A quick trip out to Budleigh Salterton in East Devon this afternoon to look for a Wood Sandpiper and I connected with it ok but it never came very close .
Also seen was a male Gadwall , 2 Little Egret , a juvenile Ruff and around a dozen British Pied Wagtail .
A trip out today with Sue up to Swineham Gravel Pits in Dorset to look for 2 Pectoral Sandpiper and after getting lost a few times lol , we managed to find the pits but they were right down the end of a private road so we had to park up and then walk quite a long distance .
On arrival at the pits we found out that there was only one bird there and we could only get distant views of it , still better than nothing . Also added to the day list were 3 Cetti`s Warbler and a Cattle Egret .
I went to the Bystock Reserve this morning and I found at least 4 Firecrest one of my favourite birds and always a joy to see , also seen were a few Goldcrest , 5 Spotted Flycatcher , a Great Spotted Woodpecker , 3 Winter Wren and 3 Common Raven .
Just a few shots from my walk around Haldon Forest on the edge of Exeter in Devon this morning .
I started the day off at Exton Station where you can see most of the Exe Estuary as I was hoping to see an Osprey , but I had no luck with that . But I did see 2 Whimbrel , a Bar-Tailed Godwit and a nice little Weasel that dashed across the railway lines .
So I then took a look at Bowling Green Marsh where I saw the long staying Snow Goose , numerous Northern Shoveler including this male bird in eclipse plumage , 2 Greater Scaup , 2 Common Pochard , numerous Dunlin , at least 10 Curlew Sandpiper , I expect there were more but they were constantly on the move , 3 Common Snipe , 2 Red Knot and singles of Whimbrel , Bar-Tailed Godwit , Ruff and Common Sandpiper .
A trip up to Cheddar Reservoir this morning to look at a 1st winter Grey Phalarope a bird that breeds in the Arctic and spends most of its life at sea . But if you are lucky you can get a juvenile/1st winter bird on passage on inland waters , just like todays bird .
Another look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning turned out quite nice . As I saw the long staying Snow Goose that has been around the Exe Estuary for a few years now , there was also a large flock of Dunlin , 6 Curlew Sandpiper , a single Whimbrel and a single Bar-Tailed Godwit , and in the bushes around the hide were 2 Blackcap and a Great Spotted Woodpecker .
