May 25, 2008
Little Gull
This 1st summer LITTLE GULL showed quite well for a short period on Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham this morning , the weather was quite overcast & it attracted 100+ COMMON SWIFT & a few HOUSE MARTIN .
On the marsh there was also a LITTLE EGRET , 2 GREENSHANK & a count of 19 OYSTERCATCHER a very high count for the marsh .
LITTLE GULL . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 25 / 5 / 2008
May 24, 2008
TURTLE DOVE
Early this morning I went up to the Splatford area of the Haldon Forest to look for TURTLE DOVE & it payed off as I found this bird ! but it was only on show for a short while , also seen was a RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE & a WILLOW WARBLER .
Later in the day there was a Male & Female PEREGRINE FALCON sat on St Michael`s Church in Exeter .
May 23, 2008
RED-BACKED SHRIKE
A trip up to the Sousens Platation on Dartmoor today as a Male RED-BACKED SHRIKE had been reported but possibly 2 ! , & after the long walk down to the valley one bird showed very well but there was no sign of the other bird .
Other birds of note were a COMMON CUCKOO , a TREE PIPIT & numerous WILLOW WARBLER .
RED-BACKED SHRIKE . THE SOUSENS PLANTATION . DARTMOOR . DEVON . 23 / 5 / 2008
Wednesday 21st May . 2008
A look at the Exminster Marshes this morning got me 5 DUNLIN looking superb in full breeding plumage , there was also numerous SWALLOW & SWIFT but only a single HOUSE MARTIN & REED , SEDGE & CETTI`S WARBLER were all singing from the reedbeds .
An evening look at Bowling Green Marsh got me 4 WHIMBREL , a superb RUFF in breeding plumage & the 1st summer BONAPARTE`S GULL .
BONAPARTE`S GULL . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 21 / 5 / 2008
May 20, 2008
BONAPARTE`S GULL
This evening I heard news of a BONAPARTE`S GULL on the Exe/Clyst estuary & I ended up getting distant views of the bird from the viewing platform overlooking the Clyst Estuary at the Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham .
A trip up to the Haldon Forest near Exeter then got me my first NIGHTJAR of the year with four being seen , two TAWNY OWL were calling from deep in the forest & two Roe Deer came out into view before dashing off back into the forest again .
BONAPARTE`S GULL . THE CLYST ESTUARY . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 20 / 5 / 2008
May 19, 2008
The Exminster Marshes
Birding the Exminster Marshes this morning got me 2 Male GARGANEY , a single HOBBY that flew over my head , 20+ SWIFT , 4 SWALLOW & a HOUSE MARTIN , & the usual warblers were on show with SEDGE , REED & CETTI`S seen but the highlight of the day was my first LESSER WHITETHROAT of the year .
May 15, 2008
Wednesday 14th May . 2008
RED-FOOTED FALCON
This morning I went up to the Challacombe Farm area of Dartmoor & I saw 3 CUCKOO , a COMMON REDSTART , a GREY WAGTAIL & a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER , I also found a reeling GRASSHOPPER WARBLER that also showed well to a group of birders that came along just at the right time .
On the drive back across the moor there was two WHINCHAT sitting on the fence wire at Headland Warren .
Later in the day I met up with Ken Montandon & we went up to Meare Heath in Somerset for a Female RED-FOOTED FALCON that had been reported there & we got distant views of the bird sat in a tree from the hide but we got superb views of the bird in flight as well along with 15 HOBBY .
May 13, 2008
Birding Dorset
Today Andy , Ken & myself went up to Dorset to look for migrants but it was quite dead , our first stop was at Portland Bill & we saw 2 LITTLE OWL in the quarry , we then walked down to the lighthouse & a look at the sea got us 20+ MANX SHEARWATER & a few FULMAR + 2 NORTHERN WHEATEAR around the rocks , we then headed off to Weymouth & on the way we stopped at Ferrybrige where there was 12 LITTLE TERN on show .
The last stop of the day was at Lodmoor but all we saw there of any note was 8 COMMON TERN & a single BEARDED TIT .
Sunday 11th May . 2008
Early this morning I saw my first Badger for many a year ! running along Old Rydan Lane in Exeter at around 1.50 am .
Later in the day I had a quick look at the Exminster Marshes but there wasn`t a lot around & all I saw were 2 GREENSHANK , 2 GADWALL , 3 CETTI`S WARBLER , 6 SEDGE WARBLER & a single REED BUNTING .
May 7, 2008
American Golden Plover
A look at Exminster Marsh this morning got me the 1st summer AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER again + a HOBBY , 6 SEDGE WARBLER & 8 SWALLOW .
I then went to Yarner Wood on the edge of Dartmoor where I saw 4 WOOD WARBLER , a Male & Female PIED FLYCATCHER & a pair of nesting TREECREEPER , I then walked up to the heath & was rewarded with good views of a GARDEN WARBLER & a TREE PIPIT & there were a few WILLOW WARBLER singing their heads off .
May 5, 2008
WHISKERED TERN
An early morning look at Exmouth bay got me 4 MANX SHEARWATER , 50+ COMMON SCOTER , 60+ COMMON TERN & a single ARCTIC TERN , then news broke of a WHISKERED TERN at Radipole in Dorset so I met up with Ken Montandon & off we went to see if get it .
We arrived at Radipole & got the bird right away flying up & down the stretch of water by the tennis courts with a couple of COMMON TERN , we also saw a few BEARDED TIT , we then went to Lodmoor where there were more COMMON TERN & this HOOPOE that has been around a few days & on the way back home there was a few LITTLE TERN at Ferrybridge / Portland Bay .
May 4, 2008
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER
This morning I went over to the Exminster Marshes to see if any Hobby were around , I walked down towards the main lagoon with another birder stopping on the way to look at several SEDGE WARBLER & CETTI`S WARBLER , on reaching the lagoon we had a look for Hobby but there was none showing just some COMMON SWIFT , we then had a plover type bird fly off down the Exe Estuary .
As the other birder was walking his dogs he walked off towards the Turf Hotel but I stayed there looking & about 20 minutes later I picked up a plover type wader on one of the scrapes that grabbed my attention right away so I waved to the other birder & called him back we then looked at the bird for a while not to sure in what we had ! so he called some other birders & after a while the bird went down as a Golden Plover & the birders dispersed but I was still not happy with it so I shot off a few more shots of it & then about an hour later it was flushed by a HOBBY & flew showing greyish axillaries so I went home to look at the pictures , once home I was pretty sure that it wasn`t a G P so I sent the shots off to someone else who confirmed what was in my thoughts that it was an AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER another good bird for the marshes & a County tick for me .
Also seen today was a WOOD SANDPIPER , a COMMON TERN & 3 HOBBY .
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER . EXMINSTER MARSHES . DEVON . 4 / 5 / 2008
May 3, 2008
BLACK TERN
This morning I heard news that there was a BLACK TERN on the Exminster Marshes so over I went to see if I could catch up with it , the bird was soon spotted flying over the main lagoon but getting a shot of it was nearly impossible what with the distance & the bird being constantly in flight & this was the best I could do .
There was also 100+ SWIFT & a few SAND MARTIN over the lagoon as well & on the walk back to the car there were 3 SEDGE WARBLER , 2 CETTI`S WARBLER & a REED BUNTING .
May 2, 2008
Wednesday 30th April . 2008
A quick look at the Exminster Marshes got me a Male GARGANEY on the main lagoon , my first 6 SEDGE WARBLER of the year , 3 REED WARBLER 3 CETTI`S WARBLER , 50+ SAND MARTIN , 20+ HOUSE MARTIN , 10 SWALLOW & my first SWIFTS of the year also .
Sunday 27th April . 2008
Trip to Lundy Island
Today Ken Montandon & myself went on the Devon Birdwatching Society trip to Lundy Island & as the boat was leaving Bideford we saw a 1st summer MEDITERRANEAN GULL & 2 COMMON SANDPIPER , once the boat had got out into the open sea we saw a few Harbour Porpoise & some MANX SHEARWATER then after a while some STORM PETREL were seen along with numerous GUILLEMOT & RAZORBILL , on reaching Lundy the boat went around the island & we were in luck with 2 PUFFIN seen ! one sat on the sea & the other in flight .
We then disembarked & made our way up the island , once at the top I had a look at a sheep field & found a WHITE WAGTAIL & a YELLOW/BLUE HEADED WAGTAIL , we then heard news that a RING OUZEL had been found so we went & got good views of it , there had been a bit of a fall of birds with over 150 CHIFFCHAFF , 20+ WHEATEAR , 10 WILLOW WARBLER , 6 BLACKCAP , a few WHITETHROAT & a REED WARBLER seen .
No major rare birds were seen but a good day was had by all & on the way back to the mainland good numbers of GANNET , FULMAR & a few more Manxies were seen
