A look around my local patch Bowling Green Marsh , got me my 1st Willow Warbler of the year with a bird that was showing just outside of the hide . Another nice thing to see feeding over the marsh was a flock of 200+ Common Sand Martin that must have been brought in by the bad weather !
Also seen was my first Little Grebe in Devon this year , a male and 2 female Common Pochard , 2 European Spoonbill and a single Stock Dove .
The day started with 2 Eurasian Spoonbill and a Common Chiffchaff on Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham .
I then had a look around the Haldon Forest that is on the edge of Exeter . And I saw 5 Common Buzzard , a long distance Northern Goshawk , a Great Spotted Woodpecker , 2 Mistle Thrush , 2 Common Chiffchaff and a small herd of wild Fallow Deer .
I took a walk around Powderham Marsh this morning and I saw the Snow Goose that has been around the Exe Estuary for a few years now . I also sae a female Western Marsh Harrier , a Common Kestrel , Numerous Northern Lapwing , a Green Sandpiper and a Stock Dove .
Tuesday 14th March
There was news today of a Little Ringed Plover and a few Common Sand Martin showing on the Exminster Marshes this morning . So I went over to see if they were still showing , and I was in luck with the Martins but had no luck with the LRP .
Monday 13th March
Another trip down to the Otter Wetlands to look for a 1st winter Glaucous Gull . I went to the spot that it was reported at but there was no sign of it at all ! And after a bit of seaching I finally managed to see it in flight over the River Otter . ( Thanks Dave )
Also seen was a male Garganey , a Cattle Egret , a Green Sandpiper , Grey Wagtail and a Water Pipit .
So not a bad couple of days birding with 2 new birds seen for the year 😊
A trip up to Somerset this morning with Andy & Ken to look for a Rose-Coloured Starling that has been showing in Wiveliscombe for a few months now . The bird is a juvenile just starting to change into adult plumage.
It took us a while to find it but we got nice views in the end . Nearby there was a Common Buzzard and 2 Red-Legged Partridge .
News of a drake Garganey on the Otter Wetlands saw me jumping in the car and getting there as fast as I could in hope of seeing my first spring migrant of the year . And I managed to see the bird but it was always very distant .
Also seen were numerous Common Teal , 2 Eurasian Curlew , 2 Green Sandpiper , a Water Pipit , a small flock of Lesser Black-Backed Gull`s and 2 Common Chiffchaff .
A quick trip down to Plymouth this morning to look for a Black Guillemot that has been seen in the sound for a few days now . We spent around an hour looking for it in the pouring rain and had just decided to call it a day when I came across it quite a way out . We all got nice views of it so the trip was well worth it in the end .
We then went to Saltram House in hope of seeing the female Red-Crested Pochard that comes and goes to the pond in the grounds and after one missed attempt we got it in the end .
I started my day at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham . And I saw 1 male and 4 Female Common Pochard , 2 juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill and a female Western Marsh Harrier .
My next stop was a look around the Salmon Pool Area of Exeter as after much looking I still had not been able to catch up with Common Kingfisher this year ! and today my luck was in as I finally saw one 😀
Also seen were 3 female Goosander , a Grey Heron , 50+ Redwing , a Eurasian Jay and a small flock of Eurasian Siskin .
The Day started off at Bowling Green Marsh with 3 Gadwall , then a look around the viewing platform area only got me a few Winter Wren and a small flock of European Greenfinch .
So I went across to the Exminster Marshes but it was dead there also with the best being a couple of Common Raven . So I went for a look around the fields in the Kenton area where things picked up a bit with a Western Marsh Harrier , a single Cattle Egret was following a tractor that was plowing the field and after much searching driving around I managed to find 2 Red-Legged Partridge .
Wednesday 1st March Today not a lot of birding done . But I did have a look at the Exe Reedbeds and managed to see three distant Bearded Tit .
Tuesday 28th February
Yarner wood was my destination today to look for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and I saw two of them . Also seen was Great Spotted Woodpecker , European Green Woodpecker , a single Marsh Tit , quite a few Eurasian Siskin and a Firecrest...a rare bird for this site .
