A bit of a quiet day today started off at Bowling Green Marsh . And from the hide I saw 5 Greylag Geese , 100+ Pied Avocet , 15 Common Greenshank , 10 Dunlin , 5 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 4 Red Knot and 3 new in Common Snipe .
I then went down to see if I could refind yesterdays Yellow-Browed Warbler but there was no sign of it today but I did see a late Willow Warbler , a Cetti`s Warbler , 2 Water Rail , 4 Eurasian Jay and a Great Spotted Woodpecker .
There was news yesterday of a Merlin being seen on the Exminster Marshes , so I went over to see if I could see it but there was no sign of it today and all I saw were a few Northern Lapwing , a Common Buzzard and this Common Kestrel .
Tuesday, 30 October 2018
Monday, 29 October 2018
Yellow-Browed Warbler
My look around Bowling Green Marsh today proved to be a good move in the end as the day started off quite slow . As from the hide I only saw 12 Pied Avocet , 1 Red Knot and a Bar-Tailed Godwit worth talking about . So I made my way down to the far end of the marsh to check out the bushes and there were lots of common birds with 7 Winter Wren , 6 Common Blackbird , a Song Thrush , a Eurasian Sparrowhawk , 4 Eurasian Jay , 2 Common Buzzard and a Cetti`s Warbler .
I then had a bit of luck around 10.30 and found the bird that made my day ... a smart little Yellow-Browed Warbler ! the bird was seen 3 times coming out of a bush to grab a fly and then shooting right back in again , it was seen from the path that leads to the viewing platform on the bushes that run beside Bowling Green Lane , I stayed looking for it for over an hour but it never came out again but it could have worked its way along the bushes going back towards the hide .
I then had a bit of luck around 10.30 and found the bird that made my day ... a smart little Yellow-Browed Warbler ! the bird was seen 3 times coming out of a bush to grab a fly and then shooting right back in again , it was seen from the path that leads to the viewing platform on the bushes that run beside Bowling Green Lane , I stayed looking for it for over an hour but it never came out again but it could have worked its way along the bushes going back towards the hide .
Sunday 28th October
A quick look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me 20+ Dunlin , 5 Red Knot , a Bar-Tailed Godwit , 6 Meadow Pipit , a Common Buzzard and a Common Raven . I then carried on with my walk around Topsham with Sue and we came across a White Wagtail , a British Pied Wagtail and a Grey Wagtail that were feeding on the green of the Bowls Club in Topsham .
Thursday, 25 October 2018
Western Marsh Harrier
I took an early morning look at my local patch Bowling Green Marsh this morning and was rewarded with this Western Marsh Harrier that showed for a short while before heading towards the Clyst Valley area , I managed to get this record shot of it but what with the very low light and mist this morning this was the best I could do .
Also seen today were 15 Northern Pintail , 8 Gadwall , 50+ Pied Avocet , 7 Red Knot , 4 Bar-Tailed Godwit , a Ruff , 6 Common Greenshank , 2 male and 2 female Eurasian Bullfinch , a Fieldfare , a flock of Long-Tailed Tit ( What smart little birds these really are ) and a Cetti`s Warbler .
Also seen today were 15 Northern Pintail , 8 Gadwall , 50+ Pied Avocet , 7 Red Knot , 4 Bar-Tailed Godwit , a Ruff , 6 Common Greenshank , 2 male and 2 female Eurasian Bullfinch , a Fieldfare , a flock of Long-Tailed Tit ( What smart little birds these really are ) and a Cetti`s Warbler .
Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Another YBW
I went out to look for another Yellow-Browed Warbler this morning near the flood relief at Exwick and I got the bird calling as soon as I got there and it called on and off for a while but seeing it was a different matter and I had to make do with fleeting views of the bird as it made its way through the bushes . Also seen was a Eurasian Sparrowhawk , 3 Common Kingfisher , a Redwing and a Common Raven . And this juvenile Great Crested Grebe was feeding on the flood relief .
Tuesday, 23 October 2018
Lesser Redpoll
I started today with a look at Tremletts Marsh in Topsham but all I saw were 50+ Rook , I then went across to Darts Farm where I saw the highlight of the day a Lesser Redpoll that was on the trees around the small pool with a few European Goldfinch but it soon flew off , but I have just heard that it is still there this evening . Also seen was a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Eurasian Jay .
I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh where the wildfowl is now building up with the best being 100+ Northern Pintail and 12 Gadwall , also seen was a Cetti`s Warbler and a Common Chiffchaff .
I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh where the wildfowl is now building up with the best being 100+ Northern Pintail and 12 Gadwall , also seen was a Cetti`s Warbler and a Common Chiffchaff .
Monday, 22 October 2018
Yellow-Browed Warbler & New Moths
I went down to Exmouth this morning to look for a Yellow-Browed Warbler that was found yesterday . The bird called called just after I got there and I heard it a few more times as well but I only got one brief view of it , also seen was a Common Chiffchaff , a Blackack and a European Green Woodpecker .
Later in the day I went out to my mates house at Saint Hill as he had caught a really rare moth a Clifden Nonpareil and I was over the moon that he had kept it for me too see , he also had a few more that were new for me with Autumnal Moth , Chestnut , Red-Line Quaker and Yellow-Line Quaker , there was also a different form of the Satellite Moth ......Many Thanks Martin .
Later in the day I went out to my mates house at Saint Hill as he had caught a really rare moth a Clifden Nonpareil and I was over the moon that he had kept it for me too see , he also had a few more that were new for me with Autumnal Moth , Chestnut , Red-Line Quaker and Yellow-Line Quaker , there was also a different form of the Satellite Moth ......Many Thanks Martin .
Sunday, 21 October 2018
A New Moth
No birding done today . But on checking last nights moths I came across a new one for me a Feathered Ranunculus and as you can see its quite a nice looking moth , also caught was this November Moth .
Saturday, 20 October 2018
Mistle Thrush
This morning I had my first Mistle Thrush of the autumn in my garden in Topsham . I then took a look at Bowling Green Marsh twice today , once in the morning and at the afternoon high tide and I saw , numerous Eurasian Wigeon , Common Teal and Northern Pintail , 30+ Gadwall , 10 Northern Shoveler , a juvenile Garganey , a Little Grebe , 50+ Dunlin , 10-15 Red Knot , 2 Ruff and a Bar-Tailed Godwit but there was no sign of the male Red-Crested Pochard that I managed to see late in the evening yesterday .
Friday, 19 October 2018
Lesser Yellowlegs
A trip up to Weymouth in Dorset today to look for the Lesser Yellowlegs that has been showing on Lodmoor and we managed to see it but it was oh so brief as it flew off deeper into the marsh, I did manage to get a very distant shot of it but it was not worth posting on here lol .
We also saw 2 Great White Egret , a Western Marsh Harrier , 4 Greenshank , a Common Snipe , a Ruff , 4 Mediterranean Gull and 2 Cetti`s Warbler .
Our next stop was out on Portland Bill but it was dead and all we saw was a Northern Wheatear , a Goldcrest and a Firecrest .
We also saw 2 Great White Egret , a Western Marsh Harrier , 4 Greenshank , a Common Snipe , a Ruff , 4 Mediterranean Gull and 2 Cetti`s Warbler .
Our next stop was out on Portland Bill but it was dead and all we saw was a Northern Wheatear , a Goldcrest and a Firecrest .
Thursday, 18 October 2018
Another Good Day
News of a Red-Breasted Flycatcher showing in the Connaught Gardens in Sidmouth saw me and my mate Andy making the trip over to see if it was still around and at first there was no sign of it . But after a while the bird was seen and it then showed off and on for a quite a while ( what smart little birds these really are ) .
While we were there news came out of a Barred Warbler showing at Dawlish Warren so we decided to go for it , we arrived and was told that it had not been seen for quite a while , so we started to look around for it and we saw a Short-Eared Owl , 3 Northern Wheatear , a male Blackcap and the following Butterflies ..4 Clouded Yellow , a Painted Lady and a Small Copper . We were just about to leave the site when the original finder of the bird Ivan Laken refound the bird again in the far end of Greenland Lake and all the birders that were still there managed to get great views of the bird .
While we were there news came out of a Barred Warbler showing at Dawlish Warren so we decided to go for it , we arrived and was told that it had not been seen for quite a while , so we started to look around for it and we saw a Short-Eared Owl , 3 Northern Wheatear , a male Blackcap and the following Butterflies ..4 Clouded Yellow , a Painted Lady and a Small Copper . We were just about to leave the site when the original finder of the bird Ivan Laken refound the bird again in the far end of Greenland Lake and all the birders that were still there managed to get great views of the bird .
Wednesday, 17 October 2018
YBW
A trip down to Dawlish Warren today to look for a reported Yellow-Browed Warbler turned out to be a bad move as there was no sign of it to be seen anywhere .
On the way back home a quick stop at the Cockwood Marshes got me the 3 Cattle Egret again and at the Powderham Estate a juvenile Osprey was sat on one of the dead trees eating a fish . It was also a pleasure to take in the beauty of the Fallow Deer that are showing in all their splendour now .
On the way back home a quick stop at the Cockwood Marshes got me the 3 Cattle Egret again and at the Powderham Estate a juvenile Osprey was sat on one of the dead trees eating a fish . It was also a pleasure to take in the beauty of the Fallow Deer that are showing in all their splendour now .
Tuesday, 16 October 2018
Grey Catbird
Incredible news broke yesterday of an American Grey Catbird found near Lands End in Cornwall . So very early this morning my mate Andy Bond and myself made the trip down in hope that it would still be there , we arrived around 7am and there was already a bit of a crowd there who were looking for the bird and after a very fretful hour the bird showed itself around just after 8 and we managed to get great views of the bird but I struggled a bit with the photographs today and had to make do with these two , the bird was a new one for me and I expect for most of the birders there as there has only been one in mainland Britain before.....I think !
We then went to Cape Cornwall to look for Red-Billed Chough and we managed to see 9 of them and also seen was a Merlin , the next stop was at Pendeen Point where another 4 Red-Billed Chough were seen . The last stop of the day was at Lower Roskestal Farm near Porthgwarra where White Wagtail and a juvenile Rose-Coloured Starling were added to the day list .
WOW What a day !!
We then went to Cape Cornwall to look for Red-Billed Chough and we managed to see 9 of them and also seen was a Merlin , the next stop was at Pendeen Point where another 4 Red-Billed Chough were seen . The last stop of the day was at Lower Roskestal Farm near Porthgwarra where White Wagtail and a juvenile Rose-Coloured Starling were added to the day list .
WOW What a day !!
Monday, 15 October 2018
Cattle Egret
This morning I went down to the Cockwood Marshes as I had been told that there were 2 Cattle Egret showing there sometimes , I looked around the area where they had been reported but there was no sign of them , so I decided to go along the road past the Ship Inn and I came across some cows and sure enough I found the 2 Cattle Egret but as I was looking at them another one flew in and joined them and I don't think that 3 have been reported before at this site .
Also seen were 2 Little Egret , 2 Grey Heron , a Common Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail .
Also seen were 2 Little Egret , 2 Grey Heron , a Common Kingfisher and a Grey Wagtail .
Sunday, 14 October 2018
White Point
No birding done today . But on checking last nights moths I was very pleased to catch this nice looking White Point another new moth for me . Also caught was Common Plume , Ruddy Streak and Light Brown Apple Moth .
Saturday, 13 October 2018
Firecrest Again .
My look at Bowling Green Marsh today got me a Little Stint , a Ruff , 20+ Common Greenshank . 2 Dunlin , a flock of birds that consisted of Long-Tailed Tit , Great Tit , Blue Tit , a male and female Blackcap , 2 Common Chiffchaff , 7 Goldcrest and a calling Firecrest .
I then did a bit of a sea watch off of Exmouth but I only saw a few Northern Gannet , 2 Common Eider , a Balearic Shearwater and 3 Sandwich Tern .
I then did a bit of a sea watch off of Exmouth but I only saw a few Northern Gannet , 2 Common Eider , a Balearic Shearwater and 3 Sandwich Tern .
Friday, 12 October 2018
Goosander
An early morning look at Bowling Green Marsh in really appalling weather got me 4 Goosander the first that I have seen so far in Topsham this year .
Also seen were numerous Northern Pintail & Common Teal , 32 Common Greenshank , 2 Pied Avocet , 2 Dunlin , a single Bar-Tailed Godwit , a rare on the marsh Ruddy Turnstone and a group of 5 Great Black-Backed Gulls .
Also seen were numerous Northern Pintail & Common Teal , 32 Common Greenshank , 2 Pied Avocet , 2 Dunlin , a single Bar-Tailed Godwit , a rare on the marsh Ruddy Turnstone and a group of 5 Great Black-Backed Gulls .
Thursday, 11 October 2018
Isabelline Shrike
The day started off in the hide at Bowling Green Marsh as it was pouring down with rain but there was still some good birds to be seen with an adult Eurasian Spoonbill , 10 Pied Avocet , a Ruff , 12 Dunlin , 2 Red Knot , 3 Bar-Tailed Godwit and a Whimbrel .
The rain had eased off a bit so I went to check out the bushes by the viewing platform and there was a bit of a fall Bowling Green Marsh standards with 10-15 Goldcrest , 2 Common Chiffchaff and a male Blackcap , then a tit flock went through and in with them was a Firecrest and it was my first on the marsh for many a year , I also saw a smallish warbler with a nice supercilium but I never got enough on the bird to clinch it .
Later in the day Andy Bond , Keith Birchall and myself went down to the Golf Course at Thurlestone where a1st winter Isabelline Shrike showed quite well after the rain had stopped
The rain had eased off a bit so I went to check out the bushes by the viewing platform and there was a bit of a fall Bowling Green Marsh standards with 10-15 Goldcrest , 2 Common Chiffchaff and a male Blackcap , then a tit flock went through and in with them was a Firecrest and it was my first on the marsh for many a year , I also saw a smallish warbler with a nice supercilium but I never got enough on the bird to clinch it .
Later in the day Andy Bond , Keith Birchall and myself went down to the Golf Course at Thurlestone where a1st winter Isabelline Shrike showed quite well after the rain had stopped
Wednesday, 10 October 2018
Osprey
My look at Bowling Green Marsh today turned out a lot better than expected as from the hide I saw 13 Pied Avocet , and singles of Little Stint , Bar-Tailed Godwit , Ruff , Dunlin and a 3rd winter Mediterranean Gull .
I then went down to check out the bushes like I always do . Where I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker , 2 Common Chiffchaff , 2 Grey Wagtail , 2 Common Raven , 3 Eurasian Jay , 6 Rook and a superb juvenile Osprey that suddenly appeared in front of me and stayed long enough for me to get these shots of it .
Also seen were 2 new moths for me with Satellite and Flounced Chestnut ( Thanks very much Martin for bringing them for me to look at ) .
I then went down to check out the bushes like I always do . Where I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker , 2 Common Chiffchaff , 2 Grey Wagtail , 2 Common Raven , 3 Eurasian Jay , 6 Rook and a superb juvenile Osprey that suddenly appeared in front of me and stayed long enough for me to get these shots of it .
Also seen were 2 new moths for me with Satellite and Flounced Chestnut ( Thanks very much Martin for bringing them for me to look at ) .
Tuesday, 9 October 2018
Little Stint
A morning look around Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham didn't turn up much at all with only 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker , a male and female Blackcap , a single Common Chiffchaff , a Eurasian Nuthatch and 2 Eurasian Jay .
But this evening there was a Little Stint on the marsh that was showing on the nearside of the lake so it was always a bit distant but it still saved the days birding .
Also seen was a White Wagtail that landed on the roof of my house before flying off towards the Clyst Marshes , its the first one that I have seen in the garden .
But this evening there was a Little Stint on the marsh that was showing on the nearside of the lake so it was always a bit distant but it still saved the days birding .
Also seen was a White Wagtail that landed on the roof of my house before flying off towards the Clyst Marshes , its the first one that I have seen in the garden .
8th October
Another Birthday.....
Today was my birthday so I did what I always do on it I went out birding . I didn`t get the birds of magnitude that I have had in the past on this day but I still had a good time .
As I found only my second Eurasian Treecreeper in Topsham this year and a marsh yeartick , also seen were 3 Pied Avocet , 3 Red Knot , a Bar-Tailed Godwit , 500+ Eurasian Curlew , a Water Rail
4 flyover Common Skylark ( My first in Topsham this year ) , a Cetti`s Warbler , a Common Chiffchaff , my 1st Redwing of the autumn , 2 Common Raven and 4 Eurasian Jay .
A look at the Clyst Estuary then got me a Whimbrel , a Green Sandpiper and a Common Gull and on the other side of the Exe Estuary the refurbished Flying Scotsman was seen near Powderham Corner making its journey back from Cornwall .
Today was my birthday so I did what I always do on it I went out birding . I didn`t get the birds of magnitude that I have had in the past on this day but I still had a good time .
As I found only my second Eurasian Treecreeper in Topsham this year and a marsh yeartick , also seen were 3 Pied Avocet , 3 Red Knot , a Bar-Tailed Godwit , 500+ Eurasian Curlew , a Water Rail
4 flyover Common Skylark ( My first in Topsham this year ) , a Cetti`s Warbler , a Common Chiffchaff , my 1st Redwing of the autumn , 2 Common Raven and 4 Eurasian Jay .
A look at the Clyst Estuary then got me a Whimbrel , a Green Sandpiper and a Common Gull and on the other side of the Exe Estuary the refurbished Flying Scotsman was seen near Powderham Corner making its journey back from Cornwall .
