30.04.08

A trip to the warren was on the cards but the weather wasn't the best.

I watched a flock of about 30 tern fly towards the end of the warren so I walked that way. I found this little stunner watching prey by the visitor centre. Then I watched some Swallows feeding over the main pond.

I walked upto a good sea watching post and settled down for a couple of hours.
Lots more Commics now with 1 positive Artic Tern. Shearwaters on the horizon but unable to id. 1 summer plumage Red Throat and my first Swift of the year.

Last night
Still no Nightjars but they were early last year. However I was looking for them last night when I heard a noise behind me, I looked around a saw a bird flying towards me, I thought ' that looks to big for a Nightjar and as it got closer and lower I realised it was a Buzzard( at night!!!!!) anyway it didn't stop coming towards me and then I what it was about to do. See it was cold again last night and I wore my winter hat that has spouts( not brussels) on the top. I then ducked as the bird missed my head by about a foot(my size foot thank F@*K cos theirs is sharp), it then circled and I thought it was going to have another go but it flew way.

24.04.08

Dawlish warren this morning gave me the chance to get a few more year ticks. I missed the Nightingale by a few minutes and went back for it but no sign. Year ticks included Whitethroat, Common, Little and Arctic Tern. Other birds included 40ish Pale Bellied Brent Goose( possible record) flying up river toward Starcross and settling on the river, Knot, Dunlin, Ringy, Peregrine, Barwit, Whimbrel, Sanderling, Swallow, Sand Martin and many of the usual birds.

There was also a Common Seal catching 40 winks just off shore.

22.04.08

This is a comparison between Lesser and Greater Black Back Gulls. In the first photo you can clearly see the size difference between the two gulls. You can also notice the thickness of the bill here, the lesser looks like a extremely dark herring gull.

Another good way to tell the 2 birds apart is by the colour of the legs, here no colour or sometimes pink for the Greater,

yellow on the Lesser. This doesn't always work but it can be a good easy clue. The Lesser fellow has yellow!! I will try to find some Juvs, they can be really hard to id.

These shots were taken at the passage house on Sunday(20.04.08)

I went to Yarner Wood today. Found a few pairs of Pied Flycatcher. 5 species of butterfly too; Orangetip, Brimstone, Small white, Speckled Wood and Peacock.