November 30, 2005
HAWFINCH !!
This morning I got up early & went out to a village near Exeter called Ide , it was raining but I still managed to see 2 HAWFINCH , 12 FIELDFARE & a GREEN WOODPECKER .
Later in the afternoon I went over to Exminster Marsh where I saw 6 COMMON RAVEN that were quite distant but I still managed to fire off this shot , there was also a SHORT EARED OWL hunting on the far side of the marsh .
Also seen were 2 KESTREL , a Male PEREGRINE FALCON & a SPARROWHAWK .
November 28, 2005
HUME`S LEAF WARBLER
Today I went down to Seaton Hole in East Devon with Andy Bond to look for the HUME`S LEAF WARBLER that was seen there yesterday , at first I picked it up on call & then I was lucky enough to get good views of it in an apple tree , it is the second one that I have had in Devon with the first one way back in 92 in Plymouth .
Also seen at the site were the following , a Female BLACK REDSTART ,
a Female BLACKCAP , a CHIFFCHAFF , a SPARROWHAWK & a RAVEN .
SUNDAY 27th NOVEMBER . 2005
This morning I went down to the marina at Brixham for a look & saw the following birds , this Adult winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL was sat right at the start of the breakwater , I then walked out to the end of the breakwater & on the way I saw 4 GUILLEMOT , a RAZORBILL , 2 TURNSTONE & 2 ROCK PIPIT .
Out at the end of the breakwater the Adult LAUGHING GULL was sat on a jetty along with 13 PURPLE SANDPIPER , it then took flight & was flying up & down the breakwater sometimes just above my head giving breathtaking views.
November 26, 2005
ANOTHER LAUGHING GULL IN DEVON !!
Today I had a call late in the afternoon telling me that there was a LAUGHING GULL on the Exe Estuary at Mudbank Lane in Exmouth , so I got in the car & went down to see if I could see it .
The light was fading fast but the bird was sat on a wall on the edge of the estuary & I managed to get these two shots of it just before the light went altogether .
Also seen were numerous BRENT GEESE & WIGEON , 2 PINTAIL
2 GREY PLOVER & a COMMON SANDPIPER .
LAUGHING GULL . THE EXE ESTUARY . EXMOUTH . DEVON . 26 / 11 / 2005
November 21, 2005
A BRIGHT COLD DAY .
This morning I saw a GOSHAWK flying over Brixham towards Kingswear , I then went to Broadsands for a look it was nice & bright but quite cold , but I only saw 10 GREAT CRESTED GREBE , a FULMAR & 3 ROCK PIPIT .
I then drove back to Topsham & on the way I stopped off for a look at the top
fields in Exminster where I saw a WOODLARK in with a small flock of SKYLARK ,
& there was also a COMMON BUZZARD & this Female KESTREL hanging around the fields as well .
SUNDAY 20th NOVEMBER . 2005
This morning I went down to the Harbour at Brixham to look for the reported LAUGHING GULL that has been seen there ! a look at the harbour didn`t turn up the bird so Brian Heasman & myself went over to the marina & Brian found the bird asleep on one of the pontoons .
So I went the the marina office & they let me walk out to see if I could get any shots of it & I managed to get these two .
I then walked out to the end of the breakwater & saw 4 PURPLE SANDPIPER ,
3 ROCK PIPIT , 2 GUILLEMOT & a RED NECKED GREBE .
November 16, 2005
UPLAND SANDPIPER
Today I had to get my passport out for a trip up to Kingston Seymour in Somerset for an UPLAND SANDPIPER my first birding trip out of Devon this year !
I arrived at the site to be told that the bird was still there but very distant , I set up my scope & looked into a field with a lot of cows in it & just managed to see the bird behind a cow pat , the wind was blowing quite strong but I just about managed to get this shot of it ( Yes it is the bird but I know a crap shot )
There were also a few REDWING & FIELDFARE in the surrounding fields .
I then went to Huntspill where I saw 6 MEADOW PIPIT & 2 RICHARD`S PIPIT they are very hard to see on the ground but show well in flight .
November 14, 2005
DAWLISH WARREN
This morning I stopped off at Dawlish Warren on the way home & got the following birds .
400+ WOOD PIGEON , 60+ STOCK DOVE , 32 BULLFINCH , 2 BRAMBLING ,
3 FIELDFARE , 1 REDWING , 1 MISTLE THRUSH , 1 SONG THRUSH , a DARTFORD WARBLER , 9 SKYLARK , & the SHORT TOED LARK was still on show in the bight .
Back home in Topsham this Grey Squirrel was kicking up quite a din in the cemetery grounds .
SUNDAY 13th NOVEMBER . 2005
This morning I went to Broadsands in South Devon for a look , the wind was very strong & it was freezing cold .
But I set up my scope & scanned the bay for a while ! it was very choppy but I still managed to see 2 RED NECKED GREBE , 2 GREAT CRESTED GREBE & a SLAVONIAN GREBE .
And back inland by the fields there were 2 COMMON BUZZARD & 3 SISKIN .
November 11, 2005
SHORT-TOED LARK
Today I got news that there was a SHORT-TOED LARK at Dawlish Warren ! so I
drove as fast as I could down to there & after a trudge out to the hide the group of birders already there put me on to it just before the rain set in ! I could only manage to get these shots of it in bad light & rain .
Still better than nothing !!
There was also a few LINNET & SKYLARK & a PEREGRINE FALCON went past the hide putting up around 300 OYSTERCATCHER .
And in the bay were around 200 BRENT GOOSE .
November 10, 2005
WEDNESDAY 9th NOVEMBER . 2005
BIRDING IN NORTH DEVON .
Today Andy Bond & myself went up to North Devon for a spot of birding , the first place that we went to was the quay at Bideford as Andy was after the 2nd Winter LAUGHING GULL that was seen there the day before & it wasn`t long before we found the bird sat beside the river basking in the sun .
We then went to the old power station at Yelland & saw a Female RING-NECKED DUCK & a LITTLE GREBE , we then walked out of the power station & went for a look on Isley Marsh where we saw 3 SPOONBILL , 6 LITTLE EGRET , a flock of 20+ LONG TAILED TIT & 2 BULLFINCH .
Off we went then to the Northam Burrows as we had heard that there were some SNOW BUNTING seen there a few days before & as luck would have it we jammed into 2 of them beside the large pool by the visitors center .
We then went to Bishops Tawton to look for a Whooper Swan but we didn`t see it , but there were 13 LITTLE EGRET , 9 REDWING , a Male BRAMBLING & a MISTLE THRUSH .
RING-NECKED DUCK . YELLAND POWER STATION . DEVON . 9 / 11 / 2005
November 8, 2005
THE SEA WATCHING BUG !!!
Today as there was very high southerly winds I went down to Dawlish Warren for another sea watch & as you know whenever you do this type of birding your expectations are always high as mine was today ! & as it turned out it wasn`t a bad sea watch with the following seen .
Numerous KITTIWAKE & GANNET , 6 LITTLE GULL , 20+ COMMON SCOTER
5 WIGEON , 4 GREY PHALAROPE ( with two in very close to the shore )
2 SOOTY SHEARWATER , a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER & a single FULMAR .
But the highlight of the day was a LITTLE AUK seen just off of the sea wall for around 15 minutes before flying off South , it was only the 4th one that I have seen & my first for Dawlish Warren .
Back home in Topsham in the afternoon there where 12 REDWING seen in the cemetery grounds .
November 7, 2005
LAUGHING GULL IN DEVON
This morning I went for a look at Broadsands in South Devon for the reported Laughing Gull that was seen there last night but there was no sign of it today .
But I did see a RED THROATED DIVER & 4 ROCK PIPIT .
I then decided to go down to the Kingbridge Estuary to look for another LAUGHING GULL & this time I connected with it , it was a 1st winter bird & I got good views of it feeding in a field by the pumping station .
Also seen were 2 LITTLE EGRET & a JAY .
SATURDAY 5th NOVEMBER . 1997
An early morning look on Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham payed off ! as I managed to get these two shots of a JAY & as I have never photographed these birds before I was very pleased .
Also on the marsh were over a 100+ WOOD PIGEON , 80+ AVOCET + a few REDWING & FIELDFARE .
EURASIAN JAY . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 5 / 11 / 2005
November 4, 2005
JACK SNIPE ON BOWLING GREEN MARSH
Today I went down to Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham to look for a Spoonbill that local birder Brian Heasman had found in the morning , but when I got to the hide I was told that it had flown off towards the Exe Estuary & I was also told that the Grey Phalarope that was there yesterday was taken by a Sparrowhawk today !
But I did see a JACK SNIPE my 3rd for the marsh with the last one in 97 , it was on the far side of the marsh & spent quite a bit of time bobbing up & down on the edge of the reeds .
Also seen were numerous WIGEON , TEAL & SHOVELER , 50+ WOOD PIGEON ,
2 JAY & a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER .
EURASIAN WIGEON . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 4 . 11 . 2005
November 3, 2005
GREY PHALAROPE !!
This GREY PHALAROPE was showing well on Bowling Green Marsh at Topsham this afternoon & is only the second one that I have seen on the marsh , with the first one being way back in 1994 !
Also on the marsh today were numerous WIGEON , SHOVELER & TEAL
a MISTLE THRUSH & a JAY .
There were also 3 LITTLE EGRET on Powderham Park earlier in the day .
