Off Patch Antics

I tried again for the Spotted Sandpiper at Lyme this morning, and scored! It was on the lower rocks just east of the mouth of the Lim. It could have been a lot closer, but I had to make do...

So should be on our patch!

And here's a quick video...

Looks so out of place!

After this, a look around the patch showed very little new. Although it was nice to see this huge flock of Fieldfares, Redwings and Starlings near Axmouth...

If you enlarge this photo, you will see all the dots on the tree tops - and they are all birds!

I then spent the rest of my day with my head buried in my laptop - it just had to be done!

Yesterday, I enjoyed a splendid day with Pat around his patch - Prawle Point. He really is the 'guru' of patch birders! Here on the Axe, we can pop out for a swift look along the Estuary, and return home within the hour to enjoy tea and cakes.... When Pat steps out the door, he's gone for at least ten hours (17 in the summer!).

Don't jump - there will be another Dartford Warbler this year I'm sure!

Although it was a quiet day for birds, it's easy to see why Pat makes the effort - what a place, just oooozing with potential. It's been proved too, with the tremendous list of birds that this place boasts.

The scenery ain't bad either...

Looking west and east

And the sunrise was rather nice...

Morning :-)

The best of what we did see were three Water Pipits (on a beach - not typical Water Pipit habitat - apparantly!), a Brambling (although we didn't actually see it), and for me anyway, about a hundred of these...

Easy to take these for granted down here, they are literally everywhere!

Sadly it really did and does feel like autumn is over though...

That Black Red

There will be a much longer post later today, with my exploits of the last few days. But I've just had a look on bird forum, where Roger Boswell has posted a much better photo of the Black Red I photographed the other day at Lyme Regis....

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=357580&d=1321811849

It really does have quite a russet-looking belly!

Its clearly a 1st winter bird, presumably a male. Is it one of the less obvious (female-type male) phoenicuroides, a hybrid, or just an 'odd looking' bog standard Black Red!? Discuss.....

Frustration...

Yesterday wasn't a good day! The Desert Wheatear that was meant to land on Seaton beach, didn't - and a Spotted Sandpiper well and truly stuck two primaries up at us as it was feeding on the rocks at Lyme Regis (and looks like it has been for several weeks!). Let's just hope the Spotted Sand does what none of the wintering Purple Sandpipers ever have...

The best yesterday had to offer me was this...

A Black Swan with the Stedcombe Mute flock - still present today. Oh dear!

Today I had just over an hour out this morning, this is when the real frustration came! Whilst walking through the boats at Axe Yacht Club I glimpsed a Wheatear....

Shortly after I spotted it perched up in full view....

And....

It.....

Was....

A....

Bloody Northern Wheatear. Bugger.

You ****!

The Brents and Greylags were still on Colyford Marsh, and there were at least 24 Dunlin on the Estuary.

This afternoon I had a gig in Lyme Regis, so I headed over a little earlier to get an eye full of this Spot Sand. It's a well known fact I am the worst twitcher, and five minutes before I got there it flew off over to the end of the Cobb, and I didn't have time to walk round and see it.

Oh well, a stonking male Black Redstart was nice compensation though...

Stunner!

After the gig I had another look, despite the fact it was getting on for dusk. The Spot Sand hadn't come back, but there was now a female-type Black Red on the rocks...

It was dark so these pics are a bit shabby!

Is it my eyes or does the lower pic make the bird look like it has a rusty breast/belly? I have to say I didn't notice it in the field, so I presume it is something to do with the dreadful light, and nothing to do with the fact it could have come from a long way east!

I'm a bit concerned by the urges I felt today to go to Chew Valley Lake. Maybe if I look at this photo of Lyme Regis at dusk for a bit it might sort me out...

A Much Needed Patch Update

Well I've got a few days to talk about in this post. And because today has produced the best bird, I'll start here and work backwards....

Thursday 17th

It was a non birding morning for me today, well pretty much a non birding day. But at about 10am I had a phone call from Ian Mc, he had a wader on Colyford Scrape from the hide that was ringing alarm bells. An hour later when I was almost available to twitch it, I found out it had yellow legs - but had flown off.... FLIPPING HECK!

At half 11 I was back on patch, and Gav had seen it and was convinced it was a Temminck's - Devon's first November record I believe. By the time I had got to Colyford hide all the key features had been seen.

Don't get me wrong, it is a cracking bird, with bright yellow legs, and a proper patch rarity - only our second ever. But a yellow legged stint in mid November, after the autumn that the UK has had, just a bit gutting....

Cracking bird like I said though - mustn't be ungrateful!

It's with a Lapwing flock rather oddly, and every time the birds on the scrape were flushed by a Peregrine, it always flew around with them before returning to the scrape.

Wednesday 16th

With a whole load of Desert Wheatears turning up in the UK the previous day (including a corker my mate Dave tripped over on Skomer - lucky bugger!), I just HAD to walk this first thing in the morning...

What wonderful Desert Wheatear habbo!

I walked the whole of the beach! At the very start of the walk I saw these two crackers...

Just a pity the sun didn't come out for me!

And by the end of the slog - that was still all I had seen! Oh well, it had to be done.

I then had a quick look up the estuary, and was excited when my eyes could see about seven brown blobs on Bridge Marsh...

Ooohhhh - grey geese!

Bugger it - they were Greylags! There were still 12 Brent Geese on Colyford Marsh, and about a billion Canade Geese.....well about 70!

Tuesday 15th

Today was the day I did the dirty on the patch (see my previous post!), but not until I had given the Beer Cemetery Fields a good look...

There was very little grounded, it was in the air where of the action was happening. With the south easterly wind, all vis mig was heading that way - including loads of Wood Pigeons! In just over an hour I counted 17,600...

It was quite a spectacle!

Also overhead my first Brambling of the autumn, 20 Redwing, two Fieldfare and a Mistle Thrush.

Monday 14th

I put lots of leg work in with very little to show for it, despite a couple of flocks of Redwings flying low over the house soon after dawn. My first stop was Lower Bruckland Ponds, where the previous day James Mc had seen a very grey Chiffchaff.

I had seen bugger all, and was just heading back to the car, when I could hear a tristis-type Chiff calling. It was very elusive, and I didn't get enough on it to 'tick off' all the important plumage features, but it was very grey indeed with not a hint of yellow or green. Although you wouldn't know that from the only photo I took of it...

You can barely see it I know!

As I said though, it sounded spot on - nothing like the other calling greenish Chiff that was present.

The best the river offered was a Knot with the Blackwits off Coronation Corner...

Yes another awful photo!

When I pulled up to check the Swan flock near Boshill Cross, they all took off. That was because of this...

After some dinner!

The weekend as usual was a birding free zone for me, although on the way to Kilmington on Saturday afternoon I saw a nice flock of 60+ Fieldfare near Whitford bridge.

And that's that. Hopefully I will keep on top of blogging for the remainder of the autumn. Yes - I still think there is more this autumn has to offer...

The Exe Red-breasted Goose

Apologies for the lack of recent updates, I have been out and about on patch when I've had chance. Before I headed over to the Exe yesterday I had a few hours out on patch which were rather productive, I will get up to date with my on patch sightings in another post, but this post will be all about a certain Goose...

I actually think this is as good as a Red-breasted Goose can get, especially if it proves to be the recent Dorset bird. And this is why I wanted to see it! I've been fortunate to see Dave Land's excellent photos of this bird, and when comparing them with photos of the Dorset bird (in my opinion) there seemed to be a few anomalies. So I wanted to see what it looked like in real life!

This was rather easy, as when we rolled into Darts Farm we could immediately see the Brent flock...

And very quickly found the bird...

There's no denying it is a cracking looking beast!

So did seeing it in 'real life' help? Well yes and no.....

To me, most things match the Dorset bird. The head pattern and coverts I think look ok, but the flank barring is undoubtedly different...

Now compare it to these (miles better) pics taken at Stanpit Marsh and Portland...

http://www.chog.org.uk/Rarer%20Species%20Photos/Red-breasted%20Goose.htm

http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/latest_oct2011.htm

I think the left side isn't too dissimilar, but the right side does look strikingly different. But then I got thinking again....

The CHOG photos (without doubt the best) were taken almost a month ago, and surely the time difference may account for this plumage difference? Feather wear, maybe feather growth and certainly feather loss has to be taken into account - especially as it apparently got regularly beaten up by Brents at Stanpit!

So at the end of this post I can conclude that I'm not totally sure either way - although personally I 'think' it is the same bird. Forgetting about any plumage 'glitches', the movements of the Dorset bird, and the timings are massively in its favour. I know (at least some of) the CHOG boys, and the finder of it on the Fleet have it down as the same bird.

The ultimate conclusion though is that I do not think anyone can say this is 100% the same bird, but at the same time, no one can say it 100% isn't the same bird. Us birders, well actually all humans in general, like to think we can solve, resolve and conclude beyond doubt. Well in this case, I don't think we can.... So it's over to the BBRC!

Normal 'on patch birding news' blogging will be resumed within the next few days I promise....

White-rumped Sand Pics

No time for any birding today - but I have just about got time to post two photos that have recently dropped into my inbox.

The first picture was taken by Ian McLean. I have tweaked with the light levels a little, but it is the best photo I've seen of the White-rumped Sandpiper...

Isn't it fab - what a bird!

And this picture, taken by Sue Smith, although not pin sharp (which can be understood due to the light levels, the distance, and the fact the bird was flying!), shows well the single most important feature of this species...

So aptly named!

Many thanks to both Ian and Sue for sending me these pics - and I hope you don't mind me posting them up here :-)

Not A Wet One!

I didn't set my alarm this morning, as a check of all the weather sites and forecasts late last night said this morning was going to be a wash out! Not so.....

I got up just after 8am, and was shocked when I looked out the window to see high cloud, some blue sky and next to no wind! Argggggh!

There was a ringing session planned this morning for Colyford Common, which the night before I presumed would be cancelled. So I went here first but couldn't see any ringing activity around the crop field/north end of the common (this is where our late autumn sessions are held), so I assumed it was called off!

It was still worthwhile coming here though. On the common five Rock Pipits were feeding, with a Chiffchaff in nearby trees and overhead a flock of seven Crossbills flew east. I was surprised how few there were though, as when I first heard them it sounded like there were literally hundreds in the air! On Colyford Marsh, the Brent flock has increased by one to eleven birds - eight of these being juvs...

Geese on Colyford Marsh are always a nice sight - even the 70 odd Canadas!

At Lower Bruckland Ponds, the Cetti's Warbler was still singing away on the lower pond. There wasn't much else here - although a Wren gave me a fright as it did a bit of a weird call once or twice, which sounded uncannily like a Pallas's!

On the sea front, I trudged out to see the Snow Buntings, and both were still there showing very well...

What cracking birds!

Another video!

Whilst walking back to the car from the Buntings, I noticed a familiar shape...

About time!

Long overdue this autumn - a Black Redstart

Back at the car, and there was a funny sight waiting for me....

This Pied Wag obviously doesn't like its reflection!

Actually I'm surprised it could see its reflection considering how dirty my windows are!

It was even funnier when it was attacking my windscreen, because it would get so far up before slipping back down again!

I was on the sea front again a little later in the morning, and just as Karen pulled up to say hello I clocked six large birds heading south towards us. They were Greylag Geese, and flew right over our heads and surprisingly continued on a direct line south out to sea! Next stop France...

A good record for the patch - although Cranes would have been much preferred!

A Wet One

It really is - and windy too! I couldn't muster the enthusiasm for a sea watch though, and have been doing my usual whizzing backwards and forwards checking as many places as possible!

First of all the 'hangers on', and the two lovely Snow Buntings were still at Axe Yacht Club. They were still showing very well in exactly the same place despite the awful weather. I couldn't see the White-rumped Sandpiper today, but judging by how elusive it was yesterday it could well still be with us.

I had a bit of a fright again this morning when I looked over part of the Tesco site...

Oooooohhhhh, I recognise that shape.....

Although I saw a (Northern) Wheatear here in exactly the same place a couple of days ago, I still noticed 'the shakes' creeping in as I reached down to my bins..

As I raised my bins to my eyes, I was picturing the cold plumaged Pied Wheatear I was about to get an eye-full of........

....BUGGER!

Oh well - that's one for another day!

Ten Brent Geese (first seen last night) were on Colyford Marsh this morning, and looked very nice huddled together in a tight flock. It was hard to make each bird out, but at least five were juvs.

An early afternoon sweep of the Estuary showed good numbers of gulls, including two colour-ringed Great Black-backs and two lovely Med Gulls...

Second winter and adult

I'm working at 4 today, but am hoping to have another look through the gulls before I start. If I find something decent, expect another blog post later...(always hopeful!)...

The Beach Walk Pays Off

Not the Desert Wheatear I was hoping for, but nevertheless, these two Snow Buntings were a joy to stumble upon at Axe Yacht Club at about 7:45 this morning. This is the patch's fourth record of this species, but the first record of more than one bird...

As you can see - one of them (pictured alone in the lower photo) is a stonking male!

A short video clip

Funnily enough, I found these shortly after ending a phonecall with James Mc - bizzarely similar to my Axe Cliff Lap Bunt a few weeks back!

Talking of James, he just about had time to see these two beauts this morning before he had to start work. Here he is showing the typical plumage of a pre-work birder...

Smart trousers, a nice shirt - basically totally over dressed for birding, except the wellies!

I have also got a video of him legging it back to the car when he realised his time was running out, but I won't post that on here don't worry mate ;-)

I haven't seen much else today. The Beer Cem fields showed a Chiffchaff, two Redwing and just two Mipits, four Brent Geese were sat on the sea (slowly heading east), and an adult Med Gull and four Barwits were on the Estuary.

A couple of sightings I forgot to mention in yesterday's post, with all the excitment, included a Red-throated Diver over the sea and a Cetti's Warbler calling along the southern edge of Black Hole Marsh.

A Lifer On Patch!

I spent a lot of time out this morning, and covered a lot of areas. It started with five of us watching over Colyford Marsh soon after dawn hoping for last night's probable Rough-legged Buzzard - but nothing (and no pale Buzzards either!).

The best Lower Bruckland offered was a Chiffchaff, I walked almost all of Seaton beach which showed nothing, and when I did have a fright when a Wheatear appeared on the Tesco building site...I was immediately disappointed cuz it was just a Wheatear! So I was going to sum up my birding day with this photo...

A dead fish!

But then I had an early afternoon sweep of the Estuary....

I was scoping through the gulls which were resting north of Coronation Corner, and soon came across a nice adult Med Gull. I continued scanning up the river, and noticed a couple of small waders feeding in amongst the gull flock. I zoomed in and was immediately struck by an attenuated rear end! A look at the shape of the rest of the bird got my heart rate going - it must be a Baird's/White-rumped!!!

I ran from my car, and scoped it from the side of the Estuary just north of Coronation Corner. It was distant, but thankfully with a Dunlin. The different feeding action, shorter bill, and the whole shape of the bird prompted me to start making phone calls. This distance meant I could see very few plumage features - just that its mantle wasn't plain and it looked overall darker than the Dunlin, with some facial markings. Although I've never seen White-rumped Sand before, this is what it 'felt like' to me...

Ian Mc and Karen soon joined me, and they both agreed with my observations. It soon became much harder to view as it continued to walk even further up river, so Ian and I sped round to the Black Hole Marsh car park, where Gav met us. Many thanks to Karen for staying on the bird for us.

We promptly pegged it to the hide, and thankfully it was still there....a (we think an adult in mostly summer plumage) White-rumped Sandpiper! Although it did take a good 15 mins 'til it actually showed us its rump!

The light was 'flat' but good, and the views excellent of this stunning bird, but all my photos have turned out totally and utterly pants! This is the best I have...

It does kinda shows face pattern, mantle, streaks on upper breast and flanks, bill and body shape

I don't know why and how I have never seen this species before. I guess it's one of the birds I've just not been near, and thought never warranted twitching as I knew I'd bump into one one day. Funnily enough this autumn I was a day away from twitching the Davidstow bird, but it 'did a bunk!' I've been waiting for another 'nearish' one to appear - I was right to wait! :-)

A Frustrating Weekend!

Have had almost zero time for birding this weekend, I'm a fool for agreeing to work 13 days straight!!

Yesterday I have nothing worth writing about - so I won't, but then there's today...

I was at work from 7am, and it was soon obvious even from my sporadic forays into the back yard that Wood Pigeons were streaming over! I probably only saw a couple of thousand, but as I was inside for 90% of the morning I can only offer a rough estimate of the total for Seaton today, about two billion.... it's been a long day!

Now there has been a bit of talk recently (well a couple of weeks ago) on the Devon blog about what you put flyover Redpolls down as. Well personally I've always been quite confident calling them Lesser Redpolls, although when I put my records in they do go down as Redpoll sp., I'm not that confident!

Anyway, I've brought this up because this morning I really did have a Redpoll sp.! It was uttering the usual standard Redpoll flight call, except that it was deeper, and just sounded 'different'. This is the first one I've heard like this down here in Devon, and I have seen/heard a heck of a lot of fly over (Lesser) Redpolls (sp.)! Obviously there's nothing at all I can do with it, I just found it very interesting - I'm sure noone else has!

So all day I was desperate to get out - I felt the patch had so much to offer! Clocking off time came, and I went to Seaton Marshes for the last half hour of the day...now I kinda wish I didn't! (unless there's a patch first for us to all see in the morning!). Whilst walking around the Borrow Pit, at 16:55 I see a fairly high flying large raptor cruising north east. It was already past me and always heading away. This is how my brain went..

"oh look there's a pale Buzzard...
there's some dark marking on the belly though...
I should keep watching this...
oh its really distant now I will just have to forget about it...
oh I might see its uppertail when it comes down in front of that distant hill...
OH SH*T!!!!
oh bugger it's dropped out of sight, run Steve run, see if you can still see it from another vantage point...
drat I've lost it, best send some texts out..."

And why did my brain do that and make me run - because its uppertail was gleaming white!!

When I saw its uppertail it was a long long way away, and I only had my bins, plus it was almost dusk - but the white still shone out like a beacon! And there was lots of it too, more than half the tail.

Well will just have to wait and see. As I said it was nearly dark, so whatever it was I'm sure it hasn't gone far - but I didn't get anything structural on it, so it could well just be a weirdo Buzzard. Hopefully we will see tomorrow....

As this is my first post for a while, I should also sum up my birding. Since Nov 1st I've made two trips to the Beer Cemetery Fields. Both times I've seen five species of thrushes, the first visit on the 1st day of the month showed 5 Mistle, 3 Fieldfare, 2 Redwing and good numbers of Blackbirds and Song Thrush, and a visit there on Friday just gone showed 10 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle and even better numbers Song Thrushes and Blackbirds.

Also on Friday, a Spotted Redshank was on the river north of Corination Corner - let's hope this bird is going to over winter with us! Also an adult Med Gull, my first since the start of the week.

In a last ditch attempt to save this from being a photo-less post, a few hours of ringing during last week in the garden didn't catch me much, but I did catch one of these...

A flock of a few thousand is an amazing spectacle, but they are so much fun to handle too!