09.05.09

I'm well chuffed the bird I have managed to dip for a few years now was reeling on Knighton Heath this evening a Grasshopper Warbler, when I was look for Nightjar, who were also churring. I think thats my first proper find. Yiphee for me.

14.04.09

A great little bird and 2 site ticks for the Passage house this morning. The Little Ring Plover was still present from yesterday and flew off, heading towards Newton Abbot shortly after this photo was taken. But the 2nd site tick was a singing Cetti's Warbler. Also present were 2 Common Sandpipers.

12.04.09

Early start at the warren this morning was very cold. From the sea wall there was a lack of birds. I walked through 1st pond where a Willow Warbler and a Chiff were trying to out do each other sing. If there's any bird that reminds me of spring it the Willow Warb.
Met up with a friend and walked to the warren point and there was a Wheatear on the sign there. On the estuary side of the warren were 7 Turnstone, 4 Dunlin and a single Sanderling and Sarnie Tern(missed the Gropper though).
Walked back down to the top of the golf course and found 2male and a female Sand Lizard. Watch possibly the worst golfer in the world, I thought at one point that I would challenged him to a round, he could use his sticks and I would throw the ball! When the 6 hole was free I was challenged to throw a ball closest to the hole, I won.
God know what we missed while we were playing but 4 Swallows passed through.
I had to be back home and on the way passed the main pond a Reed Warbler was singing it's head off.

18.03.09

This is my 1st Wheater of the year. He was at the Warren in Greenland lake. It always amazes me how far these stunners travel. Other birds included 6 Chiffs, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 2 Red Throated Divers, Gannets.

06.03.09

Well after a week off and a little birding done i managed a Goshawk today. They were distant views but they were good views. Also this week I have been to Bowling Green Marsh and Yarner Wood. Not much to report, only common birds but I will watch anything.

04.02.09

A quick stop at the passage house before work, in the freezing cold found an Avocet really close to the car park. A Greenshank was further upriver. A small flock of waders flew past and landed, turned out to be 17 Dunlin and 7 Redshank, the most Dunlin I have ever seen there. GCG was in the river as were numerous Gulls, Common, Blackheaded, Herring, Lesser and Greater Black Backed.

01.02.09

I started at the warren this morning because yesterday they had a good day down there, which was the exact opposite to today. I did manage 1 Little Gull but it was brief. Red throated Divers were a plenty and the Velvet, Surf and Common Scoter were all present.
But I like to feel my hands and feet so went off to find a missing bird off my list.
I didn't have to go far as right by the road side just off the Exeter to Dawlish rd was this lovely Red legged Partridge. The photo was taken through my car windscreen but it's a record shot!

22.01.08

Powderham village, in the field next to the chruch, were 3 Cattle Egrets.

17.01.09

I have been really patient over the last couple of days, not being able to get down to Paignton for the Penduline Tit, but it was worth it. I had a few hours out this afternoon and headed that way.

The bird showed really well for about 10 minutes. It was very active, feeding off the reeds. But then vanished, I hung around for another 10 mins but it never showed again so I went to Broadsands.

By the time I got down there the wind had really picked up. I found a seat over looking the bay and started to pick up birds on the sea. Lots of gulls and a very distant Black Neck Grebe. There was a raft of Eider with a Velvet Scoter tagging along.

08.01.09

My mornig started at Countess weir in Exeter this morning. I was greeted by a Goldcrest calling in a Bramble hedge.The ship canal was completely frozen over. On the Exe, which was very low, a flock of Black heads were preening, some where starting to come into breeding plumage. Up river 2 Common Sandpipers were feeding along the frozen shoreline and a F Goosander was in the river. Also present were Stonechat, grey and pied wag, pipit sp and 2 snipe.
I walked to the Riverside cp but the was not much around, all the pond were frozen.
On my way home I stopped off to see if the Little Owls were out in Dunchidiock, there was one in the open, preening and watching the Wood pigs being twitchy. Redwing and Fieldfare a plenty.