Part-time Birding: Dunlin

Showing posts with label Dunlin. Show all posts

Ruff

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon

I visited the hide over the morning high tide. As I turned up I was advised there had just been a Little Gull reported off the goat walk. So I popped along but there was no sign. At the hide, the highlights were 3 Ruff, 1 Common Snipe and circa 20 Common Greenshank. A good number of Dunlin were on offer to scrutinise a single Stock Dove popped in and a few Northern Pintail andBar-tailed Godwit were dotted about.

Common Snipe

Finally A Northern Wheatear, Some Nice Waders And A YL Gull

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon

I was in Exmouth on an errand and had literally 10 minutes to spare. So I popped here for a quick look. Since moving and lockdown, I haven't been here in ages. It felt nice to be back on a familiar site. The target was Northern Wheatear and since a load had been seen at Beer Head. I thought there had to be some here. Anyway, I was able to see a single bird in my 10 minutes there. Amazingly, due to lockdown. This was my first of the year.

Black Hole Marsh, Seaton, Devon

A quick visit this evening produced the Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper and Ruff from the viewing area before the island hide. Lots of Dunlin and Common Ringed Plover about I also bumped into Steve Waite that let me know of an adult Yellow-legged Gull from the tower hide. I picked it out but the light wouldnt let me get a great photo with my equipment. Also a single Common Greenshank and lots more Dunlin from this hide.

Little Stint

Yellow-legged Gull

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.

First Sand Martins And Western Cattle Egret

Exminster Marsh, Devon
A quick look from the viewing platform first thing for yesterday’s reported female Red-crested Pochard was unsuccessful. However, I was pleased to see my first Sand Martin of the year. Around 4 birds were going over the canal from the estuary to the marsh and back. The best of the wildfowl on the lagoon were 2 Nothern Pintail, several Gadwall and several Tufted Duck. The Snow Goose was in exactly the same place I saw it a week ago in the field near the Swans Nest.

Cockwood, Devon
After work, I decided to look for the 4 Western Cattle Egret reported on Twitter by local birder Dave Boult. They were apparently in a field at the rear of Cofton garage. The garage is just off the main Dawlish Road just past Cockwood (opposite the entrance to Cofton holiday park). I couldn’t locate any in the field but after a very brief search I located them with some Little Egret in a tree near the rear of the garage. I didn’t have my scope (left it in the car) but I could clearly make out 2 birds but I suspect that the others were there too.

I moved on to have a look off the railway steps in the hope of seeing Sanderling. Strangely a species I’ve not yet seen this year. No luck with the Sanderling but there were a few Mew Gull and the Horned Grebe. In the blight was a single Common Greenshank and towards Starcross, a small flock of Dunlin.

A Couple Of Bits Ands Bobs

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon
My first day back in the office after a lengthy time working from home was a shock to the system, so I decided to have an early finish. I headed for Bowling Green Marsh in case the reported Gloosy Ibis had dropped in on the main lagoon but I was unsuccessful. There were 2 Pied Avocet on the furthest island. A sleeping Common Pochard with the also sleepy Tufted Ducks. A few Northern Pintail were dotted about too. From the viewing platform were more Pied Avocet and good numbers of Dunlin. 2 Mistle Thrush were in the field on the approach to the platform. A quick look from Goosemoor produced 10 Common Greenshank, surpringly my first of the year!

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.

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

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.

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

Spotted Crake

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

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)

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.

Rosy Starling

Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve. Devon
I couldn’t resist an evening walk out to the hide to look for the adult Rosy Starling. On arrival there was no sign but a Common Whitethroat, a Sanderling, several Common Ringed Plover and a large flock of Dunlin kept me entertained whilst I waited. Then a few Common Starling flew into the trees on the golf course and I prayed it would follow. I’m not a religious guy but my prayers must of been heard as it duly dropped in. A lot of the time it was obscured but I did manage some great views. Weird thing is, this is my first UK adult. I’ve seen numerous juvenile birds over the years but this one was special.

Short video clip of Rosy Starling

Rosy Starling

Common Whitethroat (Male)

Bladder Campion

Birds-foot Trefoil

Small-flower Lupin

Purple Foxglove

Southern Marsh Orchid

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.

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”