A trip down to Cornwall with Andy and Tim to look for a Lesser Kestrel a rare bird for Britain . And after a slog through a bog we got to the area where the bird was showing and we got great views of it . It was a new bird for Andy and Tim but not for me as I saw one on the Scilly Isles way back in 2002 . But I was still very pleased to see this one .
Also seen was a Black-Winged Stilt and a Common Cuckoo .
LUNDY ISLAND TRIP
Today I went on the Devon Birds annual trip to Lundy Island and on the crossing there was way over a hundred Manx Shearwater seen . But the highlight was a Risso`s Dolphin a first for me 😊 seen along with quite a few Common Dolphin .
Once we got to the Island the ship went around the island before docking and we saw numerous Razorbill , Common Guillemot and quite a few Atlantic Puffin .
Once we got onto the Island the highlight was a Eurasian Golden Oriole that I found on call in Millcombe Valley , I spent a bit of time trying to see the bird with no luck . But it was later seen in other areas of the island . Also seen was a Yellow Wagtail of the Channel Race and a Spotted Flycatcher .
This morning it was very windy . But I still took a look at the Exminster Marshes where I saw 2 European Spoonbill , Barn Swallow , Common Raven and a Common Lizard .
I then went to a spot on Haldon Forest where I had a Garden Warbler singing from deep cover but I could not see it , there was also a Mistle Thrush
This morning the weather was nice so I went out to Emsworthy Mire on Dartmoor in hope of catching up with Common Cuckoo but when I got there the wind was quite strong so the cuckoos where hard to see but I managed to see one and heard another calling .
Also seen was a male Common Redstart so I though I would get a nice shot of it only to find that I had come out with no card in my camera...Stupid me 😖 as I also saw 2 Lesser Redpoll my first of the year . And a male and female Northern Wheatear .
Back home in Topsham I saw 2 Eurasian Collared Dove a common bird but I found them hard to see this year !
Well today I could only manage to get this distant shot of a Eurasian Hobby . It is my first of the year so fingers crossed that I can better it some time .
Also seen was a male Western Marsh Harrier , Cetti`s Warbler , Eurasian Reed Warbler , Sedge Warbler , Common Chiffchaff and a Blackcap .
Tim Andy and myself made a trip up to Swineham Gravel Pits in Dorset to look for a Bluethroat a very rare bird that visits us from Europe some times . And after a long walk we got great views of the bird of the red spotted race of northern Europe .
These birds used to be rarer in Britain but they seem to be turning up a bit more allowing us to enjoy these beautiful birds .
The highlight of the day for me was seeing my 1st Weasel of the year that was seen on the canel path at the Exminster Marshes .
Also seen were the following birds
Common Buzzard . Eurasian Curlew . Whimbrel . Common Skylark . Sedge Warbler . Blackcap . Common Chiffchaff and Cetti`s Warbler
News of a Black-Crowned Night Heron saw me making the trip over to Seaton in East Devon in hope of seeing it . And the bird was showing very well on Borrow Pit . There was not a lot else to see with only 4 Cetti`s Warbler and a Common Chiffchaff .
I started the day off at Emsworthy Mire on Dartmoor where I saw a Common Buzzard , a Common Raven . And new for the year Common Redstart with 3 male birds seen . also seen was a Clouded Yellow Butterfly .
I then went to Yarner Wood to look for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but again I was out of luck .
But I did see 2 male Blackcap , 2 Willow Warbler , Eurasian Treecreeper , Great Spotted Woodpecker , 2 Mistle Thrush , Pied Flycatcher and my first Tree Pipit of the year
A quick look at the Exminster Marshes this morning before the rain set in . Got me 3 Common Buzzard , a few Barn Swallow , 3 Cetti`s Warbler , 2 European Reed Warbler , 2 Sedge Warbler , Common Chiffchaff , 2 male Blackcap and 2 Cattle Egret .
The Pied Flycatcher have returned to Yarner Wood and a pair showed quite well this morning .
Also seen were a pair of Blackcap , Willow Warbler , Common Chiffchaff , Goldcrest and Song Thrush .
Another highlight today was seeing a Water Shrew near the reservoir my first in over ten years 😀
On The Exminster Marshes this morning new birds for the year were Common Swift , 2 Sedge Warbler , a European Reed Warbler and a Ruff . Also seen were Black-Tailed Godwit , Cetti`s Warbler , European Spoonbill , 4 Barn Swallow , numerous Common Sand Martin , The long staying Greater White-Fronted Goose , a male Western Marsh Harrier and 20+ Cattle Egret .
Four of us made an early morning trip up the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire in hope of seeing some good birds and we started off with Corn Bunting and in the end we had seen 100+ of these birds .
Also seen were 30+ Great Bustard , 10 Red Kite , a Common Whitethroat , 5 Stone Curlew , 2 Northern Wheatear , 20+ Skylark , 3 Grey Partridge , 2 Red-Legged Partridge & 2 Meadow Pipit .
We finished the day off at Marlborough Downs and we saw 2 Tree Sparrow and 6 Yellowhammer .
Also seen was Brown Hare , Roe Deer , Red Deer & Muntjac Deer .
A great days birding in superb weather !
A look at the marsh today got me 2 Little Ringed Plover , 100+ Eurasian Curlew and in with them was my first Whimbrel of the year . Also seen was a Bar-Tailed Godwit , a Lesser Black-Backed Gull , Common Raven and a Common Chiffchaff .
I started off today at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham where I saw this Spotted Redshank that is just starting to turn into summer plumage . Also seen was a female Western Marsh Harrier and a Cetti`s Warbler .
I then went across to the Exminster Marshes in hope of seeing the Greater White-Fronted Goose that has been hanging on from the winter and today my luck was in . There was also another 6 Cetti`s Warbler , 4 Common Chiffchaff and my 1st Willow Warbler of the year 👀 .
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30th March
THE EXMINSTER MARSHES
Gadwall , 2 Eurasian Curlew , Peregrine Falcon , 2 Common Buzzard , 2 Western Marsh Harrier and a female Merlin that flew through like a rocket .
31st March
HALDON FOREST
Numerous Eurasian Siskin , 5 Yellowhammer , a female Brambling , Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Eurasian Nuthatch
Not much birding done today but I did see this Reed Bunting on Goosemoor . And at the bottom of Bowling Green Lane there were 2 Common Chiffchaff and a male Blackcap . My first one seen in Devon this year .
The day started of at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham with a female Western Marsh Harrier and 3 Stock Dove .
I then took a look at the Exminster Marshes where I saw a Great White Egret , European Spoonbill , Common Buzzard , Common Raven and this superb female Merlin .
This morning I got a long distance shot of this Green-Winged Teal an American bird that I have always liked to see . The sad thing is that it has now been lumped with our Common Teal a thing that that seems stupid to me 😒
Also seen was a European Spoonbill and a Western Marsh Harrier
A morning look around Goosemoor in Topsham got me a Little Egret , 6 Common Redshank , a female Common Stonechat , 4 Stock Dove , 2 Common Raven , Cetti`s Warbler and a Song Thrush .
A look at Bowling Green Marsh then got me 2 Reed Bunting .
A look at the Exminster Marsh got me a couple of early migrants going through on a bright sunny morning with Little Ringed Plover and Northern Wheatear . Also seen were 8 Common Skylark , 3 Common Raven and a Cetti`s Warbler that was showing very well .
This morning I went over to the Exminster Marshes where at this moment there is limited access to the marsh due to the road being closed off . But I still managed to see 7 Greater White-Fronted Geese and in with them was a Barnacle Goose , also seen was a Common Raven .
I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh and saw 4 male and 2 female Tufted Duck and 2 Eurasian Spoonbill .
A look at Bowling Green Marsh got me the usual numerous wildfowl with the main being Tufted Duck . Common Pochard , Northern Pintail and Northern Shoveler .
Also seen were my 1st Common Sand Martin & Reed Bunting of the year , a couple of Stock Dove and a few Long-Tailed Tit .
This morning I went to a new location for me the Ridgetop Park that is at the top of Exminster and I got what I was looking for Cirl Bunting .
Then a look at the Exminster Marshes got me 4 Greater White-Fronted Geese , Eurasian Sparrowhawk , a Male and female Common Stonechat , 5 Common Skylark and a Common Raven .
An hour spent in the hide at Bowling Green Marsh got me 5 European Spoonbill , a Little Egret , a male and female Common Pochard , around a dozen Tufted Duck , a Common Kestrel and a Stock Dove .
Just glad to be able to get out a bit again after a bit of bad health 😀
CORNWALL
A trip down to Cornwall today in hope of catching up with the 1st winter Ross`s Gull that has been seen around Newlyn Harbour and we got nice views of the bird but I could only manage to get this quick shot of it as it shot past . This was my sixth different Ross`s Gull seen in Britain and I can never get enough of these smart little birds .
We then went to Marazion and picked up Greater Scaup and Sanderling for the year . On then to Helston where we saw a pair of Lesser Scaup that were practically under our feet !
Our last stop of the day was at Truro where the long staying Lesser Yellowlegs was showing right beside Tesco`s car park in a small channel .
First stop this morning was at Goosemoor in Topsham where there was 3 Little Egret , a European Green Woodpecker , Common Raven and a female Eurasian Bullfinch an uncommon bird for this site !
I then went to Bowling Green Marsh where the main birds on show were 4 male and a female Tufted Duck , a male and 2 female Common Pochard and a Spotted Redshank .
