Finally It Kicks Off

I won't lie, the birding last week (from Monday to Friday) wasn't great, in fact it was highly frustrating.  Despite the dates, the mostly blue skies and apparent ideal weather for north bound migrants, it just didn't happen.  This wasn't only the case on patch, but all across the UK there were Sand Martin-empty skies and millions of fence posts without Wheatears on.  I did see a few bits of interest but I had to work hard to get these scraps.

On Tuesday there was a pretty decent northward passage of Meadow Pipits, especially on Beer Head, and on the Estuary two Greylag Geese were new in (at a very typical time of year for this species on the south coast).

Two Greylag with the local bullies

Wednesday and Thursday were pitiful, but Friday was better.  We did actually have some migrants on Friday, two Wheatear on Bridge Marsh and three Sand Martins over Black Hole Marsh, but I didn't see either!  I did though see my first Dunlin on the Estuary for about four months, and two Green Sands on Bridge Marsh, which although we haven't had any wintering with us this year, had the 'feel' of being wintering birds as opposed to true spring migrants.  I also gave Seaton Marshes a visit and was pleased to see both the Glossy Ibis and the Green-winged Teal...

It was nice to see the Teal on the Estuary

All week there's been really good numbers of big gulls on the Estuary, and I was sure I'd eventually turn something up in with them. But not yet...

Then Saturday comes along, and probably because of the cloud cover it all happens.  I only had about an hour out in the field today, but in that time I saw a Little Ringed Plover, four Dunlin, three Sand Martin and three Goldeneye!  The Little Ringed Plover was on Bridge Marsh and found by Phil late morning, the Dunlin were on the Estuary, the Sand Martins flew north from the farm gate late this afternoon, and the three Goldeneye (including a stunning male) were found by Clive from the Tower Hide. Goldeneye is a pretty decent patch rare, you can normally see them in a given year, but only with a bit of jam as they are most often seen flying past at sea, or settled on it, but they are not a regular bird on the Estuary by a long way. The only photographic evidence I got of any of the above four species was this shocker...

There is a LRP in this photo!

As well as what I saw, three Ruff, numerous more Sand Martins, a Wheatear and a Yellow-legged Gull were also seen by various local birders here today, so today really was a pretty good day.  What really gripped me off though was an Iceland Gull off Exmouth early this morning, this should have been mine in the week!  

South East Winds = Wildfowl

Spring, autumn or winter, if there's some south east in the wind then there's probably going to be some wildfowl movement.  This isn't just the case for the Axe, it was the same when I was at Dungeness and Spurn Bird Obs.  Obviously at Spurn and Dunge it is on a totally different scale, but I was happy with what I saw this morning - although a year tick would have made it even better!

Best bird was found by Ian M, this female Goldeneye on the Estuary which I saw early afternoon...

Pity it wasn't a Goosander!

Sea watching earlier showed two Pintail and a Common Scoter fly east, but little else.

Pintail is always a good bird here, and Goldeneye even better - it just so happens I've seen both already this year.  And to put into perspective just how bad Feb has been for sea watching, I'm pretty sure the Common Scoter this morning was my first one of the month! 

It really felt like spring today, very mild and some glorious sunshine.  Yesterday Jess and I spent the day on Dartmoor, the wind was pretty chilling, but again, it felt pretty spring like. In fact it looked very spring like with plenty of this near Warren House Inn...

Frog spawn!

I've got a very busy couple of weeks ahead of me, with little time for any patch birding. If I'm around I'll twitch a patch year tick though obviously!

Struck GOLD!

Isn't it funny how powerful sounds are at bringing back memories.  I was lying in bed this morning at about 6:30 with the window open, and could hear the distant calls of Curlew. I was instantly transported back to when I was about 16, and the few days Dad took me up to mid Wales in late spring. Where we stayed, we could hear Curlew bubbling away on the nearby moors from our beds - I felt like I'd gone back there this morning, briefly.  Aren't our brains weird - well mine is anyway!

OK, now to today. And although we haven't got snow and ice, I was hoping the fact that other parts of Britain did meant I was in for a few birds. To be honest I didn't see much different, but I did notch up a very useful patch tick.  

I was down the beach for sun rise this morning. Here's the proof...

Red sky in the morning shepherd's warning

And I soon had the golden moment, when I picked up a cracking drake Goldeneye sat on the sea, close in amongst the groups of Black-headed Gulls still present from roost.  It didn't stay long though, just as I sent the text out to say it was there, I had to start writing a second text as it had taken off and was flying off east.  Dead pleased with this one though - you can easily go a year without seeing one of these on patch.

There was a tiny bit of variety during this sea watch, and some numbers - especially Black-headed Gulls with several hundred noted flying west in flocks numbering between five and 80.  Apart from the gulls, this is how my note book looked:

5 Red-throated Diver (3w, 1e, 1 on sea)

1 Great Crested Grebe (flew distant w, certainly not one of our wintering birds)

3 Shelduck (w)

15 Wigeon (12w, 3 in-off)

1 Goldeneye (woooooo!)

Sadly I haven't seen much else today, although I've finally seen non-Mallard ducks at Lower Bruckland Ponds this winter! Sadly they were just two Teal though, and not any of the diving ducks I'm after. The vocal Cetti's Warbler was still here.

Yesterday Jess and I embarked on another five mile walk around the patch.  This time we left home, walked down in to town, up over Axe Cliff Golf Course, around the back lanes of Axmouth almost to Rousdon, then over the A3052 and down to Lower Bruckland Ponds. This is where, thankfully, I had earlier left my car!  The weather was glorious...

 

 

Not many birds though, except for a few flock of Skylarks and Chaffinches in the Axmouth fields. I've still not seen Stock Dove or Red-legged Partridge this year!

Walking down to town, it was nice to see a small number of Wigeon and Teal in the south west corner of the Axe wetlands... 

Nice and close too!

Maybe this is where our Green-winged Teal has been hiding!? It wasn't there yesterday but I'll certainly be checking this area out a few more times before the winter's out...

Scotland Trip - Day Five

The final day...

Day Five - Thursday 14th April

After breakfast, we loaded up the trusty Corsa and said farewell to Glenan Lodge at about 9am. I can highly recommend this B and B, it is good value, the rooms are very comfortable and the breakfast very yummy!!

We all wanted one last look at a summer plumaged Black-throated Diver, so this was the first port of call. It didn't take us long to find a pair of these stunners showing very well indeed...

Just stunning!

Also on the loch were a summer plumaged Red-throated Diver and a pair of Wigeon. Yet again Red Grouse were all around us!

We then headed north (yes I know - even further away from home!), and soon stumbled upon a surprise male Black Grouse...

It appeared to be displaying to itself - unless there was a female hiding somewhere nearby?

After about 50 minutes driving, we'd reached Nairn where we wanted to do a bit of sea watching from...

Looking north from the harbour car park at Nairn

It didn't take long to pick up three Long-tailed Ducks, several Eider, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser and Sandwich Tern - then a fine summer plumaged Red-necked Grebe appeared out of nowhere.

A Goldeneye flashing!!

Also here, there were at least 50 Turnstone, a couple of Ringed Plover and a Hooded Crow.

We took to the road again, and headed around the coast (for over two hours!) to Rattray Head - this is where a King Eider had been reported on a couple of days within the past week. Whilst driving here, a singing Corn Bunting and several Yellowhammers were 'trip ticks'.

We got to Rattray - then began to drive out to the head. We hadn't gone far before I just HAD to pull in...

Grey = Geese

There were thousands and thousands of Pink-footed Geese feeding in road side fields, what a sight!! A look through them revealed a couple of sandy brown leucistic Pink-feet, and singles of Greylag and Barnacle Geese.

On the other side of the road was a huge Ley - this had plenty of diving ducks and Great Crested Grebes on. A couple more Corn Buntings were singing here too, though remained annoyingly invisible!

We eventually got to the car park at the end of the track, and walked out over the sand dunes past a flock of over 200 stunning mostly summer plumaged Golden Plover.

Rattray Head beach and lighthouse

There was no sign of the hoped for King Eider, but there was just so much to look at it was fantastic! On the beach were Sanderling, Redshank and a surprise Ruff. About 100 Eider were loafing about just offshore, and behind them AT LEAST 210 Great Northern Divers!! Also 6+ Red-throated Divers, and auks were constantly flying past north, with a few Kittiwakes and Gannets also noted.

A quick check of Birdguides on my Blackberry showed that the/a King Eider had been seen on the Monday just gone on the Ythan Estuary. As this was south of where we were, and on the way back home, we thought we may as well stop off here...

A quick check of the Estuary from a few stopping places on the A975 showed the Estuary was heaving with birds. Pintail was the only bird added to the trip list here, but if we had more time to look closer I'm sure we would have unearthed a few more 'trip ticks'.

We arrived at the golf club car park, and made our way to the mouth of the Estuary. The sight and sound was just absolutely spectacular as several hundred Eider were 'loafing about like Mallards at Radipole!'...

Stunning!

There was no sign of the drake King Eider - much to our annoyance - but another bonus here was the impressive seal colony...

There were loads of them!

Here's a short video too...

if you turn the volume up you can hear the Eider calling

The time was now 17:00 - and we still had an at least 11 hour car journey ahead of us to get home!!! We followed the Sat Nav (which all week had been a god send), and it took us right through Aberdeen City Centre at rush hour!!!!

We finally came out the other side of Aberdeen and began headed purposefully south. Apart from a quick fuel stop, and an hour's stop at a Little Chef near Sterling (where I ate the nicest burger EVER!) we made good progress.

We got back to Bristol at about 3am, and I got back home to Seaton for just before 5am.... I was bloody shattered!!!

I had such an enjoyable five days, in which time we clocked up 115 species of birds, saw some great mammals, stunning scenery and most of all, had a cracking good laugh! I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Bun, Nick and Karen for their company, and everyone who gave us 'gen' to ensure we got the most out of our trip.

From the moment I took this photo on the Farr Pass, I knew this was the photo I'd finish this review with. Thank you Scotland for such an enjoyable birding break....

The 'Famous Grouse'

Well I hope you have enjoyed reading my rather drawn out trip report!? I'm pleased to announce that normal service will now be resumed on Axe Birding...