper proved to be a good move as the bird showed very well , it seems that our luck was in as people were there all day yesterday but didn`t manage see it but they caught up with it today !!
Thursday, 4 August 2016
???
News of a Temminck`s Stint on Blackhole Marsh this morning saw 3 of us going to see if we could catch up with it ! but on the way there news came out that the bird had flown off , but we carried on anyway and when we got to the marsh the news was that it wasn`t a Temminck`s after all but amazingly was another Least Sandpiper !!!!! BUT what bird had flown off as the pictures that I managed to get today seem to show a bird with a more pronounced supercillium than yesterdays bird that I photographed .... I would like anyones thoughts on this bird as I could be wrong ?
Wednesday, 3 August 2016
Least Sandpiper
News of a Least Sandpiper on Blackhole Marsh in Seaton had me off of my bum and getting there as fast as I could , I arrived and found a crowd already there and looking at the bird and I soon got on to the little stunner , this is only my 3rd in Britain and my second in my home county of Devon so it was a very welcome bird , also on site were 2 Wood Sandpiper , 3 Commom Sandpiper and a couple of Juvenile Little Ringed Plovers , many thanks to the local birders of Blackhole Marsh for getting the news out so quickly !!
Tuesday, 2 August 2016
Seawatching
At 4 am this morning 3 of us set off from Exeter heading for Porthgwarra down on the tip of Cornwall to do some seawatching , we arrived and our hearts sank as the visibility was terrible with heavy mist and rain , but we settled down and started to see some bird movement with plenty of Northern Gannet going through , as we got our eyes in numerous Manx Shearwater were picked out along with a couple of Balearic Shearwater , then our first large shearwater was seen ! a Cory`s Shearwater was picked up and at the end of the watch we had seen 12 of them , also seen were 6 superb Great Shearwater with one in quite close and 3 Sooty Shearwater were also seen , 20+ Northern Fulmar went through including my first ever Blue Fulmar , also seen in the watch were 6 European Storm Petrel , 3 Great Skua , a single Arctic Skua , an Atlantic Puffin and an Atlantic Grey Seal... and on the heath behind where we was seawatching , 2 Red-Billed Chough showed quite well...a very good days birding !!!
