Ducktastic

Blimey have we had some rain in the last 48 hours!  And that's lead to some pretty serious flooding in the river valley this afternoon...

Bridge Marsh, water as far as the eye can see!

Looking north from the road bridge over the Axe on the A3052

Looking south from the same bridge

The road ALWAYS floods here - that's one brave moped driver!

The flood from Axmouth

Thankfully this afternoon the rain had stopped, but this morning when it was lashing down I did try to go birding.  It was a struggle, but Bridge Marsh (pre-mega flood) was absolutely heaving with ducks so it was well worth getting wet.  This is how Bridge Marsh looked at 9am (compare with my first photo of this post which was taken at about 14:30)...

Great for birds, but not for birding!

Between cleaning my optics and warming myself up with my car heater, the flood water here showed 400+ Teal, 300 Wigeon, 70 Canada Geese, four Pintail (two pairs), four Gadwall (two pairs, first seen yesterday by PA) and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose (the lingering bird). That's my highest counts for four species of duck so far this autumn/winter, in fact it's the biggest flock of Pintail I've seen on the Axe for many years. This afternoon the wildfowl had spread out with the increase in flood water.

Also this morning I finally managed my first Redpoll of the autumn (about two months late!).  I was lucky to time my ten second walk from my front door to my car perfectly as one flew over calling. It really has been a poor autumn for all the finch species, Siskin and Redpoll especially.

Like Buses!

There's been lots of water in the valley on the last couple of mornings, and I love it when it's like this because all the wildfowl, waders and gulls congregate and they're all dead easy to see (except when there's driving rain!)...

From the farm gate at Axmouth

Haven't seen anything different on the water, but there's way more duck around than I thought, about 350 each of Wigeon and Teal, plus two Shoveler. 

Once the rain cleared today I had a walk around Seaton Hole, where there were a few Goldcrest and best of all a cracking Siberian Chiffchaff.  Sadly it never called but it looked absolutely bang on for tristis.

That's where I thought my birding had ended for the day, but when I was stood outside my front door waiting for Jess to pull up at 14:30, a Yellow-browed called!  Flipping heck - what a house tick!!!  I grabbed the bins and camera, it called again, and I soon found it feeding high up in a line of trees that border a small green just up the road from me.  It was completely on it's own, although there were singles of Chiff and Goldcrest calling from over the road.  I watched it for a couple of minutes (sadly couldn't get any pics) before my lift arrived and I had to leave. Wow. Although I was over the moon with this, I have to say it's not at all unexpected. I've got some lovely trees around my place, including what is the tree/hedge line that marks the north end of Seaton, it really looks tasty and has delivered some good birds before. Hopefully a Pallas's will appear here next - it's about time!

Water = Waders!

Yes lots of water about the patch today - it really did tip down during the night.  As a result, and despite other things going on in my life at the moment, I was keen to get out and check it all.

My original idea was for a vigil from the Tower Hide at Black Hole Marsh, but this was almost immediately foiled. I knew I should have put my wellies in the boot...

The path to tower hide - and this was at low tide!

Black Hole Marsh was very quiet, I didn't see a single wader on it.  Although a Green Sand and two Dunlin did fly over it - both heading north. 

Next stop was the Axmouth FC scrape - of Long-billed Dowitcher fame!  A nice juv Curlew Sand was a surprise here, and looked very out of place, with a Ruff, 21 Wigeon and a Yellow Wagtail also present.  

I had then hoped for a look over Bridge Marsh, but the A3052 was closed due to a diesel spill and multiple accidents, so I headed for the Farm Gate.  From here, on the Estuary were 51 Black-tailed Godwits and a single Knot, and on Colyford scrape two Wood Sandpipers (first found yesterday) and a Greenshank.  My last action of the morning was a walk along Seaton Beach, which gave just a single Ringed Plover.

This afternoon, at about half two once I had heard the A3052 was now open, I headed back out.  A quick check at Black Hole Marsh showed a Little Stint (relocated by my old man an hour or two earlier), and then I headed for Bridge Marsh.  One of the Wood Sands was now here, and what I thought was going to prove to be the earlier Axmouth FC Ruff - was actually a second bird.

Axmouth FC scrape showed the Ruff still (this one is a big male), and also a Bar-tailed Godwit and drake Gadwall.  It was then back to the Farm Gate.  

Scoping across to the Colyford scrape I was a bit taken aback when this flew through my field of view...

 

Juv Marsh Harrier Colyford Marsh

It was great to watch this gorgeous juv Marsh Harrier hunting over the marsh, at first alone, but soon joined by Karen.  It disappeared into the reeds just before I left, although I have heard it's been seen again.

And now I'm back home!  So although I didn't turn up the rare wader I was hoping for, I have seen 16 species of wader on patch today (a high total for here!) - let's hope it is tomorrow that I find species number 17! And that it's a good one!

In The News

The River Axe was mentioned on the BBC National News several times today - but for the wrong reasons.

A huge amount of rain (and I'm sure not helped by big tides and a gusty southerly wind) has caused horrendous flooding in the area. A lot like many other places in the south west today. The damage it has caused to houses, businesses and roads is very sad to see, but the effect on the local wildlife must be catastrophic.

Pictures never give the full effect of something like this, but here's a few anyway...

The Axe Estuary today about an hour before low tide!

From the farm gate

Note how on the far side of the tram line it looks like one huge lake - the whole of Colyford Common, Black Hole Marsh, Seaton Marshes and the fields in between were flooded into one. The bank at Seaton Marshes stopped the flooding continuing any further south.

So I thought I'd go around to Black Hole Marsh...

The entrance track - I couldn't even get to the gate!

So I then tried to get down to Colyford Common...

Ok - maybe not!

As usual the A3052 flooded over and it was closed by the bridge.

These are the fields just south west of Boshill Cross

The rain wasn't just causing problems via the river...

One of many that I've seen today

And this land slide by the side of the harbour was pretty dramatic to see. Totally blocked the path to the beach east of the harbour...

Note the tree in the river!

The only birds I've seen of note today were two commic Terns south down the Estuary and a Hobby low over Black Hole Marsh. These really are insignificant though when you think how today has affected our local breeding birds - I should imagine ALL Reed/Sedge Warblers nests have been flooded out today. Disaster.

Flood!!

Well it was a rough one this morning! This was the view from the Beer shelter when I got there at 06:30...

Windy, wet and lots of white-topped waves!

Phil, Bun and Karen were already here, although all wished they hadn't bother because it was was quiet on the bird front. I had another look a little later from Seaton sea front, it was better with a Bonxie and a commic Tern, along with a strong passage of Manxies (70 in ten mins). The sea still looked as impressive...

I thought the remaining beach huts were going to get another bashing - but they got away with it today!

Up the valley, lots of flood water about. I love our valley when it is like this - the habbo looks superb for so many species. In this view you normally wouldn't be able to see ANY water...

Flood!

There were large numbers of hirundines and Swifts over the valley today, but for me the flood opposite Axmouth FC was the best spot. The Egyptian Goose James found yesterday was still present...

Our first one for several years - for a few years it was a guaranteed year tick on the Axe!

And this afternoon, a lovely flock of Whimbrel, Blackwits and Barwits were here. There were five of the latter, with two in stunning summer plumage...

In the top photo there's three species but five different plumages!!

The flood came over the A3052 at Colyford today. Not surprising, and not the first time I've seen this. But I thought it deserved a photo...

It was always passable though

Before I post this, I must just mention another new local patch blog! And I am already very impressed with the photography on show on it! Sue Smith has started a blog, and you just HAVE to check out her stunning Whinchat photos from today... http://bicyclebirderontheaxe.blogspot.co.uk/

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.

Ducks

I have only had chance for a whistle-stop tour of the river mid morning. The best spot was Bridge Marsh, with MASSIVE numbers of ducks on what water was left over from yesterday...

Tons of ducks!

There were 410 Wigeon and 90 Teal on this pool. I looked hard for a vertical stripe amongst the Teal, or some nice salmon pink flanks amongst the Wigeon...but not today (either would be an over due patch first!). Two drake Gadwall were notable though, out first of the autumn I believe.

Whilst downloading these pics, a couple of Raven flight shots dropped on to my computer that I'd taken yesterday...

Croak croak

In the last week I've learnt of a 'new birder on the block'. Rodney who lives in Axminster cashed in on the Little Gull influx yesterday with a first-winter on his part of the Axe at Axminster. Much more gripping though was the juv/female Long-tailed Duck he had on 30th Oct during a sea watch in stormy conditions from Seaton Beach. His exacts words were "it was flying so close to the beach it was almost within touching distance"....GRIPPED!! But an excellent record nevertheless! :-)

Back to my Bonxie experience of yesterday, I did try to take a video as it flew around above my head, despite being stood right besides the crashing waves in gale force winds and torrential rain! I knew it was going to come out rubbish and wasn't worth posting, but that hasn't stopped me before....

This video doesn't do it justice at all, but it does show how it just stayed above my head!

A Bit More Habbo

I've been keeping my eyes on this patch of flood water over the past few days. Today it was heaving with birds...

opposite Axmouth FC

There were 600+ Black-headed Gull, 40 Curlew, one Blackwit, three Ringed Plover, 50 Pied Wag, three Meadow Pipit and 80 Starling. Looks excellent for a Pec/Citrine Wag/Yank Gull. I'll keep looking...

Black Hole Marsh this morning gave singles of Greenshank, Green Sand, Curlew Sandpiper, six Dunlin, four Ringed Plover, and tonight a Barn Owl.

The Curlew Sand

On the Estuary mid afternoon I could see seven Barwits, 12 Blackwits, one Knot, one Little Stint and overhead...the Osprey! I really thought he had gone, but must have just become less predictable!

I thought I'd end this post with a totally random photo! My least favourite birding habitat in the world...

conifer woods.....yuk! (though I must add, Scottish ones are much more inviting!)

The Tide Is High But I'm Holding On

Nice to see plenty of water about this morning, the valley always looks more appetising when it is flooded. This was Colyford Common mid morning...

Lots of lovely water!

When the water levels are like this it is always a good time to look at wildfowl; 91 Teal and nine Wigeon were on show today at Colyford Marsh. Also two Greenshank, a Ruff, the Knot, four Green Sands, one Water Rail, eight Meadow Pipit, one White Wagtail, six Wheatear, three Sedge Warblers and two Whitethroat on Colyford Marsh/Common.

Nicely posed, not nicely lit!

On Black Hole Marsh, six Little Stints, two Curlew Sandpipers, seven Dunlin, one Green Sand and one Greenshank with a Yellow Wag over.

Seaton Marshes produced four more Wheatear and a Whinchat. I gave the Lumix a go on a distant Kestrel...

Not bad at all considering the distance - I do love my camera :-)

Still no Wryneck for me! Where should I look? Maybe this fella might know....

...I think I'm going nuts!