Dave`s Diary

WEDNESDAY 29th SEPTEMBER . 2004

The news of a CREAM-COLOURED COURSER on the Scilly Isle`s ! had Ernie Davis , Mark Bailey , Brian Heasman & Myself catching the early Helicopter in hope that we would see it .
But we were out of luck as we looked all day for it with no joy , there was not a lot of other birds around either , I only saw a LITTLE STINT , a WHITE WAGTAIL
a few WILLOW WARBLER`S & CHIFFCHAFFS & a very nice LAPLAND BUNTING .

LITTLE STINT . St AGNES . SCILLY ISLES . 29 / 9 / 2004

LAPLAND BUNTING . St AGNES . SCILLY ISLES . 29 / 9 / 2004

Back on St Mary`s there were 3 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER`S up on the golf course .
And at the Longstone Cafe they had this Deathshead Hawkmoth on view untill the evening .

DEATHSHEAD HAWKMOTH . LONGSTONE CAFE . ST MARY`S . SCILLY ISLE`S 29 / 9 / 2004

MONDAY 27th SEPTEMBER . 2004

Today I went down to Slapton Ley in South Devon to look for the SNOW BUNTING that was there yesterday .
I was in luck & found it on the beach & it stayed put allowing me time to get these shots of it .
Also on the Ley were 15 POCHARD & a Female RUDDY DUCK & 8 GREAT CRESTED GREBE .
In the bushes around the Ley were 2 CETTI `S WARBLER .

SNOW BUNTING . SLAPTON BEACH . DEVON . 27 / 9 / 2004

I then decided to go for a look at Start Farm & Point , in the farm it was dead with 2 GOLDCREST & a CHIFFCHAFF only. On to the Point where my luck changed ! I had gone in hope of maybe a WRYNECK being around , but all I found at first was a WHINCHAT & 6 STONECHAT then 2 RAVEN flew over calling & then I found a light phase HONEY BUZZARD that slowly drifted over the point & flew on towards Prawle Point & I then finished up with this WHIMBREL .

WHIMBREL . START POINT . DEVON . 27 / 9 / 2004

Butterflies seen at the point were a Painted Lady , 2 Clouded Yellow & 2 Small Copper .

SMALL COPPER . START POINT . DEVON . 27 / 9 / 2004

Next stop was at prawle point where I had a TAWNY OWL fly over the road & into the reserve at 1.35 pm
Also seen at the point were 8 CIRL BUNTING & 1 YELLOWHAMMER & a fly over RAVEN .

FRIDAY 24th SEPTEMBER . 2004

Today at Bowling Green Marsh the SPOTTED CRAKE was showing very well & beside it was an Adult WATER RAIL .
The only other birds of note was this PEREGRINE FALCON that was sat in one of the dead trees , also seen were 2 Male & 1 Female GADWALL , 2 LITTLE GREBE & 6 GREENSHANK .

PEREGRINE FALCON . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 24 / 9 / 2004

SPOTTED CRAKE . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 24 / 9 / 2004

MONDAY 20th SEPTEMBER . 2004

A look down on my local patch at Bowling Green Marsh proved to be a wise decision as I found a GREAT WHITE EGRET flying over the Marsh .
It came from over the railway line & over the left hand side of the Marsh before flying out over the River Clyst , I then went down to the viewing platform that looks out over the Clyst but the tide was right in so there was no sign of the bird again , but as the tide was in in may have flown over to Powderham Park !
who knows ?
The SPOTTED CRAKE is still showing quite well at times & there was also 6 WHIMBREL , 6 LITTLE GREBE & a KNOT .
Also seen on the Marsh today was a GREY WAGTAIL a bird that we dont see very often on here .

SUNDAY 19th SEPTEMBER . 2004

These RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE were in a flock of 20+ just outside of Exeter at Kenn , I saw about 30 at the same site yesterday so today I went out again to see if I could get any photo`s & managed to get these 2 shots , there was also a WHITETHROAT at the same site .
At Bowling Green Marsh the SPOTTED CRAKE showed well again today & there was also a KNOT , a few WHIMBREL & a COMMON SANDPIPER .

RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE . Nr KENN . DEVON . 19 / 9 / 2004

WEDNESDAY 15th SEPTEMBER . 2004

Today I went down to Dawlish Warren to look for the ROSE-COLOURED STARLING that has been seen down there .
At first I couldn`t see it , then Mark Bailey turned up & we found it in the dune`s behind the car park , it then flew to the bushes around the car park & showed very well .
Also seen were 6 STONECHAT & a WHEATEAR & there were about 8 SWALLOW flying around the golf course .
Up in the bay by the hide there were 2 LITTLE STINT .

ROSE-COLOURED STARLING . DAWLISH WARREN . DEVON . 15 / 9 / 2004

Later on I went down to Bowling Green Marsh & had the SPOTTED CRAKE again , only this time it was in the reed bed under the railway line .
Also seen was a COMMON SANDPIPER & Male & Female BLACKCAP .

SPOTTED CRAKE . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 15 / 9 / 2004

MONDAY 13th SEPTEMBER . 2004

Another sea watching session off of Berry Head in South Devon , but this time it turned out to be a good one .
Lingering out in the bay were about 350 feeding GANNET & these attracted quite a lot of skua`s , & during the mornings watch we had 40+ ARCTIC SKUA , 9 GREAT SKUA , 3 POMERINE SKUA , & a juvenile LONG-TAILED SKUA .
Seen as well were single MANX , BALEARIC & SOOTY SHEARWATER`S
And in close was this RAZORBILL
Also seen were RAVEN , WHEATEAR , & PEREGRINE FALCON .

RAZORBILL . OFF BERRY HEAD . DEVON . 13 / 9 / 2004

FRIDAY 10th SEPTEMBER . 2004

A phone call from Matt Knott telling me that there was a SPOTTED CRAKE on Bowling Green Marsh soon had me dashing off down there in hope that I would see it .
On arrival the bird wasn`t on show ! but after about 5 minutes it came out from the reed bed on the left hand side of the Marsh .
As once again the bird was very distant I could only manage to get these record shots of it .
Seen on the Marsh also were 17 LITTLE EGRET , 6 BAR TAILED GODWIT a KNOT & a RUFF .

SPOTTED CRAKE . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 10 / 9 / 2004

WEDNESDAY . 8th SEPTEMBER . 2004

A trip down to Dawlish Warren today to see if I could see any of the reported LITTLE STINT .
As soon as I got to Warren Point I picked up one of them , & then got some more & in the end I ended up seeing six , a very good count for here .
While looking at the LITTLE STINT`S a juvenile CURLEW SANDPIPER flew in & landed with them .
There were also numerous DUNLIN & RINGED PLOVER & one LITTLE EGRET .
On the way back out there were some Autumn Lady`s Tresses still in flower .

LITTLE STINT . DAWLISH WARREN . DEVON . 8 / 9 / 2004

CURLEW SANDPIPER . DAWLISH WARREN . DEVON . 8 / 9 / 2004

THURSDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER . 2004

This morning the OSPREY was sat on its favourite tree near Powderham Corner Devon .
In the afternoon I went for a look at Bowling Green Marsh Topsham , not exspecting a lot ! as the tide was well out .
But i did see a Female SPARROWHAWK , 2 STOCK DOVE , LITTLE EGRET , GREENSHANK & this pair of GADWALL .

GADWALL . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 2 / 9 / 2004

WEDNESDAY Ist SEPTEMBER . 2004

An early morning trip down to Exton Station on the Exe Estuary Devon , to see if the OSPREY was on its normal tree on the other side of the Estuary but it wasn`t there today .
From the Station I picked up a COMMON SANDPIPER , 2 GREENSHANK ,
3 SANDWICH TERN & a COMMON KINGFISHER that flew up the Estuary towards the River Clyst .
I then visited Bowling Green Marsh were there were 11 LITTLE EGRET , 6 WHIMBREL & 3 KNOT .
I then had this Adult Male SPARROWHAWK that flew out of the Marsh & landed in the trees on the edge of Riversmeet House .

SPARROWHAWK . RIVERSMEET HOUSE . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 1 / 9 / 2004