Tuesday 28 November 2023

The Warren Agian

 Another trip down to Dawlish Warren again in hope of getting a shot of the Pallas`s Warbler but today there was no sign of it at all . 

But I did see , numerous Long-Tailed Tit , a European Green Woodpecker , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Eurasian Sparrowhawk , 4 Goldcrest , 2 Firecrest , 4 Common Chiffchaff , a Siberian Chiffchaff , a Common Stonechat and a female Eurasian Bullfinch .

Goldcrest ( Regulus regulus ) . Dawlish Warren . Devon


 

Sunday 26 November 2023

Pallas`s Warbler

Today I got my 13th  Pallas`s Warbler for Britain with one showing in the entrance bushes at Dawlish Warren . I got the news late on this bird today so I was a little bit late for the party lol .

But I was lucky to be stood in the right place when it showed again and got a nice but quick view of the bird that is a winter visitor to Britain from the far east .

I got my first view of one of these birds way back in 87 in Holkam Woods in Norfolk and the last one I saw was 3 years ago at Sand Point in Somerset so it was pleasing to get another one in my home county of Devon .

Wednesday 22 November 2023

Dipping

 A trip down to Broadsands with Paul Bray this morning to look for a Slavonian Grebe that had been reported there . Now Slav Grebe was a bird that you could see quite often in the South West but I am afraid that is not the case now . And today our luck was out as we gave the bay a good scan but there was no sign of the bird .

And the best that we saw today were 4 Great Northern Diver with one in nice summer plumage . 2 Great Crested Grebe and 8 Razorbill .

Great Northern Diver ( Gavia immer ) . Broadsands . Devon


 

Tuesday 21 November 2023

The Exminster Marshes

 A look around the Exminster Marshes this morning got me the following . Numerous Dark Bellied Brent Goose , 2 Greylag Goose , Grey Heron , Little Egret , 2 Female Western Marsh Harrier , Eurasian Sparrowhawk , Peregrine Falcon , 20+ Redwing , Fieldfare , 4 Common Raven , Cetti`s Warbler and 2 Common Chiffchaff .

Redwing ( Turdus iliacus ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon

 


Saturday 18 November 2023

Water Pipit

 A look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me over 100 Pied Avocet , 50+ Dunlin and a few Common Greenshank .

I then went over to have a look around the Exminster Marshes and I managed to see numerous Dark Bellied Brent Geese , a Snow Goose , a female Western Marsh Harrier , a Eurasian Sparrowhawk , 3 Cetti`s Warbler , 2 Fieldfare and the bird of the day a nice Water Pipit .

Cetti`s Warbler ( Cettia cetti ) . The Exminster Marshes . Devon


 

Wednesday 15 November 2023

Black Redstart

Western Marsh Harrier was my reward for an early morning look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning with 2 bird interacting with each other over the reed bed . You get a single bird on the marsh now and then but hardly ever a pair . So I was well pleased with that .

I then went down to Exmouth to look for a Black Redstart that was reported yesterday and I managed to find this one but I only had it briefly before it was lost from view again , also seen was this European Shag that was seen by the marina entrance .

Black Redstart ( Phoenicurus ochruros ) . Shelley Beach Area . Exmouth . Devon


 

European Shag ( Phalacrocorax aristotelis ) . Shelley Beach . Exmouth . Devon


 

Sunday 12 November 2023

Saturday 11th November

 I thought that I would start the day off at the Exminster Marshes but I found out that the road was still deeply flooded so that was the end of that😂

So I carried on down the Estuary and in the fields around Cockwood there was around a Dozen Cattle Egret and a large mass of corvids . And back at Starcross there was a Goldcrest and 3 Firecrest..... I just seem too be seeing these all over the place at the moment !

Cattle Egret ( Bubulcus ibis ) . Nr Cockwood . Devon


 

Firecrest ( Regulus ignicapilla ) . Starcross . Devon


 

Wednesday 8 November 2023

Leach`s Storm Petrel

 I got up early today and did a seawatch from the raised beach huts at Exmouth and was rewarded with my first Leach`s Storm Petrel since 2009 and lucky enough it was not too far out in the bay heading west .

Also seen were numerous Northern Gannet , 9 Common Scoter , 2 Great Northern Diver , 2 Pomarine Skua , 2 Manx Shearwater , a single Great Shearwater , 3 Black-Legged Kittiwake , 3 European Shag and another smallish petrel that was just to far out for I D .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     On the way back home a stop off at Mudbank Lane in Exmouth got me 9 Red Knot , a Grey Plover and a Common Kingfisher .

Common Kingfisher ( Alcedo atthis ) . Mudbank Lane . Exmouth . Devon


 

Friday 3 November 2023

The Calm After The Storm

 After yesterdays storm I took an early morning look at Bowling Green Marsh in hope that something new would turn up but I`m afraid nothing did . With the best bird seen being Common Greenshank and Bar-Tailed Godwit .

But I had better luck at the top of Bowling Green Hill by the railway bridge with a nice inquisitive Firecrest and 2 Eurasian Jay .

Firecrest ( Regulus ignicapilla ) . Bowling Green Road . Topsham . Devon


 

Eurasian Jay ( Garrulus glandarius ) . Bowling Green Road . Topsham . Devon