This morning saw me on Colaton Raleigh Common as I had heard that a Hen Harrier had been seen on the commons but I spent quite a while looking for it but had no luck again , I think that you need some luck and just jam in on these birds . There was not a lot else to see with 28 Carrion Crow , 2 Common Raven , 4 Common Skylark , 3 Dartford Warbler and a male and female Common Stonechat .
My next stop was at Woodbury Castle where there was a flock of Common Chaffinch and in with them were 2 male and 2 female Brambling but I expect that there are more . Also seen was a European Green Woodpecker , 2 Eurasian Nuthatch and a Eurasian Treecreeper . My last stop of the day was a quick look at Bowling Green Marsh where there was quite a rare bird for the marsh a Great Crested Grebe and it was only my 3rd on here in over 30 years of covering it .But the highlight of the day was an Otter seen on the far side of the marsh in front of the reedbed and only my second one seen on here .
Friday, 30 November 2018
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Winter Moth
No birding done today but overnight I caught my first ever Winter Moth and I was quite pleased with that as I thought that I would not get anymore new ones this year , also caught was a November Moth .
Monday, 26 November 2018
Hume`s Warbler
A trip down to Berry Head again this morning in hope of getting a photo of the Hume`s Warbler but again I could not get a decent shot of it and had to settle for just nice views again . Also seen were 2 very nice Firecrest... stunning little birds .
I then had a look at Brixham`s inner harbour where this Great Northern Diver was showing incredibly well .
I then had a look at Brixham`s inner harbour where this Great Northern Diver was showing incredibly well .
Thursday, 22 November 2018
Hume`s Warbler
A trip down to Berry Head this afternoon to look for a Hume`s Warbler that was found this morning and on arrival there were two other birders already there and they told us that the bird was still around but out of view at the moment . But after about 10 minutes we could here the bird calling and then all of a sudden it popped into view in the tree in front of me , we managed to get good views of the bird but I had no chance at all of getting a photo of it as it was there and gone in a flash .
Wednesday, 21 November 2018
Bearded Reedling
On a frosty morning I decided to have a look around the Cemetery Grounds outside of my house in Topsham and the first birds that I saw was a large flock of Redwing and a couple of Mistle Thrush were in with them .
I then went to the old sludge beds at Countess Wear as I thought that the Pallas`s Leaf Warbler may have ended up in there but there was no sign of it today . But I did see a few Long-Tailed Tit , 3 Coal Tit , 2 Goldcrest , a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Eurasian Treecreeper , I then walked along the path beside the Exeter Canal to look out at the Exe Reedbeds and I had 2 sightings of a female type Bearded Reedling but it may have been just the one bird , I have had them at this site a few times before but this was my first for quite a while .
I then went to the old sludge beds at Countess Wear as I thought that the Pallas`s Leaf Warbler may have ended up in there but there was no sign of it today . But I did see a few Long-Tailed Tit , 3 Coal Tit , 2 Goldcrest , a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Eurasian Treecreeper , I then walked along the path beside the Exeter Canal to look out at the Exe Reedbeds and I had 2 sightings of a female type Bearded Reedling but it may have been just the one bird , I have had them at this site a few times before but this was my first for quite a while .
Tuesday, 20 November 2018
The Exminster Marshes
I spent an hour and a half looking for the Pallas`s Leaf Warbler at Milbury Lane in Exminster this morning but there was no sign of it again today , and all I saw was a Common Chiffchaff , 20+ European Goldfinch and a female Eurasian Bullfinch .
I then took a look at the Exminster Marshes but not a lot was seen with only large flocks of Redwing , 50+ Fieldfare , a Cetti`s Warbler and a Common Raven .
I then took a look at the Exminster Marshes but not a lot was seen with only large flocks of Redwing , 50+ Fieldfare , a Cetti`s Warbler and a Common Raven .
Pallas`s Leaf Warbler
An update on the warbler that was seen on the Exminster Marshes on Sunday . Local birder Dave Boult had taken a video of the bird that clearly shows a central crown stripe and a pale yellow rump and the bird has now been Re-Identified as a Pallas`s Leaf Warbler.....a first for the Exminster Marshes .
Many thanks to the finder James Diamond and to Matt Knott who was the first to query the bird from my photo ...
Many thanks to the finder James Diamond and to Matt Knott who was the first to query the bird from my photo ...
Monday, 19 November 2018
Thrushes
I had a look at the Cemetery Grounds in Topsham this morning and I saw 30-40 Redwing , 13 Fieldfare and this male Eurasian Sparrowhawk that was eyeing up its breakfast .
I then went over to the Exminster Marshes to have another look for yesterdays Yellow-Browed Warbler but there was no sign of it today . But I did see the 4 Barnacle Geese again , a male and female Common Stonechat , 2 Common Raven , a large flock of 300+ Redwing and 50+ Fieldfare .
I then went over to the Exminster Marshes to have another look for yesterdays Yellow-Browed Warbler but there was no sign of it today . But I did see the 4 Barnacle Geese again , a male and female Common Stonechat , 2 Common Raven , a large flock of 300+ Redwing and 50+ Fieldfare .
Sunday, 18 November 2018
Pallas`s Leaf Warbler
Today I went over to an area of the village of Exminster called Milbury Lane where you follow the lane right to the end and reach the Exminster Marshes as a Yellow-Browed Warbler was found in the small copse there this morning . At first there was no sign of it since the first sighting and I had only just managed to hear the bird on call , but after about an hour I managed to refind it and called out to the other birders there and we all managed to get nice views of it up in the top of the trees ...
The bird has now been re-identified as a Pallas`s Leaf Warbler .
The bird has now been re-identified as a Pallas`s Leaf Warbler .
Saturday, 17 November 2018
Red-Legged Partridge
On the Exminster Marshes this afternoon there were 6 Cattle Egret in with the cows near Lyons Rest and a bit further up road the 4 Barnacle Geese were in with Canada Geese by the middle car park and a they were a bit closer than when I saw them last week , and on top of that the female Western Marsh Harrier was showing very well at times .
Up till now I had not seen Red-Legged Partridge in Devon this year so I decided to try and put this right , so my first stop to look for them was in the fields near Kenton close to the Powderham Sawmill and my luck was in as I found a flock of 20-30 of them making it a nice end to the days birding .
Up till now I had not seen Red-Legged Partridge in Devon this year so I decided to try and put this right , so my first stop to look for them was in the fields near Kenton close to the Powderham Sawmill and my luck was in as I found a flock of 20-30 of them making it a nice end to the days birding .
Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Bowling Green Marsh
My daily look at my local patch Bowling Green Marsh didn`t turn up anything different today but there was still some nice birds seen , with numerous Black-Tailed Godwit , 3 Red Knot , 5 Northern Lapwing , a Grey Heron , a Common Chiffchaff , a flock of 30-40 Redwing , 4 Eurasian Jay , 20+ European Goldfinch , a male European Greenfinch , and a male Eurasian Bullfinch .
I then had a look at the Clyst Estuary from the viewing platform and added these birds to the day list , a male and 2 female Red-Breasted Merganser , a male and female Northern Pintail , 10 Bar-Tailed Godwit , a Common Gull and a Common Kingfisher .... So not to bad a days birding .
I then had a look at the Clyst Estuary from the viewing platform and added these birds to the day list , a male and 2 female Red-Breasted Merganser , a male and female Northern Pintail , 10 Bar-Tailed Godwit , a Common Gull and a Common Kingfisher .... So not to bad a days birding .
Monday, 12 November 2018
Western Marsh Harrier
Around an hour and a half spent on Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me . All the usual wildfowl plus a male Northern Pintail and a male Gadwall , 100+ Pied Avocet , 8 Common Greenshank , a Common Snipe , a female Western Marsh Harrier , 10 Goldcrest , 2 Common Chiffchaff , 2 Redwing and 5 Eurasian Jay all seen in between the very heavy showers .
Sunday, 11 November 2018
Barnacle Goose
A quick trip over to the Exminster Marshes this morning as I had got a phone call telling me that there was 4 Barnacle Geese on the marsh close to the road just south of the Fishermans car park , but by the time that I had got there they had moved quite a way out onto the marsh .
The marsh was full of wildfowl with numerous Canada Geese , Eurasian Wigeon and Common Teal and a Cetti`s Warbler burst into song where I was stood .
The marsh was full of wildfowl with numerous Canada Geese , Eurasian Wigeon and Common Teal and a Cetti`s Warbler burst into song where I was stood .
Thursday, 8 November 2018
Purple Sandpiper
I again popped down to Exmouth this morning and my quarry today was Purple Sandpiper . As I made my way to Maer Rocks to look for them I just could not miss this photographic opportunity of this Herring Gull feeding on a Starfish , I then made my way out on the rocks right to the very end and managed to find 2 very conspicuous Purple Sandpiper...mission accomplished for the day .
Wednesday, 7 November 2018
Black Redstart
I went down to the Sailing Club at Exmouth this morning to look for a female Black Redstart that was reported yesterday and I managed to see one as soon as I arrived but as I was trying to get a shot of it another female bird landed quite close to it but it was soon chased off by the other one and they were chasing each other around all the time that I was there .
A look out at the Exe Estuary got me 6 Dark Bellied Brent Geese , 100+ of Eurasian Curlew and Dunlin and a Mistle Thrush flew past calling .
A look out at the Exe Estuary got me 6 Dark Bellied Brent Geese , 100+ of Eurasian Curlew and Dunlin and a Mistle Thrush flew past calling .
Monday, 5 November 2018
White-Throated Dipper
This morning I decided to go and look for White-Throated Dipper at the Ludwell Valley Country Park and I was a bit lucky as I had just crossed the road from the Golf course and looked over the bridge and I saw a pair of them , I then walked right up the valley but did not see any more of them at all , but I did see 3 Grey Wagtail
Late this afternoon I took a look at the East Devon Commons but all I saw was 100+ Meadow Pipit , a Common Kestrel , a European Green Woodpecker and 4 Fieldfare .
Late this afternoon I took a look at the East Devon Commons but all I saw was 100+ Meadow Pipit , a Common Kestrel , a European Green Woodpecker and 4 Fieldfare .
Sunday, 4 November 2018
Feathered Thorn
I did not get out birding today due to the persistent rain . But I did catch a few moths overnight with 4 Feathered Thorn ( a new moth for me ) , 2 November Moth , a Bearded Chestnut and a Light Brown Apple Moth .
Friday, 2 November 2018
Velvet Scoter
My first stop today was the Exminster Marshes but I didn't see a lot with only a female Peregrine Falcon , 6 Northern Lapwing , a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 2 Song Thrush .
I then got a call telling me that a Velvet Scoter was showing in Lyme Bay Nr Dawlish so I headed the car that way in hope that it would still be there , I met up with 2 other birders and they soon got me on to it but it was a long way out in the bay , and also seen were Black-Throated Diver , Red-Throated Diver and a Great Crested Grebe . And this Rock Pipit was flying up and down to the cliffs beside the railway tracks .
I then walked down into Dawlish where this Atlantic Grey Seal was near the breakwater and a lot of people were enjoying getting very close views of it .
I then got a call telling me that a Velvet Scoter was showing in Lyme Bay Nr Dawlish so I headed the car that way in hope that it would still be there , I met up with 2 other birders and they soon got me on to it but it was a long way out in the bay , and also seen were Black-Throated Diver , Red-Throated Diver and a Great Crested Grebe . And this Rock Pipit was flying up and down to the cliffs beside the railway tracks .
I then walked down into Dawlish where this Atlantic Grey Seal was near the breakwater and a lot of people were enjoying getting very close views of it .
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