Andrew
wibble wibble
15-08-03
Location : Haldon Bird of Prey Viewpoint, Devon. SX987795 & SX973875.
Early in the morning we arrived at Haldon Forest’s Bird of Prey Viewpoint where I was hoping to see my first Northern Goshawk. We had the place to ourselves and I set up my tripod, scanning the vast landscape that was half pine forest to the left and rolling green countryside to the right. A few of 20+ WOOD PIGEONS passed about forcing me to bring my binoculars half way up before realising what they were. A COMMON CHAFFINCH provided a bit of interest along with small parties of BARN SWALLOWS and COMMON HOUSE MARTINS rising up from the forest. Some of six CARRION CROWS coasted by, sometimes in pairs and an EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH alighted in a rowan tree behind us.
A couple of birders came along. I had now been here nearly an hour and the first possible birds of prey could be seen in the distance flying over the quarry. They were probably Buzzards. A large Grey bird flew down into the ridge to the left, I was pointed to it by the other two birders but it was too late to see what it was. It looked like I might have seen a Goshawk and not known it.
At last after nearly two hours we got a piece of action. One of the birders pointed out to the distant sky and I soon found some tiny silhouettes. I saw an EURASIAN HOBBY folding it’s wings back and closing it’s carpal joints to launch into a diving aerial attack on a much larger COMMON BUZZARD that turned at the last moment to show the Hobby it’s impressive talons. This happened once more before the parted amicably. The last bird to show after almost a three hour vigil was a COMMON BLACKBIRD scoffing rowan berries.
We left to do some shopping at Trago Mills and then popped into Stover CP around half past four in the afternoon. We walked round the lake, leaving it to go through the woods and rejoining much later along at the wooden bridge. Outside the visitor’s centre we watched an EURASIAN TREECREEPER working it’s way up some tree trunks with a COAL TIT watching from a branch above.
As soon as I saw the lake I scanned it with the scope and picked up most of 120+ MALLARDS, 10 COMMON MOORHEN, 15 EURASIAN COOTS, 14 BLACK-HEADED GULLS, 2 HERRING GULLS, 9 TUFTED DUCKS and 3 COMMON POCHARDS. In the middle of the lily strewn pond was a female GREAT CRESTED GREBE with an attendant male and two mature juveniles around the pond. In the channels I could see a single EURASIAN TEAL and more wildfowl.
Through the woods we had great views of 2 EURASIAN JAYS crossing the path in front of us. The rest of the walk back to the car park was quite uneventful, only seeing a COMMON CHAFFINCH, a DUNNOCK, three EUROPEAN ROBINS and two MUTE SWANS being fed on the edge of the lake. It was disappointing not to see a Goshawk but the sight of the Hobby versus the Buzzard was well worth it.
Location : Haldon Bird of Prey Viewpoint, Devon. SX987795 & SX973875.
Early in the morning we arrived at Haldon Forest’s Bird of Prey Viewpoint where I was hoping to see my first Northern Goshawk. We had the place to ourselves and I set up my tripod, scanning the vast landscape that was half pine forest to the left and rolling green countryside to the right. A few of 20+ WOOD PIGEONS passed about forcing me to bring my binoculars half way up before realising what they were. A COMMON CHAFFINCH provided a bit of interest along with small parties of BARN SWALLOWS and COMMON HOUSE MARTINS rising up from the forest. Some of six CARRION CROWS coasted by, sometimes in pairs and an EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH alighted in a rowan tree behind us.
A couple of birders came along. I had now been here nearly an hour and the first possible birds of prey could be seen in the distance flying over the quarry. They were probably Buzzards. A large Grey bird flew down into the ridge to the left, I was pointed to it by the other two birders but it was too late to see what it was. It looked like I might have seen a Goshawk and not known it.
At last after nearly two hours we got a piece of action. One of the birders pointed out to the distant sky and I soon found some tiny silhouettes. I saw an EURASIAN HOBBY folding it’s wings back and closing it’s carpal joints to launch into a diving aerial attack on a much larger COMMON BUZZARD that turned at the last moment to show the Hobby it’s impressive talons. This happened once more before the parted amicably. The last bird to show after almost a three hour vigil was a COMMON BLACKBIRD scoffing rowan berries.
We left to do some shopping at Trago Mills and then popped into Stover CP around half past four in the afternoon. We walked round the lake, leaving it to go through the woods and rejoining much later along at the wooden bridge. Outside the visitor’s centre we watched an EURASIAN TREECREEPER working it’s way up some tree trunks with a COAL TIT watching from a branch above.
As soon as I saw the lake I scanned it with the scope and picked up most of 120+ MALLARDS, 10 COMMON MOORHEN, 15 EURASIAN COOTS, 14 BLACK-HEADED GULLS, 2 HERRING GULLS, 9 TUFTED DUCKS and 3 COMMON POCHARDS. In the middle of the lily strewn pond was a female GREAT CRESTED GREBE with an attendant male and two mature juveniles around the pond. In the channels I could see a single EURASIAN TEAL and more wildfowl.
Through the woods we had great views of 2 EURASIAN JAYS crossing the path in front of us. The rest of the walk back to the car park was quite uneventful, only seeing a COMMON CHAFFINCH, a DUNNOCK, three EUROPEAN ROBINS and two MUTE SWANS being fed on the edge of the lake. It was disappointing not to see a Goshawk but the sight of the Hobby versus the Buzzard was well worth it.
