Red-necked Grebe

Elberry Cove, Broadsands, Devon
I had most of the day off today so I thought I would look for the Red-necked Grebe. I didn’t have to look too hard as 2 birds showed rather well. Also on site were singles of Common Loon, Black-throated Loon and Great Crested Grebe.

Red-necked Grebe (2 individuals)

Red-necked Grebe

Black-throated Loon

Cockwood, Devon
I have been desperate to see Sanderling for a while so I popped to the railway steps as the tide was dropping. Plenty of Dunlin and Ruddy Turnstone feeding at the shoreline but sadly no Sanderling. Also a few Mew Gull, Common Redshank and Red-breasted Merganser but not much else of note.

Black Redstart And Caspian Gull

Exmouth Leisure Centre, Exmouth, Devon
I had a quick look this morning to see if anything tasty was sheltering from the storm. There were a group of Ruddy Turnstone on the shoreline, 6 close in Great Crested Grebe and high numbers of Brant Goose and Eurasian Wigeon. I was unable to photograph everything as the heavens opened and I got totally drenched in just a few seconds. To the point that I needed to pop home and change before setting off to work. I even had to put a bin bag on my car seat to stop my fresh clothes from getting wet. The joys of birding!

Ruddy Turnstone 

Ruddy Turnstone 

Shelley Beach, Exmouth, Devon
After work I popped along to see if any of the Black Redstarts were about. On arrival a female was showing rather well. I was setting up to take a photo when I got a text from Matt Knott about a Caspian Gull On Mudbank. So I quickly headed back to the car.

Mudbank Lane, Exmouth, Devon
On arrival Matt has already moved on so I scanned the area. No sign of the Caspian Gull and in fact there were very few large Gulls about. Despite this, I decided to hang about and scan the masses of Wildfowl. In amongst the Brant Goose and Eurasian Wigeon good numbers of Northern Pintail were noted. A few Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstone and Common Redshank were around the shore. After about 20 minutes, a few large Gulls dropped on the water. I scanned them all and in typical fashion, the last one was the Caspian Gull. None of them hung around long enough for a photo and they headed off to what was left of the sandbar near Starcross. Light was awful by this point so I couldn’t pick it out. Another nice find by Matt and I came away pleased with my ever so brief views.

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.

Spotted Redshank

Goosemoor, Topsham, Devon
I had a little look late afternoon for the reported Spotted Redshank and the bird was on show on the opposite side of the Estuary. A smart Summer plumage bird that spent a lot of time hidden in the channel. Apart from that the area was rather quiet bar a few Northern Lapwing, Common Redshank and a single Common Greenshank. A Broad-bodied Chaser put in a brief appearance as did a couple of Ringlets.

Spotted Redshank 

 Northern Lapwing 

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

Corn Bunting

Corn Bunting

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)

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

Mediterranean Gull

A3052 near Crealy, Devon
After my interesting Buzzard on Sunday I decided to have one more look after work but no joy. I guess it will have to go down as a WTF was that bird.

Otter Estuary, Budleigh Salterton, Devon 
I decided to give the Otter a look over to see what Gulls we’re hanging about. On arrival there were 4 Common Ringed Plover resting on the edge of one of the channels. They were accompanied by 2 Dunlin and there were several Common Redshank around. I moved up the footpath, to the first viewing platform and noticed a few Gulls on the river but they were obscured for a lot of the time. In amongst the Black-headed Gulls was a smart adult winter Mediterranean Gull (my first of the year). Try as I might I couldn’t get a photo. The Tawny Owl was roosting in a hole in one of the larger trees to the right hand side of the scrapes. Also on the river was a Little Grebe, some Eurasian Wigeon and Eurasian Teal.

The Gulls looked like they would be viewable from the beach path so I relocated but once I got there they had mostly cleared off. There were however 18 Brant Geese close in and a very brave Eurasian Rock Pipit.

Common Ringed Plover

Eurasian Rock Pipit

Brant Goose

European Herring Gull

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)

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