More Poms and Pretty Polly

Yesterday I just happened to time my only hour out birding with the arrival of some heavier cloud late afternoon, so after a quick look along the Estuary I thought the sea would be worth a look.

No more than three minutes into my watch (17:50) the delightful shapes of two Pomarine Skuas flew into view. They were fairly high, always remaining above the horizon, and were fairly distant (well standard Seaton skua range to be honest!) but I could see the usual plumage features easily enough, and both were boasting very impressive spoons.  They flew south west so it was nice to be able alert people to the west that they were on their way, sadly though no one picked them up until they flew north over Dawlish Warren and up the Exe Estuary at 19:25. There was a heavy rain shower between the two sightings so maybe they spent this time settled on the sea somewhere?

These were my 11th and 12th Pom Skuas of the spring, which is double my previous highest Seaton spring total (six in 2012, which were all in one watch on 26th April).  I do hope there are more to come though as it's impossible to get enough of this fantastic species.

A couple of posts ago I mentioned a Ring-necked Parakeet that was seen several times in Axmouth last Tuesday, but sadly missed by all the local birders. Well the 'grip factor' was turned up several notches this morning when these photos dropped into my inbox..

These were taken last Tuesday by an Axmouth resident who'd like to remain nameless. Thanks so much for letting me share these super photos, it's certainly a sight I would loved to have seen. Hopefully either it will reappear or another will drop in in the not too distant future.

That's More Like It!

As the date gets nearer to the 13th (mini-Waite due date!) I am trying to get as much sleep as possible, so this morning with no wind to tempt me out I thought I'd sleep in. So pleased I didn't in the end though!

Dan J from Sidmouth texted me at about 06:20 to say he'd just had two distant Skua sp. east. Knowing there were at least two skuas in the bay was more than enough to get me up! 06:50 - 07:50 from the Spot On Kiosk produced (flew east unless stated);

11 Common Scoter 

2 Great Northern Diver (see below!)

7 Manx Shearwater

2 Balearic Shearwater (east with 4 Kitts at 07:38)

1 Pomarine Skua (GET IN!!!!)

4 Kittiwake

Three major talking points in the above list. And of course I'll start with the Pom. After five Arctic and two Great Skuas this spring, what a joy to finally see a Pom. Always a rare bird here. It was a stonking fully spooned pale-phased adult, and flew east at 07:10. I've had them closer but it was close enough to see all plumage details and that impressive spoon!  It was nice to watch it chase a Manxie around for half a minute or so too, always amazes me how different a skuas casual migrating flight action is compared with their flight action when in full chase mode, and how quickly they switch modes.

The Balearic Shearwaters were a real surprise, a proper rare spring bird on the patch, and I'd say Devon. It's usually mid summer onward when they appear - but sometimes we don't get many at all in the whole year.  However by a long long way the smartest bird(s) of the watch were the two Great Northern Divers. OH MY WORD.  Annually we see GND's flying west past here in spring, often they are in summer plumage but usually are distant. Not only were today's two both in full summer plumage, but they were also both settled on the water not that far out. Each time I scanned over them I couldn't help myself from stopping and having another gawp - incredible patterns and colours on these amazing plumaged birds. I've no pics I'm afraid as the sea was too lumpy, but flipping heck I won't forget these two beasts for a while. Absolutely stunning birds. And they stayed there for the whole hour.

After the sea watch a quick tour of the valley sites showed a singing Willow Warbler on the Borrow Pit (my first on patch this month!) and on Black Hole Marsh our fourth Avocet of the spring. It was rather oddly upended like a feeding duck so this is the only photo you are getting...

I promise that is an Avocet!

Before today I've done well missing patch year ticks recently. Last night Sidmouth Clive had a Cuckoo fly towards Seaton Marshes from Black Hole Marsh, but there was no further sign of it. And on Tuesday a Ring-necked Parakeet was seen by three different people in three different places in Axmouth during the course of the day. Ok I know that's a bit plastic but for me it would be not only a year tick, but a full fat patch tick too! That's presuming it didn't have any dodgy rings or any other anomalies.

It's been so nice to see the local breeding birds doing so well in this pleasant weather. I am seeing lots of fledglings about, and many adult birds being busy...

Song Thrush Black Hole Marsh

Sedge Warbler Black Hole Marsh

And I keep seeing Hares up Axe Cliff, with two up there on Tuesday morning...

A Hare up close for a change!

And I think that's about it for this post. Well except for the breaking news from the bookmakers that the odds have been slashed for baby Waite being named Pomarine...