Haven't seen one of them for a while!

[Gerry Hooper]

Did my usual early morning bike ride to my local patch today-Exe estuary.
All the usual waders and gulls were showing well when out of the blue (grey actually) came a Little Tern. First one I've seen on the estuary for a couple of years now.
Then a juvenille Wheatear popped up onto the wall next to me.
It was so young that it still had downy feathers, I had a problem identifying it 'till it flew and revealed it's tail markings.
Then a Peregrine landed on the mud and bobbed it's head up and down at the incoming tide,nearly got wet and then flew half heartedly at some Black tailed Godwit-these youngsters have a lot to learn!!
The most suprising thing to find today was a puddle!!!-Now I haven't seen one of them in ages,very refreshing.
;)

[pauco]

hi gerry,
nice ride and good sightings, was the puddle a lifer.
bert

[Gerry Hooper]

Cheers Bert, no the puddle wasn't a lifer.
But I did see Three Bluebirds over the lake at Stover later on in the day!!
Well Kingfishers actually.:t:

[steve_nova]

Thats a great count for relatively few birds Gerry. Great day you had it would seem:t:
Whats a puddle?o:D

[Option1]

Och, everyone knows a puddle is that pool of water that forms on the bathroom floor when you get out of the shower. Although I do wonder why Gerry was riding his bicycle around in the bathroom.

Great story Gerry, concise and entertaining.

Neil

[Gerry Hooper]

It's usually a winter migrant but they turn up occasionally in the summer,often after thunderstorms.:)

[Andrew]

I have seen Little Terns from the Warren but not as close as you did. I was at Stover on Friday after a session at Haldon and did not see Kingfishers. Just the common ducks like Tufted, Teal (1), and Pochard as well as the Grebes. You had an interesting set of birds in a short visit, I assume this is the Powderham to Turf section?

[Gerry Hooper]

That's right Andrew near the big yellow triangular "Warning H.P. Gas"pipeline sign.
I'm a creature of habit, I always stop there.

[Andrew]

One of my favourite spots, especially in winter for the many Geese and the waders that tag along with the geese in the fields behind the wall. I also stop off there on the way to the Warren if I am a bit early for high tide.

[Gerry Hooper]

Glad you enjoyed the read Option1.

Since you ask, Iwas cycling around the bathroom to escape fron the bison, the hand bison. :-O

[Option1]

Groaaannnn!!

:)

Neil

[alan_rymer]

Oh, And here I was thinking you were cycling around Bath!.

[kingfisher]

Ahhhh puddles, i once found one of those and like a small child jumped into it and regreted it for some time afterwards, it was a lot deeper than i thought, slipped and found myself lying on my back in it.......not done it since. Seriously a good report from an area i know very well.