Common Kingfisher

Black Hole Marsh, Seaton, Devon 

I thought I would take an evening look from the tower hide in the hope the Osprey was still around. It was a no show and I believe it flew out to sea a bit earlier on. Oh well, there's always time for another. There was this stunning Common Kingfisher on show, which I always enjoy.

Common Kingfisher

Somerset Marshes

Ottery St Mary, Devon 

I woke up to this amazing garden tick. A Northern Wheatear on my neighbours roof

Northern Wheatear 

Shapwick, Somerset

Had the day off so had a few hours around the marshes. I was treated to a Great Egret almost straight way on the way to Noah's Lake. At the hide at Noah's lake I just caught sight of the Osprey as it circled over the lake and out of sight. The Black-necked Grebe showed well, if not distantly. 3 Western Marsh Harrier gave pretty good views too. Back at the main path, another 2 Great Egret. 

Great Egret

Black-necked Grebe 

Ham Wall, Somerset 

A quick walk up to the first viewing platform. All rather quite on the birding front with the best bird being a Common Kingfisher at the bridge. On the Dragonfly front there were loads of Southern Hawker plus a nice Migrant Hawker. Disappointingly no Eurasian Bittern seen on either sites.

Missed Purple Heron By A Whisker

Shapwick Heath, Somerset
I had to travel to Bath for a meeting today so it seemed rude not to head off a tad early so I could pop into Shapwick Heath. I headed to Noah’s hide in the hope of seeing the Purple Heron that’s been around. On arrival I was informed that it had been showing fantastically until a few minutes ago. Typical I thought!! However I was treated to great views of a Osprey, 2 Western Marsh Harrier and 2 Great Egret around the lake. Also on route to the hide were another 3 Great Egret, and a bedraggled looking Common Buzzard. A few Dragonflies in the way of Southern Hawker and Common Darter. Plus a rather nice Cricket species, that I think is a Dark Bush Cricket. Numerous Small White, Large White and Speckled Wood made up the Butterfly species.

Osprey 

Osprey 

Common Buzzard 

Great Egret 

Great Egret

Dark Bush Cricket?

Osprey

Exton Station, Devon
I had another quick look for the Osprey off Exton after work and it paid off. Very nice views but unfortunately not easy to capture a descent photo with my equipment and the harsh haze. It spent a lot of the time I was viewing being harassed by Gulls but it was finally allowed to settle on a post.

Osprey  

Osprey   

Osprey  

Osprey 

Osprey 

Another Walk Around Bystock

Exton Station, Devon 
I decided to check the Estuary before work in the hope of seeing the Osprey. No luck and not much to report but I was pleased to find this Jersey Tiger Moth in the bushes by the entrance gate to the platform.

Jersey Tiger Moth    

Bystock Pools, Exmouth, Devon 
I managed a walk around the main pool to the boardwalk after work. The aim was Dragonflies and I wasn’t dissatisfied. Around the main pool were a few Sourhern Hawker, Common Blue Damselfly, Small Red Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Azure Damselfly. On the walk to the boardwalk ponds were a few Beautiful Demoiselle, Keeled Skimmer, Red-eyed Damselfly and a Holly Blue. Surprisingly there wasn’t anything around the ponds!

Holly Blue  

Azure Damselfly 

Red-eyed Damselfly (Female Black form)

One Of Those Days

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon 
I felt that the over night conditions were primed for a fall of migrants so I popped up first thing. The place was almost devoid of any bird life apart from a few European Herring Gull and Eurasian Magpie. As I have mentioned before on this blog, I have a real love / hate relationship with Orcombe. There can be weeks where I see nothing but it can also deliver the goods. Today was a day of nothing, so I headed to work with my tail between my legs.

Aylesbeare Common, Devon 
After work I took a look around the common. I was hoping for Dartford Warbler. I had walked for 20 minutes down the left hand side of the reserve and in that time I hadn’t seen a bird. At this point I thought to myself “Spence, this is one of those days!” I continued towards the bottom of the reserve (where there are a number of pools) and had only seen 2 Carrion Crow and heard a singing Common Chiffchaff. Once I arrived at the pools things did improve slightly with a Male Eurasian Bullfinch, a Common Chiffchaff, 2 Eurasian Blue Tit and a Common Chaffinch.

On another note. My 9 year old daughter Brooke went on an orginised wildlife walk at Dawlish Warren today and was chuffed to see her first Osprey and Sand Lizard. It’s nice to see her really getting into her birds and wildlife. Her life list is now 62! Not bad considering she only started listing this year. Perhaps she’ll beat her Daddy one day?

I’m off to Portland area tomorrow so hopefully I will have a better day.

Osprey

M5 between Tiverton and Cullompton
Whilst driving back to Exeter after a training morning. I noted a bird of prey heading slowly and low towards me. As we neared each other I could see by the jizz and flight action that this wasn’t a Common Buzzard. It was large but slender, with long wings (almost Gull looking) I slowed down (as much as possible for a motorway) so I could get a descent look at the bird as it flew low over me and realised that this was a Osprey. This constitutes the earliest record for me and one of very few spring records as I normally catch up with them when they are leaving the UK as they tend to stick around awhile.