Andrew
wibble wibble
08-11-03 Location : Dawlish Warren & Exminster Marshes. Devon. SX987795 & SX958875.
Kingfisher and I joined up at Exeter bus station to head off to Dawlish Warren on a mission to find a Little Auk. Upon arrival we were delighted to see the sea was angry and the wind was almost a perfect south easterly.
While looking for a good spot to sit in we saw a few Redwings, a couple of Rock Pipits and a hovering Common Kestrel. Sitting comfortably in the dunes we soon clocked a single Velvet Scoter flying in from the west and settling on the water with a group of Common Scoters. A few Northern Gannets were far out at sea and soon built up into double figures. After a good fifteen minutes, I suddenly shouted out there was a diver right in front of us. A Great Northern Diver had been forced to surface by the shallow waters. It preened momentarily then flew off to the west out of sight in the waves. This was a wonderful sighting and lifer number one for Kingfisher.
The warden came to chat to us and commented on a possible Lesser Yellowlegs and some good spots for Little Auks. We carried on towards the point of the Warren seeing lots of birds on the revealing sandbanks. The best of the bunch were a single European Shag, 350+ Brent Geese, 3 Common Ringed Plovers, 3 Sanderlings, 150+ Eurasian Oystercatchers and a couple of Eurasian Wigeon. The walk was brightened up with the sight of a Peregrine Falcon roosting on a large piece of driftwood nearby. Many passerines moved about with the best a flock of at least thirty European Greenfinches. There was nothing much else on show and no signs of any Little Auks so we headed back up to Langstone Rock seeing a single Eurasian Curlew leaving the beach.
The west side of Langstone Rock was sheltered from the wind. Refreshments in hand we scanned the raging sea and soon picked out a Razorbill that surprised me by paddling at speed. Not long after this Razorbill, I caught sight of a diminutive black and white bird flying east. I shouted out to Kingfisher "Little Auk, there, there, Little Auk!". Unfortunately he did not connect with the Little Auk and as a result my celebrations were a bit restrained. I was really happy to see this wonderful lifer.
We continued looking hoping that another would go past. After twenty minutes Kingfisher spotted a diver flying east. After some frantic scanning I connected and we were both watching our first ever Black-throated Diver. It was after about five minutes of discussion that we managed to identify the bird. Soon Kingfisher was pointing out another diver and I failed to see it in the choppy water despite finding the reference point which was a pink buoy. We discussed what he saw and there was no doubt he had seen his third lifer of the day, a Red-throated Diver.
This was another magical day's birding to remember and it is no surprise that the Warren was the venue. All we needed was another Little Auk. We gave it plenty of time and eventually decided to head off to Exminster Marshes. This was to prove to be an ill conceived idea. As we walked past the Swan's Nest inn at Exminster there was a message that four Little Auks went past at the Warren at the time we boarded the bus!
Walking the boundary path to the Turf was good for a few birds including decent flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares and a few other passerines. After a welcome break from the cold with a pint in the Turf Inn we scanned the Exe estuary and found lots of the usual winter fare. These were three figure counts of Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Eurasian Curlews, European Golden Plovers and Northern Lapwings. In double figures were Common Redshanks, Common Shelducks, Grey Plovers, Mallards, Mute Swans and the delightful Pied Avocets. The single figure numbers incorporated a few Bar-tailed Godwits, Eurasian Wigeon, Little Egrets and Red-breasted Mergansers. We made a brisk stroll back to the bus stop under darkening skies seeing some Eurasian Teal near the car park.
It had been a very successful day today and I am sure Kingfisher does not mind missing on the Little Auk as he got three lifers in one day. We have agreed to join forces to have another look for them soon.
Kingfisher and I joined up at Exeter bus station to head off to Dawlish Warren on a mission to find a Little Auk. Upon arrival we were delighted to see the sea was angry and the wind was almost a perfect south easterly.
While looking for a good spot to sit in we saw a few Redwings, a couple of Rock Pipits and a hovering Common Kestrel. Sitting comfortably in the dunes we soon clocked a single Velvet Scoter flying in from the west and settling on the water with a group of Common Scoters. A few Northern Gannets were far out at sea and soon built up into double figures. After a good fifteen minutes, I suddenly shouted out there was a diver right in front of us. A Great Northern Diver had been forced to surface by the shallow waters. It preened momentarily then flew off to the west out of sight in the waves. This was a wonderful sighting and lifer number one for Kingfisher.
The warden came to chat to us and commented on a possible Lesser Yellowlegs and some good spots for Little Auks. We carried on towards the point of the Warren seeing lots of birds on the revealing sandbanks. The best of the bunch were a single European Shag, 350+ Brent Geese, 3 Common Ringed Plovers, 3 Sanderlings, 150+ Eurasian Oystercatchers and a couple of Eurasian Wigeon. The walk was brightened up with the sight of a Peregrine Falcon roosting on a large piece of driftwood nearby. Many passerines moved about with the best a flock of at least thirty European Greenfinches. There was nothing much else on show and no signs of any Little Auks so we headed back up to Langstone Rock seeing a single Eurasian Curlew leaving the beach.
The west side of Langstone Rock was sheltered from the wind. Refreshments in hand we scanned the raging sea and soon picked out a Razorbill that surprised me by paddling at speed. Not long after this Razorbill, I caught sight of a diminutive black and white bird flying east. I shouted out to Kingfisher "Little Auk, there, there, Little Auk!". Unfortunately he did not connect with the Little Auk and as a result my celebrations were a bit restrained. I was really happy to see this wonderful lifer.
We continued looking hoping that another would go past. After twenty minutes Kingfisher spotted a diver flying east. After some frantic scanning I connected and we were both watching our first ever Black-throated Diver. It was after about five minutes of discussion that we managed to identify the bird. Soon Kingfisher was pointing out another diver and I failed to see it in the choppy water despite finding the reference point which was a pink buoy. We discussed what he saw and there was no doubt he had seen his third lifer of the day, a Red-throated Diver.
This was another magical day's birding to remember and it is no surprise that the Warren was the venue. All we needed was another Little Auk. We gave it plenty of time and eventually decided to head off to Exminster Marshes. This was to prove to be an ill conceived idea. As we walked past the Swan's Nest inn at Exminster there was a message that four Little Auks went past at the Warren at the time we boarded the bus!
Walking the boundary path to the Turf was good for a few birds including decent flocks of Redwings and Fieldfares and a few other passerines. After a welcome break from the cold with a pint in the Turf Inn we scanned the Exe estuary and found lots of the usual winter fare. These were three figure counts of Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Eurasian Curlews, European Golden Plovers and Northern Lapwings. In double figures were Common Redshanks, Common Shelducks, Grey Plovers, Mallards, Mute Swans and the delightful Pied Avocets. The single figure numbers incorporated a few Bar-tailed Godwits, Eurasian Wigeon, Little Egrets and Red-breasted Mergansers. We made a brisk stroll back to the bus stop under darkening skies seeing some Eurasian Teal near the car park.
It had been a very successful day today and I am sure Kingfisher does not mind missing on the Little Auk as he got three lifers in one day. We have agreed to join forces to have another look for them soon.
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