Another Busy Week

Aylesbeare Common, Devon 29th August 2018
There was no further sign of the Spotted Flycatcher but I did hear Lesser Redpoll in an area of the reserve that I normally have luck with this species. However I was unable to locate a bird. At least I know they are about I guess. I’ve still not seen this species yet this year though which is rather depressing. Are numbers that low? Or am I just being unlucky? There were a number of fungi in the area but don’t expect my to identify this as I haven’t a clue!

Mushroom species   

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon 30th August 2018
It’s been a busy week but I have had a few quick visits to Orcombe Point. I was only able to do this after work so I’ve not see the variety or numbers that Matt Knott and others have seen. In fact the only birds of note have been a few Northern Wheatear.

Northern Wheatear    

Northern Wheatear 

Bystock Pools, Exmouth, Devon 
Today I managed an hour around Bystock. I covered the main pool and South Heath to the boardwalk pools. Not too many birds around with Coal Tit, Common Chiffchaff, European Robin, Mistle Thrush and Great Spotted Woodpecker making the list. Butterflies fared better with several Small Copper, lots of Small White, Speckled Wood and a Painted Lady. Dragonflies included Emperor Dragonfly, Southern Hawker, Common Darter and Keeled Skimmer.

Painted Lady  

Small Copper     

Small Copper  

Keeled Skimmer (Female) 

Keeled Skimmer (Female)

Spotted Flycatcher

Aylesbeare Common, Devon
A circuit walk after work. I took the immediate left from the entrance gate, through the wooden area, down to the European Nightjar lookout area then back up to the concrete path and on to the entrance again. At first the place seemed devoid of life but around the wooded area was a Male Eurasian Blackcap. Down by the lookout area was a European Green Woodpecker. Best of all was a Spotted Flycatcher from the concrete path near the entrance, along with a few crisp looking Common Chiffchaff. Both the Woodpecker and Flycatcher posed lovely but my iPhone battery was dead so I frustratingly missed out on some photos.

Berry Head Sea Watching

Berry Head, Brixham, Devon
I had a few hours sea watching today. I went with my mate who at present is unable to make the trek back up the quarry. So I spent an hour from the headland and an hour from the sea watching site. On the headland conditions where awful but down on the sea watching area was more productive. On arriving a cracking Sooty Shearwater showed incredibly close. 4 Balearic Shearwater and a couple of Manx Shearwater also came through. 1 Great Skua and 3 Parasitic Jaeger put in an appearance but a few more Parasitic Jaeger were called out but I failed to get on them in the gloom. A European Storm Petrel was called and lost as soon as called. Frustrating but that’s the nature of that species. It is hard to pick out a Starling size bird in gloomy conditions at distance. Supporting cast were a couple of Common Tern, Sandwich Tern and Mediterranean Gull, Several Northern Fulmar, a raft of Black-legged Kittiwake and a number of Northern Gannet. No photos today due to weather conditions. I got rather wet is an understatement and a warm cuppa in the cafe was very welcome.

Egyptian Goose..... Oh And A Spotted Crake

Otter Estuary, Budleigh Salterton, Devon 
I took an after work walk from the Cricket pitch up to the viewing platform south of the white bridge. En route were 4 Common Ringed Plover and 4 Dunlin in the first channel by the picnic benches. At the hide an Egyptian Goose, drifted passed north with 2 Greylag Goose and what seemed like a few hundred Canada Goose. I walked up to the last viewing platform that’s just south of the white bridge in the hope of a better look at the Egyptian Goose. My hunch was right as it was sat on what remained of the mud on the opposite side of the Estuary. I watched for a few moments and decided to scan the area, just to the right of the Goose was the Spotted Crake. Giving off better views than the other day. Still a tad distant for a good photo though.

Egyptian Goose 

Egyptian Goose  

Egyptian Goose 

Spotted Crake 

Spotted Crake 

Spotted Crake 

Western Yellow Wagtails

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon 
I had a call from Dave Stone saying he had just seen 10 Western Yellow Wagtail on Orcombe. They were located in a field on Maer Lane with some cows. I popped up for a quick look and there were 5 on view. Thanks for the call Dave.

Western Yellow Wagtail 

Western Yellow Wagtail 

Spotted Crake

Otter Estuary, Budleigh Salterton, Devon 
I got new of a Spotted Crake that was showing rather well on the Otter Estuary from the hide. I just managed to time the trip there to avoid high tide and obtained distant yet great scope views. This is only my second individual after seeing one at Bowling Green Marsh in 2014. Which were the briefest and worst views imaginable. So to finally get to enjoy this species was amazing! I managed a couple of really awful record shots.

Spotted Crake 

Spotted Crake 

Shelley Beach and the Quay, Exmouth, Devon 
I quickly moved on to see if I could catch any Terns on Great Bull Hill. There was only a bit of it showing but enough to hold some Terns. No Black Tern on show but a number of Sandwich Tern and a few Common Tern. A pair of Ruddy Turnstone were resting on one of the drum shaped Bouys and on the seaward side of the Warren spit were a dozen or so Common Ringed Plover.

Missed Purple Heron By A Whisker

Shapwick Heath, Somerset
I had to travel to Bath for a meeting today so it seemed rude not to head off a tad early so I could pop into Shapwick Heath. I headed to Noah’s hide in the hope of seeing the Purple Heron that’s been around. On arrival I was informed that it had been showing fantastically until a few minutes ago. Typical I thought!! However I was treated to great views of a Osprey, 2 Western Marsh Harrier and 2 Great Egret around the lake. Also on route to the hide were another 3 Great Egret, and a bedraggled looking Common Buzzard. A few Dragonflies in the way of Southern Hawker and Common Darter. Plus a rather nice Cricket species, that I think is a Dark Bush Cricket. Numerous Small White, Large White and Speckled Wood made up the Butterfly species.

Osprey 

Osprey 

Common Buzzard 

Great Egret 

Great Egret

Dark Bush Cricket?

Autumn Northern Wheatears

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon 
A quick look after work was initially very quiet. It livened up a tad when a flock of Common Linnet were doing their best to shoo off a hunting Female Common Kestrel. Back at the car I had one last look in the new dung field and spotted a Female Northern Wheatear. It was quickly joined by another. My first Autumn migrating Northern Wheatear of the year.

Shelley Beach Terns

Shelley Beach, Exmouth, Devon 
I had a spare hour this afternoon, which coincided with the receding tide so I popped to Shelley Beach in the hope of some Terns. There were a circa 30 Sandwich Tern and 10 Common Tern on what had started to show of Great Bull Hill. I was hoping that the Juvenile Black Tern that’s been around whilst I’ve been out of the country would put in an appearance but I was out of luck. There were also a few Mediterranean Gull in amongst the regular Gull species.

Exmouth Forest School, Devon
After my look off Shelley Beach I had to pick up my youngest from a party at the Exmouth Forest School. Whilst there, this huge Wasp species was flying around and landed briefly. Not a very good photo but I believe it is a Giant Horntail. Open to suggestions if I’m wrong. It was a brute of a thing at around 4cm in length.

Giant Horntail ?

Shelley Beach, Exmouth, Devon 
I had another look this evening and managed to see the Juvenile Black Tern briefly set down on Great Bull Hill with 4 Common Tern. None of the Terns hung around long (no more than a minute) and they set off up river.

Majorca Family Holiday

Cala D’or, Majorca, Spain
I have just got back from a weeks family holiday to Majorca. As ever I had my bins on me and was always on the look out. Around the hotel grounds were some common birds that you’d expect to see back home.

These included. Common Blackbird (Male and Female), Common Swift, House Sparrow (Male and Female), Conmon Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Blue Tit, Common Linnet (Male and Female), Eurasian Collared Dove, Great Tit and Eurasian Goldfinch. A bit less common for the uk were Yellow-legged Gull around the marina, that the restaurant overlooked. But the star bird around the hotel was s lifer in the form of the now split Mediterranean Flycatcher. Several were seen around the hotel and they seemed to pop up everywhere we went. It turned out to be the most common bird of the area. A close second for best bird around the grounds was a corker of a Male Sardinian Warbler just outside the balcony one morning.

A walk along the rocky coast to a cove gave yet more Mediterranean Flycatcher views. Plus European Greenfinch, Rock Dove, Stock Dove and European Stonechat were added to the trip list.

A couple of trips to the local beach (Cala Gran). The first was disappointing in terms of birds with only a few House Sparrow and Common Wood Pigeon at first. But there were.... yes you’ve guessed it.... Mediterranean Flycatcher on offer. But the second trip was far more productive as I found a lifer Balearic Warbler and Common House Martin whilst waiting for the hotel bus to arrive. Then on the beach, I discovered a nice area that held both a Male and Female Sardinian Warbler.

But the birding highlights came when I discovered a great area just 2 minutes fro the hotel. Our hotel was on the outskirts of town and right next to an area of scrub, orchard and farmland (which I seemed to be able to walk around freely). This area proved highly productive as it was teeming with bird life. Seen in this area were- Another lifer with a single Thekla’s Lark, a Female Spectacled Warbler, several Sardinian Warbler (both Male and Female), another Balearic Warbler, 1 Zitting Cisticola, 2 Pallid Swift, 1 European Roller, a couple of European Serin, 2 Eurasian Wryneck, a small group of Eurasian Tree Sparrow, more Mediterranean Flycatcher (around 7 individuals), 2 flyover Mallard (which seemed a little out of place). Plus large flocks of Common Linnet, European Goldfinch, European Greenfinch and House Sparrow. Toped up with several Barn Swallow, good numbers of Common House Martin, 4 European Stonechat, a flyover Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Great Tit and 2 Common Blackbird. I wish I hadn’t been so lazy and checked this area out more.

Also around the hotel grounds was a tiny green Grasshopper species. I assume that it was a youngster but not sure what species. There were several large wasp which as far as I can narrow down were from the Ichneumon family. A small Cricket which I can’t nail down to species level but comes from the Camel Cricket family. Also 2 Dragonflies in the form of Red-veined Darter and Common Darter and a Speckled Wood Butterfly.

A well enjoyed family holiday bolstered with some great bird species. I must however invest in a camera as without my scope to digiscope, I’m stuffed for taking pictures.

Mediterrean Flycatcher

Mediterrean Flycatcher

Mediterrean Flycatcher

 

Mediterrean Flycatcher

Yellow-legged Gull

Ichneumon Wasp Species

Camil Cricket Species

Unknown Grasshopper Species (Young)

Unknown Leaf Hopper Bug Species

A Good Dragonfly Day

Otter Estuary, Budleigh Salterton, Devon
Finished work half day due to a dental appointment (ouch) so took a pre filling walk north of the white bridge. Not many birds about but my main interest was Dragonflies. They didn’t disappoint either with good numbers of Banded Demoiselle and Common Blue Damselfly. A single Common Darter, a few Blue-tailed Damselfly and best off my first ever White-legged Damselfly. Trouble was, nothing wanted to sit still long enough for a decent picture.

Common Darter (Male) 

Peacock 

Bystock Pools, Exmouth, Devon
After my filling I decided to walk off the numbness. So I did a circuit of this reserve. On the main pool was an Emperor Dragonfly, 1 Southern Hawker, several Azure Damselfly, a few Blue-tailed Damselfly, good numbers of Common Blue Damselfly, several Beautiful Demoiselle and best of all 2 Emerald Damselfly. Awful light meant crappy pictures I’m afraid. Up at the other ponds, things were a bit quieter with a few Keeled Skimmer and a single Emperor Dragonfly. Walking through the woods gave brief but nice views of a single Purple Hairstreak.

Emperor Dragonfly (Male)

Common Blue Damselfly (3 is a crowd!!)

Emerald Damselfly (Male)

Emerald Damselfly (Male)

A Surprise Visitor

Byron Way, Exmouth, Devon
Whilst having a cigarette by the front door my wife noticed a scurrying noise and this lovely large European Hedgehog was scampering about. The first one I’ve seen since living in this house.

European Hedgehog 

A Walk With The Kids

Woodbury Castle
The whole family has a walk around the site this morning and stopped for a picnic. It wasn’t to busy on the bird front as there must have been some race / walk taking place. Perhaps part of the Heath Week events. Anyway, there was quite a lot of noise from this event so the only birds see were a European Green Woodpecker, Eurasian Nuthatch, Coal Tit, Common Chaffinch and Common Linnet. There were 2 species of Dragonfly seen with a Female Common Darter and a Male and Female Southern Hawker. There are now 2 ponds in the centre area of the fort and the Southern Hawker was busy laying eggs on a log in one of the ponds.

Common Darter (Female) 

Southern Hawker (Female)

Western Barn Owls

Undisclosed Site, Devon
Seeing that I have picked up a few year ticks this week, I popped out late evening to see if my luck would hold out for a Western Barn Owl. I haven't seen one for a couple of years so its a species that I thought was overdue for me. I am not going to disclose details of the site for obvious reasons but I had success with 2 birds. Views were always distant (hence the rubbish photos) but were good through the scope.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

Wood Sandpiper Episode III

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon 
Hide
I popped to the hide before work and one of the Green Sandpiper was in front of the hide. A few Black-tailed Godwit, 7 Dunlin and a Stock Dove were about but not much else was on offer.

Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper  

Green Sandpiper  

Black-tailed Godwit

Viewing platform 
A quick look produced 4 Common Greenshank and circa 40 Dunlin.

Black Hole Marsh, Seaton, Devon 
I couldn’t resist a quick nip across to Seaton for the reported Wood Sandpiper. And on my third attempt this year I obtained awesome close views of a juvenile. I don’t know what it is about this Marsh but the Wood Sandpipers always show well. I bumped into Tim White who reminded me of a few years ago when there were 30 plus however last year there were no records. Also a showy Common Sandpiper was on offer.

Wood Sandpiper (Juvenile)

Wood Sandpiper (Juvenile)

Wood Sandpiper (Juvenile)

Common Sandpiper 

Common Sandpiper 

Byron Way, Exmouth, Devon
I forgot to mention that my Common House Martin have fledged. I didn’t witness it but I believe 2 youngsters made their way out from the nest some time on Tuesday.