September 28, 2007
GARGANEY
An afternoon look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham on the low tide only got me numerous MALLARD , WIGEON & SHOVELLER , 2 Female PINTAIL , 2 LITTLE GREBE , 2 LAPWING & a LITTLE STINT .
I had heard news of a GARGANEY over on Exminster Marsh so that was my next port of call & sure enough there it was sat on the far side of the pool with a few COMMON TEAL .
September 27, 2007
26th September . 2007
Today I went for a look down at Dawlish Warren & as soon as I got there I started to see birds with LONG TAILED TIT`s , CHIFFCHAFF & some BLACKCAP being seen in the car park , I then walked through the woods seeing more BLACKCAP & CHIFFCHAFF , then the Greenland Lake area but never saw a lot there but when I got to the dune ridge I bumped into a DARTFORD WARBLER & a few STONECHAT .
I then carried on walking out towards the Warren Point & as I was walking along the path I flushed a COMMON QUAIL from right under my feet the bird then flew in front of me before dropping into deep cover I looked for it for about half an hour but couldn`t find it again in the long grass ! it has taken me 22 years of birding to see one of these birds in this country but it was worth the wait .
A look at the sea got me a 100+ GANNET & there was a GREAT SKUA harassing them ,
There was also a few Butterflies seen today with a few Red Admiral & Speckled Wood & a Painted Lady .
September 24, 2007
SEA WATCHING !!!
This morning I went down to Exmouth to see what was showing in the bay & I saw numerous Adult & Juvenile NORTHERN GANNET all flying south & a few KITTIWAKE were in with then , then I got my first GREAT SKUA of the year which was then followed by another year tick for me a nice SOOTY SHEARWATER , the watch was finished off with a dark phase ARCTIC SKUA , there was also a Long Tailed Skua seen in the bay but I couldn`t connect with it ( What a shit ) .
I then had a look at the Exe Estuary at Mudbank Lane but all I saw were about 200+ WIGEON & this solitary LITTLE EGRET .
LITTLE EGRET . THE EXE ESTUARY . EXMOUTH . DEVON . 24 / 9 / 2007
September 14, 2007
SPOONBILL
These three SPOONBILL at Dawlish Warren were my first for the year after dipping the North Devon one`s at the start of the year so they were well worth the trip down for them .
Not a lot else to be seen on the receding tide but a mass of OYSTERCATCHER & GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL on Finger Point & in the saltmarsh there were 4 GREY HERON & 2 LITTLE EGRET .
Thursday 13th September . 2007
I had a late call today telling me that there was a TEMMINCK`S STINT on the Colyford Common at Seaton so myself & Brian Heasman headed there in hope that it would still be showing ! we arrived to find local birder Phil Abbot already there in the hide & he told us that the bird was there but out of sight & as the light was fading fast we thought that we had missed the chance but then out it popped & we ended up having good views of it .
There were also 2 CURLEW SANDPIPER , a COMMON SANDPIPER & an OSPREY seen .
September 10, 2007
LAUGHING GULL
A look at the Exe Estuary at Topsham this morning only got me 12 LITTLE EGRET , 2 GREENSHANK , 2 COMMON SANDPIPER , 3 LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL & 6 SWALLOW .
Later on I got a call telling me that there was a LAUGHING GULL on the River Exe at Countess Wear in Exeter so I went for a look & got good veiws of it , also seen there was a GREEN SANDPIPER , a COMMON SANDPIPER & a GREY WAGTAIL .
LAUGHING GULL . THE RIVER EXE . COUNTESS WEAR . EXETER . DEVON . 10 / 9 / 2007
9th SEPTEMBER . 2007
News of a Buff-Breasted Sandpiper down at Dawlish Warren had Andy Bond & myself dashing off down to there in hope of seeing it but it all was for nothing as by the time we had got there the bird had flown , of interest I had seen one there practically in the same spot in September 89 .
While waiting to see if the bird would come back I saw numerous DUNLIN & RINGED PLOVER , 7 CURLEW SANDPIPER , 2 WHIMBREL , 2 BAR-TAILED GODWIT & 3 SANDERLING .
September 5, 2007
SLOW MIGRATION !!
A walk around the River Clyst in Topsham got me 12 GREENSHANK , 5 COMMON SANDPIPER , a KINGFISHER & a couple of juvenile STONECHAT , also seen were quite a few Grey Mullet that had come up river on the high tide & a Clouded Yellow Butterfly .
I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh & saw a BARNACLE GOOSE , another 30+ GREENSHANK , 2 KNOT & masses of BLACK-TAILED GODWIT & REDSHANK the migration hasn`t realy started yet but lets hope that it does soon .
BARNACLE GOOSE . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 5 / 9 / 2007
September 4, 2007
OSPREY
Birding today on the Clyst Estuary in Topsham got me an OSPREY that was sat feeding on a grey mullet for quite a while before it flew off high & on the far side of the estuary there was 2 KNOT .
I then had a look at Bowling Green Marsh & saw 21 LITTLE EGRET , 10 WIGEON , 8 SHOVELLER , a Male GADWALL , and Female PINTAIL & TUFTED DUCK & in with the waders were 8 WHIMBREL , a BAR-TAILED GODWIT & another KNOT
September 3, 2007
DAWLISH WARREN
This morning off I went to Dawlish Warren to see what was about & the first bird of note was a fly over GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER , then in the Greenland Lake area there were 4 NORTHERN WHEATEAR on show .
I then went further along to the bight to look at the waders & I saw numerous DUNLIN & RINGED PLOVER , 60+ RED KNOT , 300+ OYSTERCATCHER , 4 TURNSTONE , & single CURLEW SANDPIPER , WHIMBREL , SANDERLING & BAR-TAILED GODWIT .
Also seen were 20+ SANDWICH TERN , 1 COMMON TERN & a female PEREGRINE FALCON .
