Part-time Birding: March 2018

Manxies And Sarnies

Coastal path at Sewage Plant, Otterton, Devon
I felt the conditions were ok to look at the sea today. So after work I popped to what’s always been a reliable site for me. There’s a handy vantage point on the coastal path just at the end of the footpath from the Sewage treatment plant.

On arrival and even before I had set my scope up, I was treated to 2 Sandwich Tern heading west. My first Sarnies of the year. For the first 10 minutes there wasn’t much happening apart for 1 Northern Gannet, 1 Black-legged Kittiwake and 1 Northern Fulmar. Then within a 10 minute period 25 Manx Shearwater came through in a group of 6, a single, a group of 8 and finished with a group of 10. My first Manxie movement of the year.

I do apologise for my photos here as my scope is ok for the range but my iPhone struggled. So really poor digiscoping record shots.

Manx Shearwater

A Dip And A Dipper

Dunsford Wood, Dunsford, Devon
I had to give a talk and training session at our Barnstaple office today so on the way home I took a detour via Dunsford Woods. My target bird was Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. I did hear one calling at quite close range but frustratingly, I couldn’t pin it down and eventually lost the call. I did however see 1 Marsh Tit, 2 Eurasian Nuthatch, 1 Eurasian Treecreeper, numerous Coal Tit, Great Tit and Eurasian Blue Tit. Surprisingly there were no Grey Wagtail but I did get cracking views of a White-throated Dipper.

White-throated Dipper

Coal Tit

Spoonbill But No Goose

Exminster Marsh, Exminster, Devon
I had two visits today before and after work. I was hoping to see the Greater White-fronted Goose. Plenty of Canada Goose on show but I had no joy with the target Goose. The Eurasian Spoonbill was on view in the centre of the marsh on both visits but I couldn’t get a decent picture. A few Northern Pintail and Gadwall were the only note worthy birds.

A Very Odd Gull Indeed

Mudbank Lane, Exmouth, Devon
I had a brief look after work. Not a great deal going on when I first turned up. A pair of distant Red-breasted Merganser, a single Brant Goose and the regular Gull and Wader species. Matt Knott then turned up and we both started scanning. Matt picked out a Gull that I must of initially overlooked or it turned up after I had scanned that particular group.

Anyway it made us both stop and wonder. Now I am the first to admit that Gulls are my weak point in my birding skills. Yes I can tell the obvious but I do struggle a tad with ageing and subtle differences of the Herring Gull taxon. This bird made us think Hmmm European Herring Gull but a weird one at that and worth a closer look. We both went through the thought process. Subtle hints of American and possible Argentatus etc. etc.

So on to the bird in question. It was a 1st winter individual. The bill colour was pink with a black tip (almost Glaucous looking in structure). Pink legs. One of my shots shows barring on the arse end of the bird. As far as I've read, this is something to look out for when looking for American Herring Gull but it should be excessive and I'm not sure my pictures have captured that much barring. My pictures don't reflect the colouration (I expect Matt has better ones) but it was a drab brown (very uniformed on the neck and chest (another pointer to American?) It was also aggressive to near enough ever other Gull that came into its personal space. Perhaps its just a grumpy Gull but I find myself asking "Is this a trait of a particular species or subspecies? It was noticeably larger than the other Gulls, which actually goes against American as they are generally similar in size and structure. I did think that it wasn't dark enough to be American (text book bird) but I now know that that isn't a reliable driving factor in the ID process.

So then are we on to Argentatus? Now I'm not that great on that subspecies so I need to refresh myself to assess the possibility of this. The only other options left are - Hybrid (due to the size but with what?) but I'm not really on board with this. Or its quite simply a very odd looking European Herring Gull, probably the most likely option.

Just to note, that there was a report of an American Herring Gull on the 18th February at Hayle in Cornwall photo here American Herring Gull, Hayle Estuary, Cornwall unfortunately there's not a lot of detail in the photo to compare but interesting that there has been (and could still be) one out there in the South West.

If nothing else it was an interesting Gull and gave Matt and I something to mull over as there was little else on offer. At present its in the note book as a European Herring Gull but undecided as to whether is Argenteus or Argentatus but there's something going on with this bird in my mind. I guess its the curiosity in me and I hate it when I have to just let a species go a "Its just a weird one". I guess its the OCD in me, that needs to exhaust all avenues to tag it to a particular species before I do admit defeat. If I do come up with anything else I will of course update.

Here are my photos.

Odd Herring Gull

bird on left being aggressive

Odd Herring Gull

large pink bill / black tip

Odd Herring Gull

rear view

Odd Herring Gull

barring on arse

Odd Herring Gull
top bird

Odd Herring Gull
bird on right

noticeably larg

Pied Avocet

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon
I took my 9 year old daughter for a walk this afternoon. I was hoping that yesterday’s Little Ringed Plover would still be hanging about. Well if it was I didn’t see it. My daughter is actually really getting into birding more and more as she gets older. So she was pleased to see her first Pied Avocet, Northern Pintail and Common Greenshank.

Pied Avocet

Northern Pintail (Female)

Eurasian Wigeon (Female)

Common Greenshank

Northern Wheatear

Exton, Devon
I decided to see if there were any Northern Wheatear around the field near Exton station before work. I soon got on to a Male and was only there 20 minutes and had seen 3 Males. My first Northern Wheatear of the year and I always enjoy watching these birds bounce about.

Northern Wheatear (Male) m

Northern Wheatear (Male)

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon

I had an hour look after work. On arrival at the gate that leads to the viewing platform. I was greeted by a Male and Female Eurasian Bullfinch. The Male posed nicely but the Female didn’t want to play ball. In the field there were 2 Mistle Thrush that were rather showy. The other best birds of note were a solitary Common Snipe, 4 Northern Pintail and several Common Chiffchaff in the hedges.

Mistle Thrush

Eurasian Bullfinch (Male)

Song Thrush

Common Blackbird (Female)

Northern Shoveler (Female)

Corn Bunting And Spotted Redshank

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon
I had a look in the dung heap area of Gore Lane first this this morning and quickly got on to the Corn Bunting as it sat at close range on the hedge. After I had filled my boots with the great views I had a quick look around the site but there was nothing else of real note but had one last look at the dung heap before leaving and managed a White Wagtail.

Corn Bunting

White Wagtail

Otter Estuary, Budleigh Salterton, Devon
After work I had a little stroll along the path from the white bridge to the scrape. On the Estuary was a single Mew Gull in amongst the small Gull flock and I had the briefest of views of the Spotted Redshank. It was so brief that it appeared in my scope view whilst I watch looking through the Gulls. I didn’t have enough time to take any pictures though. The only other birds of note were 3 Northern Pintail and 2 Common Snipe.

Common Redshank

Mew Gull

Northern Lapwing

Common Shelduck (Male and Female)

Hawfinch And Black Redstart

Topsham Cemetery, Devon
As it was freezing this morning I thought I would try my luck with the Hawfinch before work. I have tried a few brief attempts but had no luck. Today that luck changed. There were at least 6 birds (I suspect there were more as they were quite mobile at one point) I managed to get some descent on the ground views but my photo wasn’t great at all. When they got mobile, I was joined by Dave Stone as we tried to pin them down. Nice to catch up with Dave and share some sighting details. A few other bits and bobs were around the cemetery, including European Greenfinch, Regwing, Song Thrush and Goldcrest. I finally had to drag myself away and get to work!

Hawfinch (Female)

Redwing

Dunnock

European Greenfinch (Female)

Common Chaffinch (Male)

Budleigh Salterton Cricket Pitch, Devon
After work I was torn between looking here or having another look for the Corn Bunting at Orcombe Point. I was pleased with my decision as on the left hand side of the Cricket pitch was a stunning Male Black Redstart. I managed a few (very distant shots) and it was very mobile. The Tawny Owl was roosting in its usual tree and also of interest was a lonely Red Knot on the Estuary near the picnic tables. Matt Knott text me to say that the Corn Bunting was still on site. Think I will take another look at it tomorrow.