August 31, 2004
MONDAY 30th AUGUST . 2004
Up early today & over to Powderham Corner on the Exe Estuary .
I was there to see if i could get the OSPREY on the dead tree it seems to favour , as soon as I got there i picked it up on the tree , so I decided to walk on a bit closer to see if I could get a photo of it .
But when I looked back again at the tree it had vanished , so i watched the Exe Estuary for about an hour but couldn`t see it again .
But I did see 3 SANDWICH TERN , a GREY WAGTAIL & 2 COMMON SEAL were in close to the shore .
I then went over to Topsham & had a look at Bowling Green Marsh , there were 3 KNOT , 4 WHIMBREL & a COMMON SANDPIPER in with the masses of CURLEW & BLACK TAILED GODWIT .
There was also 15 LITTLE EGRET in the trees , & in the reeds there was a skulking FOX .
Down at Riversmeet House there was a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER & a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER.
I had a phonecall from Brian Heasman telling me that the OSPREY was fishing out over the Exe Estuary , a quick walk soon had me looking at it fishing , & i was able to get this shot of it , wish i could have got better !
While standing on the Goatwalk at Topsham watching the OSPREY fishing , this KNOT flew in & landed & started to feed by the Rivers edge .
August 29, 2004
SATURDAY 28th AUGUST . 2004
On Bowling Green Marsh today there were a few waders on view with 150+ BLACK TAILED GODWIT , 3 WHIMBREL , 3 KNOT in partial summer plumage were very nice .
A SPOTTED REDSHANK was in with the flock of REDSHANK & GREENSHANK , there was also a COMMON SANDPIPER & this RUFF .
A few SWALLOW & SAND MARTIN flew up & down the marsh & 25 LITTLE EGRET sat in one tree .
August 26, 2004
THURSDAY 26th AUGUST . 2004
The bird of the day today ! was a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER in Riversmeet House Topsham .
On the River Clyst Estuary today there were 3 GREY PLOVER looking splendid in their Summer Plumage .
There were also 15 LITTLE EGRET , a GREY HERON , 4 WHIMBREL , 15 OYSTERCATCHER & a RUFF , but no sign today of yesterdays OSPREY .
August 25, 2004
WEDNESDAY 25th AUGUST . 2004
At Exwick on the outskirts of Exeter there were a half a dozen COMMON SWIFT the first one`s that I have seen for a while .
I then went down the Exe Estuary for a look off of Exton Station , I had a lone LITTLE EGRET & a GREY HERON but then picked up the OSPREY that has been feeding in the Estuary for a few days .
I had the bird very distantly last Monday ! so it was good to get better views of it today .
In the evening I decided to go for a look at the Gull roost on the Exe Estuary at Topsham Recreation Ground , there were about 10 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL , 5 COMMON GULL & a MEDITERRANIAN GULL in with about 500+ BLACK HEADED GULL .
There were also 3 LITTLE EGRET & 2 COMMON SANDPIPER
MEDITERRANIAN GULL . EXE ESTUARY . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 25 / 8 / 2004
August 22, 2004
SUNDAY 22nd AUGUST . 2004
Another try for a sea watch at Berry Head Devon . but the forcasted bad weather & high winds turned out to be wrong ! as it was light winds & good weather that we got .
So not many birds seen today ! there were a few NORTHERN GANNET & FULMAR going through , 3 ARCTIC SKUA , 1 GREAT SKUA & 2 BALEARIC SHEARWATER slowly drifted through , we also had 1 RAZORBILL & 2 GUILLEMOT & that was about it .
On the walk back up the hill away from the point we saw a few Butterflies , about 6 WALL BROWN , 5 PAINTED LADY , 2 COMMON BLUE & a very nice HUMMINGBIRD HAWKMOTH the first time that I have seen one in Devon .
August 19, 2004
WEDNESDAY 18th AUGUST . 2004
A few hours spent down at Berry Head Devon , doing a sea watch turned out not bad at all
On the walk down to the point there were 4 WHEATEAR a COMMON BUZZARD & Half a Dozen PAINTED LADY butterflies
Once down at the point & settled down for the sea watching session , the first thing picked up were numerous GANNET & KITTIWAKE streaming through & quite a few FULMAR , we then had a total off 9 GREAT SKUA , 2 Light phase & 1 Dark phase ARCTIC SKUA , 15 MANX SHEARWATER , 2 BALEARIC SHEARWATER & 1 very pleasing SOOTY SHEARWATER & about 25 GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL in the area .
August 15, 2004
SUNDAY 15 AUGUST . 2004
On Bowling Green Marsh this evening the only thing of difference was a female RUFF .
Other birds on show included 3 COMMON SANDPIPER about 25 GREENSHANK & 25 LITTLE EGRET , the LITTLE GREBE had exspanded to 4
Wilsfowl have started to trickle back with a WIGEON , SHOVELER & 6 TEAL on show today
August 13, 2004
FRIDAY 13th AUGUST . 2004
This RED BREASTED GOOSE was on show on Bowling Green Marsh today !!!!
It has been around on & off for a long while now , it has obviously escaped from some collection but still a nice bird to see
On the marsh as well there were 2 Albino EGYPTION GEESE there were no other birds as the RSPB were out on the marsh in a JCB doing some work .
Hawking over the water were the usual SAND MARTIN , HOUSE MARTIN & SWALLOW .
The LITTLE GREBE have been left with only the one chick , but this one seems to be doing fine .
LITTLE GREBE . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 13 / 8 / 2004
August 12, 2004
THURSDAY 12th AUGUST . 2004
On Bowling Green Marsh today there was quite a selection of waders on view , these included the WOOD SANDPIPER who had decided to come across to the near side of the marsh , giving me the opportunity to get these 2 shots .
There were also 4 GREEN SANDPIPER , 2 COMMON SANDPIPER , 2 RINGED PLOVER & a TURNSTONE .
The normal birds on the marsh today were as follows .
15 LITTLE EGRET
2 LITTLE GREBE
1 COMMON SNIPE
30+ GREENSHANK
20+ DUNLIN
And a fox hidden in the reeds waiting for its next snack !
WOOD SANDPIPER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 12 / 8 / 2004
August 11, 2004
WEDNESDAY 11th AUGUST . 2004
Today I decided to go for a look down at my local patch Bowling Green Marsh to see if the WOOD SANDPIPER was on view again .
I soon got on to the bird but it was on the far side of the marsh , & as anyone knows who has birded here the birds are very distant , I managed to get these shots of the bird , but would have liked better .
I also had views of 20+ GREENSHANK a SPOTTED REDSHANK , LITTLE GREBE & 15 LITTLE EGRET.
Then a juvenile BLACK TERN came into the marsh from the River Clyst it dropped in & had a quick wash & then flew off again , in all it was only on the Marsh for about a minute , but still good to see it .
WOOD SANDPIPER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 11 / 8 / 2004
August 9, 2004
MONDAY 9th AUGUST . 2004
I got an early phone call this morning telling me that there was a WOOD SANDPIPER down at Bowling Green Marsh , Topsham , and as i live in Topsham i got down there pretty quick .
I arrived just in time to see it fly off ! it landed again on the marsh , but we spent quite a while looking for it but couldn`t see it again .
But there were a few other birds on view these included .
17 LITTLE EGRET , LITTLE GREBE , 3 COMMON SANDPIPER , 2 COMMON BUZZARD a JAY & a SEDGE WARBLER .
There were numerous HOUSE & SAND MARTIN & SWALLOW also .
August 8, 2004
SATURDAY 7th AUGUST . 2004
A late message telling me that there was a BLACK TERN showing well in Exeter had me making a late dash to see if i could see it .
In luck it was still there slowly flying up & down the River Exe at Trews Weir , l was able to get this shot of it which was pleasing as it was another new bird on my Bird Photographed list .
Down in this part of the world it is unusual to get BLACK TERN inland so the opportunity was gratefully taken .
A GREY WAGTAIL & 3 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL were at the site as well .
August 4, 2004
WEDNESDAY 4th AUGUST . 2004
A look down at Bowling Green Marsh , Topsham didn`t turn up anything exciting today there were about 15 LITTLE EGRET , 35 GREENSHANK , 12 DUNLIN , 26 WHIMBREL a COMMON SANDPIPER & a LITTLE GREBE .
The only thing different on the marsh today were 3 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULLS .
GATEKEEPER BUTTERFLY .TOPSHAM . DEVON . 4/8/2004
Butterflies seen in Topsham Devon today included many GATEKEEPERS , RED ADMIRAL & SMALL WHITE .
 17 SUNHILL AVENUE TOPSHAM DEVON.JPG)
August 2, 2004
MONDAY 2nd AUGUST . 2004
Up & out early again this morning , First stop the viewing platform on Bowling Green Marsh that overlooks the Clyst Estuary .
In luck this morning with 2 SPOONBILL on the near side of the Estuary but they both flew off out of sight .
On Bowling Green Marsh today there were 35 LITTLE EGRET & a COMMON SANDPIPER , but the sunshine was very bright making it hard to see much , so Matt Knot & I decided to go down to Orcombe Point Exmouth to do a seawatch , on arrival there were lot of GANNET & KITTIWAKE in close , & about 20+ SANDWICH TERN & 10 COMMON TERN .
We then had 2 GREAT SKUA then another 4 showed up & we had the 6 together chaseing the terns .
Other birds seen were as follows a juv LITTLE GULL & a 1st Summer MEDITERRANIAN GULL , 2 MANX SHEARWATER & about 10 COMMON SCOTER & 5 LITTLE EGRET in off the sea .
SUNDAY 1st AUGUST . 2004
BOWLING GREEN MARSH , TOPSHAM , DEVON .
Up early for a look at the Marsh , not to many birds around but counts of 20+ WHIMBREL & CURLEW , 55 GREENSHANK , 6 DUNLIN , COMMON SNIPE & LITTLE GREBE was ok .
1 COMMON SANDPIPER & 2 GREEN SANDPIPER also showed well .
There was also 25 LITTLE EGRET sat in one tree on the edge of the marsh , the photo shows some of them .
My how these birds have built up in numbers since i twitched my first on the Teign Estuary back in 87 .
I then drove over to Matford pools Exeter for a quick look , the only birds of note were 3 more GREEN SANDPIPER , a COMMON BUZZARD & a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER .
In the evening i went for a look around the Clyst Marshes area & had a male STONECHAT a BARN OWL & a FOX out hunting just before sunset .