Just An Hour

An early afternoon sweep of the Estuary showed 39 Blackwits (well 37, with two more opposite Axmouth FC) and amongst the Gulls were this nice adult Med...

We only have one or two Meds around at the moment - the other day Brett counted 285 on his patch on The Fleet!

There was also this (very exciting!) thing. At first the mantle shade along with the amount of white on the birds primaries made this look good for my first argentatus Herring Gull of the winter, but it lacked the size and there's a few other things not quite right with it. So I've put it down as just a darker than average argenteus...

It was quite striking in the field, the light conditions were ideal for 'gulling'

There's still loads of birds opposite Axmouth FC. Three Shoveler (one drake) were a 'field tick' for me.

A little later, from Seaton Hole, two Great Crested Grebes and a Common Scoter were all I could spy on the sea.

Am liking the forecast with cold weather predicted, things might get interesting by the end of the week....I hope!

Finally, there was another new addition to my 'birding library' today, this....

It is huge!

It is literally a library in itself, being 746 pages long! But it is an invaluable addition to my collection, and surprisingly up to date too. For example, the Solitary Sandpiper is in there under 'Pending records new to Devon', along with Yelkouan Shearwater, Barolo's Shearwater (Lundy this year), Elegant Tern, etc. Bearing in mind the Sandpiper was only just over a month ago, it is incredibly up to date for a book of this calibre. Well done Mr T I say!

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!

What A Contrast!

I took these photos just after half past midday...


And I took this photo less than two hours later...


All morning it was absolutely horrendous - torrential rain with a very strong south easterly wind whipping the waves up a good'un! But early afternoon, it was as if someone flicked a switch; not a breath of wind and blue skies! The sea remained pretty choppy though.

Mid morning, the flood opposite Axmouth FC was graced by a gorgeous adult Little Gull. Unfortunately, as I was attaching the camera to my telescope, everything took to the air and it buggered off! Also here 12 Snipe and 8 Dunlin (with a further 14 Dunlin on the Estuary).

A few hours later, whilst sea watching from the shelter of Axmouth Yacht Club, another adult Little Gull flew through east. Although the sea watch was very poor (we never seem to do very well in really rough conditions), the Little Gull wasn't the highlight.

I picked up a Great Skua flying into the bay quite a way to the west of me, which then started to fly east along the beach. I broke from the shelter of the yacht club building and ran to the shore where I was soon treated to my best ever views of a Bonxie on patch! When it came level with me, it double-backed and hung in the wind no more than ten metres above my head, looking down at me! I have to say, I felt intimidated, but it's moments like this that make birding so enjoyable for me. What a stonking view of a terrifically powerful bird...it was the kind of view you'd only expect to get during the breeding season on Shetland!

I returned to the shelter of the building, and took a few snaps as the Bonxie continued to fly up and down the beach...

A long way from Mark Darlaston quality - but not bad for Seaton!

And that's pretty much my highlights for today, but for two adult Med Gulls; one on the Estuary and one on flood water south of Boshill Cross.

Early afternoon I gave the new hide at Colyford Common a go for the first time...

This is no 'box' anymore!

A vast improvement! It is now comfortably spacious, and the added height helps no end. Best of all though is the much improved panoramic view, with the north end of the main scrape on Colyford Marsh now easily visible. Excellent work again EDDC :-)

There were plenty of birds to be seen here, like for example at least 400 Wigeon, but nothing out of the ordinary. Two Green Sands on Colyford Common probably being the best.

Now, it's days like today that I think food plays an important part in the birding regime. There hasn't been much mention of food on this blog of late, but during one of my brief returns to 'base', this helped me along no end...

Note the healthy seeded multi grain bread

And then I thought I'd get a taste of the festive spirit soon to be upon us...

Note the small slice I've cut off for myself; this was the only slice I ate, promise...

Colyford Common Ringing

I was a little late this morning, I thought I pressed the 'snooze' button, but I actually pressed the 'go away I want to sleep' button! I finally got down to Colyford Common at 8:30. The reserve looked stunning...

There had been a very hard frost. It had taken me a few minutes to get the ice off my windscreen

The sun soon warmed everything up though, and it has turned out to be a beautiful day!

Although ringing was never busy, there was a good variety, with one stand out highlight....

A Snipe - one totally STUNNING creature in the hand!

We trapped yet another unringed Cetti's Warbler. Cetti's is the only UK bird to have ten tail feathers...

....see!

In the clear conditions Skylarks were on the move over head in some numbers but little else. A few Fieldfares were kicking about with at least two Water Pipits and two Green Sandpipers on the marsh.

Couldn't see the Long-billed Dowitcher or any Whooper Swans during a quick look about early afternoon.

The Sea And My Patch List

I do love living by the sea - it is always there to look at, and it can NEVER be built on! Not to mention the fact its appearance changes from day to day...

This was how it looked on Wednesday morning of last week...

Oh so tranquil!

And this is how it looked the following morning...

See what I mean! And yes - the sea watching was so poor that I ended up taking photos of waves!

And when it comes to birding - the sea is just fantastic! You simply never know what is going to fly past, literally anything could at any moment! Which is why, if I'm not sure what to do or where to go, I head for the sea front. This was the case today....

I arrived at the Spot On Kiosk at 08:20 this morning, joined by Ian M about five minutes later. There are three lessons to be learnt from today's sea watch...

1/ a quiet sea watch isn't always a rubbish sea watch

2/ eat lots of breakfast beforehand

3/ sea watching with company is much better as you are less inclined to give up as quickly

So, in the end, we did a full TWO HOURS of sea scanning, I was planning on a twenty minute watch!

First highlight was a female-type Eider bobbing around distantly, our first of the autumn - and not a common bird for the patch at all. It remained on view throughout the whole two hours despite getting itchy wings and taking to the air on a couple of occasions.

Second highlight was a Black-throated Diver which flew west at about 09:15.

Third and final highlight was a Red-necked Grebe Ian picked up flying east at 09:30. It looked as though it was going to fly straight through, but it landed somewhere miles to the east of us. I wonder if it's the same bird that I had off Branscombe on Wednesday just milling around?

Other than these three highlights; five Red-throated Divers (3w,1e,1 on sea), one diver sp. (distant e), a few Gannets, nine Dunlin (w) and a Razorbill (w) were all that made it in to the notebook.

So little to show in quantity for two precious hours of my life, but some nice patch quality :-)

I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon at home, that wasn't totally bird-less though...

Oh look - a nice male Sprawk

I was out again though mid afternoon til dusk...

Spent 40 mins wandering around the stubble fields at Axe Cliff. The first flock of Skylarks I flushed (c80 birds) had a Lap Bunt in with them. I couldn't see it, just heard it call several times. And I didn't see or hear it again despite sifting through another 350+ Skylarks before returning back to the car.

I spent pretty much the rest of the daylight hours seeing nothing of note at all. But last thing from the farm gate was incredibly pleasant....

Very nice

And when it was almost pitch black, a/the flock of 12 Brent Geese (re)appeared. They flew south down the river - so I assume they are feeding up river somewhere and roosting on the Estuary or in the bay.

Now to lists....

Whilst sea watching, Ian M casually asked me "so how many birds have you seen on patch?"

To which I replied "haven't a clue!"

So this evening I worked it out - and have even uploaded my list to BUBO (thanks to Bun for the guidance!).

And yes I have been strict...

1/ Ruddy Shelduck is not on the list....despite the fact the two Gav found were wild!! If you don't believe me - look for yourself...

See, both totally wild! Wary, unringed, fully winged, only present for a couple of hours, seen by me, etc...

2/ The Black Stork that stunned Bun and myself on 08/06/07 was 0.4km outside the 5km radius from Axmouth Bridge - which just sucks! As you read this I am drafting a letter to the 'local patch authorities' to see if I can get ours expanded by another half a kilometre!

3/ I have only seen Nightjar on Trinity Hill, again outside the 5km zone

4/ I know I've seen Baird's Sand on the Estuary, on Wednesday 19th May 1999 to be exact - I was 13. I won't go in to details, but it wasn't accepted by BBRC despite four people seeing it, and even hearing it call! But, it got the NP vote so it's not on the list.

Anyway, after all that, my official patch total is.... 238.

But if anyone was to ask me casually whilst in the field, the answers 242 ;-)

So what do I still need (apart from the four mentioned above!). Well my three biggest bogey birds are:

1/ Turtle Dove - and I reckon if I don't get one in the next couple of years I'm stuffed, just as they sadly are.

2/ Puffin - how I've not seen one of these I don't know!

3/ Hen Harrier - I was counting Chaffinches half a field away from Gavin who jammed in to one. From where I was stood, I couldn't see it! And I was at work for the male everyone else saw going to roost on Axe Marsh a year or two later.

The most painful gap on my list is Common Crane. I think I'm the only birder in the world who has ever 'fluffed' a flock of four of these easily identifiable and humongous birds....

....I reached in the car for my bins and yanked them out, but the strap got caught on the handbrake. By the time I'd untangled them, and put them to my eyes, the birds had gone around the corner.... I went to sleep that night thinking 'just what were those four massive large winged grey birds!??'.... the next day, four Common Cranes were on Exminster Marshes. In the words of James May.... oh cock!

On the other hand, I have got some really nice grippers....but no way am I going to list them or go in to any details - wouldn't even dream of it! There is one bird I will extrapolate on though....

"Friday 26th April 1996 - Dad took me and Mr House (a Grammar School music teacher) to the Undercliff tonight. Heard and got good views of a singing Nightingale in the undergrowth near Goat Island"

What is weird is that my life up to age of about 17 is just a blur of immaturity, but this is one night I can remember - and I'm not just saying that! I can see us walking down the steps, waiting, hearing and seeing... and the hazardous walk back in the pitch black! Sadly I think this was the last one ever recorded here.

So there you have it, I am now a 'lister'....

Glonk Makes It 17

This morning I was going to have a gander at the American Robin, after I'd enjoyed a rare lie-in. So up I got at 08:30, saw that the Robin was still there thanks to a couple of received text messages, had breakfast, then headed out the door.... to the sea front!

Yes, for some reason I decided NOT to go to Exminster, but chose to have a look around the patch instead (as per usual!). Am bloody glad I did though, as after a rather uneventful sea watch, I had a look up the Estuary and this was the first Gull flock I came across...

Click on the photo to make it bigger - and see if you can spot the 'odd one out'. If you can't, I'll post directions to the opticians later ;-)

Yes - there sat a stonking first-winter Glaucous Gull! THIS stonking first-winter Glaucous Gull...

OH MY WORD - what a BEAST! Lock up your children - they just aren't safe with this brute around!!

You would not believe how over-joyed I was/am. Glauc is my favourite of all the large Gulls, and it is my biggest 'boggy bird' on my self-found list.... sorry, was! Wryneck now has that accolade.

What made it even better in a 'self-found' context is that this Glauc represents the 17th species of Gull I have found on the Axe since 2007. Hmmmmm, I wonder what will be next... Great Black-headed please :-)

Ian M saw it as it flew out of the Estuary and westwards, but unfortunately no one else got to it. Hopefully it lingers - it is about time we hand one hanging about. These weather conditions yet again prove to be our best for Gulls - blustery winds with some south in it, low cloud and rain.

There's a rather amusing note to add to this find... I first clapped eye on the Glonk through bins whilst sat in the car. In the excitable few moments that followed I jumped out the car without doing something. It was only when I was knelt on the ground looking at the bird through my scope, with one hand leaning on the back of my car that I realised this...

...my car started to roll forward, OH CRAP - handbrake! Luckily, I was able to lean in the open window of the passanger door and pull it up!

As for the American Robin, what a stunning bird it is, check out Karens pics of it HERE! A cracking county record - the first 'confirmed' mainland sighting in fact. Lundy has had all three of the previous Devon birds. If it stays in to next week I will trek over and see it, but I'm not in an urgent rush as I saw the Cornwall bird in 2004. Like this bird, that was a smart thing too!

In fact that was one of my 'top three' twitches of all time, because we also connected with (how's that for 'twitcher jargon'): American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter, Ring-billed Gull, Lesser Yellowlegs, and on the way back, Devon's first Lesser Scaup (which funnily enough was at Exminster Marshes!)

Pigeon Snubbing, A Nice Grebe And Lap Overload!

I poked my head out the front door at 6:30 this morning, and knew instantly it was going to be a good Pigeon day. But any one who knows me will be shocked to hear I spent all morning IGNORING them! Every time I glanced skywards, Wood Pigeon flocks were flying west. Don't ask me how many.... 'cuz I didn't count any of them!

And why this shocking behaviour from me!?? Well I've been longing for a flat calm English Channel to scope over, and this morning I had just that - nothing was going to distract me!

Before dawn, I had a quick check to see if the Long-billed Dowitcher was still with us - it was. I sent a few texts out, then hot-footed it over to Branscombe.

I was here by sun rise, and can prove it too...

That boat has been moored up out there for a few days, seems to have moved on now though

After I took this pic (or the series of pics this pic was in - I should say!) I started scoping the sea. Literally the first bird I saw was a Red-necked Grebe flying head on - RESULT! It kept flying towards the beach, and landed just offshore, though a little to the west of me.

Now, if I was more prepared, I would be posting some stunning digiscoped images of it. But I had left my Nikon in the car, so had to run back for it. When I'd returned, the bird was still there - in fact EVEN closer, but it was now diving constantly, and always re-surfaced where I wasn't expecting it too. ****!

In the end, I gave up, and just took a couple of hand held shots with my Lumix....

The original

Cropped a bit

Cropped a lot - but you can still see what it is!

Soon after I took these snaps it took off and flew west - I didn't follow it all the way though so am not sure how far it went. Red-necked has always been my favourite species of Grebe, and today's view was easily the best I've had of one on patch. Well worth the early start :-)

A Red-throated Diver was the only other bird worthwhile of mention on the sea. There wasn't much more flying over it either, 07:20 - 08:30 gave me:

3 Great Northern Diver E (together)
5 Brent Geese W
4 Shelduck W
4 Common Scoter E
2 Auk sp. E

I had a look around the sewage works after this, and saw two Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest and a Treecreeper. Any other birders planning to visit here, beware of this...

Yes I know, it's only a Pied Wag, but it sounds like a Waxwing! Ok so it doesn't 'trill', but the pitch and quality of its call is just spot on for Waxwing - it stopped me in my tracks when I half-heard it!

My next stop was Axe Cliff, where I continued to ignore Wood Pigeons. I didn't ignore the flocks of Starlings flying over though, just in case there was a real Waxwing in with them!

I had only got to my second field, when a flock of Skylark that had taken off from the next field showed to have a couple of Lapland Buntings in with them! My first on patch this autumn - which is pathetic considering how many have been knocking about the county/country.

After a few minutes of having some distant flight views, they landed back in the same field they had originally come up from. A short while later they were up again, flying around, this time much closer and calling too. At one stage they both flew north past me very low - at which point one showed itself to be a very well marked bird, so presumably a male?

About 15 mins later, I was a couple of fields nearer the coast, and another Lap Bunt (or one of the same?) flew west over calling with half a dozen Skylark. It circled around for a short while before flying back east.

Hopefully they will hang around, and allow some 'on the deck' views.

The Whooper Swan remains, an adult Med Gull was on the Estuary, and after a phone call from Phil early afternoon, I saw a flock of 12 Brent Geese on Colyford Marsh. I counted how many were juv's - but have forgotten! It was either six or seven.

The 'Dowi' has proved very popular, with lots of cars and birders there mid morning. It's a busy and fast road though peeps, so take care. After seeing photos of the Weymouth bird, and talking to someone who saw it, it certainly appears to be the same bird.

So, it's been a a thoroughly enjoyable morning of patch bird for me - in glorious autumnal weather too :-)

I'm Going For The Hat-trick!

This is going to be a brief one, as I want to get up early...

I was scouting around the patch looking for the Grey Phal I had seen fly back and forth over the bay, before gaining height and flying up river at 14:15...

Black Hole Marsh showed pretty much absolutely nothing at all! But my second look of the day over the (semi-permanent) flood opposite Axmouth Football Club was just a little more rewarding!

I had heard that the Weymouth Long-billed Dowitcher had flown off the previous evening, but I REALLY didn't expect it to be anywhere around here! It bloody was!!!!

I was scoping along the waters edge right to left, and came across this Snipe-like wader probing its bill in and out of the grass - FECKING HECK!!!!! My phone kicked in to action and I'm pleased to report most of the locals managed to see it before dark (and Dave H from Chard, who made it down from Taunton in record time!).

It was very dull and gloomy, so really wasn't good for photography. These are my best efforts...

Call and tertial pattern safely eliminated Short-billed, which would have been even better!

It was still present at dusk, and am looking for it early in the morning, hope it sticks.

Other birds in this field today included: 110 Lapwing, 40 Curlew, 22 Teal, 15 Dunlin, two Snipe, one Blackwit and too many Starling! I knew this field would deliver eventually, persistence pays....

The only other sightings I have for today (I was busy up until half 11 - no, not sleeping!) were four Teal and a Common Scoter on the sea off Seaton, four Shoveler and a Green Sand on Colyford Common and an adult Med Gull on the Estuary.

Night all.... :-)

MASSES Of Pigeons....

....probably flew over the patch today...

I was at work from 7am, so saw about 30 in all. But looking HERE and HERE, I'm sure we had many thousands (and least) go over. Bloody typical isn't it - any other day of the week I could just stand there and count them....except Sunday. Flipping hate Sundays.

One more link I want to post - THESE cracking photos of a 'presumed' Thayer's Gull found and photographed by Steve Arlow in Essex.... Now that's what I call a bird - YUMMMMMMMMY :-)

Passage Over Land And Sea

I'll start with this morning's sea watch. There was no quality, but quantity wasn't too bad in conditions that weren't anywhere near as windy and the met office said they would be the night before!

Watching from the Spot On Kiosk 07:30 - 09:00 produced (all west):

7 Common Scoter
1 Red-throated Diver
162 Gannet
109 Kittiwake
2 Common Gull
78 auk sp.
1 Dunlin

The only other bird news I have for today is of the Whooper Swan still opposite Stedcombe Vale and 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 14 Black-tailed Godwits and two Dunlin on the Estuary.

Yesterday I spent much of the day printing off descriptions - highly exciting stuff!

Wednesday though was a good day! I woke up to fairly clear conditions, so went up to Beer Stables and 'vis migged' 07:35 - 09:10. Dark clouds rolled in at about 9 which put a halt to most of the passage.

The highlight was a single Hawfinch over at 08:10; it flew west about 80/100m north of me - the light was perfect which made the bird look simply stunning. As usual for this site, it was only just above hedge-top height. My first during a visible migration watch anywhere ever! I was rather pleased :-)

Wood Pigeons were on the move too. Although they weren't moving in large numbers by any means, it was nice to see flocks of up to 200 flying over the valley and off west. In total I logged 1,290 birds.

Pigeon passage!

Other birds seen during this watch included:

3 Stock Dove
11 Skylark
4 alba Wagtail
15 Meadow Pipit
2 Rock Pipit
1 Redwing
48 Starling
104 Chaffinch
4 Siskin
3 Greenfinch
14 Goldfinch
4 Linnet
2 Yellowhammer
2 Reed Bunting

Won't have much birding time at all this weekend, but I understand we've got some cold weather coming - bring on those Waxwings!

Patch Tick!

This morning the Axe Estuary Ringing Group had a session planned at Colyford Common - at this time of year we net in the crop field and the north end of the reserve. I was there at half seven, and although ringing was never 'busy' - there was always a trickle of birds.

Just as I was closing the ring on a 'new' Cetti's Warbler that we had just caught, these small clumps of reeds...

(known as Fraser's reed bed)

....suddenly came alive with the calls of Bearded Tits! EPIC!

After a bit of scanning, I spied a female/juvenile sat out on top of one of the nearest patches of reeds. Another female/juvenile joined it and they spent the next few minutes flitting between reeds calling to each other. PATCH TICK!!!!

All nine of us managed to see them, and as we were cursing ourselves for deciding NOT to put a net up in the reed bed today, the Beardies took to the air and gained height rapidly. They started heading off north, but turned around and disappeared into the sun south east. Calling all the way.

Now if I hadn't have had a Cetti's Warbler in my hand, then I'm sure I would be posting some photos of them. But I did, so here's a photo of another Tit with a long-tail...

Pity it didn't bring a stripey warbler with it!

Saw plenty of other birds whilst ringing. A couple of Brambling paused briefly in trees, where a Fieldfare 'chaked' from for half an hour or so early on. A few Redwings were knocking around, as were up to ten Reed Buntings. Overhead Skylarks were passing over in good numbers, and a few small flocks of Wood Pigeons totalled c250 birds.

On Colyford Marsh, a low flying Buzzard spooked over 300 Wigeon and 150+ Lapwing. At least four Rock Pipits were on Colyford Common with a Green Sandpiper and a Snipe also noted.

Nice to see plenty of Common Darters still out in the sunshine, and a female Migrant Hawker.

For some unknown reason, I put a moth trap out last night! I really shouldn't have bothered as this morning I had only one moth to look at....a worn Large Yellow Underwing.

I'll end this post with a couple of photos I forgot I took! They were taken during my second unsucessful search for Lap Bunt at Axe Cliff sometime last week...

Now that's what I call a Bunting!