A Potential Yellow-legged Gull

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon 
I had an optimistic look around after work but the only species of note were a group of mobile Meadow Pipits. I even had a brief sea watch but only managed a distant Northern Gannet.

Mudbank, Exmouth, Devon 
I moved on from Orcombe Point to have a look at the Estuary. Plenty of birds around, mainly Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull. A few Eurasian Curlew and Eurasian Oystercatcher. I did have a decent candidate Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull but the sun was directly in my eyes and scope and the Gull in question wouldn’t move before I had to leave. I’d have liked to see the bird in flight or stretch it’s wings for me to clinch further ID features

I’m hopefully off to Porthgwarra on Wednesday or Thursday (if my boss is in a good enough mood to give me a last minute day off) as I feel the predicted conditions could prove very rewarding. Hmmm, I wonder if that Trindade Petrel is still around and fancies performing? Wake up Spence!

Another Missed Wood Sandpiper

Goosemoor, Topsham, Devon 
After work I decided to take a look for yesterday’s Wood Sandpiper and today’s Curlew Sandpiper. I couldn’t get out last night to look for the former and I knew that the tides would be wrong at the time of visit but it seemed rude not to pop in as it’s on the way home. Goosemoor was very quite with only several Black-headed Gull on site.

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon
Hide 
I moved on to the hide in hope but the best bird was a Green Sandpiper. It showed rather close in at times. There were several juvenile Common Shelduck but not much else of note. On the lane to the viewing platform was a smart Red Admiral and a Southern Hawker. I’m not sure if the sightings board in the hide is up to date but someone had marked Wood Sandpiper as seen.

Green Sandpiper  

Green Sandpiper

Green Sandpiper    

Red Admiral

Viewing platform
A look off the platform only produced one decent bird, a single Summer plumage Red Knot was pottering around in Greenshank corner. No photo could be obtained due to wind, haze and it was obscured at times. Plenty of Common Redshank and Black-headed Gulls around too.

Don’t Move, I’m Cold!

East Budleigh, Devon
I popped to Cadbury Gardens again after work to see if I could get a better photo of the putative Italian Sparrow but despite there being plenty of House Sparrow around, it didn’t show. A few bits and bobs on offer though.

House Sparrow (Male)

House Sparrow (Female)

Common Blackbird (Male)

Eurasian Blue Tit

Common Wood Pigeon

Mudbank Lane Exmouth 
I then descided to have a quick look off Mudbank Lane. Nothing special on offer but I found this Common Redshank trying to shelter from the wind and was amused by the Dunlin trying as best as it could to use the Common Redshank as shelter.

                     “Don’t move, I’m cold”

Common Redshank and Dunlin

Eurasian Oystercatcher

Eurasian Curlew

Common Redshank

Dunlin

Black-headed Gull

Water Pipit

Cricket pitch, Budleigh Salterton, Devon

After work, Matt Knott alerted me to a Water Pipit that he had viewed earlier in the day. I happened to be up the road looking for the Italian Sparrow at the time. Having already seen the Sparrow a few times, I thought I would give it a miss and decided to head over and have look for the Pipit.

On arrival there were a number of Eurasian Rock Pipit and White (Pied) Wagtail feeding on the Cricket pitch but I couldn’t locate the Water Pipit. Around 30 Common Linnet and a single European Greenfinch were chattering away in the hedges / trees around me.

I then moved to the scrape in the hope it was feeding there. Again no sign but had nice views of 2 Common Snipe. There were good numbers of Gulls comprising of Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull. A few Northern Lapwing and a single Eurasian Curlew were busy pottering about. I didn’t see any Common Ringed Plover, which I half expected to see on the scrape. 

After a short while, I decided to locate back to the pitch and on the first scan I picked out the Water Pipit. It was rather distant and I tried to get a picture but (I know my photos aren’t great) none are worthy of posting. Nevertheless a nice bird that I don’t get to see that often. So it was great to have had the opportunity. Thanks to Matt for the info.

Western Cattle Egret

Quay, Exmouth, Devon

An early morning look from the Quay in hope of the Bonaparte’s Gull proved fruitless but there were 2 Ruddy Turnstone scuttling around the edges near the dock and 1 Common Eider off the Warren.

Imperial ground, Exmouth 

I decided to move on to the Imperial ground area where on arrival there were good numbers of Gulls on the grass area. Many Black-headed Gulls and European Herring Gulls plus 4 Mew Gull but no Bonaparte’s Gull. The Brant Geese were in close by the seems grass area (car park) so viewed them from the car. Also there were a few Dunlin and Red-breasted Merganser. I then noticed a Little Egret and was watching that and noticed a smaller bird tucked away in the sea grass. The bird finally lifted its head to reveal a Western Cattle Egret! I watched it for a moment before deciding to take a photo. I have to take my photos via my iPhone through my scope. As I got out (slowly) to get my scope from the boot, the bird flew. I tracked it as it headed for the rugby ground. As it flew I was able to see the bird better and got all the features for the ID. I went to have a look at the rugby pitch but no joy. 

Quay, Shelley Beach and Imperial Ground, Exmouth, Devon 

After work I went back for another look for both the Western Cattle Egret and Bonaparte’s Gull at the Quay, Shelley Beach and Imperial Ground after work, with no success. There was however a Common Loon and Common Eider from the Quay.