Axe Rare Breeders of 2026

It's been an exceptional year for unusual breeding species on patch.  I obviously won't be mentioning anything really rare here, just unusual for us...

Gadwall were hanging around as winter turned to spring in unusually high numbers, often on Seaton Marshes. Ten were often present, but I think the peak count was of 12 on 25th March.  So, although it has never happened here before (as far as any of us current birders are aware of anyway), it wasn't much of a surprise to see some Gadwall ducklings on the Borrow Pit on 27th May, joined by a second family from 30th May.  We had a third family appear too in early June, but not quite sure what date that happened.

One of the Mummy Gadwall with one of the babies

This was one from the third and final brood that appeared

The above again with two of its siblings

On the same day in mid June that I photographed the smaller Gadwall ducklings, this is how the first brood of the year that appeared looked - all grown up!

 

Coots very rarely breed in the valley, but we had two pairs this summer, both on Seaton Marshes.  At least one of the pairs had two broods too, hopefully ensuring there's enough birds to keep this breeding population going for a few years...

Baby Coot with Mummy

The three chicks from the Borrow Pit Coot pair

All the above young birds shared the Borrow Pit with these two gorgeous young Little Grebe - this species breed here annually but always less than five pairs at only two sites.

  

Small numbers of Black-headed Gulls have always hung around Black Hole Marsh during May/June when most have left, they mostly seem to be first-summer birds.  But this is the first year a pair settled down and actually nested.  Unfortunately, like everything else that tried to nest on Black Hole this year (and the past three), the eggs were likely predated right on the cusp of when they were due to hatch in early June.  

I really hope the situation here can be improved, as at the moment it feels almost cruel enticing birds to nest here, when we know full well their nests will get predated.  Black Hole Marsh is absolutely void of young birds in late spring/early summer now, whereas rewind a few years when there were three Avocet chicks along with several home-grown young Oystercatchers (from three different nests).  I even miss the Canada Geese goslings!

The last species I have to mention for the Axe is Goosander.  Although I didn't see it, but on 7th June a female Goosander was photographed from Tower Hide with five youngsters on her back.  Presumably originating from somewhere up river, so possibly not strictly a patch breeding record - it just depends how far upriver they came from!

Whilst on the subject of rare breeders, I can't not mention these even though they were off-patch by quite some way (although still in Devon).  On 8th May I was surprised to come across two singing male Black Redstarts at suitable breeding habitat, with one bird in particularly offering brilliant views.  Sadly though despite keeping an eye on them throughout the season, I didn't see any females or young so presumably both had sung in vain.  Still great to watch though, and a species that remains an extremely rare breeding bird in the county.  Fingers crossed they return next year and have more luck!

What a corker - much better than the only other time I have come across breeding Black Reds in Devon, as that male was a grotty-looking first-summer bird! Saying that though, he did get a mate and successfully breed so it can't just be about looks!

Showing us its red bits!

 

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