Monday, 28 September 2026

Yellow Wags

 My look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning turned up much of the same with . 4 Eurasian Spoonbill , 20+ Common Greenshank , a single Spotted Redshank , Grey Plover , 3 Common Ringed Plover , 12 Bar-Tailed Godwit were in with numerous Black-Tailed Godwit & 1 Pied Avocet . But the birds of the day were a couple of Yellow Wagtail ... The first ones recorded on the marsh this year 👀😀

Yellow Wagtail ( Motacilla flavissima ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 


 

Eurasian Spoonbill ( Platalea leucorodia ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 

Sunday, 27 September 2026

In for the kill !

 Well today my look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham got me something that I have never seen before . As I was scanning through the waders a Western Marsh Harrier flew in putting everything up , the bird flew around low over the water for a few times and picked out a female Northern Pintail that it tried to catch . This carried on for about 15 minutes with the Pintail diving under the water trying to escape but in the end it came up and the Harrier dropped onto it and drowned it . It then tried to fly off with it but it was too heavy to carry . What a sad end to a lot of hard work . 

Also seen were a few Northern Pintail , 5 European Spoonbill , 8 Pied Avocet , 2 Spotted Redshank ,  3 Curlew Sandpiper , 20+ Common Greenshank and a single Grey Plover .

Western Marsh Harrier ( Circus aeruginosus ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon