I went for a look around the Bowling Green Marsh area early this morning . I had a look at the marsh from the hide but it was low tide and dead . So I went for a look around the viewing platform area of the marsh as sometimes its good around there at this time of year and I managed to come across this juvenile female European Green Woodpecker feeding by the road , they are usually a bit nervous but this one stayed long enough for me to fire off this shot of it just before it flew off .
Also seen were 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker , a small flock of Long-Tailed Tit , 2 Sedge Warbler , 3 Willow Warbler ( my first of the Autumn ) , 2 Common Chiffchaff and 4 European Greenfinch a bird that I don't see on the marsh very much now ! and at a nearby pond I came across this female Great Diving Beetle ( a new one for me ) . I finished the mornings birding off near the village of Exminster where I saw a Spotted Flycatcher and a Mistle Thrush .
Monday, 31 July 2017
Saturday, 29 July 2017
European Bee-Eater
A long trip up to Nottinghampshire with my 2 mates Andy & Ken saw us leaving Exeter at 5.45 to look for some European Bee-Eaters that have bred in a quarry near the village of East Leake , we got there around 10 ish and found out that you cannot enter the quarry grounds but you can look in from the road nearby and as luck would have we had two of them sat in a tree quite close to the road allowing me to be able to get these shots of these fantastic birds . I have only seen one of these birds before in this country and that was way back on the 12 June 94 at Portland Bill so as you can imagine I was over the moon to see these ....But ohhhhhhh for one in Devon .
We then went on to Rutland Water were we saw a few Egyptian Geese , 7 Common Tern , a Green Sandpiper and two Osprey .
We then went on to Rutland Water were we saw a few Egyptian Geese , 7 Common Tern , a Green Sandpiper and two Osprey .
Friday, 28 July 2017
Bowling Green Marsh
Another look at BGM today got me a female type Western Marsh Harrier that flew in and stayed for a short while before flying off down the Clyst Estuary again , also seen were two Common Buzzard , Numerous Eurasian Curlew , 6 Whimbrel , 50+ Black-Tailed Godwit , 15 Dunlin , a Common Sandpiper and the 2 Wood Sandpiper had flown out of the marsh early this morning but returned again this afternoon , 3 Mediterranean Gull were also seen along with 2 Stock Dove and this Black Morph Rabbit also showed well .
Thursday, 27 July 2017
More of the Wood Sandpiper`s
Just a few more shots of the delightful Wood Sandpiper`s on Bowling Green Marsh today .
Wednesday, 26 July 2017
Wood Sandpiper
I looked out of the window this morning at the pouring rain and thought where shall I go today . And I decided to go for a look at Bowling Green Marsh as you can go into the hide and stay dry there , I got there around 8 o/c and looked out of the window of the hide and I found one of my favourite waders a Wood Sandpiper right in front of me , the bird was a juvenile and was showing very well so I then rang around numerous people and told them the news and put it out on twitter and then settled down to get a few shots of it .
Other birders then started to turn up and that was good as its always good when others see the bird as well , a few other good things were then found on the marsh , with 3 Common Sandpiper , 8 Whimbrel , a Spotted Redshank and a summer plumaged Red Knot , something then flushed the birds and the Wood Sandpiper took to the sky and to our amazement it was joined by another Wood Sand , the two of them then landed again and showed very well all day long ( 1st good wader on the new scrape , lets hope for more to come ) .
Other birders then started to turn up and that was good as its always good when others see the bird as well , a few other good things were then found on the marsh , with 3 Common Sandpiper , 8 Whimbrel , a Spotted Redshank and a summer plumaged Red Knot , something then flushed the birds and the Wood Sandpiper took to the sky and to our amazement it was joined by another Wood Sand , the two of them then landed again and showed very well all day long ( 1st good wader on the new scrape , lets hope for more to come ) .
Monday, 24 July 2017
Roseate Tern
There was a Roseate Tern feeding off of Dawlish Warren this morning in with about half a dozen Sandwich Tern they were near the Langstone Cliff area but they then headed towards Warren Point , also seen was a juvenile Mediterranean Gull .
I then went for a look around Aylesbeare Common and saw 9 Common Linnet , a male and female Common Stonechat , a female Yellowhammer and the following Butterflies 8 Grayling , 2 Small Heath and 2 Red Admiral .
I then went for a look around Aylesbeare Common and saw 9 Common Linnet , a male and female Common Stonechat , a female Yellowhammer and the following Butterflies 8 Grayling , 2 Small Heath and 2 Red Admiral .
Sunday, 23 July 2017
Early Morning
I went down to Bowling Green Marsh around 6.15 this morning to catch the high tide but the sun was up and that makes the birding on the marsh a little bit difficult as most of the birds were showing in silhouette .But I still managed to see 200+ Eurasian Curlew , 4 Whimbrel , 3 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 30 + Northern Lapwing , 2 Common Sandpiper , 2 Common Buzzard , a Common Raven and this inquisitive European Robin . Later in the day I went to a spot near Exminster and saw 2 Spotted Flycatcher .
Friday, 21 July 2017
Seawatching
Early this morning I went down to Exmouth to do a sea watch in Lyme Bay as it was raining a bit and blowing a gale . I went up to a usual spot by the raised beach huts and settled in . I didn't get anything for a while then I started picking out some Northern Gannets and in the end I saw 20+ , then some Black-Legged Kittiwake , I then picked up a large shearwater and as it came closer I could see that it was a Great Shearwater . I watched it shear across the bay until it was lost from view and also seen was a Balearic Shearwater and then I got the icing on the cake an adult Sabine`s Gull slowly drifted across the bay quite close in . It has been a while since I have seen one like this .
Thursday, 20 July 2017
Blackhole Marsh
This morning Sue and I took a look at the Blackhole Marsh near the seaside town of Seaton in East Devon , and we saw 3 Little Egret , 2 Water Rail , 2 Common Sandpiper , a Green Sandpiper , a Common Ringed Plover and a Little Ringed Plover .
We then went back to Topsham and had a look at Goosemoor but all we saw was 6 Common Greenshank and a Common Kingfisher.
We then went back to Topsham and had a look at Goosemoor but all we saw was 6 Common Greenshank and a Common Kingfisher.
Wednesday, 19 July 2017
Spotted Flycatcher
Spotted Flycatcher is not a hard bird to see in Britain ! But it is for me as I just never seem to catch up with them , so when I was told about some showing well at a private site I just had to go and see if my luck would change and as you can see the result today was just great ( Thanks Jo )
Later in the day I went down to the viewing platform at Bowling Green Marsh and had a look at the Clyst Estuary on the rising tide and I saw 200+ Dunlin , 22 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 10 Grey Plover , 8 Whimbrel , 6 Common Greenshank , a Spotted Redshank , and a superb looking summer plumaged Red Knot , I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh and saw a Green Sandpiper ( my 1st for quite a while ) , a Mediterranean Gull and 2 Stock Dove .
Later in the day I went down to the viewing platform at Bowling Green Marsh and had a look at the Clyst Estuary on the rising tide and I saw 200+ Dunlin , 22 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 10 Grey Plover , 8 Whimbrel , 6 Common Greenshank , a Spotted Redshank , and a superb looking summer plumaged Red Knot , I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh and saw a Green Sandpiper ( my 1st for quite a while ) , a Mediterranean Gull and 2 Stock Dove .
Monday, 17 July 2017
Common Birds !
I have been looking at my local patch Bowling Green Marsh a bit more lately as they have been putting in some new scrapes and I have been hoping to maybe come across something good , plus the fact the reserve here and Goosemoor have a good amount of water on them still . But today it was a bit slower birding then the last few days with the best bird being an adult summer Mediterranean Gull , but also seen were a few common birds on the marsh with a couple of Grey Heron , some Common Sand Martin and Barn Swallow , a female Common Blackbird and a few European Goldfinch .
Sunday, 16 July 2017
Another look at BGM
I had another early look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning but again there wasn`t a lot different to see but fingers crossed that will change soon . Todays birds seen were as follows , a single Grey Heron , 5 Black-Tailed Godwit , 2 Common Sandpiper , a Whimbrel , 100+ Black-Headed Gull , an adult summer Mediterranean Gull , a Lesser Black-Backed Gull , a Stock Dove that landed on the new island in front of the hide , a calling European Green Woodpecker , numerous British Pied Wagtail , around 50+ Sand Martin and 4 Barn Swallow all seen before the digger driver turned up , he told me that today was his last day on site...Yippee !!! now all we want are the birds to come back again lol .
Saturday, 15 July 2017
Juv Med Gull
I was down at the Bowling Green Marshes early again this morning from 7.20 until 9 am when the work started up again and it got me my 1st Juvenile Mediterranean Gull of the year in with around 50+ Black-Headed Gulls & a single Lesser Black-Backed Gull , there was not a lot else to see but again 2 Common Sandpiper were on the new scrapes and a Common Kingfisher flew across checking them out , the only other bird of note was a Stock Dove sat on top of a dead tree beside the railway bridge .
Friday, 14 July 2017
Bowling Green Marsh
I went down to have a look at Bowling Green Marsh early this morning before the workmen started their work and I was rewarded with my first waders on the new scrape in the shape of 2 Common Sandpiper , fingers crossed for better things to come . Then two female Goosanders flew into the marsh and showed for a short while . But the work then started up again putting them to flight towards Goosemoor , so I went to see if they were on there but there was no sign of them but the Spotted Redshank was on show along with 20+ Dunlin , 15 Common Greenshank , 6 Whimbrel and a Mediterranean Gull .
Thursday, 13 July 2017
Local Birding
I picked up news this morning of a Cattle Egret seen on the Exminster Marshes so I went over to have a look for . I covered most of the marsh but I couldn`t find it anywhere , I then checked out the cowherds looking for any Yellow Wagtails but all I came across was about a dozen British Pied Wagtail with most of them being juveniles , I also saw a few European Reed Warbler , Sedge Warbler and a Common Whitethroat along with the following Butterflies , Gatekeeper , Red Admiral , Speckled Wood , Green-Veined White , Meadow Brown and Peacock .
Then a look at the Goosemoor Reserve in Topsham got me , 3 Little Egret , 10 Common Greenshank and 6 Mediterranean Gull`s .
Then a look at the Goosemoor Reserve in Topsham got me , 3 Little Egret , 10 Common Greenshank and 6 Mediterranean Gull`s .
Wednesday, 12 July 2017
Bowling Green Marsh
I had another look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning to see how the work that they are doing on it was coming along and I have to say that it is starting to look very good . Perhaps I may even have to eat a bit of Humble Pie lol . But fingers crossed that they will have the sense to clear the edges of the main pool of all foliage in time for when migration gets into full swing , the only thing seen of note today was a Common Sandpiper .
