January 30, 2008
South Devon
Today my mate Andy & me went birding in South Devon & on the way there we saw a Female GOOSANDER on the River Dart near the Kilbury water works , we then carried on to Slapton Ley where there were 8 GADWALL , a few GOLDENEYE & 4 CETTI`S WARBLER & out in Start Bay there was 10 VELVET SCOTER & a RAZORBILL .
We then went to Beesands Ley & saw the Female RED-CRESTED POCHARD & out on the sea there was a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER & 2 Female COMON EIDER , we then went back to Slapton Ley for another look & this time we saw 2 BLACK-NECKED GREBE & a Female RUDDY DUCK
January 27, 2008
WOODCOCK
This morning I went up to Aylesbeare Common to look for WOODCOCK & after searching through the first part of the wood I came away empty handed but I then tried another area & this time I was in luck & flush one from right under my feet , there was also GREEN WOODPECKER , GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER & REED BUNTING & this ROBIN on the common .
I then went to the East Budleigh Commons & saw a DARTFORD WARBLER but then my phone went off with news of a WHOOPER SWAN in Exmouth Bay so I shot off down there but could only get distant views of the bird & this crap record shot of it , the next stop was the marina in Exmouth where there was a 1st winter Male BLACK REDSTART .
January 25, 2008
Still more Cattle Egret
This afternoon I went over to the Exminster Marshes as there was news of two CATTLE EGRET on there this morning & I was in luck with both birds still there & showing well .
I then went to the village of Dunchideock where there were 2 LITTLE OWL , a SPARROWHAWK & a Female STONECHAT.
January 23, 2008
RING-BILLED GULL
I started the day off at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham where I saw a SPOTTED REDSHANK , 30+ BAR-TAILED GODWIT , 2 LITTLE GREBE & 4 SNIPE .
I then met up with a couple of mates & we headed over to East Devon with the first stop being at Sidmouth for PURPLE SANDPIPER & we saw one bird & 5 TURNSTONE , the next stop was at Beer & GREAT CRESTED GREBE , FULMAR & a Female BLACK REDSTART were soon on the day list .
Onwards then to the Axe Estuary & we soon got an adult winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL along with numerous COMMON GULL but there was no sign of the RING-BILLED GULL that we had come for & we all went off in opposite directions & I was in luck as I jammed into the bird on the estuary at the Seaton end , I then called the others but the bird flew off before they got to it ! so we then went to the Seaton Hole where the gulls roost & we refound the bird there but alas I could only manage this distant shot of it , also seen there was a VELVET SCOTER .
SPOTTED REDSHANK . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 23 / 1 / 2008
January 21, 2008
Dorset Birding
Today Andy Bond & myself went up to Dorset to do some birding with our first stop being at the RSPB Reserve at Radipole in Weymouth where we saw 2 adult winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL , 3 BEARDED TIT , 6 GADWALL & 5 RUDDY DUCK .
We then had a look in Portland Harbour & we saw 50-100 RED BREASTED MERGANSER , 20+ GREAT CRESTED GREBE , 1 RED NECKED GREBE , 1 SLAVONIAN GREBE , 2 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER , 4 RAZORBILL & after searching for quite a while we saw 2 superb Male LONG TAILED DUCK to round the day off .
January 20, 2008
Woodlark
A look at the pool at Matford in Exeter got me 4 GREEN SANDPIPER & a flock of a hundred plus FIELDFARE & REDWING , after that I went for a look in the top fields in Exminster & as I went into the field I flushed a GREEN WOODPECKER off of the ground & into the trees , I then saw a large flock of finches with up to 30+ BRAMBLING in it that were feeding in the stubble & constantly flying up to the trees .
Down in the bottom of the field I saw 13 WOODLARK & as I carried on walking around the fields I was rewarded with views of a Female CIRL BUNTING my first at this site for quite a while & 8 STOCK DOVE flew over .
January 18, 2008
FIRECREST
This afternoon I managed to see the FIRECREST in the Powderham Churchyard & was over the moon as this was the fifth time that I have tried for this bird , I then had a look at the pool at Matford near Exeter & saw one GREEN SANDPIPER & over a 100 LAPWING .
Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham was my next stop & on show there were numerous WIGEON , TEAL & SHOVELER , 12 POCHARD , 6 PINTAIL , 4 TUFTED DUCK & this Male GADWALL , also seen was a SPARROWHAWK & a COMMON BUZZARD
January 16, 2008
Local Birding
This morning I went down to the Exe Estuary for a look & saw 10 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER & 6 GOLDENEYE & Nr the Powderham Church there was a very illusive WATER RAIL & 7 LITTLE EGRET.
The next stop was at the Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham where the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was showing very well along with 100+ BAR-TAILED GODWIT , 100+ AVOCET , 2 GREY PLOVER & a PEREGRINE FALCON .
BAR-TAILED GODWIT . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 16 / 1 / 2008
January 14, 2008
East Budleigh Commons
This morning I went to the East Budleigh Commons to look for the LESSER REDPOLL flock that has been reported there & after a while the flock showed & landed on top of some Elders for a short while before flying off again , also seen on the common were 2 DARTFORD WARBLER & a single COMMON RAVEN .
I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham & saw 100+ AVOCET , 15 COMMON POCHARD & a Female PEREGRINE FALCON made a few passes over the marsh .
COMMON POCHARD . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 14 / 1 / 2008
January 13, 2008
BLACK GUILLEMOT
I was up early this morning & off to Stover Park to look for the Female SCAUP that has been seen there & after about half an hour the bird showed quite well , there was also some TUFTED DUCK & POCHARD showing as well , there was also 2 Male & 4 Female SISKIN , 2 NUTHATCH , 2 MARSH TIT & a GREEN WOODPECKER .
I then had a call telling me that there was a BLACK GUILLEMOT at Dawlish Warren so I made a mad dash to there in hope that it would hang around & I was in luck & see the bird on the sea in very rough weather with other GUILLEMOT but as luck would have it ! it then flew giving the best views of all , also seen was a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER , a BALEARIC SHEARWATER , 7 COMMON SCOTER & a VELVET SCOTER .
January 10, 2008
9th January . 2008
NORFOLK BIRDING
Today four of us made the long journey up to Norfolk in hope of seeing the White-Crowned Sparrow that has been seen in the village of Cley & on the way there we had a BARN OWL sat on posts near Kings Lynn & a Tawny Owl near Cley , after it got light we went to the garden where the bird was being seen & we were in luck with the WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW showing very well in the drive .
We then went off to do some birding with the 1st stop at Salthouse where we saw 30+ SNOW BUNTING & 3 LAPLAND BUNTING , on then to Cockthorpe for the PINK-FOOTED GOOSE flock & there was over 10`000 of these & in with them was an American ROSS`S GOOSE , in the Holkam area we then saw 2 WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE , 2 GREYLAG GOOSE & a Female MARSH HARRIER & we finished the day off at Ringstead where there was 6 GREY PARTRIDGE & 7 RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE .
January 7, 2008
BRAMBLING
A quick look around this morning in between the rain bursts got me 10 BRAMBLING in with a large flock of CHAFFINCH & LINNET in the sheep field near the Powderham Corner , also seen there were 2 RAVEN , a look at the Exe Estuary from the Cockwood crossing then got me 15 RED BREASTED MERGANSER , 3 SLAVONIAN GREBE & a LITTLE EGRET .
I then dropped into the Exminster Marshes on the way home & saw 8 MEADOW PIPIT & 1 WATER PIPIT .
January 6, 2008
Exmouth
Not a lot seen today !! in the top fields at Exmouth there was no sign of the Lapland Bunting but I did see my first BLACKCAP for the year .
A look in the bay got me the Immature Female SURF SCOTER again + 4 SLAVONIAN GREBE & 8 BRENT GOOSE were close in to shore & seeing that I`m full of a cold I called it a day & off I went back home .
January 5, 2008
SURF SCOTER
Today I went down to Exmouth & had a look in the bay & saw the immature female SURF SCOTER , 3 EIDER , a single SLAVONIAN GREBE , a Male & Female RED BREASTED MERGANSER & 20+ BRENT GOOSE ,
I then went up to the field behind Orcombe Point where there was over a hundred SKYLARK & the adult winter LAPLAND BUNTING showed well with them as did 2 WOODLARK .
My last stop was at Mudbank Lane in Exmouth looking over the Exe Estuary where this KINGFISHER was sat in the sun .
COMMON KINGFISHER . MUDBANK LANE . EXMOUTH . DEVON . 5 / 1 / 2008
January 4, 2008
WATER PIPIT
This morning I went over to the Exminster Marshes to look for WATER PIPIT & I managed to find three of them in with a few MEADOW PIPIT , this was the best that I could manage photo wise as the light was appalling & I had to use flash .
There were also 3 STONECHAT , 1 GREY HERON , 1 LITTLE EGRET & a flock of 100+ WIGEON
January 3, 2008
Spotted Redshank
Out today looking again for yearticks around the Countess Wear area of Exeter & a look at the pools got me a single COMMON SNIPE , a walk down to the old sludge beds for a look around only produced 2 TREECREEPER , a Male & 2 Female BULLFINCH & a JAY .
The next stop was at the stubble field behind Orcombe Point in Exmouth to look for the Lapland Bunting but there was no sign of it today but there was a SPARROWHAWK & 4 MISTLE THRUSH .
The last stop of the day was at Mudbank Lane in Exmouth to look at the Exe Estuary & there was 100+ WIGEON , 20+ PINTAIL , 3 LITTLE EGRET & the bird of the day a SPOTTED REDSHANK .
NORTHERN PINTAIL . THE EXE ESTUARY . EXMOUTH . DEVON . 3 / 1 / 2008
January 2, 2008
More Year Ticking
Out again today with a couple of mates year ticking with the first birds of note being some very nice BRAMBLING in with a large flock of finches near the turn off to Powderham , we then went to Dawlish Warren where it was blowing a gale but did a sea watch & did manage to see 2 POMARINE SKUA , a few GANNET & a SLAVONIAN GREBE , waders seen included 8 KNOT , 3 BAR TAILED GODWIT & 2 SANDERLING .
We then went back along the Powderham road & this time we picked up the CATTLE EGRET that has been in the area for a while , our next stop was at the Clyst Estuary where the long staying LONG BILLED DOWITCHER was showing out on the mudflats & our last stop of the day was at the recreation ground in Topsham where I found another BRAMBLING ( a 1st for me at this site ) .
January 1, 2008
YEAR TICKING
Out today dashing around for year ticks with the best birds seen being , a GREY PARTRIDGE in with 20+ RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE at the Rousden drying barns , also seen there were a few YELLOWHAMMER & 2 RAVEN .
At Seaton there was an EGYPTIAN GOOSE & a Female BLACK REDSTART , the next good bird was the CATTLE EGRET at Otterton & off of the cliffs at Otterton there were a couple of RED-THROATED DIVER , 2 SHAG & a few GUILLEMOT .
