August 31, 2008
Marsh Sandpiper
Today I got an early morning call telling me that there was a MARSH SANDPIPER on Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham so I shot off to there as fast as I could & found the bird on the far side of the marsh & as it was pouring with rain the views were not all that good ! but after a while it cleared up a bit so that we could see the bird a bit better , also seen today was the juvenile GARGANEY , 12 GREENSHANK , 2 SPOTTED REDSHANK , 2 KNOT , 4 WHIMBREL & the first 2 returning AVOCET of the autumn .
The MARSH SANDPIPER then flew out to the Clyst Estuary where it showed extremely well from the viewing platform & was aged as a juvenile bird .
MARSH SANDPIPER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 31 / 8 / 2008
MARSH SANDPIPER . THE CLYST ESTUARY . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 31 / 8 / 2008
August 29, 2008
More Of The Semipalmated Sandpiper
Another trip down to Dawlish Warren today to see if I could get a better shot of the SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER & I was in luck with the bird showing quite close in the bight , also at the Warren today was a SPARROWHAWK , a KINGFISHER , a GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER & a WHITETHROAT .
August 28, 2008
Semipalmated Sandpiper
I only saw two birds today but they were both good one`s the first was a CATTLE EGRET that flew across the main Exeter to Plymouth road near Buckfastliegh & landed in a field with cows in it , & the second was a superb SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER that was on the beach late in the evening at Dawlish Warren watched for an half an hour until the light went .
August 26, 2008
Wood Sandpiper
I went for a look at my local patch Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham today & found this WOOD SANDPIPER in the little scrape to the left of the hide , also still there today was the male LONG-TAILED DUCK & the juvenile GARGANEY , a BARNACLE GOOSE , 2 WHIMBREL , a GREEN SANDPIPER & a KINGFISHER .
WOOD SANDPIPER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 26 / 8 / 2008
August 25, 2008
Red-Necked Phalarope
A morning trip up to the Weston Super Mare water treatment plant in Somerset with Andy Bond to look for the juvenile RED-NECKED PHALAROPE that had been reported there & as soon got there the bird showed very well .
Later in the day I popped into the Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham where the male LONG-TAILED DUCK was showing a bit better today , along with a male GADWALL & a juvenile GARGANEY .
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE . WESTON SUPER MARE SW . SOMERSET . 25 / 8 / 2008
LONG-TAILED DUCK . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 25 / 8 / 2008
August 23, 2008
LONG-TAILED DUCK
Amazing news today of a drake LONG-TAILED DUCK on Bowling Green Marsh the first one on the site for 20 years or so I have been told ? the bird was always on the far side of the marsh so I could only manage this record shot of it , also on the marsh today was the wandering BARNACLE GOOSE that pops in now & then . 3 LITTLE GREBE , 10 GREENSHANK , 6 WHIMBREL & a KNOT that looked a bit colourful .
LONG-TAILED DUCK . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 23 / 8 / 2008
BARNACLE GOOSE . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 23 / 8 / 2008
August 20, 2008
Dawlish Warren
Early this morning I had a look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham where the Juvenile GARGANEY was again on show , I then headed down to Dawlish Warren & on the way there I stopped of at Powderham Park for a look for the OSPREY that has been around for a few days now & I was in luck with the bird showing well sat in a tree .
At the Warren there were numerous SANDWICH TERN , 3 COMMON TERN , an adult & a juvenile LITTLE TERN , a single WHIMBREL , a PEREGRINE FALCON & a Male & 2 Female WHEATEAR .
August 17, 2008
GARGANEY
A look at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham this morning got me this Juvenile GARGANEY that was in the inlet close to the hide , also on the marsh today were 10 GREENSHANK , 6 WHIMBREL , 20+ DUNLIN , 2 RINGED PLOVER , 2 WILLOW WARBLER & a SPARROWHAWK .
August 8, 2008
White Winged Black Tern
Hot news today of an adult WHITE WINGED BLACK TERN at Slapton Ley in South Devon had Andy Bond & myself shooting off down to there in hope that it would still be showing & we were in luck & get great views of the bird contantly feeding on the ley .
Alas I could only get this distant hand held shot of it but at least most of the features can be seen .
The only other thing of note that I saw today was Weasel that dashed across the road at Matford in Exeter .
August 4, 2008
Lesser Grey Shrike
This morning I had a quick look at Bowling Green Marsh but all I could see were 10 WHIMBREL , 2 GREENSHANK , a COMMON SANDPIPER & 2 Red Fox .
But later in the day I went up to Dorset with a couple of mates for the LESSER GREY SHRIKE that has been showing on Hartland Moor in Dorset & after a while looking for it we ended up getting great views of it , we then stopped off at Radipole Lake in Weymouth for a look at the HOODED MERGANSER that has been there for a while now & it showed quite well but whether you can count it or not is another matter !
August 3, 2008
2 Wood Sandpiper
On show this morning at Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham were 6 LITTLE EGRET , 2 LITTLE GREBE , 8 WHIMBREL , 2 GREENSHANK , 2 GREEN SANDPIPER , a COMMON SANDPIPER , a PEREGRINE FALCON that caught & ate a STOCK DOVE & an escaped BAR HEADED GOOSE .
I then went over to the Exminster Marshes & saw 3 more GREEN SANDPIPER & 2 WOOD SANDPIPER all on the same small pool .
COMMON SANDPIPER . BOWLING GREEN MARSH . TOPSHAM . DEVON . 3 / 8 / 2008
August 2, 2008
Wood Sandpiper
This morning I popped over to the Exminster Marshes to see if I could catch up with the WOOD SANDPIPER that I had already dipped twice ! but today luck was with me & I managed to get this shot of this little cracker that was feeding on the same pool as a GREEN SANDPIPER & a COMMON SNIPE .
August 1, 2008
Thursday 31st July . 2008
Today I had a late phone call telling me that there was a CURLEW SANDPIPER on Bowling Green Marsh in Topsham , so I decided to go & look for it in the pouring rain & when I got to the hide there were two birds showing in full summer plumage so the journey was well worth it .