May 26, 2005
MAY 25th . 2005
The birding was very slow today ! my first stop of the day was down at Dawlish Warren where the only birds of note were a fly through GREAT NORTHERN DIVER & a CUCKOO that was out on warren point
Also got the usual warbler`s with BLACKCAP , WILLOW WARBLER , CHIFFCHAFF , WHITETHROAT , & REED WARBLER .
My other stop was at Bowling Green Marsh at Topsham , with half a dozen BAR TAILED GODWIT . LITTLE EGRET , WHIMBREL & this nice summer plumaged KNOT seen there .
May 21, 2005
HONEY BUZZARD
The highlight of the day was a light phase HONEY BUZZARD that was over the village of Ide near Exeter & drifted off towards the Haldon Forest .
And at Dunchideock there was a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER & 10 HOUSE MARTIN .
May 18, 2005
EXMINSTER MARSH
Today I went over to Exminster Marsh to look for yesterdays reported Wood Sandpiper ! but there was no sign of it today .
But there were a 100+ SWIFT & with them there were a few SWALLOW & HOUSE MARTIN .
I also saw 3 CETTI`S WARBLER , 5 SEDGE WARBLER , 4 REED WARBLER & 3 WHITETHROAT & a HOBBY that was sat on the stone post by the reservoir .
May 16, 2005
DAWLISH WARREN
At Dawlish Warren today there were 6 species of warbler ! with BLACKCAP , WILLOW WARBLER , CHIFFCHAFF , WHITETHROAT , SEDGE & REED WARBLER all around the pond & wood area .
Out in the bay by the hide this LITTLE RINGED PLOVER was showing very well & on the beach there were 40+ SANDERLING & single KNOT & WHIMBREL , & a fly over calling YELLOW WAGTAIL .
Also flying through were 50+ SWALLOW & a COMMON RAVEN .
And a sea watch turned up 12 SANDWICH TERN a single BLACK TERN & 3 GANNET .
The only other thing of note was an ATLANTIC GREY SEAL that was basking in the sun on Cockle Sands .
May 9, 2005
TAWNY OWL & COMMON REDSTART NEW TO MY BIRDS PHOTOGRAPHED LIST
Yesterday when I was at Yarner Wood I heard about some TAWNY OWL that had been seen for the last 2 days & as I have never photographed this specie before I was back again first thing this morning & low & behold one of the owls flew across the path & landed in a tree & I managed to get these two shots of it .
I also saw 2 COMMON REDSTART & got this shot of a nice Male , 4 Male & 3 Female PIED FLYCATCHER , 4 WOOD WARBLER , 2 CHIFFCHAFF , 2 WILLOW WARBLER, 4 TREECREEPER , 2 RAVEN & a TREE PIPIT .
On the way home I stopped off at Splatford near to Haldon Forest & saw 2 TURTLE DOVE .
In the evening I got a phone call telling me that there was a WHISKERED TERN on Exminster Marsh ! so I shot over there only to be told that it had flown down the Exe Estuary 5 minutes ago , but there was a HOBBY that was sat on a fence .
Then we got a call saying that the WHISKERED TERN was off of Starcross so it was a mad dash down to there & yippee it was still there flying up & down the estuary with BLACK HEADED GULL`S .
May 8, 2005
YARNER WOOD . DEVON
A quick look at Yarner Wood today got me a Male GOSHAWK that was slowly flying in circles over the wood , there were also numerous PIED FLYCATCHER & WOOD WARBER & a Male & Female COMMON REDSTART .
Not a lot else was seen but I had 2 WILLOW WARBLER , 2 BLACKCAP , a calling CUCKOO , & this SONG THRUSH that was singing its heart out .
And a ROE DEER that slowly walked across the path & vanished again into the wood .
May 7, 2005
TEMMINCK`S STINT
Over on Exminster Marsh this morning there was a TEMMINCK`S STINT that showed very early before flying off to the north with some Dunlin .
I then went back across the Exe Estuary to Bowling Green Marsh at Topsham where this Tundra BEAN GOOSE was showing .
In the afternoon I went back to Exminster Marsh & saw 100+ SWIFT , 2 HOBBY & 3 WHIMBREL .
And in the evening I had a fly by TAWNY OWL at Brixham .
BEAN GOOSE ( TUNDRA ) . EXMINSTER MARSH . DEVON . 7 / 5 / 2005
May 6, 2005
HOBBY ON EXMINSTER MARSH
An afternoon trip over to Exminster Marsh to look for any HOBBY got me 2 of them hawking over the main reservoir with 12 SWIFT & a couple of SWALLOW
Also seen were 7 SEDGE WARBLER & 3 CETTI`S WARBLER & a Male PEREGRINE FALCON .
The only other things of note seen were a COMMON LIZARD & a SLOW WORM & numerous ORANGE TIP Butterfly .
May 4, 2005
ROSEATE TERN
A trip down to Dawlish Warren today in hope of seeing a ROSEATE TERN for the year , turned out to be a good move as I had one in with 3 ARCTIC TERN & 20+ SANDWICH TERN .
I also saw the following birds 8 COMMON WHITETHROAT , 4 BLACKCAP , 2 CHIFFCHAFF & single REED , SEDGE , WILLOW , & GARDEN WARBLER .
6 PALE BELLIED BRENT GOOSE were in the estuary & at sea there were about 12 GANNET , 9 BAR TAILED GODWIT & 2 WHIMBREL on the beach .
Orange tip butterfly were on the wing with 4 Male & this female seen .
May 2, 2005
BERRY HEAD & YARNER WOOD
This morning on Berry Head in South Devon the LESSER WHITETHROAT was singing & showed briefly , I also saw 3 COMMON WHITETHROAT a CHIFFCHAFF a BLACKCAP , & a Male & Female STONECHAT & there was a TAWNY OWL calling in the woods .
I then went to Yarner Wood on Dartmoor for a look & saw 3 WOOD WARBLER , 3 Male PIED FLYCATCHER & a Male COMMON REDSTART .
SUNDAY . 1st MAY . 2005
Today I made the trip down to Start Point in South Devon to look for the WOODCHAT SHRIKE that has been seen there .
When I arrived you couldn`t see anything as there was very thick sea mist & heavy rain , but after a while the weather got a bit better & some birds started to be seen these included 8 SWALLOW , a Male WHEATEAR , a TREE PIPIT a COMMON RAVEN & 2 RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE .
Then I was just about to go as the weather was turning bad again when I found the WOODCHAT SHRIKE way down in the valley & as I couldn`t get very close to it ! this was the best shot that I could get of it .
