June 29, 2005
STILL THERE
The Marsh Sandpiper was still showing well on Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham today .
There was also a COMMON SANDPIPER , 100+ BLACK TAILED GODWIT & a LITTLE GREBE .
MARSH SANDPIPER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 29 / 6 / 2005
June 28, 2005
DEVON . MEGA
Today I had a call at 7 AM from Matt Knott telling me that there was a MEGA BIRD on Bowling Green Marsh a MARSH SANDPIPER only the 2nd ever for Devon .
So I shot off down there in hope of seeing it ! I got in the hide & Matt was there & put me on the bird right away , the bird was an adult & was showing very well but always distant for good photographes but I managed to get these few shots of it .
Also on the Marsh were 2 Adult SPOONBILL , a COMMON SANDPIPER , 2 WHIMBREL & around 100 SAND MARTIN .
MARSH SANDPIPER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 28 / 6 / 2005
SPOONBILL & MARSH SANDPIPER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 28 / 6 / 2005
June 21, 2005
MONDAY 20th JUNE . 2005
Today I went for a look up on Aylesbear Common in East Devon & had a pretty good day ! seeing the following birds .
2 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER ( my 1st for the year ) , 8 YELLOWHAMMER ,
2 LESSER REDPOLL , 3 WILLOW WARBLER , 2 CHIFFCHAFF , a singing TREE PIPIT , 3 COMMON BUZZARD & a HOBBY .
I also saw the following Butterfly .
Single LARGE WHITE , BRIMSTONE , Numerous SMALL HEATH , & 2 GREEN HAIRSTREAK the first that I have seen for quite a few years .
In the evening I went to a farm near to where I live & saw two superb BARN OWL .
June 13, 2005
HOT SUMMER DAY`S
Today the weather was glorious down here in the south west , I was driving home from Brixham & decided to stop off at Splatford near the Haldon Forest to look for any Turtle Dove , I had a good look but couldn`t see any but I did see a STOCK DOVE & a BULLFINCH & 2 YELLOWHAMMER .
I then went to Dunchideock & had a look for any LITTLE OWL this time I was in luck & got 2 with this one sat on a post out in the open , there were also plenty of HOUSE MARTIN & COMMON SWIFT .
June 8, 2005
ROSE-COLOURED STARLING
Today I went down to the village of East Prawle in South Devon to see if I could catch up with the Adult ROSE-COLOURED STARLING that was seen there yesterday , at first there was no sign of it ! then a lady came out from a farm opposite to where I was looking & told me that it was on her lawn .
She then let me into her garden & I was able to get these two shots of it .
I then went to Slapton Ley as there was a report of a Woodchat Shrike there yesterday but there was no sign of it today & the only birds that I saw were 2 GREAT CRESTED GREBE with young , & single CETTI`S WARBLER , REED WARBLER , & WHITETHROAT .
June 6, 2005
BACK TO NORMAL
Today the birding was back to normal on Bowling Green Marsh ! with just the following birds seen this morning .
A 1st winter MEDITERRANIAN GULL in with about 150 BLACK HEADED GULL ,
2 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL & 2 SANDWICH TERN .
6 BAR-TAILED GODWIT , 8 WHIMBREL , 2 GREY HERON & a LITTLE GREBE .
MEDITERRANIAN GULL . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 6 / 6 / 2005
June 5, 2005
FRIDAY 3rd JUNE . 2005
I have been going down to my local patch at Bowling Green Marsh quite a lot recently looking for a LITTLE GULL that has been coming into the marsh & I couldn`t catch up with it , this was my seventh try for it .
I settled down in the hide & was going through the gull`s when half a dozen small waders flew in at a quick glance they all looked like DUNLIN but then I noticed a different bird with them , after getting a good view of it ! the thought in my mind was WHITE RUMPED SANDPIPER but I had to be cautious because up to now I hadn`t seen the rump , but then I had a bit of luck because a fox walked across the marsh & the bird flew giving me views of the rump , I then phoned out the news to local birders & many came & got good views of the bird , I think that its the first one in Devon since 1998 .
There was also a 1st summer MEDITERRANIAN GULL & the 1st summer LITTLE GULL then came in so I had a real good day .
