kingfisher
Monday 27th January 2003, 08:24
Morning all,
I thought i would share my birding day at Bowling Green Marsh and on the Estuarys Exe and Clyst on Saturday 25 Jan, it was barmy mild day, even the birds though spring had sprung, firstly early morning viewd the Clyst and Exe to see what was on view, plenty of close up views of Curlew and Dunlin, there must have been easily 100 + Shellduck, with just as many Brent Geese which is always great to see them flying low over the Estuary, then there was the Red Breasted Merganser's and 2 Goosanders, plenty of Redshanks 200+ Lapwing with their wonderful crazy flying antics and peewit calls they always make my day, and of course large numbers of Black Tailed Godwits and Gulls Then there was the peep peep call from a Kingfisher which was joined by a second a few moments later. And lastly 150 + Avocets all seem to be feeding in unison like a scene from a ballet. By this time it was about 9.30 and the sun was glinting off the sea and it was getting warm, moved on to Bowling Green Marsh, and there is always something to see there no matter what time of day you arrive, the first thing that usually hits you is the calls of the male Widgeon at least 250+ all whistling with the occaisonal female grunt, on the marsh again there was the solitary Oystercatcher who seems to be a permanent resident there now, Brent Geese were there in numbers with there wonderful low calls as the tide rose so the nubers of waders increased on the marsh we were then joined by large numbers of Black Tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Redshank, a single Avocet then suddenly i noticed a single Ruff which was soon joined by 3 more which got us all excited in the hide, soon afterwards large flocks of Lapwing arrived numbering more than 300, then 4 Turnstone roosted with the Redshanks and a few Little Egrets were on the far side, but alas no sign of any Snipe or the Water Rail. Just to prove that spring is coming fast now, i had a close look at the Black Tailed Godwits and some are now showing signs of the rust colour starting to return to their chests, and the warm sunshine was getting them very excited or was it that there was 2 Buzzards flying over the marsh...
Bowling Green Marsh
Coot 80+
Moorhen 50+
Oystercatcher 1
Teal 38
Widgeon 250+
Mallard Numerous
Greylag Goose 2
Canada Goose 100+
Brent Goose 100+
Curlew 50+
Little Egret 2
Ruff 4
Black Tailed Godwit 300+
Lapwing 300+
Starling 20+
Redshank 50
Little Grebe 1
Avocet 1
Blue Tit 2
Long Tailed Tit 1
Golden Plover 20
Pochard 15
Pintail 5
Turnstone 4
Herring Gull 2
Black Headed Gull 4
Shoveller 50+
Dunlin 150+
Carrion Crow 11
Buzzard 2
I thought i would share my birding day at Bowling Green Marsh and on the Estuarys Exe and Clyst on Saturday 25 Jan, it was barmy mild day, even the birds though spring had sprung, firstly early morning viewd the Clyst and Exe to see what was on view, plenty of close up views of Curlew and Dunlin, there must have been easily 100 + Shellduck, with just as many Brent Geese which is always great to see them flying low over the Estuary, then there was the Red Breasted Merganser's and 2 Goosanders, plenty of Redshanks 200+ Lapwing with their wonderful crazy flying antics and peewit calls they always make my day, and of course large numbers of Black Tailed Godwits and Gulls Then there was the peep peep call from a Kingfisher which was joined by a second a few moments later. And lastly 150 + Avocets all seem to be feeding in unison like a scene from a ballet. By this time it was about 9.30 and the sun was glinting off the sea and it was getting warm, moved on to Bowling Green Marsh, and there is always something to see there no matter what time of day you arrive, the first thing that usually hits you is the calls of the male Widgeon at least 250+ all whistling with the occaisonal female grunt, on the marsh again there was the solitary Oystercatcher who seems to be a permanent resident there now, Brent Geese were there in numbers with there wonderful low calls as the tide rose so the nubers of waders increased on the marsh we were then joined by large numbers of Black Tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Redshank, a single Avocet then suddenly i noticed a single Ruff which was soon joined by 3 more which got us all excited in the hide, soon afterwards large flocks of Lapwing arrived numbering more than 300, then 4 Turnstone roosted with the Redshanks and a few Little Egrets were on the far side, but alas no sign of any Snipe or the Water Rail. Just to prove that spring is coming fast now, i had a close look at the Black Tailed Godwits and some are now showing signs of the rust colour starting to return to their chests, and the warm sunshine was getting them very excited or was it that there was 2 Buzzards flying over the marsh...
Bowling Green Marsh
Coot 80+
Moorhen 50+
Oystercatcher 1
Teal 38
Widgeon 250+
Mallard Numerous
Greylag Goose 2
Canada Goose 100+
Brent Goose 100+
Curlew 50+
Little Egret 2
Ruff 4
Black Tailed Godwit 300+
Lapwing 300+
Starling 20+
Redshank 50
Little Grebe 1
Avocet 1
Blue Tit 2
Long Tailed Tit 1
Golden Plover 20
Pochard 15
Pintail 5
Turnstone 4
Herring Gull 2
Black Headed Gull 4
Shoveller 50+
Dunlin 150+
Carrion Crow 11
Buzzard 2