March 31, 2008
Exminster Marshes
Over to the Exminster Marshes again this morning & the first bird that I saw today was a Male PEREGRINE FALCON that was sat on one of the electricity pylons , then I saw the CATTLE EGRET that was again in the same field as yesterday with the herd of cows , the day then heading down hill with only 6 CHIFFCHAFF , 3 CETTI`S WARBLER & a REED BUNTING seen but then news came out of a LITTLE RINGED PLOVER seen again on the same scape as one was seen a couple of weeks ago so I went to look for it & just about got it before it flew off down the Exe Estuary , also seen was this ( escaped ) BAR-HEADED GOOSE that was in with the CANADA GOOSE flock .
March 30, 2008
CATTLE EGRET
Early this morning there was a Male BLACKCAP singing its head off in the hedge outside my house in Topsham , later in the afternoon I went across to the Exminster Marshes as there was a report of a CATTLE EGRET there in the morning & I was in luck & the bird showed very well , also seen was a nice WATER PIPIT & a singing CHIFFCHAFF , & on the way back home there were 10 LITTLE EGRET on the pool at Matford .
March 26, 2008
A Trip To Wales
Today Andy Bond , Ken Montandon & myself made a trip over to west Wales in hope of seeing some birds that have been showing there & on the way there I saw a RED KITE near Haverford West , we then arrived at Haverford West for our first bird an Adult ROSE-COLOURED STARLING that showed very well in some gardens , we then carried on to the Marloes Mere reserve where we saw the Female American BLACK DUCK that has been there for a while & has teamed up with a Male MALLARD , a Female HEN HARRIER , 5 CHOUGH , 3 RAVEN & my first WHEATEAR of the year .
We then went on to the coast at a place called Dale & saw 14 Pale Bellied BRENT GOOSE , an Adult & a 1st winter MEDITERRANEAN GULL & another first for the year a SANDWICH TERN , our last stop of the day was at the Lamby Lake in Cardiff were there was a 1st winter RING-BILLED GULL .
ROSE-COLOURED STARLING . HAVERFORD WEST . PEMBROKESHIRE . WALES . 26 / 3 / 2008
( American ) BLACK DUCK . MARLOES MERE . PEMBROKESHIRE . WALES . 26 / 3 / 2008
( Red Billed ) CHOUGH . MARLOES MERE . PEMBROKESHIRE . WALES . 26 / 3 / 2008
March 23, 2008
BONAPARTE`S GULL
Early this morning I had a look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham & saw the following birds , 4 Male PINTAIL , 4 LITTLE GREBE , a LITTLE EGRET , 30+ BAR-TAILED GODWIT , 30+ DUNLIN , 2 SPOTTED REDSHANK that were seen flying over the marsh , a juvinile PEREGRINE FALCON that made a few passes & cleared all of the waders off of the marsh & a WATER PIPIT that was my first on the marsh for a few years .
Later in the day there was news that the 1st winter BONAPARTE`S GULL was showing on the Cheddar Reservoir so along with a couple of mates we made the journey for it & were rewarded with great views of it , also seen was a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER & a RED NECKED GREBE .
March 18, 2008
Spring Is Here !
Today I got news of a LITTLE RINGED PLOVER & a GARGANEY on the Exminster Marshes so I went over to see if I could catch up with them , I arrived to hear news that the Garganey had flown further into the marshes so I made my way to the lagoon where the LRP was showing very well on a new scrape & while I was there numerous SAND MARTIN & my first SWALLOW of the year flew by , I then went back to look for the Garganey & after about an hour I managed to get a view of it .
News then came out of a LONG EARED OWL showing well up in north Devon so off I went with my mate Andy to look for it & we did get superb views of it down to a few feet .
March 17, 2008
GREAT WHITE EGRET
This morning I went up to the Meare Heath in Somerset to look for the GREAT WHITE EGRET that has been showing there for quite a while now & after a wait of over an hour the bird came out of the reed bed & showed very well with a LITTLE EGRET & a few GREY HERON , also seen were a few SHOVELER & GADWALL , over a 100 SAND MARTIN , 8 COMMON BUZZARD , 2 CETTI`S WARBLER & a CHIFFCHAFF .
March 12, 2008
PALLAS`S WARBLER
A quick look this morning at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham got me 2 KNOT , a PEREGRINE FALCON & a YELLOWHAMMER .
I then met up with my mate Andy & we went up to Dorset in hope of connecting with the Caspian Gull at Radipole in Weymouth but once again it was not to be ! but while we were there we heard news of a PALLAS`S WARBLER at the 2 mile copse in Weymouth so we went for a look for it & we were in luck this time & got superb views of this little gem of a bird , we then went to Lodmoor where these 2 SPOONBILL were added to my year list .
March 10, 2008
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
This morning I had a look at my local patch Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham & there was quite a lot of waders on show today with the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER seen well after searching for it for over an hour , also seen were 100+ AVOCET , 100+ BAR-TAILED GODWIT , numerous COMMON REDSHANK , 2 SPOTTED REDSHANK , 50+ DUNLIN & a single GREY PLOVER .
Also added to the day list were a few SAND MARTIN & my first HOUSE MARTIN of the year , a Male BULLFINCH , a COMMON KINGFISHER & a STOCK DOVE
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 10 / 3 / 2008
SPOTTED REDSHANK . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 10 / 3 / 2008
March 5, 2008
Spring ?
A late afternoon visit to Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham got me what I was looking for ! my first half a dozen SAND MARTIN of the year , also on the marsh were quite a few PINTAIL , a few POCHARD & a Male & 2 Female TUFTED DUCK ,
& waders included quite a few REDSHANK , 2 GREENSHANK & this distant SPOTTED REDSHANK .
