A Quickie

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

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.

Fire-crested Wren

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 :-)

A Day Late

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!