15.12.08

I had a nice walk along the Exe canal this morning. On the ponds were Teal, Wigeon, Snipe(calling). A flock of Redwing were feeding on the otherside of the canal. Further along was the female Scaup who was beautiful and happy to let me stand only about 5m away. This will possibly be the last year tick this year.

02.12.08

What a cold day! I went to Countess Weir in Exeter to see if the reported Scaup was around but didn't see it. I did see loads of Goldcrests, I'm talking 8+ in such a small area. I thought I might be onto a Firecrest but it wasn't. Chiffchaffs were also in good numbers but they were so mobile that I couldn't tell if they were the reported Siberian Chiffs.
But the rain and the cold were just to much and I left after about 1 1/2hours.

27.11.08

I had a couple of hours to spare this afternoon so I went to BGM. As I walked down towards the hide I could hear the Teal whistling and saw some Wigeon feeding around the pools, 7 Brent Geese flew over the site too.
There was alot of common stuff there, Lapwing, Blackwits, Canada G's, Shovelers and the beautiful Pintail. I the walked towards the VP.
On the walk I was mesmerized by the Redwings that were feeding on the Hawthorn berries. In the field next to the VP 50+ Brents were socializing, I had never seen this many Brents at this site before.
By the gate to the VP was a Goldcrest, which I had to stop and check out. At the VP, Grey Plover, Redshank, Avocets, Curlew and 150+ Dunlin were all busy feeding on the rising tide.
The walk back produces a Fieldfare calling from a dead tree.

I had to put this in, I love the sound. Did you know that Swan means noise, thought to be from the wings, so these are no noise!

16.11.08

I managed to see the elusive Sardinian Warbler this afternoon, it showed well but briefly so no photo.

11.11.08

Dawlish Warren.
Not many birds, GCG and a few Tit flocks. I think this is a Migrant Darter but please correct me if I'm wrong.

07.10.08

Sea watching at the warren this morning between 0730-0840, in the howling wind and rain. Misses a Bonxy but at least 8 Arctic Skuas. Loads of Kitts and Gannets. 1 knot, 2 Sarnies and thats about it!

05.10.08

It was the first day of my weeks holiday and I had to try and make it down to the warren, I did and it was worth the wait.

I watched the sea for about 1/2 an hour, 1 Shearwater(to far out to id) and a Skua (sp) but again to far out. There was a couple of Arctic Skuas around and later on this morning 2 flew very close by the dune ridge, both dark phase.

I made my way to the dune ridge with a mate and as we're setting up someone shouts 'MERLIN ON A WOODEN POST CLOSE BY'. I haven't seen 1 in 2 years and there one sat about 50m from us, just as I get my camera on it a Magpie mobs it and it's off, but it was a lovely adult female. A few minutes later she reappeared on another post about 200m away, hence the crap photos.

There were some waders in the bight but by the time the Merlin had gone, so had they. So had I, I said I would be back for lunch!!!

On my way back, past the main pond, I heard a familiar bird call but at the same time some thing was not right. I found a clearing and saw a Kingfisher being chased by another female Merlin, whether it was the same bird, who knows but I watch this life or death struggle as the KF darted around, giving the M the slip. The KF did get away, calling like a speeding express train, over the trees and off. Mean while the M was again being mobbed by Corvids.

16.09.08

Curlew Sand under a Curlew

I had a lovely couple of hours at Bowling green marsh this morning.
I got there for high(ish) tide and there were loads of birds around, the waders were all bunched up so you couldn't get a good view of what was there, until an Osprey few over.

As usually everything went up, a group of Avocets mobbed the Osprey as it circled over the site but everything settled once it was gone.

Then the fun started. I called out 2 Ruff walking along the far shore, feeding. Dave, another birder there, called Curlew Sandpiper. We managed maximum 4 Ruff in total and at least 6 Curlew sands.

Then the Canada geese started to come in. They brought out Wigeon and 2 Barnacle Geese, which I have been missing for ages. There was also a movement of finches, mainly Gold by their call. Other species included Blackwit, Red & Greenshank, Dunlin, Lpwing, Little Grebe, Teal, Shoveler, Little egret, Heron and a Sparrowhawk.

Great times.

31.08.08

i'm sorry no matter what i do i can't get these photos the right way around!!!

Finally managed to get time to see the Semipalmated Sandpiper at the warren. Work and home life have just taken over!

I got down at about 1845 and there were still other birders and photogs there.
The bird, as you can see had it's head under it's wing, dozing but it did occasionaly pop it's head up and gave good, close views of a rare find indeed.

Other birds to note; Artic Skua, Gannet, Sarnies, Dunlin, Sanderling, Turnstone and a Chiff

18.08.08

I really love these birds, they are so magestic and i watched, in awe, one preening at Powderham today.
Previously I went to Dawlish Warren ans watched the sea for an hour. Only good birds were 2 Artic Skua and a handful of Sarnies.

10.08.08

Black Tern under the red arrow(don't worry the arrow isn't at the warren)

Dawlish Warren this morning produced a flurry of Terns.
I got to the hide and everyone was watching a Black Tern on the far side of the river, it showed reasonably well and even managed to watch it feeding. Beauty of a bird, really small next to the Sarnies.
Other highlight included a Slavonian grebe towards Cockwood, Common and Sarnie Terns and a lovely Rosiate Tern, close by and in great condition.

The rosey is the one in the middle that takes off and lands straight away.
I watched the sea for a bit but gave up cos I didn't see anything.

There was a strange juv gull in the bight, it was thought to be a 1st summer Yellow Legged Gull, this caused much debate, which I don't think got resolved. I thought that the bill shape was to thin but I have just been looking at the Portland Bird Observatories web site and they had a similar looking bird earlier in the week. Who knows??????

04.08.08

Bowling Green Marsh

Crap photo but it shows plumage well.

This Wood Sandpiper was by the fisherman's car park in Exminster marshes. There were also Curlew and Blackwit.
I moved onto Bowling Green and there was loads of stuff. Whimbrel, Ringed plover, Lapwing, Blackwit, Redshank, Greenshank, Dunlin, Sanderling, Teal, loads of Blackheads, Canada Geese and 2 Barheaded Geese.
On the road there as juv Willow Warblers calling

20.07.08

I took this this morning from my nursery window. They have got chicks and have started to add onto the nest.

17.07.08

Topsham this morning.
I haven't had a sniff of a Med Gull all year then I get 3 in 20 mins!!!
As you can see I went along to the rec at Topsham and scanned the gull that were there. Mostly BH gulls but there was a scruffy, I think 2nd winter MG by the shore. I walked along to the bigger roost under the M5 flyover and found an adult MG with a couple of rings on, I think they say M12 on the right leg. After looking through the rest of them I walked back. There was now another MG

While there I also found a juv Herring Gull caught up in some rigging on a small boat. I spoke to someone from the fire and rescue and they were sorting it. Hopefully it all ended well.

16.07.08

Well it has been a long time since I've posted. I really have only been birding a few times in the last month and they were really not worth the time to type anything out.

So it felt a bit strange going out this afternoon for a bit, in the heat of the day.

I found myself at Exminster Marsh and the first bird was the elusive Spoonbill. Managed a few minutes watching it( 3 photos) and saw it's bill. But i moved on. A flock of Blackwits were on one of the pools and that was pretty much it. Apart from the usual martins and gulls

08.06.08

Greater Butterfly Orchid, Chudleigh slip road

06.06.08

I have just got back from watching some bats on the river Teign. All of the calls are Pipistrelle(common) but there were Soprano pips further on up the river.
If you look carefully at about 9 seconds in, you can see a shadow of a bat flying past.
The sound is from a hand held bat detector.

03.06.08

WOW what a little cracker. In the summer when not looking for birds, I love watching Butterflies and how about this one. It's a Green Hairstreak and is hard to see cos of it's colour, green! This one is at the warren and on the wing on sunny days like today.

COmmon Blue(f)

Common Blue(m)

Common Blue underside(m)

I have also found out that a Red Footed Falcon was spotted aroud mid-day, gutted.

Not the best of weather today but in between the rain I found a few Common Blues at the warren.

During a sea watch I saw a dark phase Arctic Skua(it was black) harassing Terns. 2 Roseate Terns where feeding with numerous Commons and Sarnies. But time catches on with you and before I knew it it was time to get back home.

Earlier on in the day when I was walking to the shop in the village, with my son and we stopped off to watch House Martins building their nest on the houses. Amazing little birds.

25.05.08

Mucky morning this morning. Paid a visit to Hopes Nose before work. I managed 40mins of sea watch before the low cloud moved in.

3 Manxies, 5 Sarnies, numerous kitties and Gannets and 1 lown turnstone with 7 passing through.

This evening was a little better. Nightjars really close churring to each other, hope you like the vid. If you turn the volume you might just hear the churr.

23.05.08

On the 21st I had a txt from a friend( thanks Nigel) to say that there was a Bonaparte's Gull and a summer plumage Ruff at BGM. I was on holiday in Exmouth( I know it's not far but it's easy with 2 small kids) so it was not far to travel to get a great lifer. And the bird didn't disappoint, it showed really well as did the Ruff, which I thought was better than the gull because it looks so odd, plus I had never seen one in it's summer plumage.

Also from Sandy Bay in Exmouth I watched an Artic Skua harassing Terns.

The 22nd was pretty much of a wash out, I did get some time to sea watch off Exmouth sea front. Terns and Kittys mainly with Gannets feeding close into. I'm pretty confident that this is an Artic Tern ( sitting low down, small red bill).

Sarnie buoy

What a cracker. Again the local grapevine working it's magic. Another txt to sat that there was 1 poss 2 Red Back Shrike by Soussons plantation. I couldn't get down early but I managed this evening and WOW there were definitely 2 birds. I saw 1 by the bottom gate, I got it on it's call first. Then I walked further down the track and a 2nd was calling too.( that's the 2nd bird in te photo). I walked back and there were 2 other birders watching the 1st bird.

I got lost on the way there but I did see a Peregrine being mobbed by a Hobby!

21.05.08

BGM 2015 hrs

21.05.08

On holiday in Exmouth ( i know it's not far but it's easy with 2 kids) anyway i took the bins to the beach and picked up an Artic Skua attacking a tern. 
I had a txt from a friend saying ties was a Ruff and a Bonaparte's Gull at BGM. So i raced down and got awesom views of both. The Ruff was a summer plumage male stunning jet black ruff. Thanks Nigel.

Not the best photo but it was the best of them.

This morning I went down to Exminster looking for the Temmick's Stint but no joy. However there was 2 male Gargany by the Channel where the Little Crake was. They kept getting chased by Mallards and Canada Geese. Lots more Swift and Martins and the ever present eye of a Hobby waiting for it's Breakfast.

A few Black Veined Whites were feeding along the tow path.

Interesting morning birding. I went up to Dartmoor to see what was about. First bird was this lovely Cuckoo, calling and then I zeroed in on it.

I had a walk around Challacombe Farm and bumped into some Dorset birders who were doing Devon. They were part of a small tour company called Two Owls Birding follow the link for more info.

I walked around, as I said and heard a Winchat( sorry about the photo but no matter what I do it won't go the right way) then it popped out and gave some great views. Swallows and H Martins buzzed around, feeding. More Cuckoos and lots of Willow Warblers. But no Groppers.

Really liked it up there I must go more often.

At Stover with the family this afternoon saw Small Red Damselfly and some kind of Hawker.

Had some time free this afternoon so I went along to Exminster Marsh. Very cold, I have been wearing shorts lately to bird in. Loads of Swift buzzing right past my head, Swallows and Martins too. No sign of the AGP but this Hobby was eyeing up all the food, I think he was a bit optimistic weighing up these Canadas. The Bar Headed Goose was also present.

Took a friend to see some Nightjars this evening, showed really well and close.

07.05.08

This morning I went upto Yarner woods. First bird was a singing Wood Warbler in the car park. I walked up towards the hide and more Wood Warbs singing, such a summery sound. Just past the hide was a Spotted Flycatcher calling, didn't have one last year!

Below in the valley there were 2 male Rowe Deer fighting and barking.

I walked back down the hill past the cottages towards the entrance to see if any Pearl Border Fritillaries were around, they were. Aslo 3 Garden Warblers.

In the afternoon I went to BGM and found a White Fronted Goose.

06.05.08

Finally caught up with the American Goolden Plover, showed really well this morning and well worth going to see. There was also a Hobby watching what was going on, hoping for a bite to eat. Sedge warbler really making themselves known.

Then I went to the warren but the wind was so strong that it whipped up the sand and made viewing anything really uncomfortable, I found sand later were it should not have been.

I caught the Common Blue on the clay pit road this afternoon. This picture was not taken with my phone but my DSLR.