This morning I went down to Exmouth and got on the Stuart Line River Cruise with a few other birders in hope of getting better views of yesterdays Lesser Crested Tern .
We left Exmouth and cruised up the river but had no luck . But luck changed on the return trip as the bird showed very well sat on a buoy , allowing me to get these shots of it so I was well pleased .
Lesser Crested Tern
Today started off with a look around the Topsham Cemetery on a cold frosty morning with a calling Tawny Owl . Not a lot else of note were seen but a male and female Blackcap were new for my Cemetery Grounds list .
Later in the day news broke of a possible Royal / West African Crested Tern seen in the Exe Estuary and I was stuck at home with no car as my car was in for an MOT . So I phoned my birding buddy Brian Heasman and he very kindly picked me up and off we went to the Cockwood Steps where there was quite a crowd already . But we picked a spot and we got views of the bird sat on a buoy and fishing .
Later after more photos were looked at the bird was seen to have a grey rump and was then put out as a Lesser Crested Tern....A first for Britain for me 😀
An half hour look around Topsham Cemetery on a bright crisp morning got me a pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker , a European Green Woodpecker , a Song Thrush and 2 Goldcrest . So it was well worth the walk .
A look at Bowling Green Marsh today got me a Water Rail an illusive bird to find on the marsh .
Also seen was a female Western Marsh Harrier , 200+ Pied Avocet , 6 Common Greenshank , a single Stock Dove , 2 Common Starling and a Goldcrest .
The day started off with 30+ Redwing in Topsham Cemetery . I then had a look at Goosemoor but I only saw a Western Marsh Harrier and a Common Raven .
On then to Bowling Green Marsh where 5 Greylag Goose were new in . Also seen were a few Bar-Tailed Godwit , 2 Firecrest , 6 European Greenfinch , a small flock of Long-Tailed Tit & 2 Eurasian Bullfinch .
Also a few Grey Squirrel were seen storing up acorns for the coming winter .
Goosemoor in Topsham was my first destination on a bright and crisp day . But there was not a lot to be seen with only a Common Buzzard and a Great Spotted Woodpecker .
My look at Bowling Green Marsh from the hide got me 200+ Pied Avocet and a Grey Heron , I then had a look around the bushes and saw another Great Spotted Woodpecker , Song Thrush , Mistle Thrush , Common Raven & numerous Dunnock .
And the day was finished off with another look from the hide that got me my first Common Kingfisher on the marsh for quite a while .
I had a look at Goosemoor in Topsham this morning and saw the following . 2 Western Marsh Harrier , Green Sandpiper , Eurasian Sparrowhawk , Common Stonechat and Cetti`s Warbler .
And next door on Bowling Green Marsh there was a single Gadwall , Common Kestrel , Mistle Thrush , around a dozen Common Blackbird , a Female Blackcap and a Female Eurasian Bulfinch .
I heard a Yellow-Browed Warbler calling in the Cemetery Grounds outside of my house in Topsham and after a later look around I got a view of it in with a crest flock just before they dropped into the nearby allotment . Also seen was a Eurasian Nuthatch .
At Bowling Green Marsh the Red-Necked Grebe was still on show & a look around the bushes got me a Tit flock with Long-Tailed Tit , Coal Tit , Blue Tit , Goldcrest and a Firecrest .
Not a lot to report today !
But a trip down to Dawlish Warren this morning got me 5 very distant Velvet Scoter and 8 Common Scoter .
This morning I went down to Exmouth to look for a Yellow-Browed Warbler that was found yesterday in the Mudbank area . But after much searching I only got to hear it on call .
And I only saw 4 Common Chiffchaff , 2 European Robin and a few Goldcrest . I then went and had a look at Cockle Sands and saw my first 2 Sanderling of the year .
My look around Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me the Red-Necked Grebe that was still showing well for the second day . I then had a look around the viewing platform area and I got a fly over Common Crossbill only my second birding the marsh in over 40 years 😀
Also seen was European Greenfinch , Eurasian Sparrowhawk , Song Thrush and Goldcrest .
I then went to the Otter Marshes in hope of seeing a possible Pallid Swift that had been seen there but I was out of luck again . But I did see 4 female Goosander and 5 Common Ringed Plover .
On Bowling Green Marsh this morning there was a Red-Necked Grebe and its the very first time we have had one of these birds on Bowling Green Marsh and it puts my total of birds seen on BGM to 217 . The bird always stayed way over the other side of the marsh so these two shots were the best I could manage due to distance and bad light .
Also seen today was a male Common Pochard , Pied Avocet , Spotted Redshank , Bar-Tailed Godwit , Common Snipe , Green Sandpiper . Western Marsh Harrier , Peregrine Falcon and Common Kestrel .
A look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning in the pouring rain did not get me a lot . But it was still good to get out
The marsh had all the normal wildfowl for this time of year with the standout bird being Gadwall with 6 of them seen today along with numerous Northern Pintail , Common Teal and Northern Shoveler .
Also seen were over 200 Pied Avocet , 12 Bar-Tailed Godwit and a Spotted Redshank .
My look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning got me a ( Dark Bellied ) Brent Goose , 8 Gadwall , a female Garganey , 100+ Pied Avocet , 20+ Common Greenshank , 2 Spotted Redshank , a single Ruff , 30+ Dunlin and a Common Kestrel and a Song Thrush .
My mate Andy and myself went to Portland Bill this morning in hope of seeing yesterdays Pallid Swift but after searching for it there was no sign of it .
And there was not a lot else to see but a hundred + Northern Gannet feeding close in was very good to see and even better there was a light phase Pomarine Skua in with them . We then went and got a very obliging Snow Bunting that was in one of the quarries .
Then news broke of 2 Pallid Swift in Dawlish which is close to where we live so we decided to go back for them . But just before we got there heavy rain came in and the birds were not seen again !
So we Dipped 3 Pallid Swifts in one day........Must be some kind of record Grrrrrrrrrrr . 😖
First thing this morning there was 2 Tawny Owl calling in the Topsham Cemetery Grounds . So a bit later I decided to go and have a look for them . But I could not find them anywhere .
But I did see a Lesser Redpoll the first one I have found around my house / cemetery area in over 40 years so I was very pleased 😀
Also seen was a European Green Woodpecker , 20+ Redwing , 4 Mistle Thrush , 6 Common Blackbird and a small flock of Common Chaffinch .
A quick look around Bowling Green Marsh before the rain set it in did not get me much at all with only a small flock of European Goldfinch . a European Greenfinch , a small flock of Goldcrest then went through and in with them was a small warbler that I just could not clinch the I D as they went through very quickly .
An hour spent this morning searching for yesterdays Yellow-Browed Warbler with no sign of it today . But 5 Firecrest were seen .
YBW
A local birder found a Yellow-Browed Warbler yesterday morning at the top of Bowling Green Lane in Topsham .
So as I was only 5 minutes away I dashed down to look for it . And I was there for quite a while with nothing doing at all . Then a Tit flock went through with mostly Long-Tailed Tits and Great Tits and then I got onto the YBW that was also in with the flock along with a Eurasian Treecreeper .
As quick as it came the Tit flock was gone and I stood there for about another hour and a half looking for them with no luck . But then a lady birdwatcher came up the hill and said the she had just had a YBW on call at the bottom of the lane .
I then went to the hide and saw 100+ Pied Avocet , a Spotted Redshank and 9 Common Greenshank .
Another trip down to Cornwall today with our first stop at Truro to look for a Lesser Yellowlegs that has been showing on the the river . And at first there was no sign of it but after a bit of a walk we ended up getting nice views of the bird that seems now to be a yearly migrant from across the pond .
We then went to Helston where there was an immature male Ring-Necked Duck......I think that I have only seen at this age over in America so it was good to see it in this plumage .
Our last stop was at the Lower Tamar Lake and we managed to see Willow Tit and Marsh Tit .
A look around Bowling Green Marsh saw me start in the hide where I saw . European Spoonbill , Pied Avocet , Bar-Tailed Godwit , Common Greenshank and Dunlin .
I then had a look around the bushes but the birding was very slow with the best birds being a pair of Eurasian Bullfinch my first ones on the marsh for quite a while .
My day started off at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham were I saw Egyptian Goose , European Spoonbill , 6 Pied Avocet , 10 Bar-Tailed Godwit , 9 Common Greenshank , 12 new in Common Blackbird all in one tree , Eurasian Jay and 4 Common Chiffchaff .
I then went to Emsworthy Mire on Dartmoor in hope of seeing Ring Ouzel an I managed to see 5 of them , also seen were 12 Fieldfare , 2 Common Raven and just as I was leaving 2 Lesser Redpoll my 1st of the year .
Yesterday a Red-Throated Pipit was found on Orcombe Point in Devon . So this morning I got up early and went to look for it expecting there to more people looking for it and nowhere to park . I arrived at 7.30 in the dark but to my surprise there was no other birders there !
I started looking for around 7.45 but could only see a few Pied Wagtail but then after a while a flock of Meadow Pipit came in and landed on the mud . I quickly looked through them and there the little beauty was with its pale reddish face and smart overall plumage , I was trying to get a shot of it but they then flew off with the bird calling once as they left . I stayed looking for it again until 10.15 but there was no more sign of it .
I have missed Red-Throated Pipit twice before at Orcombe Point in 2009 and 2012 and the only other one that I have seen was on the Scilly Isles in 1990 . So I was well pleased and just glad I made the effort to get up early and look for it instead of waiting on news .
A quick look around the bushes at Bowling Green Marsh got me 3 Firecrest but I suspect there are more . Also seen was a Goldcrest , 4 Common Chiffchaff , 6 Pied Wagtail , a Common Raven and a small flock of European Goldfinch.......... And a couple of European Hornet
Today I did a trip over to the Scilly Isles to look for an American Mourning Dove and it was my first trip over to the Islands since 2004 !
The trip over on the Scillonian got us Great Skua , Cory`s Shearwater , 4 Great Shearwater and quite a few Common Dolphin .
We then caught an inter island boat over to St Agnes and then made our way to the spot where the dove has been showing hoping that the bird would show quickly but over 2 hours later there was still no sign of it . So my mate Andy and myself went to another spot to look for it and after a couple of minutes he said GOT IT and we then enjoyed looking at the bird , a new one for the both of us .
Soon other birders got onto the bird and it showed very well . I have seen plenty of Mourning Dove in America but its great to get one on my British List 😁
On the return journey on the Scillonian I saw over 40 Great Shearwater and a European Storm Petrel .
A great days Birding
An early morning trip down to Cornwall with our first stop at St Gothian Sands Nr Hale and after a bit of a search for the Red-Necked Phalarope , we ended up with great views .
Our next stop was at Brews Farm near Lands End to look for some reported European Turtle Doves and at first there was no sign of them but we did see 70+ European Collared Dove the most I have ever seen in one count . Also seen was a Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Common Skylark . We then went to other places looking for the Doves with no luck , so we went back for another look around the farm and this time we saw 2 adult and a juvenile European Turtle Doves .
Our last stop of the day was at the Siblyback Reservoir where we saw a White-Rumped Sandpiper and also a Clouded Yellow Butterfly
