More Good Gulls

I've always enjoyed late winter/early spring gulling on the Axe, and looking at the loafing Larids today gave me two more top quality birds as well as a couple more highlights and some decent counts.

First up, this lovely third-winter Yellow-legged Gull graced the lower Estuary for over half an hour this morning, looking so much smarter than the less obvious individual of the same age that I blogged about two days ago...

What a bird!  Almost as smart as a full adult

 

Such a silky smooth bird - I couldn't stop looking at it!

 

Later, a lunch break look through the gulls along the rest of the Estuary revealed my second Caspian Gull in three days, another first-winter but this one sporting a yellow colour-ring...

Not as smart as the previous bird, but the ring is as welcome addition!

Its bill was a bit weak with not the cleanest of underwings - but most other features looked good

 

Early indications are that it's a Polish-ringed bird, but I will update you all when I hear back.

To tie up the large gulls for today, it's been the best day for Lesser Black-backed Gulls so far this year on the Axe.  I saw 62, but Mike had 50 odd tonight which could well have been mostly additional birds to my count.  Several intermedius in my 62 too. 

Amongst the huge numbers of Common Gulls also on the Estuary today, it was nice to see some of the 30+ Med Gulls present looking absolutely pristine in full breeding plumage.  There are not many gulls in the world that look better than one of these if you ask me...

What a cracker!

 

Less stunning, but possibly more of a surprise was an adult Kittiwake resting on the salt marsh at high tide...

Shame it wasn't a Ross's!

 

Hoped to see my first Sand Martin of the year this evening, but failed despite a fairly widespread arrival across the UK this afternoon, which is unusual this early.

Maybe the next post will be less about gulls, although I can't promise that I'm afraid... 

 

 

Corking Casp

This absolutely stunning first-winter Caspian Gull was on the lower Axe Estuary for twenty minutes this morning, my fifth of 2026 but it showed a lot better than any of the previous four...

A very striking bird, with a mightily impressive bill and snow white head, neck and underparts and a tiny black eye.  Lovely solidly black tertials too.

When it perked up it showed a really domed head shape - more so than the average Casp. This made it look like an individual I had seen on social media recently - more about that below.

 

This Casp will take some beating!  

 

After posting a photo of this Casp on Bluesky, it wasn't long until I got a message from Jacob Wood who also thought he recognised this bird.  It's clearly the bird (or one of the birds) that has been hanging around Brixham Harbour for most of the last month, which is exciting...

Head shape, bill pattern and size, neck and flank streaking, greater coverts patterning and scapular moult all a perfect match from what I can see

 

A far less impressive gull that I've seen recently was this presumed 'cactus' (Caspian x Herring hybrid) on the Estuary last thing on 13th, the same night as I saw around 90 Med Gulls among the gull roost in Seaton Bay...

It's mostly a Herring Gull, but has more than a whiff of Caspian about it

 

It wasn't just plumage that had some Caspian traits - this is a very Caspian stance

 

Another gull that I've seen, well more accurately am still seeing, is a bird I first blogged about back on 27th January - a presumed third-winter argentatus Herring Gull.  Gav and I have discussed this bird a lot during its stay as we've both spent time with it, and I think we have both come to the conclusion (Gav before me) - it's probably actually a third-winter Yellow-legged Gull.  

I hadn't actually seen it for ten days or so, so was surprised to see it again yesterday...

Its legs could be yellower, but they are yellow

Top right - showing mantle shade, long wings and sturdy build

 

 

Have not seen much else of note locally recently. A Greylag tonight on Colyford Marsh with the Canada Goose flock, two Egyptian Geese on Bridge Marsh a few days ago and there's still three Avocet hanging around the Estuary which is nice.  

Even though the birding hasn't been great, it's been so nice having some brighter weather and it's great to see the nights starting to really pull out now.  'Proper migrants' incoming...

 

 

In Flood

My word haven't we had some rain! It's rained daily at Exeter Airport since 31st Dec 2025 apparently and must be about the same for Seaton. Weather warning after weather warning, which if it were April or May I would be delighted about, but even I am getting tired of these winter wash-outs.  Hopefully there is some change on the horizon.

During all the flood days, Cattle Egrets have been remaining in the lower valley all day.  Often they just roost down here but they've been hanging around a whole lot more than usual.  Even though if on some days they have struggled to find anywhere dry to land...

Been 25 - 35 during the flood days

 

Last Wednesday the flood water on Colyford Marsh gave me my first views of a local Otter for over five years.  I watched it turn over in the water a few times, exposing its impressive tail with each roll, before sloping off into some nearby reeds.

An early morning look over Bridge and Colyford Marsh last Thursday morning finally showed a grey Goose in the Axe Valley this winter.  However, not any of the varieties I really wanted if I'm honest...

A Greylag, presumably the bird seen the previous day at Chard Reservoir

 

A little further away, this absolutely corker of a first-winter Caspian Gull was settled on Colyford Marsh. Would have loved closer views of it as it looked a right bobby dazzler!  My fourth of 2026...

Almost pure grey 1w scaps, lovely brown coverts and darker tertials, clean white head and a mightily impressive bill!

 

On Saturday morning a Coot on Seaton Marshes was probably the returning bird that's been here for several years.  Not seen any since New Year at Lower Bruckland Ponds, so it's a helpful bird for the patch year list that's for sure.

This morning, walking through Seafield Gardens showed that both (presumed) Siberian Lesser Whitethroats are still with us, as well as a couple of Black Redstarts and a Blackcap.  

The awful weather has delayed some more birds breaking into song (see last post), however over the last couple of days since it has settled down a bit I have heard my first singing Greenfinch (10th Feb), Wren and Blackcap (both 11th Feb) of 2026.  All a week or so later than last year, but as I said that's presumably simply down to the wind, rain and cloud that we've endured!

Spring is starting to show on the Estuary too, with Lapwing and Wigeon numbers well down from just a week ago, and outside my office today were 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in a relatively small flock of large gulls - proper spring migrants.  One of them looked quite clearly to be an intermedius too, which was nice...

An adult Herring, two graellsii Lesser Black-backed and an intermedius Lesser Black-backed on the right

 

Hopefully even more gull passage is incoming. It's not gone unnoticed that a few new Ring-billed and Iceland Gulls have turned up in the UK over the last few days. I will keep checking...

 

  

Spring Starts To Show

On Saturday evening at 5:40pm as we were driving to Exeter, I couldn't help but notice that it wasn't pitch black.  The residual light from the day was still obvious it in the western sky, and reminded me that actually we are well on our way to spring.

Bird song is also reminding me this. Last year I enjoyed logging the dates of when I heard each species break into their spring song for the first time, so am doing that again for 2026.  

As usual I can't put a date besides Robin, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove and Mistle Thrush as they were singing all winter.  Great Tit is also a bird that I heard singing during nice weather before the start of the year so no date for that one too.  But I do have dates for...

Song Thrush - 3rd January (a very persitent and keen singing male audible from my back garden)

Skylark - 16th January

Blackbird - 23rd January (this was a lone singer, but by 1st Feb several males were at it)

Dunnock - 30th January

Chaffinch - 30th January

Cirl Bunting - 30th January

Goldcrest - 1st February 

Other bird news from me is a bit patchy...

A single flock of 32 Cattle Egrets on the Axe Estuary on Sunday evening was a new patch high count for me.  This winter has been our best ever for this species as I only broke the 20 barrier for the first time here in December 2025! 

An Axe mega-flock of Cattle Egrets

 

Although I missed the five Little Gulls Tim C had in Seaton Hole last Tuesday, I did see an adult on the same day fly south down the Estuary at dusk - an office tick for me so thanks for the message Mike! Still plenty of Med Gulls about too.   The Avocet flock has got bigger again, there's now nine birds on the Estuary.

From what I have read elsewhere the two Lesser Whitethroats are also still about, as is the Cirl Bunting flock in Beer which Kev is now providing some supplementary food for. 

And finally, at the end of last week I had wonderful views of a Firecrest at a place I saw one at the start of the winter, in a large holly tree in Seaton.  They really are doing well in Devon these days (and West Dorset from what I've heard).   

Thanks for reading, and hold in there - Spring is just around the corner!  

Cirl Buntings

Towards the end of November 2025, Kev found a small wintering group of Cirl Buntings on the outskirts of Beer.  Our presumption was that these birds were the small Beer breeding population (plus a few more) that have been around since 2024.  

I hadn't managed to get up there at all until this morning, when I had a spare half-hour in what was surprisingly pleasant weather, which was a nice change!

Just where Kev had marked on a map for me, sure enough there were four Cirl Buntings - two of each sex.  They mostly stayed high in larger trees, so photos weren't great, but one of the females did briefly come lower down...

Love that rich red-brown colour on the yellow breast and flanks

 

This was the brownest female present, all others had more yellow around the face and breast, so presumably it's a first-winter?

Same female as above on the deck - still looking very brown

 

Four is about the number that's been seen here during the last few months, so I thought that was it and I headed off feeling pleased to get them on my patch year list at my first attempt.

However, when I was about 20 paces from leaving the field, I could see several more Cirl Buntings in front of me.  It was tricky to get a handle on how many were there, but counting them as they erupted out of the hedge showed it was a flock of 16+!!!  That's loads more than the local (known) breeding population - wow!

Such amazing looking Buntings.  They took so long to get here!

Whenever I see a Cirl flock in a hedge, such a small proportion of the flock actually sit out proud with most being partially or wholly invisible.  There's four in this shot.

I presumed my original four were part of this 16, however Kev later had around 25 birds so I think I can safely say I saw 20+ this morning, especially as my first four actually flew off in the opposite direction to where I then saw the flock of 16.  Also a single Yellowhammer in the same field.

What an incredible turn up for the books!  This must be one of the bigger single gatherings of Cirls east of the Exe? For now, anyway...

Thanks for reading!

  

Two Storms Later

Well since the cold weather left us (and the rumoured even colder weather failed to arrive) we've been visited by Goretti and Chandra, with very little calm weather in between.  It's basically always been dull, wet and windy even outside of the named storms and the multiple weather warnings.

Looking north from Axmouth.  So much local flooding today, with many roads impassable

 

With a bit more wind today water would have come over Coronation Corner

 

I've (over?)covered the Little Gull in yesterday's post, so it's time for all the other bits and bobs that I've seen. And I may as well continue with gulls...

Huge numbers of gulls have been brought in by these storms, with incredible numbers over the sea and on the Estuary. It's been so much fun going through them, and it's been good to see such high numbers of Common Gulls.  Mediterranean Gulls have been well represented too, with several over the sea shortly before I counted 44 on the lower Estuary on the evening of 23rd.  There were 27 on the lower Estuary on 26th too (all adults except two first-winters and one second-winter), including multiple colour-ringed birds... 

Clearly very sleepy with all the feeding and flying they're doing!  Five adults pictured here, two colour-ringed

I wish all colour-rings were this easy to read! 

In with the large gulls I have managed to pull out two first-winter Caspian Gulls, although both were distant so photos are pretty poor...

This Casp on 23rd helpfully waved as I took the photo!

This Casp the following morning on Colyford Marsh may not have waved but it was one of only eight gulls so it couldn't really hide itself!

I also found this brute late afternoon yesterday (26th) and I am pretty sure it's a third-winter argentatus Scandinavian Herring Gull.  Tricky to be sure because it's not a full adult, but build and mantle colour seems to support my conclusion...

Left hand bird.  It's a poor photo but I've included it as it shows mantle shade well.

A hefty beast

Massive square head and a very thick beak - looks like a bird that can endure life in the Scandinavian region!

Another mantle comparison shot

Other birds of note that I've seen around the river recently include a vocal Golden Plover flying around in the mist over Seaton on 19th and seven Gadwall on Bridge Marsh on 25th when a storm-driven Great Crested Grebe was bobbing about on the Estuary.  The Avocet flock has dropped down to seven birds, but great to see most are still with us, and our wintering Greenshank numbers have doubled to two birds.

Great-crested Grebe

Both Greenshank together

 

Was nice to see the Avocets feeding, they're usually asleep when I see them!

 

Away from the Estuary I have managed to see a Firecrest at Seaton Hole and have finally come across some patch Dippers. They've been elusive since the start of the year so I was pleased to see two on the Coly just north of Colyton on 24th...

A patch Dipper finally

Am sure there's a few bits I've missed but I feel like this covers my most notable sightings.  

Anyone reading this who has been troubled by the recent floods, I wish you all the best.  Hopefully we've seen the back of the worst of it and can look forward to the season hopefully moving on. Take care all.

Little Gull

As I write this I am listening to yet another named storm thrashing against my front room window.  Even I am getting a bit bored with them now!

I've got so many things to blog about as have done well over the last week with several year ticks, some nice patch highlights and some decent bird numbers, however this next bird quite simply deserves its own post, so it's getting it...

South easterly winds in winter, well at many times of the year really, can be just the trick to bring some Little Gulls close inshore along the south coast. However, birding here I am very used to missing out on them, even if there has been an arrival or passage - we just don't seem to do well for them and almost always miss out.  

Sure enough, along the coast Little Gulls were being reported from the middle of last week, and sure enough, despite all my watches over the sea and checks of the Estuary and marshes, not a sniff for me.  It certainly wasn't down to a lack of trying, or a lack of gulls...

Looking towards Seaton from Seaton Hole on Saturday

This flock were feeding in the bay for several days

 

Although I did concentrate my efforts of this mega flock, Little Gulls have a sneaky habitat of suddenly appearing (and then disappearing) in the valley, whether it be on the marshes, on a small puddle somewhere, or on the Estuary amongst pre-roosting Black-headed Gulls.  So I tried my best to cover as much ground as I could.

To be truthful I was losing hope and had the feeling of 'not again' come over me - especially as several sites along the south coast were hosting multiple birds (double-figures at Teignmouth on one day!).  But literally on my last scan through this mega flock before work on Sunday morning, whilst I was cowering behind what little shelter Spot On was offering me during a heavy downpour, these dark underwings appeared in the distant murk...

Just left of centre

 

I was absolutely made up - an adult Little Gull! I had just another time to grab the above shot before having to head off to the office, which was at least a dry place to go! 

Whilst at work I was pleased to read many of the local birders had managed to catch up with it too, and when it got to lunchtime I thought I would try for it again. By this time (early afternoon) the weather had settled down considerable, and as a result the vast majority of gulls had dispersed.  However of the ones that were still present, one of them (and the closest one!) was the Little Gull...

Quite a lot closer than earlier!

 

I spent the next ten minutes completely mesmerised by this absolute beaut, feeding over the breaking waves at times less than 10 meters in front of me.  So delicate, elegant and at the same time looking kind of vulnerable.  A real treat.

I took so many photos, and can't help but post a whole load of them here.  Bird of the year so far for me, even if it isn't really that rare...

Those white wing-tips are the purest of whites

Such a graceful and elegant bird

  

About to drop down on to the surface

Little Gull incoming

  

Such contrast between the white bits and the dark underwings

 

It really does have a needle-fine bill, adding to its diminutive look

 

Could this be the best gull in the world?  Maybe not, but it's not far behind

Yes I am looking at you - love the wave action behind the bird on this pic

The last one.  What a star performer.

Sorry for over indulging in Little Gull, literally couldn't help it.  It was still present today, and with this storm hammering down now I think there is every chance it will still be around tomorrow. 

 

And I still have so much to write about the last few days, so do check back soon to read about everything else.

 

Finally, I just want to say a massive thank you for all the kind comments and feedback to my Lesser Whitethroat post, am so pleased it has gone down so well and been as appreciated as it has. Thank you.