Another morning look at the Clyst Estuary in Topsham got me a couple of Common Greenshank , a Peregrine Falcon and a Common Kingfisher .
I then had a look around Bowling Green Marsh where the highlight of the day was another juvenile Yellow Wagtail that was seen on the edge of the marsh in with the Galloway Cows , another Peregrine Falcon if not the same one buzzed the marsh a few times but had to leave empty handed , there was not a lot else seen with only a Great Spotted Woodpecker , a few Common Chiffchaffs , a Migrant Hawker Dragonfly ant this Volucella Pellucens Hover-Fly .
Thursday, 31 August 2017
Wednesday, 30 August 2017
A Better Day
This morning I was out early in the falling rain looking for Osprey on the Exe Estuary but I didn't see any at all but I did hear that one was seen down at the other end of the estuary , but on the Clyst Estuary I saw 3 Common Greenshank , 5 Grey Plover , a male Common Kingfisher and an Atlantic Grey Seal .
Then a look at Bowling Green Marsh got me 5 Northern Shoveler , 4 Gadwall , 3 Little Grebe , a Green Sandpiper , a Common Sandpiper , numerous Black-Tailed Godwit , a Bar-Tailed Godwit , the regular female Western Marsh Harrier flew into the marsh scattering everything and stayed sat on a post for a short while but it was always on the far side of the marsh , there was not a lot to see in the bushes today with only 3 Common Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler .
Then a look at Bowling Green Marsh got me 5 Northern Shoveler , 4 Gadwall , 3 Little Grebe , a Green Sandpiper , a Common Sandpiper , numerous Black-Tailed Godwit , a Bar-Tailed Godwit , the regular female Western Marsh Harrier flew into the marsh scattering everything and stayed sat on a post for a short while but it was always on the far side of the marsh , there was not a lot to see in the bushes today with only 3 Common Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler .
Tuesday, 29 August 2017
Dead Slow !
The birding today was very slow , as I had a look at Bowling Green Marsh and all I saw worth talking about was a Barnacle Goose , 3 Common Chiffchaff and 2 fly over Common Raven .
So I then took a look at the Exminster Marshes but it was nearly as bad there with only a couple of Grey Heron , a female Eurasian Sparrowhawk , a Northern Wheatear , a flock of 40+ European Goldfinch and a few Common Linnet , there was also quite a few Green-Veined White Butterflies still on the wing .
So I then took a look at the Exminster Marshes but it was nearly as bad there with only a couple of Grey Heron , a female Eurasian Sparrowhawk , a Northern Wheatear , a flock of 40+ European Goldfinch and a few Common Linnet , there was also quite a few Green-Veined White Butterflies still on the wing .
Monday, 28 August 2017
Yellow Wags
A morning away from Bowling Green Marsh saw me at around the top fields area of Orcombe Point in Exmouth . And the mornings birding was quite rewarding as I saw 20-30 Yellow Wagtail with most of then juveniles , 2 Northern Wheatear , 2 Common Whitethroat , 3 Barn Swallow , 4 Rook and 2 Common Raven ,
And a look around the Bristol School Camp area got me a Spotted Flycatcher and around 15 Common Chiffchaff .
And a look around the Bristol School Camp area got me a Spotted Flycatcher and around 15 Common Chiffchaff .
Sunday, 27 August 2017
On The Move
My look from the hide today at Bowling Green Marsh got me 13 Little Egret , Numerous Eurasian Curlew , 2 Whimbrel , 4 Common Greenshank , a single Bar-Tailed Godwit before , 2 Common Sandpiper , an adult Curlew Sandpiper , 12 Dunlin and 3 juvenile Yellow Wagtails . I then had a look around the bushes but the birding was a bit slow with only 7 Common Chiffchaff , a male Blackcap , a Cetti`s Warbler and a Eurasian Nuthatch .
And across the road from the marsh on the telegraph wires in a field by the Goats Walk there was about 100+ Barn Swallow all resting up before their epic journey south again , a very enjoyable sight to see .
And across the road from the marsh on the telegraph wires in a field by the Goats Walk there was about 100+ Barn Swallow all resting up before their epic journey south again , a very enjoyable sight to see .
Saturday, 26 August 2017
Wood Sandpiper
This morning the 3rd Wood Sandpiper of the year turned up on Bowling Green Marsh , a good find by Keith Birchall as he picked it up in the morning glare ! also seen were 2 Common Sandpiper ,the moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper , a few Dunlin , 5 Common Greenshank , a couple of Whimbrel , a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 7 Common Chiffchaff . And a look at the Clyst Estuary got me a couple more Common Greenshank and a Common Kingfisher .
Friday, 25 August 2017
Wagtails
I started today off at Goosemoor in Topsham where I saw 20+ Common Greenshank and 9 Common Ringed Plover . I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh but the only thing of any note on the marsh was a Common Sandpiper , so I went down to have a look around the viewing platform area where there was 8 Common Chiffchaff , a Willow Warbler and I got a quick view of a male Common Redstart but it was soon lost from view again , also seen was a fly over Eurasian Jay , another highlight was seeing my first Weasel of the year that ran across the path leading to the viewing platform .
I then headed for home but at around 4 pm I decided to give the marsh another go and it turned out a good move as I saw 7 juvenile Yellow Wagtails and a White Wagtail in with the small herd of cows and a Grey Wagtail was on show right in front of the hide .
I then headed for home but at around 4 pm I decided to give the marsh another go and it turned out a good move as I saw 7 juvenile Yellow Wagtails and a White Wagtail in with the small herd of cows and a Grey Wagtail was on show right in front of the hide .
Thursday, 24 August 2017
A new lens
Todays pictures were taken with a new lens ...lets hope I get used to it soon lol . Well today on Bowling Green Marsh there was not a lot to see with only 4 Little Egret , 2 Grey Heron , a moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper , a juvenile Common Ringed Plover , 3 Whimbrel and an adult Mediterranean were the best seen today .
Monday, 21 August 2017
Yellow Warbler
Late this afternoon the amazing news came out of a Yellow Warbler found at the Culverwell area of Portland . So it was a mad dash to see if we could get there in time to see the bird , we arrived to find a group of birders already there with grins on their faces as the bird had shown just before we arrived , but after around 20 minutes the bird showed again as it flew from one bush to a larger clump of bushes , it showed on and off for a while and then came right out into the open allowing all of the birders assembled there to get great views of the magical Yellow Warbler a bird all the way from America and a 1st for mainland Britain .
Sunday, 20 August 2017
More Of The Eurasian Hoopoe
Another trip down to Exmouth this morning for another look at the Eurasian Hoopoe . Yesterday I watched the bird fly down a field and out of view , well this morning it was showing quite well in the bottom of that field and this time I was able to get this sequence of distant photos of it .
We then went to the Exe Estuary where the juvenile White-Winged Black Tern was showing on the Cockle Sands .
We then went to the Exe Estuary where the juvenile White-Winged Black Tern was showing on the Cockle Sands .
Saturday, 19 August 2017
A late add on for today .
This moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper was found late this afternoon on Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham . My first for the year ( Thanks Keith )
Eurasian Hoopoe
I was up very early this morning and when I opened my door I was greeted by the nice sound of a calling Tawny Owl , a sound that I always love to hear . I was up early as I wanted to go down to Exmouth to look for a Eurasian Hoopoe that has been seen around the Foxholes area , I got there just as light was breaking and made my way to the spot where I was told that had the best chance of seeing the bird and after around 15 minutes I picked up the bird at around 6 am flying across the field behind the houses and watched it go down the field towards Maer Farm until I lost it from my view .
There was not a lot else to see around the area but I did get 20+ Barn Swallow sat on a telegraph wire , this 1st winter Northern Wheatear was seen in the top fields and a Red Fox nonchalantly walked down the road right in front of me .
There was not a lot else to see around the area but I did get 20+ Barn Swallow sat on a telegraph wire , this 1st winter Northern Wheatear was seen in the top fields and a Red Fox nonchalantly walked down the road right in front of me .
Friday, 18 August 2017
Bowling Green Marsh
At the hide tide today at Bowling Green Marsh there was not much change with only the following birds seen , 1 Green Sandpiper , 1 Common Sandpiper , 20+ Dunlin , numerous Eurasian Curlew , 8 Whimbrel , 30+ Black-Tailed Godwit , a juvenile Mediterranean Gull , a single Stock Dove and a few Barn Swallow .
Thursday, 17 August 2017
Wednesday, 16 August 2017
No Sign !
Early this morning I went down to Bowling Green Marsh to look for the Melodious Warbler that I had found yesterday . But after a good search there was no sign of it anywhere and I don't think that it was seen again after the 11.30ish sighting yesterday but the marsh is large with many areas that it could have moved too . So this morning was back to normal with around 8 Common Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler showing along the path and it was also good to see 2 Eurasian Jay as they have not shown on the marsh for a while .
Tuesday, 15 August 2017
Melodious Warbler
In the early mornings I have constantly been covering the bushes at the far end of Bowling Green Marsh by the path to the viewing platform and usually I only get a few Common Chiffchaff and a few other odds and sods but today it finally paid off !!! As around 9.30 I was making my way down the path and I saw a larger looking warbler sat on the last tree that looks out over the Clyst Estuary , I tried to get the other side of it in hope of getting a shot of it but it then called & flew into a row of bushes . I knew that it was an Hippolais but had not clinched it yet , so I then put the news out of a possible Melodious Warbler ! I then got onto the bird again where I got most of the features on the bird with its brownish green upperparts and paler underparts , there was no panel showing in the wings and it had a pale bill like a dagger .
It then went into cover and it wasn`t seen then for quite a while , by then other birders had started to turn up and a call of Melodious Warbler was played and it got a response from the bird right away , later on around half 11ish the bird was refound and showed to around half a dozen birders that were still there looking for it but it then dropped back into cover again , I stayed looking for it until 2ish but up till then it was very elusive and had only showed the twice , it was a strange feeling as I was over the moon with finding the bird but I was pissed off a bit as I was unable to get all of the birders on to it . Plus I could not get a photo of it !!
I think that this is the 1st record for the Exe Estuary but not to sure ??
I have just heard that it is not the 1st for the Exe Estuary as one was seen at Dawlish Warren on this same date in 1980 , so that is 37 years until this one ! Still I am happy with it being a 1st for Bowling Green Marsh ... I think lol .....
It then went into cover and it wasn`t seen then for quite a while , by then other birders had started to turn up and a call of Melodious Warbler was played and it got a response from the bird right away , later on around half 11ish the bird was refound and showed to around half a dozen birders that were still there looking for it but it then dropped back into cover again , I stayed looking for it until 2ish but up till then it was very elusive and had only showed the twice , it was a strange feeling as I was over the moon with finding the bird but I was pissed off a bit as I was unable to get all of the birders on to it . Plus I could not get a photo of it !!
I think that this is the 1st record for the Exe Estuary but not to sure ??
I have just heard that it is not the 1st for the Exe Estuary as one was seen at Dawlish Warren on this same date in 1980 , so that is 37 years until this one ! Still I am happy with it being a 1st for Bowling Green Marsh ... I think lol .....
Monday, 14 August 2017
Jersey Tiger Moth
My morning look at Bowling Green Marsh got me 200+ Eurasian Curlew , 8 Whmbrel , 20+ Dunlin , a Common Sandpiper and a single Bar-Tailed Godwit was in with the numerous Black-Tailed Godwit also seen was a Barnacle Goose sat on gull island .
I then went over near the village of Exminster where I saw a Common Kestrel , a female Cirl Bunting and a Jersey Tiger Moth .
I then went over near the village of Exminster where I saw a Common Kestrel , a female Cirl Bunting and a Jersey Tiger Moth .
Saturday, 12 August 2017
Bar-Headed Goose
Out early again this morning to check the bushes around the viewing platform on Bowling Green Marsh but there was not a lot to see today with just 4 Common Chiffchaff worth talking about . So I went back to the hide to catch the incoming tide but again the birding was a bit slow , but 9 Whimbrel came in with the numerous Eurasian Curlew , there was a small flock of 20+ Dunlin and a Common Ringed Plover was in with them , 7 Common Snipe flew over the marsh but they never landed and this feral Bar-Headed Goose was with a few Canada Geese , its the first one on the marsh for quite a while . And I just had to fire off a couple of shots of such a smart looking bird .
Friday, 11 August 2017
Friday 11th August
A very quick look around Bowling Green Marsh this morning didn`t get me much at all , with only a Common Sandpiper , a European Green Woodpecker and my first Song Thrush on the marsh for a while .
I then went down to Mudbank Lane in Exmouth and met up with Matt Knott as he had text me and said that the juvenile White-Winged Black Tern was showing but that it was distant , and after a short while I was able to connect with the bird out in the middle of the estuary , it seems to be a good year for these birds as its the 3rd different one for me this year , also seen was a Little Tern , 4 Common Gull , 3 adult Mediterranean Gull & around 30 Black-Headed Gull . When I returned to my house in Topsham I got the strange sight of 8 Mistle Thrush sat together on top of the water tower !
I then went down to Mudbank Lane in Exmouth and met up with Matt Knott as he had text me and said that the juvenile White-Winged Black Tern was showing but that it was distant , and after a short while I was able to connect with the bird out in the middle of the estuary , it seems to be a good year for these birds as its the 3rd different one for me this year , also seen was a Little Tern , 4 Common Gull , 3 adult Mediterranean Gull & around 30 Black-Headed Gull . When I returned to my house in Topsham I got the strange sight of 8 Mistle Thrush sat together on top of the water tower !
Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Arctic Tern
This mornings look at Bowling Green Marsh got me 12 Whimbel in with the masses of Eurasian Curlew , 4 Bar-Tailed Godwit and 2 Green Sandpiper . I then took a quick look at Goosemoor where there was 3 Common Greenshank & a Spotted Redshank and 30+ Common House Martin flew over .
I then went down to Exmouth to look for a reported juvenile White-Winged Black Tern that was found by local Exmouth birder Matt Knott a couple of days ago , but I couldn`t see it anywhere today but I did get nice views of an adult Arctic Tern along with around 15 Sandwich Tern .
I then went down to Exmouth to look for a reported juvenile White-Winged Black Tern that was found by local Exmouth birder Matt Knott a couple of days ago , but I couldn`t see it anywhere today but I did get nice views of an adult Arctic Tern along with around 15 Sandwich Tern .
Tuesday, 8 August 2017
European Mink
I had a look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning and I saw 6 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 5 Whimbrel , a Wood Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper .
Later on Sue and I went for a look around Blackhole Marsh near Seaton a nice reserve in East Devon , where we saw 2 Cattle Egret , 4 Common Ringed Plover , 5 Common Sandpiper , a Water Rail , 2 Common Chiffchaff and a European Mink that was fishing right below the Tower Hide and at one time it caught a large European Eel . And looking from the hide out over the River Axe we saw 2 Little Grebe and a male Common Kingfisher .
Later on Sue and I went for a look around Blackhole Marsh near Seaton a nice reserve in East Devon , where we saw 2 Cattle Egret , 4 Common Ringed Plover , 5 Common Sandpiper , a Water Rail , 2 Common Chiffchaff and a European Mink that was fishing right below the Tower Hide and at one time it caught a large European Eel . And looking from the hide out over the River Axe we saw 2 Little Grebe and a male Common Kingfisher .
Monday, 7 August 2017
No Change
A look this morning at Bowling Green Marsh got me much of the same . With100+ Eurasian Curlew , 4 Whimbrel , numerous Black-Tailed Godwit , a few Bar-Tailed Godwit , numerous Common Redshank , a winter plumaged Spotted Redshank , 20+ Dunlin , 7 Northern Lapwing and a Juvenile Wood Sandpiper .
