The last 2 Days

Saturday 4th January

I went down to the Brandy Head area to look for the Velvet Scoter that has been seen there but I was out of luck . But as I was scanning the sea I came across a Slavonian Grebe a bird that is now quite hard to come across down here in the South West . I watched the bird for quite a while as it drifted towards Ladram Bay where I lost view of it .

Not a lot else to report with just 6 Northern Gannet & a Northern Fulmar . A look then at the Otter Estuary got me a male Goosander , Common Sandpiper & a Common Kingfisher .

Sunday 5th January

I went down to the Otter Estuary to look for a reported Snow Bunting and today my luck was in as my birding buddy Tim who had put the news out was still there and soon put me on to it .

I then went to Brandy Head again and still got no luck with the Velvet Scoter in awful weather . But I did find a nice Siberian Chiffchaff near the Otterton Sewage Works .

Snow Bunting ( Plectrophenax nivalis ) . The Otter Estuary . Devon

 

 

Dipping

My 1st stop today was at Bowling Green Marsh where I got my 1st view of this year of the long staying Long-Billed Dowitcher .

On then to Exmouth to look for a reported Yellow-Browed Warbler but there was no sign of it today . News then came out of yesterdays Red-Necked Grebe seen off of Shelly Beach but again there was no sign of it after much searching . But this Great Northern Diver showed quite well eating a flat fish . 

Great Northern Diver ( Gavia immer ) . The Exe Estuary . Exmouth . Devon

 

More Birding

 A look at the Exminster Marshes this morning got me a 1st winter Greater Scaup , Common Pochard , Common Goldeneye , Western Marsh Harrier , Cetti`s Warbler and Common Chiffchaff .

The next stop was at the Turf Locks and I saw the following Common Kingfisher , Common Sandpiper , Grey Plover and European Golden Plover .

Common Kingfisher ( Alcedo atthis ) . Turf Locks . Devon

 

 

Happy New Year

 Well the only place to go this morning was the hide at Bowling Green Marsh to get out of the bad weather . And most of the usual birds on the marsh were seen this morning . But it was good to start the year off with Egyptian Goose , a pair of Gadwall , Spotted Redshank and a Water Rail .

Common Snipe ( Gallinago gallinago ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Devon