I had a quick scan of Lyme Bay from Exmouth and saw plenty of Northern Gannet and my first retuning Brent Goose and Great Northern Diver of the Autumn .
And on the Exe Estuary there were a couple of Great Crested Grebe and around 6 Great Black-Backed Gull .
On Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham this morning there was still 4 Eurasian Spoonbill , numerous Common Greenshank , 2 Curlew Sandpiper that were in with 20+ Dunlin , 2 Grey Plover , a few Bar-Tailed Godwit in with numerous Black-Tailed Godwit , a fly through Western Marsh Harrier , at least 100-200 Eurasian Curlew and a distant Peregrine Falcon that circled for a while putting everything up .
My look at Bowling Green Marsh this morning turned up much of the same with . 4 Eurasian Spoonbill , 20+ Common Greenshank , a single Spotted Redshank , Grey Plover , 3 Common Ringed Plover , 12 Bar-Tailed Godwit were in with numerous Black-Tailed Godwit & 1 Pied Avocet . But the birds of the day were a couple of Yellow Wagtail ... The first ones recorded on the marsh this year 👀😀
Well today my look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham got me something that I have never seen before . As I was scanning through the waders a Western Marsh Harrier flew in putting everything up , the bird flew around low over the water for a few times and picked out a female Northern Pintail that it tried to catch . This carried on for about 15 minutes with the Pintail diving under the water trying to escape but in the end it came up and the Harrier dropped onto it and drowned it . It then tried to fly off with it but it was too heavy to carry . What a sad end to a lot of hard work .
Also seen were a few Northern Pintail , 5 European Spoonbill , 8 Pied Avocet , 2 Spotted Redshank , 3 Curlew Sandpiper , 20+ Common Greenshank and a single Grey Plover .
Well its 3 weeks to the day that I had my knee operation . So today I thought that I would give walking around the Cemetery Grounds a go !
I did not see a lot but it was great to get out again . The main bird seen was a European Green Woodpecker also seen were a few Grey Squirrel , a Speckled Wood Butterfly and a Migrant Hawker Dragonfly .
A look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham got me 4 European Spoonbill , 20+ Little Egret , 2 Grey Heron , 2 Curlew Sandpiper , 2 Spotted Redshank , 30+ Dunlin , numerous Black-Tailed Godwit , a single Bar-Tailed Godwit , 3 Red Knot , a single Ruff , a Stock Dove and todays shot is of a Common Magpie a common bird here in Britain .
A morning look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham got me the following birds . 4 European Spoonbill , 5 Grey Heron , 10 Little Egret , 4 Ruff , 20+ Dunlin , 40/50 Common Greenshank , a single Whimbrel and 3 Stock Dove .
Late last night there was a Barn Owl calling outside my house , I usually get a few Tawny Owl . But this was only my second ever Barn Owl from home . 😁
I cant walk at the moment but Sue took me down to Exmouth and got me to a bench to sit on . And I soon started to pick up Sandwich and Common Terns feeding in the bay .When all of a sudden a Great Skua flew in and started harassing the terns ....A nice year tick for me .
