A trip down to South Huish Marsh this morning with a couple of other birders in hope of seeing a reported Spotted Crake but after much looking there was no sign of it today .
But we did see a Pectoral Sandpiper , a very nice Little Gull , a couple of Mediterranean Gull , a few Rock Pipit and a Yellow Wagtail . And a bit of a seawatch got me a 2 Northern Gannet , a few European Shag and 2 Balearic Shearwater ... my 1st of the year .
An afternoon visit to Bowling Green Marsh today to look for a Pectoral Sandpiper a wader from America . And it did not take to long to find the bird that was showing to the right of the hide .
I was very pleased to see this bird as I have not had one of these birds on the Marsh since 2011.
A trip down to Dawlish Warren this morning to look for a reported juvenile Eurasian Dotterel , and after a walk out to the bight , we were rewarded with nice views of the bird and it was a superb 1st for me on the Exe Estuary .
We watched the bird for around 20 minutes when it then flew off on the receding tide with other waders !
Also seen were a few Common Ringed Plover and Dunlin and a Grey Plover . And on the walk back to the car there was a female Northern Wheatear and a male and female Cirl Bunting .
This morning I had a Grey Wagtail go over my house and it was the 1st one I have seen around the Exe Estuary this year ,
Later in the day I took a look at Bowling Green Marsh but there was not a lot to be seen with only numerous Northern Pintail , 2 Little Grebe , 4 Dunlin and a female Peregrine Falcon .
I then got news of a Glossy Ibis on the Exe Estuary at Mudbank Lane in Exmouth . So I shot down there to look for it and at first there was no sign of it , but after around 25 minutes later it came into view and showed very well and was a very welcome year tick .
A look at Bowling Green Marsh at high tide produced the adult and juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill that have been around the Exe Estuary for a while now , a Little Grebe , a female Peregrine Falcon , a Common Kingfisher and 3 Stock Dove .
Also seen were the following waders , Black-Tailed Godwit , Bar-Tailed Godwit , Common Redshank , Common Greenshank , Red Knot , Ruff , Eurasian Curlew , Whimbrel and Dunlin .
Another look at the Exminster Marshes this morning and the first bird I saw was a stonking juvenile Yellow-Legged Gull , the bird was in with some other gulls but then flew off giving great views and it is only the second one that I have found on the marshes .
Also seen were 11 Little Egret , a Great White Egret , 3 Cattle Egret , an adult and a juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill , a female Western Marsh Harrier , a Common Kestrel , 10 Black-Tailed Godwit , 3 Ruff and 2 Little Stint . So not a bad days birding up to when the heavy rain set in .
A very quick look at the Exminster Marshes this morning turned out not too bad as I saw . 7 Little Egret , 2 Cattle Egret , a Great White Egret , a Eurasian Spoonbill and this Whinchat . Before I had to head off to my old football managers funeral . R I P Cashey .
A look around Harland Quay today and the scenery of the north coast of Devon is fantastic with rock formations and steep cliffs !
Ans I managed to see a single Northern Gannet , 3 Northern Fulmar , 2 Common Sandpiper , a Northern Wheatear , a Common Stonechat and 2 Rock Pipit .
A walk around Upper Tamar Lake today got me 7 Common Ringed Plover , 3 Dunlin , a Little Stint , 3 Common Sandpiper , 2 Ruff , and a very nice Wood Sandpiper . And to top it off there was a fly through Yellow Wagtail .
A morning look around Orcombe Point did not turn up much at all with only a male Eurasian Sparrowhawk , a single Yellow Wagtail , 20+ European Goldfinch , a Common Whitethroat and 3 Common Linnet . But no sign of any Whinchat the bird that I was looking for . Also seen were numerous Small White & a Small Copper Butterfly.
Another look at the Exminster Marshes this morning got me 2 Garganey , Little Stint , Green Sandpiper , Ruff and Common Snipe all seen on the same pool . But what a shame that the pool is very distant . Also seen was a female Western Marsh Harrier and a Common Raven .
In the afternoon I took a look at Bowling Green Marsh and I saw a male and 2 female Gadwall , a Little Grebe , a Common Greenshank , 3 Common Snipe & the adult and juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill that have been around the estuary for a few day showed a lot better today .
This morning at home in Topsham I had a Common Raven and this Willow Beauty moth .
Later in the afternoon I went across to the Exminster Marshes where I saw my 1st Little Stint of the year . Also seen was the adult and juvenile Eurasian Spoonbill , 5 Little Egret , a Wood Sandpiper . Green Sandpiper , a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and a few Common House Martin & Barn Swallow .
