New Year

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon
I managed to get 2 hours out whilst the rest of the family went to watch Frozen 2 in the cinema at Exmouth. It was nice to be on familiar turf. I popped here first as it's a good place to start your new year list. The highlight was the Long-billed Dowitcher that was rather showy at times. Also of note were Pied Avocet, Bar-tailed Godwit, Northern Pintail and Common Pochard.

Darts Farm, Topsham, Devon
On the fields were decent numbers of Brant Goose and a good sized finch flock that included many Conmon Linnet and a Common Reed Bunting

Mudbank Lane, Exmouth, Devon
Not too much on offer apart from the expected species.

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon
I bumped into Matt Knott here but I literally only had 10 minutes before I had to pick the family up from the cinema. Matt informed me that the Cirl Bunting was in the dung heap but it failed to show for me.

Not the haul I hoped for but ended the few hours with 60 species.

Topsham Rec

Topsham Recreation Ground, Devon 
We took the kids to play in the park so I couldn’t resist a look around. A few Black-tailed Godwit and Bar-tailed Godwit. 2 Common Greenshank, a Common Kingfisher and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk patrolling overhead.

Slim Pickings

Darts Farm, Topsham, Devon 
A quick visit after work. The fields from the hide are flooded slightly at the moment and today held a number of Black-tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew and Eurasian Wigeon but no sign of the Water Rail that’s been rather showy of late. Around the crop field were Common Linnet, Eurasian Goldfinch and a single Lesser Black-backed Gull. Nothing else of real note.

Pied Avocet And Common Eider

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon 
A morning visit on Monday didn’t give up the Yellow-browed Warbler but from the hide was a single Ruff and few Dunlin in amongst the many Black-tailed Godwit flock and a nice raft of Pied Avocet.

Pied Avocer

Shelly Beach, Exmouth, Devon 
A quick look after work in the hope of a Black Redstart was unsuccessful. I guess it was hunkered down due to the presence of a Eurasian Sparrowhawk. On the estuary were a few Common Eider, with one individual at rather close range.

Barnacle Goose And Some Dire Birding

Exmouth Cricket Club, Devon 
A quick look at first light for the Common Firecrest was unfortunately fruitless.

Exminster Marsh, Devon 
A flying visit at lunchtime today along the railway path. The 4 Barnacle Goose were on show. Good numbers of Northern Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwit and was pleased to see a few European Golden Plover.

Barnacle Goose

Aylesbeare Common, Devon 
A walk around after work both yesterday and today was very dire indeed. I was looking for Lesser Redpoll and Yellowhammer and on both occasions saw next to nothing. This place can be a bit hit and miss.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Mudbank Lane, Exmouth, Devon
A quick look after work. The tide was out and everything was up Estuary, so I walked up the railway footpath to view. Really high numbers of Eurasian Wigeoan and Brant Goose (a couple of which were Pale-bellied). I’m still looking out for a Black Brant and I still can’t seem to catch up with a Red-Crested Pochard. Good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit and Northern Pintail but nothing else of real note. On arrival though I was treated to a stunning rainbow.

Stunning Rainbow 

Wildfowl Numbers Are On The Up

Mudbank Lane, Exmouth, Devon
I havent been here for a few weeks so I decided to have a quick look after work. Eurasian Wigeon Numbers were very high with my best guess being around 900 plus birds. Around 30 Black-tailed Godwit, 25 Northern Pintail and nice to see the Brant Goose numbers rising with a few hundred birds on site.

Well I’m off to hopefully see the Brown Shrike in Cornwall tomorrow. It has so far answered my prayers and stuck around. Just one more day please!!

Red Crossbill

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon
A visit to the hide first thing. Viewing is always hard on sunny mornings this time of the year as the sun is low and in yours eyes. However, good numbers of Eurasian Teal, a few Eurasian Wigeon, a single Common Greenshank and several Black-tailed Godwit dropped in. Apart from that it was rather quite and most birds were still rather sleepy.

Woodbury Common, Devon
A lightening visit to the model airplane area after work produced a few Common Chiffchaff, a feeding flock of Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit and Eurasian Blue Tit, singles of Eurasian Treecreeper and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Best of all was a brief view of a Red Crossbill. There were a few more around as I heard multiple calls but I couldn’t locate. I also noted large numbers of Dunnock. At one point around 15 were foraging together on the path. They have obviously done ok.

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.

Red Knot Or Not?

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon
A pre work visit to the hide early morning. There wasn't a great deal about but on my first scan of the waders on the spit I was drawn to this smaller wader. It was sleeping when I first saw it so I couldn't be sure what it was. It woke up to preen itself for a moment or two and I could only manage a few of my rubbish photos. At the time it was sleeping, I did think Red Knot. However when it was preening etc. the neck looked to long for a Red Knot (picture 1 kind of capture this). The light was awful (as it can be at this site when the sun is low) but the bird was a medium sized wader and looked a dull brown / grey on the back, wings and head (almost like a non breeding Godwit plumage). The chest and belly were white but the chest had some faint barring on it. It was short billed and the supercilium stood out a mile (picture 2 shows this). I had a proper look at the pictures during my lunch break and conferred with my trusty Collins App and the only suitable candidate was a Red Knot. Although it didn't quite sit well with me (me and my curiosity again!).

Mystery Wader - Longer neck than I would expect for Red Knot

Mystery Wader - Look at that Supercilium!

Mystery Wader - Short bill

I returned to the site after work to have another look. There were plenty of Waders about. Mainly Black-tailed Godwit but a couple of Dunlin and several Red Knot were in the mix. I was glad there were Red Knot about as it gave me a chance to do a compare and contrast on the bird from this morning. And in honesty, looking at the Red Knot has made me think my bird from this morning didn't quite fit with how these birds looked. However I cant seem to tag it to anything else at the moment! Also on site was a Ruff, a few Sand Martin and a Male Eurasian Blackcap on the road near Goosemoor.

Red Knot in amongst Black-tailed Godwit 

Dunlin in amongst Black-tailed Godwit 

Black-tailed Godwit

The Otter Estuary, Budleigh Salterton, Devon
I had time for a quick look before heading home. The Cetti's Warbler was in song near the white bridge. No sign of the Lesser Whitethroat but to be fair I wasn't on site long. Still no Common Kingfisher or Water Rail! A few Barn Swallow were about but apart from that the site was very quiet.

Ruff And Stuff

Bowling Green Marsh, Devon
A quick visit to see if the 2 Ruff were still around and my luck was in. They were either very active or obscured from view but did manage a record photo. Also of note was a Male Common Pochard, several Nothern Pintail, 3 Common Greenshank and 2 Little Grebe. Plenty of Northern Shoveler and Eurasian Teal, several Gadwall, 1 Greylag Goose, a few Tufted Duck, Black-tailed Godwit and Common Redshank.

Black-tailed Godwit

Ruff

Common Pochard (Male)

Northern Shoveler (Male)

Little Grebe

Northern Pintail (Male)

Just For Fun

Crealy great adventure park, Devon
As we are members, the family visit this place near enough every Sunday. It’s surprising what you see here. A little while back I came across a flock of C50 Black-tailed Godwit feeding near the lake. Nothing so exciting today and this is a little off track but just for fun. I couldn’t resist snapping a picture of this guy. It was grunting like hell as I walked past. As ever with Crealy, lots of Corvids and Gulls.

Emu

Rook

European Herring Gull

Finches And Buntings Part II

Stantyway Farm, Otterton, Devon 
Had another dawn look around the Farm area. Again a large flock of Common Linnet, Common Chaffinch and European Goldfinch. No Brambling or European Greenfinch. Bunting wise, again a single Cirl Bunting, 4 Yellowhammer and C30 Conmon Reed Bunting. Couldn’t locate the odd looking one from yesterday, so perhaps it was just an odd looking Conmon Reed Bunting. Also a Mistle Thrush and Common Kestrel of note.

Yellowhammer

Common Linnet

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon 
An hour or so visit after work. From the goat walk and viewing platform. 4 Mew Gull, 5 European Golden Plover, numerous Pied Avocet, Eurasian Curlew, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Redshank and 2 Little Egret.

Little Egret