Friday 30 April 2021

Yellow Wagtail

 My look around the Exminster Marshes today got me my first Yellow Wagtail of the year as it flew   towards the north end of the marsh calling .

Also seen today was a summer plumaged Cattle Egret , 12 Whimbrel , 20+ Common Swift , numerous Barn Swallow and House Martin , 4 European Reed Warbler , 2 Sedge Warbler and 2 Reed Bunting .

Common Swift ( Apus apus ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 


 

Thursday 29 April 2021

Not a Lot

 Best bird today was my first Common Cuckoo of the year on Hawkerland Common . But not a lot else seen with only 2 Common Stonechat , a European Green Woodpecker and a Willow Warbler .

Wednesday 28 April 2021

Black-Winged Stilt

 Would you believe it ! 

Yesterday I was away in Sth Wales visiting a mate of mine that is not too well and a Black-Winged Stilt turns up on the Exminster Marshes . But I got back into Exeter at 5.30 and went straight to the marsh and managed to get onto the bird near the middle car park around 6pm .

Jammy Git or what as there was no sign of the bird on the marshes today !

Black-Winged Stilt ( Himantopus himantopus ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 

Monday 26 April 2021

Sunday 25th April

 A quick look at the Exminster Marshes this morning got me a male Garganey . The bird was not on view when I got there and it was a bit of a wait before it it showed , but well worth it in the end .

Also seen was my 1st Common House Martin of the year along with numerous Common Sand Martin , 4 Barn Swallow , a Cetti`s Warbler and this very obliging Sedge Warbler .

Sedge Warbler ( Acrocephalus schoenobaenus ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 


 

Garganey ( Anas querquedula ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 

Saturday 24 April 2021

Eurasian Hobby

 My look around the Exminster Marshes today was a bit slow to start with as I only saw 3 Barn Swallow , Cetti`s Warbler , European Reed Warbler , numerous Sedge Warbler , a few Blackcap and the Ruddy Shelduck was on view again .

But later in the afternoon I went back for another look and this time I had nice views of a couple of Eurasian Hobby on the north end of the marsh .

Eurasian Hobby ( Falco subbuteo ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 


 


 

Friday 23 April 2021

Pied Flycatcher

 My first stop today was at the Recreation Ground in Topsham where I saw two Common Sandpiper my 1st of the year . There was also a Water Rail and a Brown Rat .

I then went to the Exminster Marshes and I walked down the backpath and found a Pied Flycatcher and I was over the moon with that as I have only ever seen one of these on the marsh before ! There was also plenty of Orange Tip Butterflies on show today . And a good end to the day was a flock of 50+ Whimbrel in a field just south of the Turf Hotel .

Common Sandpiper ( Actitis hypoleucos ) . Topsham Recreation Ground . Devon


 

Wednesday 21 April 2021

White Stork

 These 5 White Stork dropped into Matford Marsh late this evening . they are reintroduced birds but still a superb sight to see .

White Stork ( Ciconia ciconia ) . Matford Marsh . Exeter . Devon


 


 

Tuesday 20th April

 A trip down to Cornwall today to look for an American Herring Gull that has been at Newlyn for a while now . But damn and blast it never showed for us today .

But we were in the right place as news broke of an Eastern Subalpine Warbler found on Treeve Moor near Lands End . So we went to look for it and this time our luck was in with the bird showing very well at times . Also seen was a Common Whitethroat , a Red-Billed Chough and a male Ring Ouzel .

So a very good days birding in the end !

Eastern Subalpine Warbler ( Curruca cantillans ) . Treeve Moor . Cornwall


 


 

Red Billed Chough ( Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax ) . Treeve Moor . Cornwall


 

Ring Ouzel ( Turdus torquatus ) . Treeve Moor . Cornwall


 

Saturday 17 April 2021

Nice Day

 It was a superb sunny day today so I took a look around Haldon Forest . And at my first stop I was lucky enough to see 2 Tree Pipit , 2 male Common Crossbill , 3 Willow Warbler , a female Eurasian Bullfinch and 2 Yellowhammer .

On my second stop there was numerous Eurasian Siskin , 2 Coal Tit and a Eurasian Treecreeper .

Common Crossbill ( Loxia curvirostra ) . Haldon Forest . Devon


 

Wednesday 14 April 2021

European Reed Warbler

 I spent 4 hours on the Exminster Marshes today and saw my first European Reed Warbler of the year . But not a lot else was seen with only 30+ Bar-Tailed Godwit , numerous Cetti`s Warbler and Blackcap , a male Reed Bunting , a Water Rail and a Western Marsh Harrier .

Also seen were the following Butterflies , Speckled Wood , Comma and Green-Veined White .

Grey Heron ( Ardea cinerea ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 

Green-Veined White ( Pieris napi ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 

Sunday 11 April 2021

Black-Crowned Night Heron

 Another trip down to Slapton Ley in South Devon this morning in bright sunshine to look for a reported juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron . I arrived to find a few birders already there and after a bit of searching I got on to the bird but as you can see the bird was deep in cover and only once when I was there did it move from its perch in the tree and by this time to are amazement it started snowing quite heavily and then the sun came out again . Also seen was an adult summer Red-Necked Grebe a superb looking bird but it was a pity that it was always quite distant . 

Black-Crowned Night Heron ( Nycticorax nycticorax ) . Slapton Ley . Devon


 

Friday 9 April 2021

Friday 9th April

A trip out to Ideford Common this morning to look for Tree Pipit was successful as I managed to see two of them . There was also 4 Dartford Warbler , 6 Common Stonechat , 10 Common Linnet ,  a Mistle Thrush , 2 European Green Woodpecker , a male Eurasian Bullfinch and a Lesser Redpoll .

I then went to Haldon Forest where I saw 7 Common Crossbill and a Northern Goshawk .

Common Crossbill ( Loxia curvirostra ) . Haldon Forest . Devon


 

Monday 5 April 2021

Alpine Swift ?

 I went down to Slapton Ley this morning to look for a reported Red-Necked Grebe but my luck was out as there was no sign of it and only numerous Great Crested Grebe were seen . There was also numerous Common Sand Martin and 2 Barn Swallow .

My next stop was at Beesands Ley where a male Ring-Necked Duck showed ok on and off through the reed beds . I then went back to Slapton Ley and briefly saw a Swift over Torcross . An Alpine Swift was reported there earlier but I never saw the bird again and just did`nt get enough on it to add it to my year list !

Ring-Necked Duck ( Aythya collaris ) . Beesands . Devon


 


 

Sunday 4 April 2021

Ruddy Shelduck

 The highlight of todays birding was a Ruddy Shelduck on the Exminster Marshes . A bird that is not on the British list but by all accounts it is being looked at to maybe be added . The bird caused a bit of a local twitch and it was good to catch up with some fellow birders .

Other birds seen today were the usual birds for the marsh for this time of year but there was a good count of eleven Cetti`s Warbler .

Ruddy Shelduck ( Tadorna ferruginea ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 

Thursday 1 April 2021

Another Good Day

 I got news this morning that there was a Lesser Redpoll showing at the Recreation Ground in Topsham . So I went down to look for it and after a while I found not one but four of them and as we dont get them there very often I was well pleased with that ( Thanks Martin )

Later on news came out of a male Common Redstart on Bowling Green Marsh a very very rare bird for the marsh . So off I dashed again and the bird was showing a bit distant but still showed very well . Also seen were 2 male Blackcap , 2 Common Chiffchaff and a Barn Swallow . The day then ended on the Exminster Marshes with my first Short-Eared Owl of the year so quite a good days birding .

Lesser Redpoll ( Acanthis cabaret ) . Topsham Recreation Ground . Devon


 


 

Common Redstart ( Phoenicurus phoenicurus ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon