Nightjars Return

It's been about nine years since Clinton felled a large area of larch between Southleigh and Beer, cleared to help prevent the spread of a disease called Ramorum.  Less than a year later, Nighjars found this now suitable habitat, which had been created almost by default (simply by clearing a load of trees!). 2013 was the year we all added Nightjar to our patch lists.

The following year the Nightjars returned, and brought with them other species suited to this habitat, namely a pair of Tree Pipits and several pairs of Stonechats. The Tree Pipits lasted another year (2015) and Stonechats were breeding here until last year.  I am pleased to say Nightjars have returned every year, and last night I was delighted to confirm they were back for their eighth year...

There were two males present, vocal from 21:10 but neither showed until 21:20.  The churr of the Nightjar wasn't the only treat for my ears, as at 20:40 a Cuckoo called several times from the direction of Southleigh.  Only my second spring record for the patch - a proper local scarcity.

Back to the habitat, and nine years since the larch trees were felled, this is how it looks...

A carpet of 8-10 foot high conifers

As a result of this growth there's no Stonechats to be seen, but warblers have moved in.  There's more Blackcaps than I have seen here before, along with a Willow Warbler (not a common breeding bird around these parts) and three Whitethroats.  Most surprising of all however was the sheer number of Siskins.  Yes if go into any woodland with a bit of conifer at this time of year you'll probably see or hear a Siskin or two, but there were singles and pairs bombing around all over the place last night.  These young trees must be offering plenty of nesting opportunities for this small finch, and there's clearly more than enough food in the vicinity to support a healthy population.

I am finding it really interesting watching how the change in habitat of this site is reflected in the birds using it.  Year on year.  This winter I'm secretly hoping for Great Grey Shrike, and who knows, breeding Redstart next summer?

Stay safe everyone...

Vis Mig Mini Watch

This morning was one of those mornings that I really could have done with all the time in the world! A lovely start to the day encouraged a flurry of westwards visible migration, which am sure given more coverage would have produced a scarcity or two.

All I was able to do was a 15 minute watch from Mum and Dad's front garden at the west end of Seaton from 08:20, and then a half-hour watch at 9am from my second favourite vis mig watch point on patch, Beer Stables.

Looking east over Seaton towards Axe Cliff from Beer Stables. The great thing about this site is you can see birds coming from miles off!

Watching over this 45 minute period gave me totals of;

3 Lapwing
1 Golden Plover
4 Stock Dove
390 Jackdaw (biggest single flock 220 birds)
2 Crow
7 Magpie (!!)
70 Starling
48 Skylark
85 Meadow Pipit
26 alba Wagtail (one flock of 14)
5 Grey Wagtail 
94 Chaffinch
18 Goldfinch
12 Linnet
1 Greenfinch
8 Siskin
5 Reed Bunting

I can't tell you how much I wished I was up Axe Cliff for the whole morning - although saying that many of the larger birds seemed to be passing inland of me at Beer, so would probably have been completely missed from the cliff edge. Actually what I really wish is that we had a proper vis mig pinch point here on the Axe patch, but we don't... or I've not found it yet anyway!  

Jackdaws

More Jackdaws!

Vis-migging Magpies!

Over the last few days I have been checking the usual haunts when I can, like the Estuary for example - especially considering how many large gulls we've had gracing us lately.  Sadly nothing in them worth writing about since my last Yellow-legged and the half Caspian-thing.

Seaton Hole was really birdie about a week ago, several Chiffs, Goldcrests and Blackcaps, with the same selection although in smaller numbers present there today. On Tuesday however when I went there it was oddly quiet, but I soon worked out why...

Sat out proud

Stunning male Sparrowhawk

...and again!

And for the last time I promise... just look at that eye!

Delightful to get such a prolonged, relaxed and close view of our second commonest raptor on patch. They maybe common, but views like this don't come by often. 

First Bird Ringing Of 2016

With a couple of days midweek forecasted to have little/no wind, I wanted to get out with my mist nets on at least one of them, so yesterday headed out to the superb Lower Bruckland Ponds...

Because it was so cold I only put two nets up, and didn't open them until the sun had come up. It's only right to be extra cautious when ringing in cold conditions like this.  The two nets in two and a half hours gave me just nine birds, but it was quality not quantity. 

Over the past few weeks I've been chatting to other patch birders about how scarce Green Woodpeckers have become, I hear them only very occasionally now and I've not seen one on patch for over a year. But as I was putting up my nets I heard one call in the distance, so once the nets were up I gave Bun a call to let him know there is still at least one left here!  While we were nattering it flew down from the slopes above and began feeding around the base of some of the small trees at the Ponds.  Occasionally it flew up to a large oak, which is when I was able to get this snap...

From this oak it kept returning to the same small trees to feed in, but after taking this photo it flew straight for the clump of trees which had one of my mist nets in.  I looked around the corner and was shocked to see it IN my mist net!!!  I ran...

This, not surprisingly, is the first Green Woodpecker I've ever ringed.  And it's a bird I thought I would never ring around here, what an absolute privilege.  Lower Bruckland Ponds is a big site, and two mist nets covers such a tiny proportion of it - I was so so lucky!

The other eight birds caught included a couple more notable highlights. Two of the four Goldcrests I caught already had rings on, one was a bird I ringed here on 1st Nov 2015. Really interesting to see it is over wintering at the ponds, and it was half a gram heavier so it must be doing ok. The other ringed Goldcrest wasn't one of mine, anyone reading this recognise ring number CPX749? 

Two male Siskins were great to ring, the flock has been here since October but they are very hard to catch as they usually stay up at the tops of the trees...

And the last highlight, in fact the last of the nine birds I caught, was this fantastic male Stonechat - he's been overwintering at the Ponds and I see him most times I visit...

What a fantastic morning, lovely weather too. Sadly though it looks like we've slipped back to wet and windy conditions again...

Winter Weather At Last

Finally it feels a bit more like winter. Not sure what all these flowering daffodils and primroses are going to make of it though...

I've not been out birding much at all so far this year, so yesterday it felt like a real privilege to be stood in the middle of a lovely little mixed flock of Goldfinches, Siskins and Redpolls...

A small part of the flock

Lesser Redpoll

Male Siskin

It was one of those occasions that watching these birds feeding, whilst stood in bright sunshine, transported me off this earth and in to a different world... 

Isn't it amazing just how powerful and almost magical the simple pastime of watching birds can be...

A Tricky Siskin

I caught a couple of Siskin at the beginning of the week, which was really nice as I don't handle many of these at all.  Mind you there were a flock of 40+ hanging around one of my mist nets so I was expecting a few more to be honest.

The first bird, a female, was very easy to age as a bird born this year (age code 3)...

Siskin head (3f)

The standard open wing shot

The eagle eyed will notice in the above photo the difference between the unmoulted juvenile-type feathers and the moulted adult-type feathers.  The tertials show it really well (the three large feathers in a line closest to the birds body). The lower of the three tertials has not been replaced and due to its brown-ish cast can be aged as a juvenile feather, whereas the two smaller ones above are blacker, these have been moulted and are now adult-type feathers.  There's also a nice contrast between the moulted adult and two unmoulted juvenile greater coverts...

Greater coverts are always moulted from in to out in passerines, hence why whenever any aren't moulted it's always the outer most one(s).

Then there's the male. When I took it out of the net I thought it was going to be a young bird because it just didn't look like an adult male, but on ringing it I tentatively put it down as an adult (age code 4). However I was never happy with this as I know young Siskins can do very odd and extensive moults (sometimes even complete moults!) and looking at the photos it's gone back to being a young bird (age code 3) again. Here's why...

A nice male Siskin

It had an adult tail (rounded and all feathers similarly worn) and all greater coverts and tertials were adult-type feathers. But what gave it away for me was the longest alula feather...

Virtually the same pic but with numbers

Basically this young bird has moulted everything apart from its primaries (3), primary coverts (2), secondaries (4) and longest alula feather (1). You can tell this by the duller and slightly browner appearance of these juvenile feathers, compared with the blacker tertials (5) and greater coverts (6).  Also in an adult Siskin the wing flash across the primaries and secondaries is deeper yellow, as you can see in this bird it is pale yellow. 

I really love educational birds like this, and hope at least one person finds this post helpful/useful/educational.

Siskins

I figured I needed to put something bird related up here before I lose all my readers! It's going to have to be brief though I'm afraid...

For me one of the most stand out features of this autumns migration (so far) has been Siskins...

Male Siskin

This really has been an exceptional autumn for migrating Siskins. I noted the first 'vis mig' Siskins in late August, which is early, and ever since numbers have been on the up. I am not exaggerating when I say every time I've gone outside in the last couple of weeks - whether it's been birding, dog walking, going to work - I have heard Siskin.  Even had some over Watford and Egham last Saturday when Jess and I spent the day further east than usual.  I've not actually seen all that many as they have mostly been passing over high, but numbers like this so early in the season may be a good sign for the remainder of the autumn. Hopefully other irruptive Scandinavian species won't be far behind them...

Busy Busy Busy...

Am falling behind with just about everything at the moment - the blog is low on the list of priorities but here's a quick one.... 

I'm pleased to say, and blimey has it jumped up on us, the wedding is coming up soon. So we are busy rushing around finalising details and emptying our bank accounts to pay for the last few bits.  Who's idea was the chocolate fountain?

Then of course there's this little lady - who has already grown considerably...

Honey looking like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth!

She's certainly taking up some time, but we are really impressed with so many aspects of her - especially sleeping so well at night and staying dry.  Still not impressed with the lawn digging though!  Not being able to take her for walkies yet is incredibly frustrating but hopefully the next four weeks will fly by...

I do have a few bits of bird news, with first returning waders (I presume) seen over the last few weeks including Greenshank, Green Sand, Lapwing (three) and Bar-tailed Godwit. I missed a summer plumage Grey Plover sadly but pleased with what I've seen never-the-less.  Black-headed Gull numbers are also ever increasing, sadly no Ross's, Bonaparte's or even Little, but a first-summer Med Gull circled over the house a few days ago.

Also from the garden, have seen three Red Kites in the past two weeks. They really are loving this high pressure!

Haven't been ringing for a few weeks, frustrating as I know how many unringed Siskins are waiting for me at one of my sites...

Some of the last birds I did ring included this lovely House Martin...

And this even lovelier young (3J) Skylark...

A Mixed Morning

Once the early morning shower had passed (although there were a few more afterwards!) I took my nets up to a site near Beer where I monitor the breeding Swallows.  Last week I had come up here to eye up the potential for catching adult Swallows, but instead came away in awe of what must be one of the busiest bird feeding stations I've ever seen - with an impressive variety of species too!

I only had one 60 foot net up (this is all it needs) and it kept me very busy! My personal highlights were three Siskin; an adult male that was already ringed (D776068), a second year male and a juvenile.  We all know how stunning male Siskins are...

But even the juveniles are super little birds...

I had been here for about an hour and a half (although had to close the net for twenty minutes whilst another rain shower came through) when I started hearing rumblings about one of my most wanted gulls well within twitching distance...

Soon enough it was confirmed - there was a Ross's Gull on Bowling Green Marsh!  There's very few species I'd drop everything for if they were turn up off patch, but this is one of them.  I love gulls, I dipped Ross's Gull in my younger years, and it's simply a species I've always wanted to see - the opportunity was too great to let go.  I sent a few texts out and within ten minutes had a car full getting ready for a trip west.

We left Seaton at 10:30 with news the gull was still these despite the tide having fallen, but on arrival we were informed twenty minutes ago it had flown off towards the Estuary. Bugger.  We headed for the platform by the River Clyst, but one last glance over the marsh revealed it sleeping beside a Black-headed Gull.  We spread the news that it was back and enjoyed some great views over the next half hour or so...

Not the everyday view of Bowling Green Marsh....

Although it was great to watch it resting and feeding, it looked even better in flight!  The tail really is striking - a black-tipped diamond.  Size for me was a really noticeable feature too, as although it was smaller than the nearby Black-headed Gull it never looked minute as Little Gulls do. There's a great photo on Devon Birds which shows the size difference well, click HERE.

Oddly when I was watching the Ross's feeding in a muddy scrape it reminded me most in shape, structure and behaviour of a Common Gull! 

You can see from these photos though why it caused some headaches and debate yesterday...

An obvious Ross's Gull

Hmmmmm..... a far from obvious Ross's Gull!

Lastly I'd like to thank Bun, Ian and Karen for the twitching company, and Matt and Mark for all the useful info and updates throughout the morning.

All Quiet

I haven't had much time out since Monday, and when I have been out I haven't seen much.

Yesterday I did give the Tower Hide a couple of hours, hoping for a decent gull. Sadly this didn't materialise, but it was nice to see 'MG6.T' for its fifth year on the Axe...

Click HERE to see its details

 

Two drake Gadwall and a Common Sandpiper were viewable from the hide aswell.

Also yesterday, it was nice to see at least three Siskins on the alders where the Seaton Marshes Lesser Redpolls made it on to my year list...

Male Siskin

Female Siskin

Today, the flat seas saw me heading down to the sea front early on.

Perfect conditions!

Great Crested Grebes in the line of the sun

Sadly, and like the other times I've looked over a flat sea this year, it was incredibly quiet. Three Red-throated Divers, five Great Crested Grebes and a Guillemot were all I could see. Dire.

Along the river, 113 Dunlin was my highest count of the winter, and two Golden Plover were with Lapwing on Bridge Marsh.

Hopefully I'll get some more year ticks soon...

Pec At Last

After going out every day for the last month or so thinking 'we've got to get a Pec today', finally yesterday was the day!  It was found by Sue Smith just before I went to work, so I didn't get chance to see it until early afternoon today.  During a very heavy downpour... 

And the worst photo of the year away goes to....me!

It is actually a very well marked and stunning bird.  For some proper photos of it, look here on Sue Smith's blog.  

You will also notice on Sue's blog the Spotted Crake, which amazingly reappeared yesterday after not being seen for pretty much an entire month! Now that is what you call elusive.

Well what else have I been up to today, well Beer Head was very enticing this morning.  It was also very wet!  Especially as numpty here had forgotten his wellies and coat!  It wasn't really raining until the end of my wander, but it was that foggy mizzle stuff that just gets you drenched without you noticing! 
  

It may have been wet, but it looked 'rare'

Although there wasn't much at all - it did 'feel' really good.  I suppose knowing a Red-throated Pipit had just turned up less than 14 miles away, with a Richard's Pipit yesterday even closer, helped my inspiration.

Hirundines and Meadow Pipits were the only species in any number, with the best bird of the visit being a corking male Redstart in the gorse hedge.  But save for a Wheatear, four Blackcap and two Chiffchaff grounded migrants were at a premium.

So two wet feet, wet clothes and wet everything else for a Redstart. Pants.

I haven't really done any birding at all before today and since my last blog post - although I have seen a few birds.

Friday evening I thought Jess would enjoy a nice walk around Seaton Marshes.  We all know this is a fantastic place to go for a nice romantic stroll...right!? Anyway, there was a surprise flock of Siskins on show. Not just one or two, but a splendid flock of 40, feeding in alders around the Borrow Pit and showing really well - a real surprise.  Apparently there was no sign of them the next morning, so I presume they were just passing through until the rain prompted them to stop off.   

Saturday was another non-birding day, but still produced a good bird.  We had spent the day at Yarak bird of prey centre, where I treated Jess to a half day of raptor flying and handling.  It was great fun, and how fitting that we should finish the day off with a (wild) rare raptor!  At 5pm just as we were turning onto the A3052 from the Honiton road, there was a stunning Red Kite flying low over the field beside the road.  Even from our view (naked eye and from a moving car) it was clearly a bright bird with a very red upper tail - far more so than than usual (presumed) first-summers I see down here in spring. 

To compete this post, just a couple more photos.  A crap one showing one of two Jays that were in the field besides the Farm Gate yesterday...

I just had to include a Jay photo seeing as we are currently experiencing a pretty incredible influx

And a better one of a Mute Swan swimming up the Axe late on Sunday...

Very tranquil

I think I'll spend a bit more time looking at the Swan photo above, as not finding a Yellow-browed on patch is starting to stress me out!  There's got to be one here somewhere...

The Clickers Are Out!

Went up to Axe Cliff this morning - and what a splendid few hours I had in glorious 'classic autumn' conditions...

Could easily see Hope's Nose (although you can't in this picture) and I think Start in the distance

Anyway I was up here at 7am this morning, and stayed until 09:20. At first there didn't seem to be much going on, both overhead and on the deck, but when I got to the cliff edge there certainly was some westward passage going on, with the following totals logged;

3 Skylark
54 Swallow
87 House Martin
1 Sand Martin
2 alba Wagtail
2 Yellow Wagtail
6 Grey Wagtail
635 Meadow Pipit
2 Tree Pipit
6 Chaffinch
4 Siskin

On the deck, the selection was limited. Rarely do you get good numbers 'bush birds' up here, so six Blackcap, two Whitethroat, five Chiffchaff and two Willow Warbler was about an average haul. The highlight without doubt was this gorgeous juv Whinchat...

That's Beer Head in the back ground of the lower pic

Whenever I come up here at this time of year, it always feel like an Ortolan is just around the corner. The other patch birders know this is one species I really want to see here. (For non patch birders, that's because virtually every other patch birder HAS seen one [or two!] here). Anyway, today yet again wasn't the day, but the number of these around was encouraging...

Yellowhammer

A quick look from the farm gate after Axe Cliff showed the three Greenshank still on (a now full!) Colyford scrape.