Thanks for the directions Mark. Actually ventured off-patch this morning, and detoured to see the Cattle Egret. Without these directions I probably would not have bothered to work out, on a map, where the bird actually was. So you are partially responsible for my second Devon twitch in the last 15 years! Hope you haven't started something..........mark bailey said:The Cattle Egret was still showing late morning today and had been present all morning. Apparently started getting a bit flighty again around 12.30 pm. Easiest directions are From Exeter drive to Newton Poppleford then take the Budleigh road at the roundabout...after a mile you get to Collaton Raleigh and just after the village sign turn left into Church Road. Drive to the end and park before the cattle grid. Walk over the cattle grid and there is a kissing gate right in front (the entrance to the farm is to the right). Follow the path round and bear right along the riverbank (so that you are walking south) and after about 100 yards start scanning the grassy fields. When I was there the Cattle Egret and 6 Little Egrets were at the back of the 2nd field down directly below the farm buildings. A couple of Little Egrets did fly over the hedge and out of view at one point and I think the Cattle Egret did this as well after I left, but it always seems to come back..Amazing to think that just 3 years ago, there hadn't been an acceptable Cattle Egret in Devon for 17 years and now this is the 4th widely twitchable one since.
Gavin Haig said:Thanks for the directions Mark. Actually ventured off-patch this morning, and detoured to see the Cattle Egret. Without these directions I probably would not have bothered to work out, on a map, where the bird actually was. So you are partially responsible for my second Devon twitch in the last 15 years! Hope you haven't started something..........
On a different note, it would be nice to think that there are some 'Exe ' Brents in the flock on The Fleet and that they are going to transport a Devon tick our way...its can only be another 40 miles or so for them ?
Kev Rylands said:And that it choses the 'right' end of the Exe.
However I've been waiting/searching for that Black Brant for three winters so I'm not going to get my hopes up!
Ask them to hang around till Tuesday, Roy! This may be a naive question but have avocets ever been sighted in North Devon?Roy C said:Very quite on Isley Marsh this afternoon. Only saw 2 Spoonbills - not sure if the other 16 that were there have gone, could be that they were at Braunton marshes or Skern.
Yes Sue, I have seen avocets on the Taw near Barnstaple but only a few times.sooseee said:Ask them to hang around till Tuesday, Roy! This may be a naive question but have avocets ever been sighted in North Devon?
Sue
Roy, I made it down to Isley Marsh just as the sun was setting and three spoonbills were just coming in to land by three more, so at least six are still about.Roy C said:No sign of any Spoonbills at Isley Marsh this afternoon - hope they have not gone for good. Resorted to snapping a few Stonechats (see attached)