Wednesday 21 December 2022

Isabelline Wheatear

 Yesterday news came out of an Isabelline Wheatear showing on Colyford Common near Seaton in Devon and seeing that it was only the second record for my home county of Devon , Paul Bray , Dave Boult and myself shot off to see if we could see it . Our luck was in and we got nice views of it but I was not happy with my shots of it so this morning another trip was made to see if I could better yesterdays efforts and I am pleased with them today .

Also seen were numerous Meadow Pipits , a Water Pipit and a Rock Pipit .

Isabelline Wheatear ( Oenanthe isabellina ) . Colyford Common . Devon


 


 


 


 


 

Monday 12 December 2022

Olive-Backed Pipit

 Late news today of an Olive-Backed Pipit found in Phear Park in Exmouth . So I shot off to see if it was still on show and my luck was in😉 as when I got there the finder John Walters was still there and soon got me onto the bird .

I managed to fire off a few shots but the light was fading fast and these are the best that I could manage but I am pleased with them as I have never been able to photograph one of these birds before . I have only seen these birds twice before with my 1st being on the Scilly Isles way back in 1989 and my 2nd was in Brixham in 1997 so it was a long 25 year wait to see this bird again .

Olive-Backed Pipit ( Anthus hodgsoni ) . Phear Park . Exmouth . Devon


 


 


 

Friday 9 December 2022

Wednesday 7th Decenmber

A look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me a few Northern Pintail & Northern Shoveler , a male and 3 female Tufted Duck , 8 Greylag Geese & 6 Common Snipe that showed very well . A female Western Marsh Harrier then flew in over the reedbed putting everything up , & 4 Common Buzzard and a Common Kestrel were also seen .

On a walk back up Bowling Green Hill and after a bit of a search a Firecrest finally showed itself .

Common Snipe ( Gallinago gallinago ) . Bowling Green Marsh . Topsham . Devon


 


 

Monday 5 December 2022

Somerset Birding

A trip up to Chew Valley Lake in Somerset this morning got me the following birds .                                                                                                                                                                                                        With numerous Tufted Duck and Common Pochard , a few Gadwall , around a dozen Common Goldeneye , a 1st winter male Greater Scaup , a very nice female Smew ( the bird that I had come for ) & 4 Goosander . 3 different Grebes were seen with Great Crested Grebe , Black-Necked Grebe and Little Grebe also seen were 10 Great White Egret and 2 Western Marsh Harrier .

On the way home we stopped of at the village of Stathe where we saw 36 Cattle Egret and a single Common Crane .                        

Black-Necked Grebe ( Podiceps nigricollis ) . Chew Valley Lake . Somerset