26.02.07

Well what a nice day. I went for a bike ride with my boy this morning along the a disused railway that goes from Chudleigh Knighton Heath to Heathfield. Heard a Dipper as it flew down the river Bovey.

After lunch I took the boy to Stover cp. He love it there as do I. We sat and watched the ducks and he chucked some bread at them and himself. I watched Great Crested Grebes on the pond doing their mating dance. A cormorant was sunning itself, very white face on the thing. Tufted Duck and Polchard were diving and swimming on the pond.

We walked around to the picnic tables and sat and watched Chaffs and Tits feeding on the seed left for them. I heard a Greater Spotted woodpecker in the pines so I found it in my bins, as I did a male flew in and mated it. WOW. I have never seen Woodies do this before. I was chuffed.

So we marched onwards.

Around the ariel walkway I could see Siskin feeding on the niger seed in the feeder. Further on Blue, Great and Marsh Tits were feeding in a frenzy around the sunflower seed feeder. Nuthatches and Chaff were also amongst the line up of eagerly waiting bird around the feeder.

Today really felt like spring, can't wait, not long.

23.02.07

Down to the Warren early this morning. But the weather was really taking its toll. Not many birds. Loads of waders though. There were loads of Knot, Dunlin and Grey Plover on finger point. There were Ring Plovers with some Dunlin and Greater Black Back Gulls on the seaward side of the spit.

In front of the hide was a Redshank and Little Egret and 4 Redbreasted Mergansers.

I desided to make my way to the car and found another Little Egret on the path running through Greenland lake.

I did stop at the main pond and found a Grey Heron and Cormarant both sheltering from the wind and feeding.

I was shocked to see how much the sea had taken back along the rune ridge. Look at the photo. On the groyne you can see a klump of sand with marrum grass still attached. The shore line was up to the first point on the klump.

22.02.07

Not a birding trip but I took my boy upto Yarner Wood this afternoon. I found the 4 Mandarin on the small pond by the car park, what a beautiful bird.

I walked around to the hide with the boy and on the way found some frog spawn, except I think it was newt spawn. It was on a tree stump in the open, looked amazing in the sunlight.

At the hide we found lots of activity on the feeders, mostly Blue and Great Tits. However a few Coal Tits made an appearance and then a few Marsh Tits joined in.

Back at the car park a Robin flew around us and came so close even though we had no food, it was quite happy hopping around our feet, even the boys who moves so quickly.

Looking forward to using my new scope tomorrow!