Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

Steve Waite · Aug 11, 2007

Boy it's hot!!!!

Just been along the river and seen 8 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin and a Whimbrel. Masses and masses of Gulls were at Coronation Corner, but due to awful heat haze only the nearest of flocks were do-able. Lucikly, one of the nearest flocks did contain a juv Yellow-legged. Here are two ropey pics of it - its the one in flight in the second pic. Karen soon arrived and the bird eventually flew off up river after a youngen decided to test drive his dingy!!!!

Additional news for yesterday, a Marsh Tit at the farmgate was unusual and it was good to see 60 Swifts over town late evening.

Roger Boswell · Aug 11, 2007

Quite cool in the undercliff - but certainly hot on Lyme Seafront.

Found another source of Damselflies - a ditch just by the Uplyme cricket pitch. A pair of Banded Damselflies were in occupation.

Too many people for many birds - all in hiding, or sensibly in the cool. Plenty of hoverflies on the blackberry bushes.

Back home a Jersey tiger was on our window - so I was able to get top and underside images!

Fraser Rush · Aug 12, 2007

Greetings all

A couple of things, one a bit of news and the other a bit of fun.

Thing one - Ringing at Colyford Marsh tomorrow evening

This is advance warning that tomorrow evening Colyford Marsh will be invaded by lots of nasty ringing types. The idea is to get a lot of nets up around the scrape to try to catch some of the waders visiting the marsh at high water and after dark.

There are two points to note:

Firstly an apology - the birding from the Colyford Common hide tomorrow evening will be rather poor.

Secondly an invitation - We are very keen to share the pleasure of seeing waders in the hand with as many of you as is practicable. If you would like to come along and learn a little bit about ringing and the reasons why we're doing it, as well as to view any birds we might catch, please come to the hide tomorrow evening, (probably no birds to see before 20:00 hrs). Of course, the disclaimer is, we might not catch anything but I'll bring the bat detector for a bit of light relief should the birds not wish to get caught.

Thing two - Having taken several almost pointless close-ups with my new camera kit, here is the first of an occasional series of ID teasers. Starting with the easy ones and getting progressively harder, what are the five attached birdies ? (if you were at the latest ringing session you're not allowed to play - so that's you Steve).

Enjoy and hope to see some of you tomorrow evening

Fraser

Simon Wakely · Aug 12, 2007

Hi all,

Whitford Update:
• 2 Juvenile Nuthatches - now regular visitors.
• Male green Woodpecker and juvenile.
• 3 Greatspotted Woodpeckers.
• Honey Buzzard flew over east at 11am on friday.
• Tawnys' calling.
• Also Goshawk heard early friday evening, it's loud ringing call Pi-aah was very distictive.
• Our very intelligent and observent daughter (the one writing this letter...:gh: ) saw a two-spotted labybird on our table in the garden. None of us had ever seen one before and were intreged to find out more about it. Does anyone have any further information? Picture below:
• Hope you enjoy the two pictures of the Juveniles below and the beautiful Whitford sunset::king:

Happy Birding
Simon and Sue

bun · Aug 12, 2007

1. kingfisher 2. wood pigeon 3. cetti,s 4. linnet. 5 stonechat ( young un).

KarenWoolley · Aug 12, 2007

I visited Colyford Common on both high tides today, Not much change from the usuals really. 20 Snipe this morning were notable, and this evening a Black-tailed Godwit (orangey one) was different from this mornings bird.

On my way through Seaton this evening on route to Colyford, a maniac on a scooter pulled out of a junction in front of me, he was gazing up into the sky..............

Good job I wasn't as well or we might have had one Backwater Birder less :eek!: ..............You know who you are!!

Very tricky Fraser, but I'll have a stab 1) Kingfisher 2) Wood Pig 3) Reed Warbler 4) Sedge Warbler 5) Dunlin.

EDIT: Simon - As far as I know there are over 40 species of ladybirds in the UK and the 2 spot is probably the most numerous (although the five-spot most recognised) The black form with red spots is less often seen though!

bun · Aug 12, 2007

I should give up doing vis mig while on my scooter......quite a dangerous occuppation!!

Fraser Rush · Aug 13, 2007

Well, looks like I'm gonna have to make these pictures more difficult - between Bun and Karen you've got the lot.

1. Kingfisher 2. Wood Pigeon 3. Reed Warbler 4. Juv Sedge Warbler and 5. Juv Stonechat

Harder ones on the way

Fraser

Steve Waite · Aug 13, 2007

Fairly static birding today.

Colyford Marsh early this morning held 5 Shoveler, 3 Teal, 1 Blackwit (a gorgeous juv), 10 Green Sands, 4 Common Sands, 5 Dunlin and 30+ Snipe. Later, on the river were 2 more Dunlin (including the ringed juv), 2 Whimbrel and 2 Ringed Plover. There were lots of Gulls on the river this afternoon (big and small) but I couldn't pick out anything of interest - just 8 Lesser Black-backs.

Let's see how the ringing session goes tonight....I just hope our nets don't blow away!!!!

Simon Wakely · Aug 13, 2007

Hi all,

We have as you know been reporting around ever 3 days, but today was amazing.
• 10:30am, cuckoo called twice, the first time we've heard one calling for about 3 years.
• 11:15am, Honey Buzzard flying south. It's whistleing peee-haa call was also another first for us.
• Long tailed-tit invasion, approximatly 30 birds.
• Juvenlie Green-Woodpecker.
• 2 Great-Spots.
• 4 Buzzards.
• 2 Juvenile Nuthatches.

Hope you enjoy our pictures.

Happy Birding.
Simon and Sue

KarenWoolley · Aug 13, 2007

Firstly this evening, sorry but I couldn’t make it to Colyford Common tonight hope I didn’t miss too much!

First thing this morning I spent a couple of hours or so on Beer Head, part of the time with Bun, before he headed off to work. There was a keen westerly breeze on the top and so there were only half a dozen Stonechats on show in the Dotterel Field.

How was the rest of Beer Head? Rather ‘Willow Warblery” would describe it. With 27 Willow Warbler , 2 Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and a Garden Warbler (surprisingly first one of the year for me). No Wheatears again. Some nice butterflies on the wing included Small Copper and Painted Lady.

With the wind getting up all day I simply had to have a quick seawatch this evening.
Not much variety in an hour (17;45 - 18:45) with, all west, 54 Gannet, 4 Common Scoter and 2 Kittiwakes (adult and juvenile).

Inshore waters forecast tomorrow;

Southwest, backing south for a time, 4 or 5 increasing 6 or 7, perhaps gale 8 later. |=)|

I know where I’ll be first thing, if it’s not too rainy that is!! (Due to poor visibility you understand and not me being scared of getting a bit wet!!)

Gavin Haig · Aug 13, 2007

Aquatic Antics

Finished work a bit early today and had a hopeful look at the sea, which was being worked into nice little white caps by the SW breeze. An hour from 16:00-17:00 was spectacularly slow. Just 5 Kittiwakes and about 15 Gannets. I had even started counting Cormorants earlier, but thankfully the first Gannet flew past and rescued me. Tomorrow may be a different story though, if the rain accompanying the promised southerly allows us more than about ten yards visibility.

As a result of Fraser's helpful post yesterday Sandra and I made our way down to Colyford Common this evening intending to enjoy some in-the-hand waders. Unfortunately the wind made the nets billow rather badly and, as each wader seemed to have two functional eyes and a brain, none was thick enough to get caught during daylight. The wind brought the first drops of rain and the wine beckoned, so it was home to the comfy sofa at dusk. Hopefully there may be something caught after dark....

However, NOT a wasted trip! Erstwhile Devon Recorder, James McC, being sensibly wellied-up, wandered out onto the marshy bits to find an Aquatic Warbler. A few minutes later he called over that he had a probable Grasshopper Warbler. As I wasn't going to get wet feet for anything less than an Aquatic, I had to go and get Steve out of the hide to help James pin it down. I have to say, James is the most thoughtful, selfless birder I have ever met - he would not allow Steve to ford a single ditch until he had personally checked its depth. As he bobbed up to the surface for the third time, saying "No, no, Steve - this one's definitely too deep for your wellies", I realised there was a photo opportunity here, if only I could stop laughing! Eventually the Gropper stopped teasing them, and flew to the hedge line. I did see it fly. Distantly. It was definitely brown. And small.

Photos:
1. James and Steve zeroing in (James is just about to plumb a ditch)
2. James returning some of the marsh to its rightful owner.

Steve Waite · Aug 13, 2007

Well we are home guys, we were rained off just after dark - which is a great shame because there are alot more waders out there at night than there are in the day!!! Sandpipers, Curlew, Dunlin, etc.... everywhere!!!! None in the nets though!!!

Still good fun though, with the Gropper a nice surprise - I want to know how an earth they fly to Africa - they struggle flying two foot off the ground from bush to bush as it is!!!! Got a nice long flight view of it anyway, my first autumn one on patch ever!!!

James did actually get VERY VERY wet. As he tried to jump a small looking ditch - he went straight in it, water up to his belly!!!! Bet he's glad it did turn out to be a Gropper, and not just a Dunnock!!!!!

Jos Stratford · Aug 14, 2007

Steve? That must be another billion bonanza points!

Steve Waite · Aug 14, 2007

Cant believe it, heres an awful photo but I don't care

dan pointon · Aug 14, 2007

Once again - nice one Steve! Now can you keep it there till tomorrow for me?!

Larry Sweetland · Aug 14, 2007

As predicted ! What IS going on down there ? Aren't you getting bored with finding rarities yet Steve ?

Gavin Haig · Aug 14, 2007

Steve Waite said:
Cant believe it, heres an awful photo but I don't care

Considering the conditions that's a BRILLIANT photo, Steve! Attached are about the best I could manage from the hide - they really ARE awful (if better than nothing!)

I shall not steal Steve's thunder, but have to just mention that the Jam Lord has now earned himself a nomination for the New Year Honours List, for services rendered to his local community. Hopefully he will post when he's finished work and taken his tranquillisers.

Andrew Whitehouse · Aug 14, 2007

Well done gentlemen. Well deserved. And well predicted!

bun · Aug 14, 2007

Well what a cracking day, found a fiver at work this morning and a tenner this afternoon, and in between saw the Audouins Gull on seaton marshes, it doesn't get much better than this.....:t: ( Great find steve a real mega!) cheers for the phone call steve and phil, what a day for the patch...excellent stuff.

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