Tuesday 29 November 2022

Firecrest

 The highlight of my birding today was finding a Firecrest on Goosemoor in Topsham and my first ever seen at this site . 

I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh where I saw 2 Egyptian Geese , 2 male Tufted Duck , 20+ Pied Avocet , a Green Sandpiper , a Redwing , a Song Thrush and a male Eurasian Bullfinch 

Song Thrush ( Turdus philomelos ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 

Sunday 27 November 2022

Bowling Green Marsh

 A look around Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me the following birds . 30+ Black-Tailed Godwit , 20+ Common Redshank , 4 Common Greenshank , 4 European Robin , 10 Long-Tailed Tit , a small flock of European Goldfinch , 2 Cetti`s Warbler . Today there was a small influx of Common Blackbird with 10-15 birds seen , and the Mistle Thrush has returned to its normal tree at the bottom of Bowling Green Lane where it feeds on the mistletoe each year and as I walked along the lower lane there was a male and female Eurasian Bullfinch .

Eurasian Bullfinch ( Pyrrhula pyrrhula ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 

Wednesday 23 November 2022

Grey Phalarope

 News of a Grey Phalarope seen on Bowling Green Marsh got me off of my bum and walking down to the marsh . On arrival the bird was showing sat huddled up in a small patch of grass and it only moved a few times while I was there .............. Later news said that the bird had passed away !

On the walk back home I saw a single Firecrest and Goldcrest at the top of Bowling Green Lane .

Grey Phalarope ( Phalaropus fulicarius ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 

Tuesday 22 November 2022

Sabine`s Gull

 A sea watch in Dorset at Chesil Cove this morning got me a juvenile Sabine`s Gull a superb looking gull , 3 Little Gull ( 2 adult and a juvenile bird ) , numerous Black-Headed Gull and Black-Legged Kittiwake , 2 Mediterranean Gull , a Common Gull , 10 Great Black-Backed Gull and 6 Northern Gannet .

A look at Ferrybridge then got me a few Common Ringed Plover and Sanderling . The last stop of the day was at Radipole Lake where there was another 3 Med Gulls , 20+ Common Pochard , 9 Tufted Duck , a male Common Goldeneye and a screaming Water Rail .

Mediterranean Gull ( Larus melanocephalus ) . Radipole Lake . Weymouth . Dorset


 

Common Goldeneye ( Bucephala clangula ) . Radipole Lake . Weymouth . Dorset


 

Friday 18 November 2022

Firecrest

 On my walk today I only saw the one Firecrest and a Common Raven in Bowling Green Lane .

At Bowling Green Marsh there was not a lot different from yesterday with 3 male Northern Pintail , 2 Great Cormorant , 50+ Common Redshank , 2 Common Greenshank , 2 Common Snipe a Lesser Black-Backed Gull and a Common Kestrel .

Firecrest ( Regulus ignicapilla ) . Bowling Green Lane . Topsham . Devon


 

17th November

Another walk to Bowling Green Marsh again this morning and a stop off at the top of Bowling Green Marsh again got me 2 Firecrest and also a Common Raven .

At the Marsh I saw the following birds . 8 Greylag Goose , a female type Garganey , Northern Pintail , Great White Egret , 2 Common Snipe , Common Kingfisher and 2 Black Swan  .

Garganey ( Anas querquedula ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 

Wednesday 16 November 2022

Common Eider

This morning I walked to Bowling Green Marsh as I was in an accident the other day so I am carless for a while ! Anyway I was walking down Bowling Green Lane and came across a flock of Long-Tailed Tit and in with them were a couple of nice Firecrest and a few Goldcrest .

I had just got into the hide at the marsh and was put on a sleeping female Garganey when my phone went off with a message from my mate Paul telling me that the female Common Eider was showing off of Exmouth . So I walked back to the Railway Station and jumped on the train to Exmouth and Paul picked me up outside the station and off we went and got nice views of the Eider ( a year tick for both of us )

We then had a look around the marina area and we saw a male and 2 female Black Redstart... A very nice day ... Thanks Paul .

Firecrest . ( Regulus ignicapilla ) . Bowling Green Lane . Topsham . Devon


 


 

Common Eider ( Somateria mollissima ) . Lyme Bay . Exmouth . Devon


 

Black Redstart ( Phoenicurus ochruros ) . Exmouth . Devon


 

Tuesday 15 November 2022

Monday 14th November

 A look around Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me numerous Norther Shoveler and Eurasian Wigeon , 4 Greylag Geese , around 30+ Pied Avocet , a Common Snipe , 3 Dunlin , numerous Black-Tailed Godwit and in with them were a few Bar-Tailed Godwit .

I then had a look for a reported Firecrest along Bowling Green Lane but could not find it . But there was a small flock of Goldcrest and in with them was a calling Yellow-Browed Warbler . I looked for it for quite a while but I never did get to see it .

Northern Shoveler ( Anus clypeata ) . Bowling Green Lane . Topsham


 

Saturday 12 November 2022

Monday 7 November 2022

Glaucous Gull

 Yesterday there was a Glaucous Gull found at the Exeter Quay . Today local birder Dave Boult went to see if it was still around and he was in luck and found it again and soon put the news out so that other birders could go and see it .

Glaucous Gull is the largest of the white winged gulls that we get in this country and it always gives me a buzz when I manage to see one ...... Good Birding Dave .

Glaucous Gull ( Larus hyperboreus ) . Exeter Quay . Devon


 


 


 


 


 

Saturday 5 November 2022

Friday 4th November

 I stated the day off around the Gore Lane area of Exmouth and I found 2 female Black Redstart on the dung heap . Also seen was a Rock Pipit , 2 Pied Wagtail , a Common Skylark and 20+ Common Linnet .

I then went for a look at the sallows around the long stay car park as Exmouth Birder Matt Knot had seen a Yellow- Browed Warbler there . I just got out of the car and heard it calling so my hopes were high . But after much searching I only saw it the once in the top of the trees ..

Black Redstart ( Phoenicurus ochruros ) . Gore Lane . Exmouth


 

Thursday 3 November 2022

Long Distance !

The bird of the day today was a new for bird Bowling Green Marsh . A juvenile Purple Heron that was in the reeds on the far side of the marsh and was extremely hard to see . I managed to see it stick its head and neck out of the reeds once , and then got it in flight as it left the marsh and I was able to just get this long distance shot of it before was lost from view .

Other birds seen today were 2 Egyptian Goose , a male Mandarin ( a rare bird for the marsh ) . a Spotted Redshank and 2 Cetti`s Warbler

Purple Heron ( Ardea purpurea ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 

Wednesday 2 November 2022

Tuesday 1st November

 The day started with Thrushes flying over my house and there was 20+ Redwing , a Fieldfare and my 1st Mistle Thrush of the autumn . I then took a look at Bowling Green Marsh and I saw 20+ Common Greenshank , a single Pied Avocet , 2 Dunlin , a Common Snipe , Lesser Black-Backed Gull , Common Gull , Mediterranean Gull and my first Otter of the year . A very rare thing to catch up with here at the Marsh .

I then met up with my mate Paul Bray and we went up to Meare Heath in Somerset to see if we could catch up with the adult drake American Wigeon that has been showing there and we were in luck as it was showing quite well . Also seen were numerous Gadwall , a Great Crested Grebe and 3 Western Marsh Harrier . And nearby there was a field with numerous Cattle Egret in it .

American Wigeon ( Anas americana ) . Meare Heath . Somerset


 

Mediterranean Gull ( Larus melanocephalus ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 

Otter . ( Lutra lutra ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon