My look around the Exminster Marshes today got me my first Yellow Wagtail of the year as it flew towards the north end of the marsh calling .
Also seen today was a summer plumaged Cattle Egret , 12 Whimbrel , 20+ Common Swift , numerous Barn Swallow and House Martin , 4 European Reed Warbler , 2 Sedge Warbler and 2 Reed Bunting .
Best bird today was my first Common Cuckoo of the year on Hawkerland Common . But not a lot else seen with only 2 Common Stonechat , a European Green Woodpecker and a Willow Warbler .
Would you believe it !
Yesterday I was away in Sth Wales visiting a mate of mine that is not too well and a Black-Winged Stilt turns up on the Exminster Marshes . But I got back into Exeter at 5.30 and went straight to the marsh and managed to get onto the bird near the middle car park around 6pm .
Jammy Git or what as there was no sign of the bird on the marshes today !
A quick look at the Exminster Marshes this morning got me a male Garganey . The bird was not on view when I got there and it was a bit of a wait before it it showed , but well worth it in the end .
Also seen was my 1st Common House Martin of the year along with numerous Common Sand Martin , 4 Barn Swallow , a Cetti`s Warbler and this very obliging Sedge Warbler .
My look around the Exminster Marshes today was a bit slow to start with as I only saw 3 Barn Swallow , Cetti`s Warbler , European Reed Warbler , numerous Sedge Warbler , a few Blackcap and the Ruddy Shelduck was on view again .
But later in the afternoon I went back for another look and this time I had nice views of a couple of Eurasian Hobby on the north end of the marsh .
My first stop today was at the Recreation Ground in Topsham where I saw two Common Sandpiper my 1st of the year . There was also a Water Rail and a Brown Rat .
I then went to the Exminster Marshes and I walked down the backpath and found a Pied Flycatcher and I was over the moon with that as I have only ever seen one of these on the marsh before ! There was also plenty of Orange Tip Butterflies on show today . And a good end to the day was a flock of 50+ Whimbrel in a field just south of the Turf Hotel .
I went to the Matford Marshes again early this morning to see if the 5 White Stork were still on show . And I was able to watch them feeding on the marsh until they decided to fly off at 8.50 am . And I was lucky to be stood in the right place as they flew over my head and I was able to grab these shots of them .
Also seen was a Common Whitethroat , a Blackcap and a Common Chiffchaff .
These 5 White Stork dropped into Matford Marsh late this evening . they are reintroduced birds but still a superb sight to see .
A trip down to Cornwall today to look for an American Herring Gull that has been at Newlyn for a while now . But damn and blast it never showed for us today .
But we were in the right place as news broke of an Eastern Subalpine Warbler found on Treeve Moor near Lands End . So we went to look for it and this time our luck was in with the bird showing very well at times . Also seen was a Common Whitethroat , a Red-Billed Chough and a male Ring Ouzel .
So a very good days birding in the end !
It was a superb sunny day today so I took a look around Haldon Forest . And at my first stop I was lucky enough to see 2 Tree Pipit , 2 male Common Crossbill , 3 Willow Warbler , a female Eurasian Bullfinch and 2 Yellowhammer .
On my second stop there was numerous Eurasian Siskin , 2 Coal Tit and a Eurasian Treecreeper .
My look at the Exminster Marshes today got me a Western Marsh Harrier , 6 Cetti`s Warbler , 4 Blackcap , 2 Common Chiffchaff and my first Sedge Warbler of the year .
I spent 4 hours on the Exminster Marshes today and saw my first European Reed Warbler of the year . But not a lot else was seen with only 30+ Bar-Tailed Godwit , numerous Cetti`s Warbler and Blackcap , a male Reed Bunting , a Water Rail and a Western Marsh Harrier .
Also seen were the following Butterflies , Speckled Wood , Comma and Green-Veined White .
Another trip down to Slapton Ley in South Devon this morning in bright sunshine to look for a reported juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron . I arrived to find a few birders already there and after a bit of searching I got on to the bird but as you can see the bird was deep in cover and only once when I was there did it move from its perch in the tree and by this time to are amazement it started snowing quite heavily and then the sun came out again . Also seen was an adult summer Red-Necked Grebe a superb looking bird but it was a pity that it was always quite distant .
A trip out to Ideford Common this morning to look for Tree Pipit was successful as I managed to see two of them . There was also 4 Dartford Warbler , 6 Common Stonechat , 10 Common Linnet , a Mistle Thrush , 2 European Green Woodpecker , a male Eurasian Bullfinch and a Lesser Redpoll .
I then went to Haldon Forest where I saw 7 Common Crossbill and a Northern Goshawk .
A look around Stover Park this morning got me a Eurasian Nuthatch , a Stock Dove , 2 Brown Rat and quite a few Grey Squirrel .
The next stop was at Yarner Wood on the edge of Dartmoor . And the birding was a bit better here with 4 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker . a Great Spotted Woodpeccker , 4 Marsh Tit & a single Pied Flycatcher .
I went down to Slapton Ley this morning to look for a reported Red-Necked Grebe but my luck was out as there was no sign of it and only numerous Great Crested Grebe were seen . There was also numerous Common Sand Martin and 2 Barn Swallow .
My next stop was at Beesands Ley where a male Ring-Necked Duck showed ok on and off through the reed beds . I then went back to Slapton Ley and briefly saw a Swift over Torcross . An Alpine Swift was reported there earlier but I never saw the bird again and just did`nt get enough on it to add it to my year list !
The highlight of todays birding was a Ruddy Shelduck on the Exminster Marshes . A bird that is not on the British list but by all accounts it is being looked at to maybe be added . The bird caused a bit of a local twitch and it was good to catch up with some fellow birders .
Other birds seen today were the usual birds for the marsh for this time of year but there was a good count of eleven Cetti`s Warbler .
I got news this morning that there was a Lesser Redpoll showing at the Recreation Ground in Topsham . So I went down to look for it and after a while I found not one but four of them and as we dont get them there very often I was well pleased with that ( Thanks Martin )
Later on news came out of a male Common Redstart on Bowling Green Marsh a very very rare bird for the marsh . So off I dashed again and the bird was showing a bit distant but still showed very well . Also seen were 2 male Blackcap , 2 Common Chiffchaff and a Barn Swallow . The day then ended on the Exminster Marshes with my first Short-Eared Owl of the year so quite a good days birding .
