Axe Birding

Crossbilled Blackcap

2012-01-27T15:41:00.003Z

Had a bit of time to put a net up in the garden this morning. I caught one bird, which was yet another Blackcap!

This one was a quite different from all the others though, because it had a deformed bill, and had been eating something which had made its face go very yellow....

A right weirdo!

It was light compared with my recent Blackcaps (weighing 16.4 grams - the previous five birds coming in at 18.7, 18.7, 23.0, 18.8 and 18.5), but it had a fat score of 25 and a bit of body muscle. If it was summer, and this was a Phyllosc, I would have said the yellow on its face was pollen - but it isn't - so I haven't a clue what it has been feeding on!

Had a couple of looks along the Estuary today, the mid afternoon look revealed 12 adult Med Gulls. One was well on its way to summer plumage - yummy! None of them were today, I think the white colour ringed bird the other day has already moved in.

This bird was white 31A7, and it turns out it was ringed as a third calendar year bird on 24/06/09 at Harlingen Haven, Friesland, Holland. There was an interesting re-sighting of it on 13/05/10 on the Island of Griend (also Holland), where it was seen eating a Black-headed Gull egg! Since then it has been seen only once before I spied it, this was on 20/06/11 at The Wetland Centre for Wales, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

Still No Time...

2012-01-23T10:07:00.005Z

...for birding or blogging!

But I have just seen this on the net. Click on this link and scroll half way down to the Robin in Cumbria...

http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/about/background/projects/plumage/gallery?dm_i=IG4,NMDQ,3CXANV,1WQEQ,1

Especially in the right hand photo - doesn't that look rare! Imagine if you glimpsed that skulking about in the bushes at your local migration hotspot!!!

Early afternoon update: I lied in the post title! I did have enough time for a sweep of the Estuary, which was nice.

The highlight was two Golden Plovers that flew in from Colyford Marsh direction and landed with Lapwing north of Coronation Corner.

Amongst the gulls were seven adult Med Gulls (including one white ringed bird, I have sent the ring details off for it), and a very dark mantled Herring Gull. It had lots of black in the primaries, was clean headed and average sized, so I think it was just a darker than average argenteus.

A Grey Chiff...

2012-01-19T22:59:00.010Z

I can only apologies for how quiet this blog has been of late. I have had such little time for birding, and even less time for blogging!

Anyway, I thought it was about time I did pull my finger out, so....

Here's a few pictures I took of the grey Chiffchaff I saw in Mike Tyler's hand on Saturday morning at Colyford WTW. There is green in the mantle, which I guess alone would rule out pure/classic tristis? As you can see though, it is a very pale grey bird - the top two photos showing it alongside a collybita shows this well. Also note the lack of any yellow tones on the birds underparts.

What do you think...

All Quiet

2012-01-10T14:59:00.004Z

I'm sure many of you are wondering why the Axe Estuary has been so quiet lately? No news of any decent gulls, or anything else for that matter! Well that's because it has been quiet! I've been out for at least a couple of hours every day, but I've seen almost nothing worthy of note.

Yesterday I trekked out to Weston again, and finally had good views of the Scoter flock. There were just under 200 birds, but unfortunately all were Commons.

Weston Cliffs; the furthest point is Beer Head

The gulls have been relentlessly crap. Whilst Radipole have had up to three Ring-billeds, an Iceland and a Caspian within the last few days - not to mention 350+ Med Gull - the Axe yesterday had six Med Gulls (4 unringed adults, 1st winter and 2nd winter) and that dark mantled hybrid third-winter large Gull that I photographed the other day. And that was it! Today was even worse, with just three Meds.

With some cold weather predicted, let's hope it shakes something up!

Where's Our White Winger?

2012-01-07T20:21:00.004Z

An hour at Branscombe this morning revealed virtually nothing on the sea. A few Razorbills and Guillemots were as good as it got for things 'floating'. Luckily there was a little bit of interest over it, with a single Great Northern and six Red-throated Divers west.

Had a good sift through the gulls today, with two trips along the Estuary, a look over the pig fields and a visit to Beer beach (as well as scoping the gulls on the rocks at Weston). Nothing but three adult Med Gulls. We are blatantly going to get an Iceland Gull though within the next week - coffee coloured first winters are always nice, but I've never seen a second or third winter on the Axe, so one of those please....

A Few Days In One

2012-01-06T22:49:00.006Z

Just a few snippets of interest to mention from the past few days on patch.

On Wednesday a check of the Estuary mid afternoon revealed three adult Med Gulls and this weirdo large Gull. It could just be a Lesser Black-backed Gull at the pale end of the scale, if not it's certainly got Lesser Black-backed in it somewhere...

Sorry for the grainy photos - full digital zoom used!

At home, I netted yet another female Blackcap! My ninth of the winter so far.

Yesterday all I had time for was another Estuary sweep, nothing but a couple of adult Med Gulls.

Today, mid afternoon the Estuary showed three Med Gulls (two adults and a first winter) and a surprise Ringed Plover! They are a regular spring and autumn migrant here, but actually quite rare in the winter months...

If only it was a Killdeer...

Lastly, just a note to please be vigilant - or keep your ears open at least.

On Thursday evening two wildfowlers were shooting ON Seaton Marshes. This is a Nature Reserve and I think is disgusting behaviour - not to mention totally illegal. The Police were called but the shooters had gone before the Police arrived. If anyone sees them return then please phone the Police immediately. Shooting is obviously permitted on Colyford Marsh and other areas of the valley that are not owned/managed by EDDC.

Suppressor???...

2012-01-02T14:49:00.020Z

I thought I better put the birding world at ease...

Has Steve Waite suddenly become part Cornish*? Has his listing streak got the better of him and his interests are now entirely selfish....

.... No!

I understand some slightly disgruntled birders were hunting down the pale Wigeon this morning, with the question 'why did we not hear about this yesterday' nagging them. Likewise, a local blogger was clearly rather bemused as to why his afternoon coffee was not interrupted yesterday.

So I thought it best I explained myself...

Wandering down to Seaton Marshes bird hide, and there's about eight Wigeon feeding not far from the path to the hide. I put my bins up and notice a paler female amongst them, with a bit of an eye mask. I thought it best I took a snap as the birds had their heads up like they were about to fly, and I knew a pale female Wigeon had been seen on the Otter the end of last year, so I took a photo (I thought I took two or three at the time, but the day before I had changed my camera setting from 'burst' to 'single shot'). Seconds after I took the photo, every Wigeon on marsh took flight (no I'm not a flusher either - it wasn't me!) and headed towards the Estuary.

I had bin views of this Wigeon for maybe 5-8 seconds. It turned out my reasons for why I should take a rapid photo were right, as it did indeed bugger off!

I only had three female Wigeon to directly compare this bird to in the few seconds I had of looking at it (though there were many more Wigeon on other parts of the marsh), and the only things I noted were that it seemed to be much paler with a fairly distinct dark eye patch. In a larger flock with a greater variety of female Wigeon I wondered if it would have stood out as much? Would other female Wigeon look paler and more like this bird? Could it just have been a first winter female and the other three were adult females? All these were quite possible I thought - so I thought no more of it.

I thought I should also point out that at the time it was pissing down with rain, I was soaked through and my bins were full of rain and partially steamed up.

Ok, usually when I go out birding, I come home soon after and immediately get the photos off my camera and onto my laptop. But today I was out a lot longer than usual, and didn't return home until pretty much dusk. I had a bite to eat, a much needed shower, got into a change of clothes (I was soaking wet!) and then fired the laptop up and began downloading the day's pics.

The Wigeon pic came up on the laptop, and my immediate first instinct was to text the local birders and send them a copy of the photo. Only now could I see the structural differences on the bird (head shape) and the apparent (partial?) black gape line. Obviously if I had noticed these features in the field (i.e. if I got it in my scope if it had stayed put for more than ten seconds) then I would have sent texts out there and then.

Basically I did not get a decent enough view of the bird at all to convince myself it warranted a text.

Most who know me know my nanosecond texting ability (and whilst not looking at my phone too!). And all know how rapid I usually am at getting the news out when I find a goodie - often before I am personally 100% happy with the identification, maybe because I've not seen all the clinching features (i.e. the White-rumped Sand this Nov, Solitary Sandpiper, my 'Iberian sounding Chiffchaff on Beer Head', and even the Audouin's Gull; I'd only seen that red bill for a few seconds before I made the first phonecall).

So why this blog post? Life is too short. I hate people thinking I've done wrong - because I always do try to do my best for everyone. If you are still genuinely peed off after reading this account as to why I didn't send a text out, then I can only apologies. I will endeavour to text any time I see something that looks even the teeniest bit 'odd'...

Right, I must go, I've just got to check and see if that Dark-eyed Junco is still in my neighbours back garden**....

*please take this as a joke! I (and I'm sure all) are well aware the Cornish controversies stem from only one or two individuals.

**there isn't one really!

Jan 1st Bird 'Race'

2012-01-01T17:54:00.012Z

I will apologise now for the lack of photos in this post. Too busy rushing about to take photos - except for one which may prove rather important!?

Well it has been some years since I've had a proper attempt at a Jan 1st bird list/race. So I thought I might as well give it a go today, for a bit of fun. It certainly wasn't a race though, as I was solo, and up against only myself!

Yesterday I wasn't sure if I was going to do it. First of all the weather looked pretty pants for today, rain due in at midday and a moderate south west wind all day, which wouldn't be helpful at all for looking for divers, grebes, etc. And secondly, we have no birds! Yes that is a bit of an over the top statement, as obviously we do! But we have no 'goodies', most years there's a Whooper/Bewick's, and maybe a Surf Scoter or such like... diddly sqat this year. And forgetting rares, there's very few even marginally scarce birds around - no decent wildfowl (diving ducks, gadwall, pintail, etc), and the sea has been pretty pants full stop.

So, should I do it or should I not?? I honestly couldn't decide! So I thought I'd let the birds decide for me. I will go out at 6am, if I scored with all three of the Owl species that occur on patch before dawn, then I'll go ahead and do it. If I didn't - then I'd go home and back to bed!

So 6am of January 1st came, and I was out the door...

Little Owl is always pretty predictable, and a calling bird south of Musbury confirmed this. Barn Owl is the trickiest of the three to net, and after over half an hour of driving and lamping I wasn't feeling confident. But from the farm gate, whilst listening for Water Rails, I shone the torch out and one was hunting the field right in front of me!!! It was now 6:45, I still needed Tawny...

Tawny Owl is easily the commonest of the Owl species on patch - but when you want one, they aren't always there! Lower Bruckland Ponds delivered the goods though, with one calling in woodland to the south. So that was the three Owls, a day's birding is was to be....

It was still very dark, so I returned home to eat some more breakfast - I had a big day ahead of me! Turned out to be a wet one too!!!

I was soon out the door again, and had a quick look around Axmouth. By 8am I was on 25 species, with the 25th being Kestrel - always a relief to get this one on the list (although by the end of the day I'd seen four!). A quick sweep of the Estuary was made worthwhile when a Sparrowhawk flew over - again not always easy to see on a given day (although again, by the end of the day I'd see four!). The usual waders were notched up, before I headed over to Branscombe.

The sea was horribly choppy, far from ideal for a Jan 1st day list. I like to see what's on the sea, and when there's big waves I can't!!! Still there were lots going over it. Never has Kittiwake been so easy on Jan 1st, there was a bit of a mega passage going on! There were some gems too (well for the patch anyway!), with a female Red-breasted Merganser west being the top prize, with a lone Brent Goose also west coming in at second. A lone Red-throated Diver west was the only diver of the day, and two Common Scoter east were the only sea duck of the day. The most numerous bird at sea was Razorbill - they were all over the place! I honestly thought I wasn't going to get Guillemot though, even the ultra distant stringable range auks all looked like Razorbills! Thankfully one did come through, very close in too, and I picked up a second on the sea. Raven and Peregine also made it on to the day list from my sea watching position.

I thought the sea had given all it could, and apart from a quick look over the sea from Beer where I added Great Crested Grebe, I didn't give it another look. So I had a mooch about the sewage works. I was hoping for Firecrest, I was disappointed. But I wasn't disappointed with the 'list padders'; Mistle Thrush (always good to get!), Treecreeper (likewise), Jay (likewise again!), Chiffchaff (one green one and one much greyer bird) and a Grey Wag were the best of the bunch here. I was on 50 species shortly after 10am.

Next up was woods! Oh look, here's a photo from today I can put in...

How unispiring!

At first, they were incredibly kind to me. I am not joking, within ten seconds of getting out of my car Marsh Tit, Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker were added to the list! After a short walk, a Lesser Redpoll was much appreciated - but this is where the woodland 'good times' ended. During the winter months, I kick Woodcocks up left right and centre in this woodland - but not today. Bloody hell! After stomping around virtually the entire wood, I finally kicked one up from the southern edge - swines! Although this was indeed a pain in the arse, it meant I was in the woods for a bit longer than planned, and if I had left them on time I wouldn't have scored with the two Siskin that flew over east as I was walking back up to my car :-)

Next stop was Beer Beach where I dipped on Bun's Black Redstart, but added Great Crested Grebes and Rock Pipit. This was followed with a quick pit stop home, where two slices of yesterday's Pizza were much needed, as was the female Blackcap scoffing rotten apples in the front garden.

It was now midday and I was off out again after my ten minutes refueling. Bad news - the rain had started! Oh well - I was in it now, so had to see it through, even though I ended up getting soaking wet! Seaton Marshes gave me the three birds I wanted from here; Shoveler, Stonechat and Common Sandpiper (right in front of the hide). This though is where the 'important photo' comes in to it.

I gave the Wigeon flock on the marsh a quick look through - in case there was a Gadwall or any other patch goodie in amongst them - and this very pale female Wigeon stuck out like a sore thumb! It immediately reminded me of a female Wigeon sp. seen by Chris Townend on the Otter just before Christmas, see HERE.

Anyway, I got my camera out, took one photo.... then it flew off! Drat. It flew towards the Estuary, and no I didn't see its underwings :-(. Anyway, here it is...

Oooohhh...

Looks good in this photo doesn't it! Pale head and neck, dark eye mask, slightly less sloped forehead with more rounded cap, and is that a bit of a black gape line visible in the more zoomed in photo??? I now wish I had abandoned my day list at this point, and re located this Wigeon, but I didn't, I'm sorry to say I was in listing mode.

Next was Colyford Common, basically I got really really wet for bugger all. Well Stock Dove, Water Rail, Reed Bunting and Fieldfare were added to the list, but it was Jack Snipe and Water Pipit I was really after. Lower Bruckland Ponds added Coot to the day, but no sight or sound of any Cetti's. I then went to the 'secret Woodlark site' - and really did see BUGGER ALL here! It was tipping down, and foggy, and a waste of time.

Another sweep of the Estuary gave me an adult Med Gull (which was bloody hard work to find, over the past week they've been dead easy!) and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Then I suddenly realised I hadn't seen Grey Heron or Kingfisher!!!! It was round to Black Hole Marsh, were I'm pleased to say I scored with singles of each.

I then headed up to some arable fields, on the out skirts of Beer. Here a decent sized flock of Yellowhammer put this species on the list, then I went to some fields near Colyford where a couple of Skylark were present (there were many more here a week or two ago!).

Then the rain came in again, I was already cold and very very VERY wet, so at about 15:00 I called it a day.

So my day total for this Jan 1st patch list attempt (the lesser patch too by the way, 5km radius from Axmouth bridge, no time for Weston, Farway, Trinity Hill, etc) was.... 94.

I'm actually really chuffed with that - because like I said earlier, there isn't really much about, and the weather was a long way from being ideal. So yes - I finish the day a happy 'lister'. And am also happy that that's the listing done with for a good while - back to proper 'patch birding' now.

So I've said what I have seen, now time to say what I didn't see...

Well there's a very embarrassing one, and it isn't on the list basically because I forgot they existed! Linnet.

At no time during the day did I think "oh I need to see a Linnet", and when I added Yellowhammer late in the day, I saw yellow then went straight back to the car - I didn't look around at all, which would have lead me to some Linnets I'm sure. Oh cock.

Green Woodpecker's another one I didn't get today - but they're always a git to pin down. And all the Canada Geese have gone, not one anywhere on patch today (that I saw anyway). I've already mentioned I failed on Cetti's Warbler, Water Pipit, Jack Snipe and Black Redstart.

I have to be honest, I just don't think I'm cut out for listing. I enjoy birding, I like 'grilling' birds, I like scoping/scouring through flocks of birds (gulls, wildfowl, etc). When you are doing a list like this - you've just not time to do this properly.

Right, I need to go to bed! Happy New Year everyone, I hope 2012 is a good one. Let's hope this Wigeon is still around in the morning...

Blackcap Bonanza

2011-12-30T15:41:00.006Z

After the female Blackcap pictured in my last blog post, although I've seen the odd one in the garden, I have caught no more - I presumed that's because they had all cottoned on to where the net is, because they've all been in it!

But this morning I noticed an unringed female feeding on some rotton apples, so early afternoon I put the 10 foot net up again. I checked in ten minutes later, and was amazed to see not one, not two, but THREE unringed Blackcaps in it! That's seven in less than a week!

These were all this year's birds (3's), a female and these two males...

I wonder how many I'm going to catch during the rest of this winter?

I have been out birding quite a bit over the last two days too, but have seen very little really. There's been lots of gulls on the Estuary, but nothing but Meds and the usual species amongst them.

Twixmas Tales

2011-12-28T14:57:00.006Z

I've put a second net up in the front garden, only a small 10 footer, but it's strategically placed! It has produced the goods too, as in the past four days I've caught four different Blackcaps - one each day! One was a male, the other three looked pretty much like this...

This was today's female

A quick sweep of the Estuary mid afternoon produced nothing better than five Med Gulls (4 adults, two colour ringed, and a 2nd winter), and four Barwits.

I had a moth tick today! Unfortunately not in the garden, but resting on a white wall in town...

The very aptly named December Moth

Boxing Day Blues

2011-12-26T22:35:00.003Z

The most depressing day of the year. Still feeling sick with all the chocolate from the previous day, and am stuffed to the brim with turkey and Christmas pud! And, worst of all, Christmas is over and it aint back for another 364 days! I hate it.

So I thought I'd make it a little better by doing some ringing and birding....

A couple of hours ringing in the garden only resulted in two birds trapped and ringed. They were quality birds though, one a male Blackcap and the other the 30th Bullfinch that I've trapped and ringed in the garden (all since June 2011). And here he is...

A young male

A had a look along the Estuary mid afternoon too. There was nothing in with the big gulls, but seven Meds were in with the Black-headed Gulls; 1 1st winter, 1 2nd-winter and 5 adults (1 red ringed, 3 unringed and 1 legs not seen).

I hope everyone had an excellent Christmas. Better make a start on the 'review of the year post' really...

Happy Christmas

2011-12-25T11:40:00.004Z

Sorry for the lame Santa hat - I didn't have long to do it! Photo taken at Seaton Hole last week

I would just like to wish everyone who reads this blog a Happy Christmas! And an extra special wish for everyone who is involved or sends records in to the DBWPS, all Devon birders, and my friends from further afield.

Scoter Search Update

2011-12-21T15:12:00.006Z

So I trekked out to Weston Cliffs this morning, looking forward to finding a Surf Scoter or two at the very least.

At the cliff top I started scanning, and continued scanning, back and forth......and I couldn't for the life of me see one Common Scoter - let alone a flock of 200!

Just as I was starting to think I had gone mad - I picked them up, but they were even further to the west. They were off the cliffs on the other side of Weston mouth, probably not all that far from Sidmouth really! It's no wonder I couldn't see them sitting on the sea from Branscombe!

From where I was, they were still way too far away to check properly, but a quick count up revealed almost 300 birds! So I know what I am doing tomorrow now - trekking out to the cliff top at the other side of Weston mouth!

I drove back home via the Estuary, where I could see Gav and Brian H scoping the gulls from Coronation Corner. I pulled in a little lower down the river, and after a false alarm (I thought I had a good candidate for a Yankee Herring Gull), the Caspian Gull appeared in a gull flock upstream after they had all been for a bit of a fly around.

It is such a striking bird - way more obvious than the juv/first-winter Yellow-legged Gulls we pick out from late summer onwards. I won't bombard you with Caspian Gull pics, just the one I think shows best just how striking it is...

BRUTE! A brute with a beer belly too!!!

Check back tomorrow to see if I finally get to grips with this bloody Scoter flock!!!

Sea Searching

2011-12-20T16:17:00.007Z

With the sea looking like this...

Nice and flat - although it was lumpier off Branscombe

..I gave it a good looking at.

Seaton, Seaton Hole, Beer and Branscombe returned: 2 Great Northern Diver, 5 Red-throated Diver, 14 Great Crested Grebes and 220+ Common Scoter (probably the biggest flock I've ever seen on patch). Also good numbers of Razorbills and fewer Guillemots.

The Scoters were to the west of Branscombe, off Weston, and could only be seen in flight. So, I know where I am going in the morning....

I also had a look off Beer Beach later on this afternoon, to see if the Caspian Gull was here. It wasn't, but this was....

One obvious beast

This striking bird I'm sure has to be a first-winter Yellow-legged. When I first clapped eyes on it with my bins I thought it was going to turn out to be the Caspian, it really did look that striking!

I have also had a few looks up the valley today, the latter alongside Brett and Fred from the east. There's still at least three Barwits on the river, and it's nice to finally see some male Shoveler this winter, with this pair on the Estuary and another male at Lower Bruckland Ponds...

I hate this mild weather!!!

A Quickie

2011-12-16T15:20:00.006Z

This really is going to be a boring, brief and photo-less post...sorry!

Yesterday I didn't really have any time for birding, but did squeeze in a quick trip to Beer to see two Slav Grebes found by Ian M. There seemed to be quite a lot of birds feeding out there - oh how I would love a nice flat sea!

Today I had a couple of hours out during the morning. The highlight was seeing the Wheatear again on Seaton Marshes, with two Stonechats. Wouldn't it be great if it stayed into 2012!

I didn't see anything of note up the valley, or at Lower Bruckland Ponds (certainly not the two drake Ring-necked Ducks I was hoping for!), and at Colyford WTW I saw just 6+ Chiffchaffs.

I think there's been another pulse of migrants within the past few days. Last night I heard several Redwings going over (for the first time in a week or two) and there seems to be more thrushes about during the day. Wildfowl and wader numbers on the Estuary seem to be increasing too at the moment.

Maybe there is still something left in 2011....

Flooded Out

2011-12-13T14:56:00.010Z

Lots of flood water in the valley this morning - which is always brilliant! There were ducks everywhere, but as always there was almost too much water to look over! It was even better this afternoon when most of the flood water had dispersed, and what seemed like every duck and goose in the valley was on the remaining water on Bridge Marsh...

Lots of birds in a small area - ideal! Pity the light wasn't better though

There were at least 400 Teal and 350 Wigeon here, along with plenty of Mallards and Canada Geese. I couldn't find anything different though, but the light was awful so that Green-winged Teal could have been hiding in there somewhere.

No sign of the Snow Bunting this afternoon - and that Spotted Sandpiper still hasn't found the harbour yet! I wonder where it has actually gone, it hasn't been reported from Lyme Regis for weeks now.

Just to complete this short blog post, there were four adult Med Gulls on the Estuary yesterday early afternoon, and on the 9th the Wheatear was still on Seaton Marshes and at least 15 Chiffchaffs (all with yellow/green on them somewhere) were at Colyford WTW.

Good For Gulls

2011-12-08T15:52:00.014Z

I only had time today for a quick look along the Estuary, at about mid afternoon. There were very few small gulls, but a decent number of large gulls. So many that I just had to count them!

The 258 Great Black-backed Gulls included this Glaucous wannabe...

I've not seen this bird before

And the 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls included two intermedius candidates.

Here's a couple of photos showing standard graellsii Lesser Black-backed Gulls...

Two lots of two, notice the difference between them and the Great Black-backed Gulls, and also the difference in colour between the birds' mantle and primaries

And here are the two intermedius (type!?) Lesser Black-backed Gulls... (as ever, you can click on the photos to enlarge them)

Pretty striking really

But there are 'in between' birds, like this one...

This one was ringed too!

These birds are still essentially grey though - not black like the two above. My gut feeling is these are male (and possibly older?) graellsii.

I have already tracked down where this bird was ringed - in the Bristol area. I'm looking forward to learning how old it is and maybe even its sex, will it prove to be an old male??

Wouldn't it be great to find a ringed intermedius! Maybe one day...

Fire-crested Wren

2011-12-07T16:25:00.016Z

Yesterday I ended my post with the caption 'Woodlarks are fast becoming my favourite bird'. Well my all time favourite bird reinstated itself back on top today! A visit to Branscombe Sewage Works this morning rewarded me with superb views of this cracking Firecrest...

Not the Hume's I was after - but I don't mind because Firecrest are fab!

Also here were two Chiffchaff, plenty of Goldcrests and two Treecreepers amongst the usual selection of sewage work loving birds...

A Grey Wag

A look along the Estuary this afternoon showed we are up to six Barwits. Although to all readers of this blog this probably means nothing, to us these Barwits are very notable! Bar-tailed Godwits are not usual winter residents on the Axe, they can best be described as regular but not numerous spring and autumn passage visitors and very rare and irregular winter visitors. We have had between four and six here now for the past couple of months - very exciting for the Axe birder!

Also on the Estuary were three Med Gulls (2 ads and a second winter) and 68 Canada Geese, including this slightly odd plumaged bird that has been around for a few weeks...

I'm pretty sure I've seen this bird in previous winters too

On Seaton Marshes I noted two female Shoveler, and the Wheatear remains - meaning today becomes my new latest ever date for this species...

It certainly looks Greenlandy to me - but why isn't it a rare one!!!??

I finished by birding day at Seaton Hole today, where eight Great Crested Grebes were on the sea, and a female Black Redstart was on rocks to the east...

It wasn't an approachable one though!

I forgot to mention in yesterday's post, that whilst at Seaton Hole yesterday, two Brent Geese flew west.

So although we are stuck in a mild spell with apparently very little happening - I've still managed to have an enjoyable birding day on patch :-)

Still All Quiet

2011-12-06T15:28:00.006Z

A look over the sea from Seaton Hole showed not much; a Red-throated Diver, four Great Crested Grebes and 20+ Razorbills.

The Estuary revealed just four Med Gulls and four Barwits.

Great news about the Woodlarks; there were 18 present today, and possibly one or two more...

These are fast becoming one of my favourite birds!

All Quiet

2011-12-05T15:03:00.006Z

Well I say it's all quiet - but this morning I have seen at least nine Woodlark (location witheld) and the Snow Bunting which is still present on Seaton Beach. It was nice to see the Snow B in sunshine for a change...

I wonder where her mate went!?

Otherwise, the sea produced just two Great Crested Grebes, three Razorbills and a Guillemot. The Estuary showed four Barwits and two Med Gulls. And Colyford Marsh, nothing but Canada Geese!

I have just remembered though that I forgot to post how I got on with my latest woodland survey (carried out on 30th Nov) - in private woodland near Colyton. A single Crossbill, three Marsh Tit and several Lesser Redpoll were nice to see. But the main talking point was the Woodcock. The most I've ever had here is 11 (in the middle of last winter). Bearing in mind how mild it has been so far this winter (no frosts) and how early it is in the season, I was very surprised to see a total of ten! I had some excellent views too - one day I WILL get some pics!

A Day Late

2011-12-03T19:02:00.013Z

Thought I'd post up a quick one, as I had a couple of hours out yesterday afternoon.

After I got my car back from its service, my first port of call was Seaton Marshes where a Wheatear had been reported. A December Wheatear just HAS to be something good, surely...

Although this photo is rubbish, I think it still shows the answer

...just a Northern Wheatear! I'm pretty sure Phil has seen a February Wheatear on the Axe, which means there's only one month of the year that Wheatear hasn't been recorded on patch. Pretty mad that really isn't it!!!

I then had a good look through the gull on the Estuary afterwards (at about 2pm). There were six Med Gulls again, and like the other day, it was four adults and two second-winters. One of the adults was wearing a white colour ring.

Last time I managed to photograph four out of six Meds. This time I got all six. Just....

Meds galore!

The Last Two Days

2011-11-29T16:04:00.010Z

I shall start with yesterday, and I spent most the afternoon along the Estuary - where better to be when it's wet and windy!

Just so I don't bore people yet, I'll start with the waders, and I saw the Spotted Redshank (which now seems to be hanging out in front of Seaton Hide), a Common Sandpiper (drat!), three (maybe four?) Barwits still and 35 Dunlin.

Amongst the gulls I chalked up six Med Gulls, and guess what lucky blog readers?... I managed to photograph four of them...

3 ads and a second winter

A fourth adult and another second-winter remained un photographed as they were way north of Coronation Corner.

'Gavs warbler' called a few times in quick succession from the same large garden (known as Pallas's Garden to me!) that he heard it in a couple of days ago. I spent the next half an hour looking and listening for it but to no avail. Bloody bird! It did sound good, but from what I heard I couldn't rule out an Eastern(ish)/dodgy Chiffy.

And now to today, and I went down to Colyford Marsh this morning for high tide...

It was quite a high one too!

There were still 7 Greylags on the marsh, with a zillion Canada nearby. The highlight though was a very vocal Grey Plover that flew in and landed briefly beside the scrape. Nice - but not the 'Grey P' I was after...

I only had my Lumix with me, and it was raining - hence the crappy pic!

And that's about it really! Although I should take this opportunity to sum up my garden ringing over the past week. It has been good really, whenever I've had the net open I've been getting a steady flow of birds. The highlight was this...

A VERY fat 1w male Blackcap

There were many pointers as to why this was a first winter bird (aged 3), though the brown flecks visible in and around the black crown was probably the most straight forward way of telling...

Interesting to see a slight hook-tipped bill, can't say I noticed that in the hand

And that's a wrap - as they say.

What Links The Axe Estuary And Rutland Water?

2011-11-28T12:19:00.012Z

The answer is....a White-rumped Sandpiper!

It was sometime last week, and I was aimlessly browsing the interweb, clicking from blog to blog, and I came across Username's blog;

http://username-beast.blogspot.com/

And I just happened to see this post here;

http://username-beast.blogspot.com/2011/10/rubythroats-n-local-stuff.html.

Which has this photo in it...

White-rumped Sandpiper Rutland Water (c) 'Username'

....I recognise this bird!!!

I quickly fired up BirdGuides and checked some dates, and surprise surprise, the Rutland Water White-rumped Sandpiper was last seen on Sunday 6th November - the day before I found one on the Axe.

I have since been emailing various bloggers and photographers, and I am now convinced it is indeed the very same bird. There are several features that seem to match exactly, including the patterning of moulted (grey) and umoulted (much darker) wing feathers (coverts and tertials) and scapulars. The head pattern, breast and flank streaking is also exactly the same.

Other features include a dark mark on the body where the wing joins, and a couple of odd streaks or marks on the lower flanks. These are all pointed out (along with some of the obvious similarities in the scaps/coverts) here...

Please click to enlarge

The left hand picture is a still taken from a video clip filmed by 'The Drunkbirder' of the bird at Rutland. The right hand photo is one of mine.

The main problem I had when comparing the two birds, is that the photos of the Rutland bird were pretty much all excellent! Whereas all the photos of our bird were 'record shots' at best. (No offence to any of our patch photographers - the light was truly awful).

If you want to see some excellent pics of the Rutland White-rumped Sand, look here...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewberriman/6273864694/in/photostream/ (go left and right to see more)

http://seeswoodpool.blogspot.com/2011/10/18th-october-2011.html

I would like to thank all who have helped me from 'up north', in particular Dave Hutton, Colin Towe and John Hague. As a thankyou there will always be a link to your blogs from mine - oooohhhh I bet you are overjoyed at that ;-)

Actually, The Drunkbirder has written his own post about it, which can be found HERE.

Right, time to go out birding....

No Birding = A Devon Atlas Plea Post

2011-11-26T18:45:00.004Z

If you read the Devon Bird News Blog, then you should have already have seen this. If not, then have a read....

As many will know, the BTO Bird Atlas survey period is now over. All the data is in and the guys at Thetford I'm sure are busy sorting it all out. BUT.... Devon still needs YOU!

We still have two years of surveying left for the Devon Bird Atlas - a Bird Atlas for Devon has not been published since 1988 (Sitters, H.P.), and this is your chance to get involved for the brand spanking new addition!

There are two ways you can help with the surveying...

1/ Roving records:

These are just casual bird sightings that can be entered. Now fear not, if you already submit records in to Bird Track or to the DBWPS - which I hope is everyone :-) - then you have to do nothing more, as all these records will automatically get uploaded into the Atlas database. If not, then see our website about how to help.

2/ TTV's:

Just like the National BTO survey, Times Tetrad Visits are required (two winter, two summer). Many Tetrads have been allocated and completed, but there are still a worrying amount still to be done - we only have TWO YEARS LEFT!

More information on what Tetrads have been done/still need doing can be found on the website. Please do do DO check as you may well live IN or NEAR TO a Tetrad that still needs completing.

We do REALLY need your help, as so many common breeding species are missing from so many Tetrads. I am as guilty as anyone for not recording or reporting the common breeding species, but for The Atlas we NEED THESE RECORDS.

http://www.devonatlas.co.uk/

Lyme Black Red Update (Updated!)

2011-11-22T15:20:00.010Z

Well I was planning to go to Chew Valley Lake today, it took me an hour to get to Chard, and I couldn't really be arsed so was thinking about turning back. See, I told you I was the world's worst twitcher!

Anyway, the final straw came when Mike Langman phoned me, expressing interest in that Black Red - I'm glad at least one person reads my blog! (cheers Matt ;-0)... Anyway, I headed for Lyme Regis instead!

It didn't take long until I saw it, but it was bloody elusive at times and could be a right bugger to pin down. I somehow flukily managed a pic of the underwing coverts though! And when I looked at the pici on my camera screen they looked nicely orange, but when I got home and got them up on my laptop, as you can see below they aren't much more than buffy. Still, it is a very interesting bird, and nice to see it causing some interest this afternoon....

But is it the real McCoy?

Unfortunately not one of my pics show the wing formula - which apparently would pretty much clinch it. Drat!

As well as the obvious, there's another thing I think looks just a bit odd with it - its head and face. I can't quite put my finger on what, but there's something 'not typical Black Red' about it.

UPDATE: I have a picture, and a cracking one at that, from Dave Helliar, which shows the primaries...

I think this rules out a hybrid doesn't it!??

Off Patch Antics

2011-11-21T17:30:00.015Z

I tried again for the Spotted Sandpiper at Lyme this morning, and scored! It was on the lower rocks just east of the mouth of the Lim. It could have been a lot closer, but I had to make do...

So should be on our patch!

And here's a quick video...

Looks so out of place!

After this, a look around the patch showed very little new. Although it was nice to see this huge flock of Fieldfares, Redwings and Starlings near Axmouth...

If you enlarge this photo, you will see all the dots on the tree tops - and they are all birds!

I then spent the rest of my day with my head buried in my laptop - it just had to be done!

Yesterday, I enjoyed a splendid day with Pat around his patch - Prawle Point. He really is the 'guru' of patch birders! Here on the Axe, we can pop out for a swift look along the Estuary, and return home within the hour to enjoy tea and cakes.... When Pat steps out the door, he's gone for at least ten hours (17 in the summer!).

Don't jump - there will be another Dartford Warbler this year I'm sure!

Although it was a quiet day for birds, it's easy to see why Pat makes the effort - what a place, just oooozing with potential. It's been proved too, with the tremendous list of birds that this place boasts.

The scenery ain't bad either...

Looking west and east

And the sunrise was rather nice...

Morning :-)

The best of what we did see were three Water Pipits (on a beach - not typical Water Pipit habitat - apparantly!), a Brambling (although we didn't actually see it), and for me anyway, about a hundred of these...

Easy to take these for granted down here, they are literally everywhere!

Sadly it really did and does feel like autumn is over though...

That Black Red

2011-11-21T12:44:00.004Z

There will be a much longer post later today, with my exploits of the last few days. But I've just had a look on bird forum, where Roger Boswell has posted a much better photo of the Black Red I photographed the other day at Lyme Regis....

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=357580&d=1321811849

It really does have quite a russet-looking belly!

Its clearly a 1st winter bird, presumably a male. Is it one of the less obvious (female-type male) phoenicuroides, a hybrid, or just an 'odd looking' bog standard Black Red!? Discuss.....

Frustration...

2011-11-19T17:57:00.008Z

Yesterday wasn't a good day! The Desert Wheatear that was meant to land on Seaton beach, didn't - and a Spotted Sandpiper well and truly stuck two primaries up at us as it was feeding on the rocks at Lyme Regis (and looks like it has been for several weeks!). Let's just hope the Spotted Sand does what none of the wintering Purple Sandpipers ever have...

The best yesterday had to offer me was this...

A Black Swan with the Stedcombe Mute flock - still present today. Oh dear!

Today I had just over an hour out this morning, this is when the real frustration came! Whilst walking through the boats at Axe Yacht Club I glimpsed a Wheatear....

Shortly after I spotted it perched up in full view....

And....

It.....

Was....

A....

Bloody Northern Wheatear. Bugger.

You ****!

The Brents and Greylags were still on Colyford Marsh, and there were at least 24 Dunlin on the Estuary.

This afternoon I had a gig in Lyme Regis, so I headed over a little earlier to get an eye full of this Spot Sand. It's a well known fact I am the worst twitcher, and five minutes before I got there it flew off over to the end of the Cobb, and I didn't have time to walk round and see it.

Oh well, a stonking male Black Redstart was nice compensation though...

Stunner!

After the gig I had another look, despite the fact it was getting on for dusk. The Spot Sand hadn't come back, but there was now a female-type Black Red on the rocks...

It was dark so these pics are a bit shabby!

Is it my eyes or does the lower pic make the bird look like it has a rusty breast/belly? I have to say I didn't notice it in the field, so I presume it is something to do with the dreadful light, and nothing to do with the fact it could have come from a long way east!

I'm a bit concerned by the urges I felt today to go to Chew Valley Lake. Maybe if I look at this photo of Lyme Regis at dusk for a bit it might sort me out...

A Much Needed Patch Update

2011-11-17T14:09:00.019Z

Well I've got a few days to talk about in this post. And because today has produced the best bird, I'll start here and work backwards....

Thursday 17th

It was a non birding morning for me today, well pretty much a non birding day. But at about 10am I had a phone call from Ian Mc, he had a wader on Colyford Scrape from the hide that was ringing alarm bells. An hour later when I was almost available to twitch it, I found out it had yellow legs - but had flown off.... FLIPPING HECK!

At half 11 I was back on patch, and Gav had seen it and was convinced it was a Temminck's - Devon's first November record I believe. By the time I had got to Colyford hide all the key features had been seen.

Don't get me wrong, it is a cracking bird, with bright yellow legs, and a proper patch rarity - only our second ever. But a yellow legged stint in mid November, after the autumn that the UK has had, just a bit gutting....

Cracking bird like I said though - mustn't be ungrateful!

It's with a Lapwing flock rather oddly, and every time the birds on the scrape were flushed by a Peregrine, it always flew around with them before returning to the scrape.

Wednesday 16th

With a whole load of Desert Wheatears turning up in the UK the previous day (including a corker my mate Dave tripped over on Skomer - lucky bugger!), I just HAD to walk this first thing in the morning...

What wonderful Desert Wheatear habbo!

I walked the whole of the beach! At the very start of the walk I saw these two crackers...

Just a pity the sun didn't come out for me!

And by the end of the slog - that was still all I had seen! Oh well, it had to be done.

I then had a quick look up the estuary, and was excited when my eyes could see about seven brown blobs on Bridge Marsh...

Ooohhhh - grey geese!

Bugger it - they were Greylags! There were still 12 Brent Geese on Colyford Marsh, and about a billion Canade Geese.....well about 70!

Tuesday 15th

Today was the day I did the dirty on the patch (see my previous post!), but not until I had given the Beer Cemetery Fields a good look...

There was very little grounded, it was in the air where of the action was happening. With the south easterly wind, all vis mig was heading that way - including loads of Wood Pigeons! In just over an hour I counted 17,600...

It was quite a spectacle!

Also overhead my first Brambling of the autumn, 20 Redwing, two Fieldfare and a Mistle Thrush.

Monday 14th

I put lots of leg work in with very little to show for it, despite a couple of flocks of Redwings flying low over the house soon after dawn. My first stop was Lower Bruckland Ponds, where the previous day James Mc had seen a very grey Chiffchaff.

I had seen bugger all, and was just heading back to the car, when I could hear a tristis-type Chiff calling. It was very elusive, and I didn't get enough on it to 'tick off' all the important plumage features, but it was very grey indeed with not a hint of yellow or green. Although you wouldn't know that from the only photo I took of it...

You can barely see it I know!

As I said though, it sounded spot on - nothing like the other calling greenish Chiff that was present.

The best the river offered was a Knot with the Blackwits off Coronation Corner...

Yes another awful photo!

When I pulled up to check the Swan flock near Boshill Cross, they all took off. That was because of this...

After some dinner!

The weekend as usual was a birding free zone for me, although on the way to Kilmington on Saturday afternoon I saw a nice flock of 60+ Fieldfare near Whitford bridge.

And that's that. Hopefully I will keep on top of blogging for the remainder of the autumn. Yes - I still think there is more this autumn has to offer...

The Exe Red-breasted Goose

2011-11-16T10:58:00.014Z

Apologies for the lack of recent updates, I have been out and about on patch when I've had chance. Before I headed over to the Exe yesterday I had a few hours out on patch which were rather productive, I will get up to date with my on patch sightings in another post, but this post will be all about a certain Goose...

I actually think this is as good as a Red-breasted Goose can get, especially if it proves to be the recent Dorset bird. And this is why I wanted to see it! I've been fortunate to see Dave Land's excellent photos of this bird, and when comparing them with photos of the Dorset bird (in my opinion) there seemed to be a few anomalies. So I wanted to see what it looked like in real life!

This was rather easy, as when we rolled into Darts Farm we could immediately see the Brent flock...

And very quickly found the bird...

There's no denying it is a cracking looking beast!

So did seeing it in 'real life' help? Well yes and no.....

To me, most things match the Dorset bird. The head pattern and coverts I think look ok, but the flank barring is undoubtedly different...

Now compare it to these (miles better) pics taken at Stanpit Marsh and Portland...

http://www.chog.org.uk/Rarer%20Species%20Photos/Red-breasted%20Goose.htm

http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/latest_oct2011.htm

I think the left side isn't too dissimilar, but the right side does look strikingly different. But then I got thinking again....

The CHOG photos (without doubt the best) were taken almost a month ago, and surely the time difference may account for this plumage difference? Feather wear, maybe feather growth and certainly feather loss has to be taken into account - especially as it apparently got regularly beaten up by Brents at Stanpit!

So at the end of this post I can conclude that I'm not totally sure either way - although personally I 'think' it is the same bird. Forgetting about any plumage 'glitches', the movements of the Dorset bird, and the timings are massively in its favour. I know (at least some of) the CHOG boys, and the finder of it on the Fleet have it down as the same bird.

The ultimate conclusion though is that I do not think anyone can say this is 100% the same bird, but at the same time, no one can say it 100% isn't the same bird. Us birders, well actually all humans in general, like to think we can solve, resolve and conclude beyond doubt. Well in this case, I don't think we can.... So it's over to the BBRC!

Normal 'on patch birding news' blogging will be resumed within the next few days I promise....

White-rumped Sand Pics

2011-11-11T13:34:00.006Z

No time for any birding today - but I have just about got time to post two photos that have recently dropped into my inbox.

The first picture was taken by Ian McLean. I have tweaked with the light levels a little, but it is the best photo I've seen of the White-rumped Sandpiper...

Isn't it fab - what a bird!

And this picture, taken by Sue Smith, although not pin sharp (which can be understood due to the light levels, the distance, and the fact the bird was flying!), shows well the single most important feature of this species...

So aptly named!

Many thanks to both Ian and Sue for sending me these pics - and I hope you don't mind me posting them up here :-)

Not A Wet One!

2011-11-10T12:52:00.013Z

I didn't set my alarm this morning, as a check of all the weather sites and forecasts late last night said this morning was going to be a wash out! Not so.....

I got up just after 8am, and was shocked when I looked out the window to see high cloud, some blue sky and next to no wind! Argggggh!

There was a ringing session planned this morning for Colyford Common, which the night before I presumed would be cancelled. So I went here first but couldn't see any ringing activity around the crop field/north end of the common (this is where our late autumn sessions are held), so I assumed it was called off!

It was still worthwhile coming here though. On the common five Rock Pipits were feeding, with a Chiffchaff in nearby trees and overhead a flock of seven Crossbills flew east. I was surprised how few there were though, as when I first heard them it sounded like there were literally hundreds in the air! On Colyford Marsh, the Brent flock has increased by one to eleven birds - eight of these being juvs...

Geese on Colyford Marsh are always a nice sight - even the 70 odd Canadas!

At Lower Bruckland Ponds, the Cetti's Warbler was still singing away on the lower pond. There wasn't much else here - although a Wren gave me a fright as it did a bit of a weird call once or twice, which sounded uncannily like a Pallas's!

On the sea front, I trudged out to see the Snow Buntings, and both were still there showing very well...

What cracking birds!

Another video!

Whilst walking back to the car from the Buntings, I noticed a familiar shape...

About time!

Long overdue this autumn - a Black Redstart

Back at the car, and there was a funny sight waiting for me....

This Pied Wag obviously doesn't like its reflection!

Actually I'm surprised it could see its reflection considering how dirty my windows are!

It was even funnier when it was attacking my windscreen, because it would get so far up before slipping back down again!

I was on the sea front again a little later in the morning, and just as Karen pulled up to say hello I clocked six large birds heading south towards us. They were Greylag Geese, and flew right over our heads and surprisingly continued on a direct line south out to sea! Next stop France...

A good record for the patch - although Cranes would have been much preferred!

A Wet One

2011-11-09T14:19:00.007Z

It really is - and windy too! I couldn't muster the enthusiasm for a sea watch though, and have been doing my usual whizzing backwards and forwards checking as many places as possible!

First of all the 'hangers on', and the two lovely Snow Buntings were still at Axe Yacht Club. They were still showing very well in exactly the same place despite the awful weather. I couldn't see the White-rumped Sandpiper today, but judging by how elusive it was yesterday it could well still be with us.

I had a bit of a fright again this morning when I looked over part of the Tesco site...

Oooooohhhhh, I recognise that shape.....

Although I saw a (Northern) Wheatear here in exactly the same place a couple of days ago, I still noticed 'the shakes' creeping in as I reached down to my bins..

As I raised my bins to my eyes, I was picturing the cold plumaged Pied Wheatear I was about to get an eye-full of........

....BUGGER!

Oh well - that's one for another day!

Ten Brent Geese (first seen last night) were on Colyford Marsh this morning, and looked very nice huddled together in a tight flock. It was hard to make each bird out, but at least five were juvs.

An early afternoon sweep of the Estuary showed good numbers of gulls, including two colour-ringed Great Black-backs and two lovely Med Gulls...

Second winter and adult

I'm working at 4 today, but am hoping to have another look through the gulls before I start. If I find something decent, expect another blog post later...(always hopeful!)...

The Beach Walk Pays Off

2011-11-08T14:18:00.008Z

Not the Desert Wheatear I was hoping for, but nevertheless, these two Snow Buntings were a joy to stumble upon at Axe Yacht Club at about 7:45 this morning. This is the patch's fourth record of this species, but the first record of more than one bird...

As you can see - one of them (pictured alone in the lower photo) is a stonking male!

A short video clip

Funnily enough, I found these shortly after ending a phonecall with James Mc - bizzarely similar to my Axe Cliff Lap Bunt a few weeks back!

Talking of James, he just about had time to see these two beauts this morning before he had to start work. Here he is showing the typical plumage of a pre-work birder...

Smart trousers, a nice shirt - basically totally over dressed for birding, except the wellies!

I have also got a video of him legging it back to the car when he realised his time was running out, but I won't post that on here don't worry mate ;-)

I haven't seen much else today. The Beer Cem fields showed a Chiffchaff, two Redwing and just two Mipits, four Brent Geese were sat on the sea (slowly heading east), and an adult Med Gull and four Barwits were on the Estuary.

A couple of sightings I forgot to mention in yesterday's post, with all the excitment, included a Red-throated Diver over the sea and a Cetti's Warbler calling along the southern edge of Black Hole Marsh.

A Lifer On Patch!

2011-11-07T15:14:00.007Z

I spent a lot of time out this morning, and covered a lot of areas. It started with five of us watching over Colyford Marsh soon after dawn hoping for last night's probable Rough-legged Buzzard - but nothing (and no pale Buzzards either!).

The best Lower Bruckland offered was a Chiffchaff, I walked almost all of Seaton beach which showed nothing, and when I did have a fright when a Wheatear appeared on the Tesco building site...I was immediately disappointed cuz it was just a Wheatear! So I was going to sum up my birding day with this photo...

A dead fish!

But then I had an early afternoon sweep of the Estuary....

I was scoping through the gulls which were resting north of Coronation Corner, and soon came across a nice adult Med Gull. I continued scanning up the river, and noticed a couple of small waders feeding in amongst the gull flock. I zoomed in and was immediately struck by an attenuated rear end! A look at the shape of the rest of the bird got my heart rate going - it must be a Baird's/White-rumped!!!

I ran from my car, and scoped it from the side of the Estuary just north of Coronation Corner. It was distant, but thankfully with a Dunlin. The different feeding action, shorter bill, and the whole shape of the bird prompted me to start making phone calls. This distance meant I could see very few plumage features - just that its mantle wasn't plain and it looked overall darker than the Dunlin, with some facial markings. Although I've never seen White-rumped Sand before, this is what it 'felt like' to me...

Ian Mc and Karen soon joined me, and they both agreed with my observations. It soon became much harder to view as it continued to walk even further up river, so Ian and I sped round to the Black Hole Marsh car park, where Gav met us. Many thanks to Karen for staying on the bird for us.

We promptly pegged it to the hide, and thankfully it was still there....a (we think an adult in mostly summer plumage) White-rumped Sandpiper! Although it did take a good 15 mins 'til it actually showed us its rump!

The light was 'flat' but good, and the views excellent of this stunning bird, but all my photos have turned out totally and utterly pants! This is the best I have...

It does kinda shows face pattern, mantle, streaks on upper breast and flanks, bill and body shape

I don't know why and how I have never seen this species before. I guess it's one of the birds I've just not been near, and thought never warranted twitching as I knew I'd bump into one one day. Funnily enough this autumn I was a day away from twitching the Davidstow bird, but it 'did a bunk!' I've been waiting for another 'nearish' one to appear - I was right to wait! :-)

A Frustrating Weekend!

2011-11-06T19:32:00.005Z

Have had almost zero time for birding this weekend, I'm a fool for agreeing to work 13 days straight!!

Yesterday I have nothing worth writing about - so I won't, but then there's today...

I was at work from 7am, and it was soon obvious even from my sporadic forays into the back yard that Wood Pigeons were streaming over! I probably only saw a couple of thousand, but as I was inside for 90% of the morning I can only offer a rough estimate of the total for Seaton today, about two billion.... it's been a long day!

Now there has been a bit of talk recently (well a couple of weeks ago) on the Devon blog about what you put flyover Redpolls down as. Well personally I've always been quite confident calling them Lesser Redpolls, although when I put my records in they do go down as Redpoll sp., I'm not that confident!

Anyway, I've brought this up because this morning I really did have a Redpoll sp.! It was uttering the usual standard Redpoll flight call, except that it was deeper, and just sounded 'different'. This is the first one I've heard like this down here in Devon, and I have seen/heard a heck of a lot of fly over (Lesser) Redpolls (sp.)! Obviously there's nothing at all I can do with it, I just found it very interesting - I'm sure noone else has!

So all day I was desperate to get out - I felt the patch had so much to offer! Clocking off time came, and I went to Seaton Marshes for the last half hour of the day...now I kinda wish I didn't! (unless there's a patch first for us to all see in the morning!). Whilst walking around the Borrow Pit, at 16:55 I see a fairly high flying large raptor cruising north east. It was already past me and always heading away. This is how my brain went..

"oh look there's a pale Buzzard...
there's some dark marking on the belly though...
I should keep watching this...
oh its really distant now I will just have to forget about it...
oh I might see its uppertail when it comes down in front of that distant hill...
OH SH*T!!!!
oh bugger it's dropped out of sight, run Steve run, see if you can still see it from another vantage point...
drat I've lost it, best send some texts out..."

And why did my brain do that and make me run - because its uppertail was gleaming white!!

When I saw its uppertail it was a long long way away, and I only had my bins, plus it was almost dusk - but the white still shone out like a beacon! And there was lots of it too, more than half the tail.

Well will just have to wait and see. As I said it was nearly dark, so whatever it was I'm sure it hasn't gone far - but I didn't get anything structural on it, so it could well just be a weirdo Buzzard. Hopefully we will see tomorrow....

As this is my first post for a while, I should also sum up my birding. Since Nov 1st I've made two trips to the Beer Cemetery Fields. Both times I've seen five species of thrushes, the first visit on the 1st day of the month showed 5 Mistle, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing and good numbers of Blackbirds and Song Thrush, and a visit there on Friday just gone showed 10 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle and even better numbers Song Thrushes and Blackbirds.

Also on Friday, a Spotted Redshank was on the river north of Corination Corner - let's hope this bird is going to over winter with us! Also an adult Med Gull, my first since the start of the week.

In a last ditch attempt to save this from being a photo-less post, a few hours of ringing during last week in the garden didn't catch me much, but I did catch one of these...

A flock of a few thousand is an amazing spectacle, but they are so much fun to handle too!

And That Was October

2011-10-31T20:27:00.008Z

...and it was probably one of the best Octobers I've ever had on patch! Very enjoyable indeed, with some quality birds and some memorable moments. The last two days had something to offer too...

As usual, my Sunday was spent at work. Unlike the previous Sunday though, I successfully connected with a large raptor! Obviously not as large, or as mega as the Eagle though!

At about 2pm my old man phoned me to say he had an Osprey fishing on the Estuary, but it was heading towards the sea. I soon picked it up from the back yard being pursued by the usual throng of Gulls. At first it looked like it was going to head out south east, but it turned around and flew west along the sea front. A couple of minutes later Bun had it go over Seaton Hole, and half an hour later it was seen flying over Budleigh cliffs!

After work, there was just enough light left to have a quick look along the Estuary and see three Med Gulls - two adults and a first-winter.

This morning, my day started with a Jack Snipe on Colyford Common, and a couple of hundred each of Wigeon and Teal were on Colyford Marsh. There were a few Redwing kicking about too...

A busy Colyford scrape!

It was then time for my monthly woodland bird survey near Colyton, and it was jammed-packed with birds!! It really is proving to be a bumper autumn for Goldcrests, they were everywhere in the wood - there almost seemed to be one in every pine! A mixed flock of c20 Lesser Redpoll and Siskin were nice to see, and two Crossbill and five Redwing flew over. No wing-barred Phyllosc though, I'm still looking and won't give up! Although this wind isn't helping one bit...

The rest of the birding time I had today I spent watching the Estuary, hoping the Weymouth/Portland Caspian Gull was going to drop in. It never did - in fact it is still there! I did see this interesting beast though, which at times hinted at being a 1w Caspo but barely ticked half the boxes. It point blank refused to fly, flap or preen though...

It was a very striking bird as you can see!

After a bit of cyber activity (thanks Gavo and Brett!), it seems a 1w Yellow-legged Gull would fit this bird best. Otherwise the Gulls produced just a second winter Med Gull.

Now let's see what's November brings...

Having A Hoot

2011-10-29T20:22:00.017+01:00

Yeah I know Short-eared Owls don't go 'hoot' - but it's called 'poetic license' I'm told!

The weather was stunning yesterday morning, and I decided to spend the best part of it up around the Beer Cemetery fields. As I stepped out the car four Crossbills flew over east - it was going to be good!

The highlight(s) came whilst wandering through the 'Richard's Pipit field'. I picked up a Short-eared Owl towards Branscombe, it circled and always gained height, before cruising off high north. I took another few steps forward, the grass rustled and another Short-eared Owl appeared, about ten foot in front of me...

Which soon landed in a nearby hedgerow...

After about ten minutes, it took to the air again, and seemed to spend ages just flying around giving cracking views...

And here's a little video....

The last I saw of this bird was when it drifted off towards Beer Head.

By the end of my wander, at least 17 Crossbills had flown east; the four, a flock of 11 and at least two 'heard only'. Several small groups of Siskins and Skylarks also flew over, but in all directions!

The best of the grounded migrants (except the Owl) was two Lesser Redpolls again with the Meadow Pipit flock. Still no Red-throated or OBP, but there's time yet....

Despite checking several other sites yesterday, I couldn't turn anything else up, a colour-ringed Great Black-backed Gull (ringed on 28/6/10 in Calvados, France) and the Lower Bruckland Cetti's Warbler (which has moved to the lower pond now) being the best.

I didn't have chance for any birding today, although from the garden this morning a few Redwings, Siskins and a Redpoll flew over.

As well as all this birding I've been enjoying, and working obviously - I've had a net up in the garden for a couple of short spells over the last few days. A nice big but fat-less Blackbird must have originated from somewhere east of here, this Goldcrest was my second for the garden...

But this was the highlight...

Have I gone mad!? It's a Blue Tit - yes it is just a Blue Tit! But this Blue Tit was ringed before it flew into my net!

Ok, so it hasn't come that far - Fraser Rush ringed it as a pullus in a nest box in Holyford Woods on 18th June this year. I know that doesn't sound much, but fellow ringers will know re-catching a Tit ringed as a pullus isn't a regular thing! I wonder how its two siblings are faring!?

Searching For The Stripes

2011-10-26T14:57:00.006+01:00

I spent my morning searching for small stripey warblers and nothing else...

Between 09:00-11:00 I visited many phyllosc-friendly sites, but didn't even see a Chiffchaff! The only notable warbler I did chalk up was the Cetti's Warbler at Lower Bruckland Ponds again - which this morning was singing in the sunshine, lovely to hear again :-)

The higher pond at Lower Bruckland Ponds

The river mouth - looking rather dramatic today!

There are plenty of sycamores on the east side of Axmouth Harbour, where I've seen a few Firecrest in the past. Not seen a Yellow-browed or Pallas's here yet, but in time I'm hoping I will!

This afternoon a look along the Estuary showed just four Med Gull (three adults and second-winter), 32 Blackwits and five Barwits. It was nice to see good numbers of Black-backed Gulls though, which always raises the chances of a rare Gull or two!

A New Blog Is Born

2011-10-24T15:17:00.005+01:00

Well it is a rough old day out there....I love it!

Am very impressed with the Pom counts coming from south Devon - this morning though a sea watch showed very little was passing Seaton!

I've also had a couple of looks along the Estuary today. I couldn't see Ian Mcs Avocet, but did have a drake Pochard floating about north of Coronation Corner, and waders on show included five Barwits and three Dunlin.

Now time to rewind to Saturday, and I'll start with the moths in my trap. It was a very poor catch, with only 11 moths of 8 species. But one of them was my second ever Clancy's Rustic...

Pleasingly I knew what it was as soon as I turned over the egg box

I then spent the morning with the Axe Estuary Ringing Group - and this is where the new blog comes in! I have set up a brand spanking new blog for the group, there's a link to it to the right of this post, but here's a link too... axeestuaryringinggroup.blogspot.com

You'll find the details about what we caught on there, but I was very pleased when I flushed a Jack Snipe from the wet area at the north end of Colyford Common, there were at least seven Snipe in there too. I got excellent flight views of the Jack - they really are small aren't they!!?

A (Half) First For The Patch!

2011-10-20T14:59:00.015+01:00

It would be a full tick if I lived and birded by the UK400 club rules. Unfortunately I am a law abiding BOU birder, so a half tick it is!

Anyway, I came across the aforementioned bird whilst scoping from the 'Farm Gate' in Axmouth at about 10am... a stonking adult Greenland White-fronted Goose!

I have seen and found several Eurasian White-fronted Geese from the very same place, and the first thing I noticed when I came across this bird was how dark it was - and for a WFG quite a hefty beast too. I knew it was going to be a Greenland even before I saw its bright orange hooter - which obviously clinched it! I sent the texts out, and I understand the bird is still with us so I hope everyone who wanted to see it has.

I am a bit of a grey goose fan - and this was the most stunning grey goose that I've ever seen in my life! I'm afraid the photos don't do it justice as it was distant (as ever from the Farm Gate)....

Leg trembling stunning (in my eyes anyway!!)

There was also a Spotted Redshank viewable from the Farm Gate, walking around and feeding in the small pools on Colyford Marsh.

Before this, I had already had a good morning! I'd spent an hour at Axe Cliff. I know I really should have stayed here longer and counted the vis mig - but it wasn't overly impressive - and with the conditions as good as they are I feel as though I need to cover as much ground as possible!

The highlight came just as I was ending a phonecall with James Mc. Just as he was saying "have a good day mate", I heard the 'magic autumn rattle'. I promptly hung up, and a Lapland Bunting flew west just above cliff-top height, 'rattling and chu-ing' to its hearts content! As flight views go, they were very good - and I could clearly see dark smudging on its breast, which I guess makes it a male?

Otherwise it was just the usual suspects going over, including a few Redpolls and Siskins. There was very little on the deck though. A nice treat offshore were 10+ Bottle-nosed Dolphins, it was tip top conditions for cetacean watching with a flat calm sea.

Looking over the valley and towards Beer, it was interesting to see how the 'Pipit field' looks. It really does stand out, being surrounded by mostly green fields, it looks massive too! I'm sure it's very enticing to many over flying passerines! I really do hope to kick up a OBP or RTP from here within the next week or two....

Worth noting we didn't see the Richard's Pipit here today during a quick stomp about late morning

Also had a look around Lower Bruckland Ponds this morning, with Gav. The highlight was without doubt our first record of Cetti's Warbler for 2011!!

For years our Cetti's population has been growing, with at least six singing males in the valley during spring/summer 2010. But the harsh winter since then has cleared them all out - whether they've died or have pushed off. Anyway, this bird was very vocal, calling repeatedly, and I reckon probably the first definite true migrant Cetti's I've ever seen!...

Crap photos - but I reckon you could count the tail feathers on the lower photo!

Well I think that's it for today for me - work is looming! I wonder what tomorrow has in store? Long may this 'purple patch on patch' continue...

Thankyou Richard

2011-10-19T15:19:00.014+01:00

It felt good this morning as soon as I stepped out of the front door - almost no wind and a stunning sun rise. Unfortunately I had a dentist appointment and a few errands to run this morning, so couldn't just stand in one spot and count vis mig... still, I did what I could with the time I had...

First off, I had a walk along the beach and around the yacht club - eagerly awaiting our first Black Redstart. There was nothing on the deck, but several Skylarks and a few Redpolls and Siskins went over, along with a flock of 40+ Jackdaws that were clearly on the move.

A view fit for a post card!

After my teeth were checked over, I was out again, this time to Beer Cemetery Fields. The view from up here wasn't bad either...

That's Axe Cliff Golf Course over there - have only been up there twice so far this autumn!!

Again, apart from over head passage - where ten Crossbills (a single and a flock of nine) and a few more Redpoll and Siskins went over - there were few grounded migrants about...

This was a total 'fluke shot'; I was trying to get the whole flock of nine in the photo but had zoomed up way too much and only got this one!

Then a cracking male Ring Ouzel appeared in front of me, but as soon as it appeared it disappeared! I saw it again later in the same place, but from a distance. I would have loved to have got a photo of it because it really was a real beauty - maybe it will hang around.

Anyway, then I came to my favourite field. The field that had the flock of Tree Pipits in earlier in the autumn, has had up to 250 Meadow Pipits in during the past few weeks, and looks oh so good for the patch's first Red-throated or OBP...

Oh yes!

Anyway, as expected as I walked through the field, up went loads of Meadow Pipits, with a couple of Lesser Redpolls in with them which weren't as expected!

I'd walked one length, and had almost completed my return leg, when all of a sudden (turn your sound up!)...

......a bloody Richard's Pipit!!!!!!

I know from experience these guys quite often just go when they get flushed...but I'm pleased to say this gangly goodie soon dropped back into the field, I alerted all the locals and kept an eye on where it went in. I'm glad it didn't bugger off as I wouldn't have got the above footage of its call!!

We saw it a few more times over the next hour or so, it perched up in trees a couple of times but was always quite distant, see...

A distant 'Dick'

And this picture, although probably even worse than the above pici, does show the colour of it compared with a Meadow Pipit to its right...

Dick and Meadow!

It also went it to a field on the other side of Mare Lane, which looks equally as yummy!!

Anyway, I left it at midday, but it was seen afterwards so I hope it will stick - maybe even for a few days?

Richard's Pipit isn't a first for the patch, Gav had a fly over on Beer Head several years ago. But it was a patch first for me - and a self found first too (no I don't keep a 'self found list', but I do know what I have and haven't found!). This, along with my Hen Harrier last week takes my patch list up to a respectable 241... I just need to pull back Ortolan and I'll be an even happier chappy! :-)

The Eagle Has Not Landed

2011-10-17T14:38:00.005+01:00

Well yesterday Devon finally came up trumps - thanks to Dawlish Warren yet again!

For me it all started with an understandably excited and shocked Lee Collins on the other end of the phone, who had just had a Short-toed Eagle fly over his head....heading our way! I was at work, as was going to be here until 4:30pm, so not exactly ideal for me! Anyway, make the best of a bad situation as they say...

The back yard always gets forgotten, it should be a tidy and clean working area, so I decided to spend my afternoon sorting it out, along with checking all the health and safety signage.... yes I did look up now and then and my bins somehow found their way out of my car and around my neck!!

Now a Short-toed Eagle would have been an exceptional addition to my work list, but unfortunately it wasn't to be. But whoever clocked it passing Lyme Regis at 15:20 - thanks for the knife in the stomach! I think it must have passed us at sea, maybe high up and possibly a fair way out too.

It was interesting though, paying extra attention to the sky. A Merlin whizzed through east mid afternoon, and I also saw 10+ Buzzards and three Sparrowhawks. A few Siskins, Redpolls and Mipits also flew over.

This morning, I made my long overdue first trip of the year to Beer Stables to do a spot of vis migging. The conditions were far from ideal, and there wasn't much on the move so I got bored pretty quickly and moved on. Still, here are my totals for 07:40 - 08:20;

4 Swallow
15 alba Wagtail
13 Meadow Pipit
10 Greenfinch
8 Chaffinch
72 Goldfinch
5 Redpoll
19 Siskin

I then went to the Beer Cemetery Fields. The highlight here was a truly stunning adult male Merlin. I first clocked it distantly perched up, but it soon took flight and starting winging its way towards me! It passed me low to the grass literally 20 feet away from me - magic! It carried on SW and disappeared off in the distance towards to Beer Head. A stunning blue-backed beauty I can tell you. Just a pity it was too quick for a photo!

There wasn't much else here, just a couple of Stonechats, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests, and 20+ Meadow Pipits.

I returned home, but was out again later at the farm gate. In all the Eagle madness yesterday I totally forgot about a Spotted Redshank that was reported on Colyford Marsh. Thankfully Ian Mc located it again this morning, and that is what I was twitching. It was distant - but still good to see this patch scarcity.

I must apologise for the lack of photos with this post - I promise my next post will be much more colourful...

Green Moths

2011-10-15T20:33:00.008+01:00

A couple of Silver Ys and Rusty Dot Pearls were the only immigrants in my moth trap this morning. So I was very gripped when I heard a Dewick's Plusia had been caught in Colyton!

There were a couple of nice green moths in the trap though...

Always a pleasure to catch - Merville du Jour

Green-brindled Crescent - the green is almost 'frosted' on, a stunning moth!

I downloaded a few pics from my Nikon this afternoon, and found an okay one of one of yesterday's Great White Egrets...

So much better than a 'white Heron!'

Also last night I heard the first after dark Redwings going over. I have to say though, I think this is the first autumn I have seen them in the day before hearing them going over at night!

A Patch Tick!

2011-10-14T14:53:00.006+01:00

Yes - it's a rare two post day today, but if a patch tick isn't worth it then what is?!

If you read my first post of the day below, you will see I went out again to see what I could turn up....it wasn't the rare I wanted, but that doesn't matter because it was a patch tick for me - I don't get these very often!

My plan was to watch from the farm gate (Axmouth) for about an hour from about 1pm. All was quiet, no sign of the Great Whites, and not the Glossy Ibis I was after. At 13:40 though, absolutely out of no where a ring-tail Harrier appeared low over Colyford Common being pursued by a couple of Crows.

A quick count up of its visible primaries confirmed my immediate thoughts - it was a Hen (drat!!). It rather rapidly gained height, before flying high south down the river being harassed by the persistent Crows. Just as it was about to go out of sight, it circled round and came back! Flying low north over the reeds of Axe Marsh, then Colyford Marsh, before I lost it whilst playing about with my phone trying to phone and text people!

Pallid would have been much nicer yes, but I have missed a couple of Hen Harriers on patch over the years so it was a bloody good feeling connecting with one finally!

Now I would love to be showing off a stunning pin sharp photo of this beast in all her glory (I'm pretty sure it was an ad female, it did look rather tatty), but I'm afraid the best I can offer is this...

You may be able to see it a little better if you enlarge the photo

The Great Whites Are Back

2011-10-14T12:37:00.006+01:00

Just a quick one before I head out again, there's a good feel to today and I can only give in to temptation!

The two Great White Egrets (assuming they are the same birds?) were on the salt marsh opposite the Tower Hide this morning. After fifteen minutes of watching them, a canoe flushed them and the flew north. They circled down and landed out of view on Colyford Marsh where the Coly meets the Axe...

I wonder where they have been in the meantime?

Best of all this morning though, as I was watching the Egrets I heard chacking and seeeping from above, and looked up to see a flock of 20 Fieldfare and 40+ Redwing flying over high west... :-)

5.2 Grams Of Gold

2011-10-13T15:27:00.005+01:00

I haven't done much ringing in the garden lately, for a few reasons. One of them being there's not been many birds around at all - compared with late summer when it was packed out!

I had a net up this morning though, and apart from one or two of the usual suspects, a Goldcrest was a bit of a surprise...

There was another one calling too - migrants?

Have spent a bit of time out birding over the past couple of days, but haven't seen a great deal!

Low cloud/fog has hampered serious vis migging attempts, but Siskins and Redpolls have been going over quite often - with 80+ of the former seen flying west yesterday.

Dolphin Action

2011-10-09T17:48:00.005+01:00

Yesterday afternoon a couple of Dolphins were swimming amongst people just off Beer Beach. One was still present this morning, although a local fisherman reported a pod of 30 at one stage.

I went down there mid afternoon, and soon spotted one that I have nicknamed Nick as it has an obvious nick out of its dorsal fin. After a couple of brief views it followed a boat right in and kept appearing just off the beach. After a little while it went a bit further out, but here it leapt out of the water several times - with the crowd cheering and clapping each time! After this though it totally disappeared.

Unfortunately, whenever it appeared in the line of fire of my camera, it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared! It was just so quick. Anyway, here's the best that I managed...

Look out for Nick - quite distinctive!

And there was quite a crowd. When it was really close, families were running down from the town to get a look...

Dolphin watchers

South Milton And A Swan

2011-10-07T11:35:00.017+01:00

I'll start with today's excitement. And I had to leave a steaming mug of tea this morning to go and see an adult Whooper Swan found by Sue Smith in front of the tower hide...

Which one???

That one!

Cracking bird - cracking views too!

At about 10:10, the first tram came along, and flushed it...

It called several times in flight

It didn't go far though, as it dropped back down onto the Estuary off Coronation Corner...

Here it re-joined the same pair or Mute Swans

On the Estuary this morning, I also saw singles of Ruff and Knot and four Barwits.

Yesterday evening it felt very 'wintry' sat besides the Estuary. The wind was bitterly cold, there were Wigeon whistling and a decent number of Black-headed Gulls in the pre-roost gathering...

Looking north from Coronation Corner

Amongst the Black-heads were my first two Med Gulls on the 'winter', both unringed adults. Can you spot one of them in this pici...

...asleep right in the middle

Now time for the South Milton part of the post. After a couple of Crossbills flew over my garden yesterday morning, I went down to the Thurlestone area for a look around - I've never really been here before and thought a visit was well over due.

I must thank Vic and Nick for showing me around, and what a place it is! The habitat is out of this world it really is -and in such a great location as well! Anyway, here's a few pics from my day...

South Milton Ley

South Huish Marsh

This Stonechat was sat in almost exactly the same spot that one is pictured on the information board!

A Golden-ringed Dragonfly; easily the lastest one I've ever seen!

Well what a photo-filled post, as ever I hope you have enjoyed it. The moth trap is going out again tonight, so watch this space....

Migrant Moths

2011-10-04T18:45:00.009+01:00

With good numbers of immigrant moths being record across the UK within the past few days, I have had the moth trap out in the front garden for the past couple of nights. I was hoping for a Convolvulus Hawkmoth or two, but failed yet again!

On Sunday night I caught 105 moths of 18 species, and last night trapped 125 moths of 22 species.

The migrants have included a garden first, with a single Vestal each night...

This was last nights one

I've also had three Silver Y's, two Turnip Moth, and singles of Dark Sword Grass and Scarce Bordered Straw....

My second for the garden

The most numerous resident moths I caught, in order of abundance were; Beaded Chestnut, Large Yellow Underwing, Lunar Underwing, Feathered Ranunculus and Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Notable non-immigrant moths included my first ever Large Wainscot...

Large it was too!

And two of these beauts....

So nice to see Merveille du Jour again!

So although I didn't get what I really wanted - I still got some nice moths.

I haven't done as much birding as I should have done over the last couple of days, but a sweep of the Estuary today showed a few Bar-tailed Godwits, a Knot, but no Semipalmated Sandpiper.

I'll finish this post with a picture of Seaton Beach and Semi-P twitchers/photographers on Saturday morning...

Pity it seems to have gone now

Semi-P Up Close And Personal

2011-09-30T12:39:00.009+01:00

I've been so used to checking the flock of small waders on the beach in the mornings this week - and not seeing the Semipalmated Sandpiper - that I didn't even both carrying my telescope and cameras this morning....

So when I did spy it roosting on the pebbles I had to leg it back to the car to get what I needed to do this. I warn you, there are a heck of a lot of photos!!!!

All these are taking with my trusty old Nikon Coolpix 4500 through my Kowa telecope....

And these are all taken with my hand held Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 (and most using full 18x optical zoom)....

I told you so! Loads and loads and loads of photos! God knows what the pictures would look like if I had a 'proper camera!'

There are a couple of things I think are worth mentioning from the excellent views I had of this American beauty this morning:

1/ its leg colour - viewable on most of my pictures
2/ the 'anchor marks' on some of the scaps - there aren't many and they aren't obvious!

It's a great bird - and I felt so privileged to be so close to it!!

Lastly, a bit of late news for yesterday, I got down to the Estuary just in time to see an Osprey fly south over Axmouth Bridge, and south east past Axe Cliff. Apparently later it came back though - it would be nice to think it was still here.

Hot Hot Hot!

2011-09-29T10:59:00.010+01:00

The shorts have come back out, it feels like mid summer out there!

And this unseasonal weather has done the tricks in the ornithological world too, as Phil found two Great White Egrets on Black Hole Marsh late last night. At 9am this morning, under a layer of mist, I could see they were still with us, feeding on the flooded salt marsh north of Coronation Corner...

A record count for the Axe!!

When I was watching them, I thought they 'felt' like juvs - don't ask why or how, they just did! But looking at my photos, the lores appear to be green, which would surely be the remnants of summer plumage? This of course would actually make them adults.

I left them to have a wander along the beach, but apparently at about 09:45 they took off and flew north up the valley....

My beach wander showed 23 Dunlin and 12 Ringed Plover - but not the Semi-P that I was hoping for...

Has it gone - or does it just not like roosting on pebble beaches!??

It was nice to see a Painted Lady fluttering in off the sea, and rest on the first pebbles it came too...

Well done - you've made it, just a pity you will probably die within the next week anyway!!!

Rewinding back a bit, Black Hole Marsh yesterday morning was rather quiet, although this impressive flock of hirundines were feeding over the marsh...

More than enough for a Tree Swallow or Purple Martin!!!

The day before that, this Whinchat was at Beer Cem...

Sat on top of the tallest tree in the area!

And sometime last week, this Tufted Duck was on the Borrow Pit, Seaton Marshes...

Formerly a patch scarcity!

New Bird For The Patch

2011-09-27T15:44:00.006+01:00

After a morning of non-birdie business off patch on Saturday, I came home to a text informing me of an 'odd Stint at BHM'. Phil had discovered it after reports of a Little Stint here earlier in the day.

I went straight down there, and was greeted with distant views of a very colour-less stint from the Island Hide, which ticked all boxes for Semipalmated Sandpiper - but with pencil and not pen. I had to leave it, but on my return late afternoon was pleased to see it much closer from the Tower Hide, and in much better light - definitely a Semi-P - a patch first!

For some reason I totally forgot to photograph it - I think because there were camera's all around me and I was too busy actually looking at it!

This afternoon I could see it poking about on the Estuary with the Dunlin flock, and despite the distance I rattled a few shots off...

Although you can't see it in these photos at all, the 'palmations' were easy to see thanks to the light and the colour of the mud

Semipalmated Sand can now go on the Axe list right besides Western Sand - which we really could do with another one of...

Patch Birding Can Be Cruel

2011-09-21T12:59:00.007+01:00

There are rare waders everywhere and the Isle of Scilly have got a whole host of stunning American goodies. Even just down the coast, at Exmouth, yesterday's rain and winds 'wrecked' three Sabine's Gull and a Grey Phalarope (see Cream Tea Birding). Seaton Bay's best offering this morning was...

A Guillemot!!!

There were also five Sandwich Terns offshore, and on the beach were three Wheatear, 25 Dunlin and a Curlew Sand....

Spot the Curlew Sand!

There seemed to be a few Wheatear about today, with ten on Colyford Marsh, where there were another seven Dunlin. Black Hole Marsh was weirdly quiet, with three Greenshank and a Ruff over. Over the last couple of days I've heard/seen the first few Siskins of the season going over - it will soon be time to get the clickers out again!

I can't tell you how nice it is to be out birding again - even though it was rather disappointing!

There's A Weasel In The Front Room!

2011-09-19T12:38:00.017+01:00

There really was....

After work yesterday, I went round to a friends, hoping to catch the second half of United v. Chelsea. I walked through the door to see a sofa upside down, something was up! My mate thought he glimpsed something bounding in through the door of the front room and under the sofa. I joined the search - and was shocked to see a Weasel in the corner of the room! It made a dash, and we lost it.

The girls in the house screamed and were long gone upstairs, so we took everything out of the front room, and relocated the Weasel in a corner of the room amongst some bags. We moved the bags, but he just disappeared!! We had blocked all exits except the one to the open front door - he didn't go out here, but he had gone!

After another twenty minutes of searching, we put everything back and had given up- but we couldn't stop wondering where he had gone. And then...

There he is - under the electric fire!

Amazing views!

I couldn't get a full body shot as he was always too quick! These were the best I got...

What a mammal!

I had to leave once he had been cornered, and I believe after I left he was successfully trapped and released. How bizarre! I missed the football though - good result mind! :-)

So, to continue the 'weird' themed post - as I went to my car to go to work early Sunday morning, a Mallard looked very out of place stood in Durley Road!...

It was raining - they do say that's good weather for ducks!?

And finally, you may wonder why the Tesco building site is not making the birding headlines, despite the large number of Gulls that had been roosting on here. Well that is because they ('they' I presume being Tesco) have deployed a high tech bird scaring device...

Yes - that can only be described as a 'Black Kite!'

I do apologise for the quietness of this blog lately, I am knee deep in 2010 Devon Bird Report stuff at the moment. I have done no ringing, and the only 'time off' I've given myself, I've used trying to find an American wader or two. So far, as you may have guessed, I've failed...

Bums

2011-09-08T14:30:00.006+01:00

Dunlin and Little Stint taken on Tuesday - isn't the size difference so obvious!

Black Hole Marsh was cracking on Tuesday afternoon, with a 'new' Curlew Sand present amongst 19 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover, 4 Greenshank, 3 Ruff and a Knot...

Juv Curlew Sand moulting to 1st winter plumage

An hour after I came away from Black Hole Marsh on Tuesday, I was scoping Colyford Scrape from the Farm Gate as a juvenile Little Gull had been found. It wasn't doing much when I saw it, but nice to see this beautifully marked miniature Gull never-the-less.

A photo of a Little Stints bum isn't the only reason I called this post 'Bums'... it is because, as per usual, we missed out on most the sea watching action that other parts of Devon enjoyed on Tuesday. I spent three hours sea watching from Seaton seafront during that morning and noted; 4 Balearic Shearwater, 35+ Manx Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Terns and 4+ commic Terns. Yes - that was it! I even missed the Sooty Shearwater that came through during the time I wasn't looking at the sea!

The following morning (Wednesday), an hours sea watch showed it was even quieter, although at least one Storm Petrel could be seen feeding distantly. A single Balearic Shearwater flew west and a single commic Tern loitered behind a boat.

And now to today, and I've been looking rather intently for an American wader as they are popping up everywhere!! No luck as yet, in fact Black Hole Marsh had very much a 'samey' feel to it. Saying that though, whilst watching the 15 Ringed Plover, 21 Dunlin and single Curlew Sandpiper - another flock of 20+ small waders came whizzing south past the Island Hide low over the Marsh - but they didn't stop and just kept flying...bloody annoying really! On the Estuary there were five Bar-tailed and 13 Black-tailed Godwits, one of the latter being an Axe Estuary colour-ringed bird (Red, Orange, Lime).

I won't have much time out and about over the next three days, if I do get any time though I will try and make the most of it....

I Wish I'd Had More Time

2011-09-05T12:33:00.005+01:00

I only had time for a couple of quick glances at the sea this morning; 10:10 - 10:30, and at about 11:20 for ten minutes.

In the first watch I was rewarded with five Balearic Shearwaters west - three came through together at 'close range for Seaton', shortly followed by two distant singles. A single Common Scoter and few Gannets were the only other birds I saw passing (aside Gulls).

The second watch showed a few waders; a Turnstone flew west in the company of five Knot, and ten Ringed Plover and a Dunlin were on the beach.

Looking at the forecast I am very excited about the week ahead. Rain really does make the difference for us, and it looks like we are going to get a lot of it! Watch this space...

Waders And Wigeon

2011-09-03T13:08:00.009+01:00

Bun texted me this morning to say a message had come on his pager about a Curlew Sand on Black Hole Marsh. This would be our first of the year so I went down there pretty sharpish.

There was indeed a Curlew Sandpiper present, a juvenile viewable distantly from the Island Hide. There were lots of other waders about too, with the following noted; seven Ringed Plover, one Little Stint (yesterdays bird), 15 Dunlin, two Knot, three Ruff, nine Greenshank, nine Blackwits and three Barwits...

Can you get a more noticeable size difference between sexes of the same species?? The male is just HUGE!

Nice to see a few ducks about too, with my first four Wigeon (pretty much bang on cue) and 15 Teal...

Distant and silhouetted Wigeon!

Expect The Unexpected; But Expect The Expected Too!

2011-09-02T12:58:00.015+01:00

Every September morning each year I wake up hoping today will be the day I finally find a Wryneck! During my stint at Spurn I never found one of these critters - I have always just missed out. They are one of my favourite birds, and have seen four on patch since returning from Spurn - but have still managed not to find one! The bird at Seaton Marshes last year was especially annoying!

Every autumn when there's a few Wrynecks about I check a selection of Wryneck-friendly looking spots, this includes Allhallows school at Rousdon. There's a certain area here that just look so perfect for this ant-loving Woodpecker. And yesterday, I tried yet again, and was absolutely stunned when a Wryneck flew up from the bank in front of me and sat in full view in an overhanging bush! After about twenty seconds or so it did the Wryneck thing - melting away into the bush and not reappearing! I think it probably dropped back down into the garden just on the other side of the wall, hopefully it is still about.

Rather annoyingly I didn't get a photo of it, so you will have to make do with a couple of site photos...

'The' bank

The bird flew up from besides that blue pipe, and in to the bush above. There was no way of seeing into the garden on the other side of the wall

Earlier in the day yesterday, a wander along the beach (whilst waiting for my car which was in the garage - it seems to be in there a lot lately!) produced my second patch Sanderling of the year and six Ringed Plovers.

And now to this morning, and I went up to the Beer Cemetery fields. It was fairly quiet, with a Garden Warbler, a few Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs in the bushes, with a couple of Yellow Wags and singles of Tree Pipit and Grey Wag over. I didn't catch much, but the young male Blackcap I netted offered a good example of a fault bar...

Can you see it not far from the end of the tail feather ends? This occurs when the bird is in the nest growing its tail feathers, and there's a blip in the feeding - this brief lack of food is shown by a pale and almost translucent line on the growing tail

After Beer Cem, knowing the tide was high I gave Black Hole Marsh a visit. Lots of birds still here, with a new in juv Little Stint and three Ruff being the best it had to offer.

One of the Ruffs, well Reeves - two were these and one a male

There were also three Ringed Plover, 16 Dunlin, three Greenshank, three Common Sands, nine Blackwits and a Whimbrel on show. It's about time we had some Curlew Sands though really - or something better!

A Red Tailed Reward Or Two

2011-08-26T13:12:00.008+01:00

Yesterday, I had a spare couple of hours late morning/early afternoon, so nipped over to Beer and set up a single 30 foot net up.

This proved well worthwhile, as by the end of this session I had ringed seven birds. They were four Blackcaps...

Including this lovely first year male, with hints of brown still flecked amongst the black crown feathers

One Blue Tit (whooopee!), and...... TWO REDSTARTS! There were three in the area in all, and it was two females that ended up gaining a little bit of metal....

Simply stunning!

They really are beautiful in the hand, they are so soft to handle too - cracking birds. It's just a pity the male that was also around didn't end up in my net!

Other birds I saw/heard during this short session included a couple of Tree Pipits and Yellow Wags over.