Red-legged Partridge

Ottery St Mary, Devon 

I haven't had any chance to make a dent in the 2022 year list, apart from the usual garden birds which has included Eurasian Jay, Redwing, Common Pheasant and a non tickable Indian Peafowl. I did pop to a few places late afternoon toady though. 

On the Road out of Ottery to Putts Corner (Hare and Hounds) in the first field on the left past the animal rescue centre were a group of 6 Red-legged Partridge. I was only on bins, so poor record shot below.

A few 100 metres south of St Saviours Bridge, wad a nice White-throated Dipper and 6 Common Merganser. 

Red-legged Partridge 

A Very Odd Bunting

Powderham Marsh, Devon
My mate Pete alerted me to an odd bunting in the hedges of the third field from the car park. So after work I popped along for a quick look. On route I noted that there were large numbers of Common Pheasant. On arrival at the hedge I noted lots of activity. Several Common Reed Bunting, a single Female Cirl Bunting a Male Yellowhammer and Common Chaffinch were popping up after feeding in the field the other side of the hedge. The hedge in question is the one nearest the railway line and runs parallel with it. For anyone that knows the site well the field is the one just after the first feeding station.

I then noted the odd Bunting in question. It had its back to me but my first impression was that it appeared to be small looking. However on comparison with the Common Reed Bunting it was clear that it wasn’t. The head pattern was close to Little Bunting but it lacked any black markings and the brown crown stripe. It had a pink bill and pink legs and I noted a very distinctive white eye ring, which is a feature on winter Common Reed Bunting but again the rest of the head pattern didn’t seem to fit. From what I could see of the wings, no white wing bars were visible, which again pointed me away from Little Bunting. Sadly, I never got to see the front of the bird. The back pattern was very much Little Bunting looking. It flew off after a few moments and I had to leave as I needed to get home to run some errands. There was probably only about 15 minutes of decent daylight left anyway. I didn’t have my scope (unusual for me) to take a photo (not that I think it would have helped though as it was obscured most of the time).

A very odd bird indeed and I can’t put my finger on the ID. I have looked at lots of photos and articles, even looking at real out there species to no avail. The obvious possibilities are Common Reed Bunting or Little Bunting but I’m left thinking is it something more intriguing? I might have to pop back tomorrow armed with scope.

Woodlark

Stantywell Farm, Otterton, Devon

Today’s after work yomp was a walk along the road from the farm to the Sewage treatment plant. Just down from the farm was a decent sized group of House Sparrow. I checked through the flock in the hope of a Bunting. No Bunting but I noted a call I hadn’t heard for a while and with that I scanned and got onto a Woodlark! No sooner as I had got onto it the bird took of and flew over me towards the football pitch. I watched it until it was out of sight and a later search to relocate the bird was unsuccessful. 

The next field held a group of 6 Red-legged Partridge. I assume the same group I saw there last week. They pottered about at rather close range and I enjoyed watching them for quite a while. The same field held circa 300 Common Linnet that kept flying off in large groups then coming back to perch on the overhead wires that go through the field. Again I carefully scanned the flock for anything unusual but nothing jumped out as being anything other than Common Linnet. There was not much else of note apart from the White Common Pheasant and a Common Kestrel but I came away pleased to see a Woodlark. My first sighting for well over a year. 

Red-legged Partridge 

Common Linnet (flock)

Common Pheasant (Female)

On the way home I stopped to say hello to Sir Raleigh 

Sir Walter Raleigh statue East Budleigh 

Partridges, White Pheasant And Hares

Stantywell Farm, Otterton, Devon
I decided to walk along the road from the farm to the entrance track to the Sewage works in search of any Finches or Buntings. There were no Buntings and only a handful of Common Chaffinch but I hope numbers will increase the deeper we get in to Autumn and move into Winter. There were decent numbers of House Sparrow. That wouldn’t be unusual a number of years ago but these days a very nice and encouraging sight.

As I moved down the road I came across a nice group of Red-legged Partridge. Some of the bird’s showed at decent range and it was a joy to watch them potter about. The next field held several Common Pheasant with a couple of odd variations, including a lovely White form and a few European Rabbit. Also flying overhead were a few Eurasian Skylark and Meadow Pipit but the best was yet to come as I walked back up to the farm I noted 2 large looking Rabbits. I got the scope on them and quickly realised that these were not your normal European Rabbit but were Brown Hare. The 2 individuals sat there nicely and seemed oblivious to me watching them. Hard to believe but this was my first sighting of this species in Devon.

Red-legged Partridge 

Red-legged Partridg

Red-legged Partridge

Red-legged Partridge (Group)

Common Pheasant (White variation)

Common Pheasant (White variation)

Brown Hare

Brown Hares

Brown Hare

Brown Hare

Red-legged Partridges and European Rabbit

A Missed Goose

Orcombe Point, Devon
A bits and bobs sort of day today. A quick look first thing this morning produced very little. I was hoping for a Northern Wheatear in the top fields but no joy. There were a few Eurasian Skylark happily singing away but not much else of note. On the way back through Littleham, I spied this Eurasian Collared Dove and as it was posing nicely I thought it rude not to snap it.

Eurasian Collared Dove

Hayes Barton, Devon
After work I had limited time due to a Drs appointment so I decided to take a look at Hayes Barton pig farm. Just as I left, I got a text from my mate Pete about the Greater White-fronted Goose at Exminster Marshes but had no time to head off and have a look. a shame really as its not guaranteed to hang about and its a nice Devon tick. Anyway, at the farm, were several Common Pheasant, plenty of Carrion Crow, circa 20 House Sparrow, a few Common Chaffinch and White (Pied) Wagtail and a Common Buzzard. Surprisingly no Red-legged Partridge on view.

Common Pheasant (Male)

Common Buzzard

No Snow But A White Common Pheasant

Near Woodbury, Devon 
This morning whilst driving to work I came across a white Common Pheasant on a the road from four fits cross to Woodbury, Devon. I’m no expert on game shooting but I am lead to believe that these are bred as either ‘marker’ birds that are used in order for the shooter to locate the stock of birds. Or they are ‘bogey’ birds that incur a fine to the person that shoots it. Anyway its (believe it or not) the first I have seen in Devon. An interesting bird to look at. As I only had access to my iPhone I took this really awful picture.

Common Pheasant (White variation)

Red-legged Partridge

Hayes Barton Farm, Yettington, Devon
A dawn visit to the pig farm near Yettington produced 6 Red-legged Partridge in the field directly behind the farm house. It was good to see healthy numbers of House Sparrow around the farm buildings, I would guess c40. Numerous Corvids with a mix of Carrion Crow, Rook and Western Jackdaw. A few Common Pheasant and a calling European Green Woodpecker.