Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

[Steve Waite]

Spent this morning on Colyford Common where we have been ringing, ringing with a difference though. It involved a plastic transporting machine, 3 kids and a TV crew (all of which remembered to FORGET their wellies!). CBeebies had joined us to film some kiddies programme. I was rather hoping Michaela Strachan, of even Kate Humble would turn up, but instead we had a young 'gingerish' chap. He needed to film this this week because he's off to Africa next week to film Big Cat Diary! It's alright for some....

Netted a few bits and bobs, but nothing extreme. A couple of Siskins flew over, the start of autumn vis mig proper!?

I just found a pici on my camera, I took it on Wednesday night in really dull light when it was really windy - hence why it is REALLY crap! But it does just about show a nice intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull (the right hand bird of the main group) alongside its British relatives. I say intermedius but this could even be a fuscus candidate, it is smaller and longer winged than the other LBBG's, and it is very black-backed, plus note that sloping forehead and teeny looking bill.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

CBeebies had joined us to film some kiddies programme.

As a regular CBeebies viewer I shall keep my peepers peeled for this. Any idea what the show is called?


James

 

[Steve Waite]

As a regular CBeebies viewer I shall keep my peepers peeled for this. Any idea what the show is called?


James

It's called something like 'The Big Green Balloon'! I'll post on here when it's going to be on the box as soon as I know.

 

[Gavin Haig]

This afternoon Phil spotted me sitting in my van at the Farm Gate, enjoying a very late lunch (about 3:30) and pointed out that there seemed to be very little work or birding getting done. I replied that I was waiting for the Marsh Harrier to fly down the river. Turns out my expectations were pitched a little low...

About 45 minutes later I am just climbing out of the van in Axmouth for my second post-lunch job. I glance up and notice a Crow hassling a slender, long-tailed raptor, heading away from me. The job is abandoned and the van transforms into some kind of GTE type machine as I bomb to the river. To cut a long story short I eventually manage to get onto the thing with the scope - it's a juvenile Montagu's Harrier! |=)|

I try to get Phil onto it up at Colyford, but my directions are rubbish and it disappears without him seeing it.

I am chuffed to bits - this kind of thing almost never happens to me. B

 

[kmonty1950]

I am chuffed to bits - this kind of thing almost never happens to me. B

Reading past posts Gav, I thought the secret was to have (lots of) donuts for lunch?

Good birding

Ken.

 

[Gavin Haig]

Reading past posts Gav, I thought the secret was to have (lots of) donuts for lunch?

I did try this for quite a while, and it netted me more than my fair share of good finds, but also many pounds of excess baggage. So when the cardiac specialist said "Which would you prefer - a few nice rarity finds or a triple bypass?" I kind of saw his point....

I notice Steve has gone up four trouser sizes since I've known him.

 

[Simon and Sue Wakely]

Evening all,

A visit to the estuary this morning was warm, wonderful and without wind. Our egyptain goose was looking in fine fettle. We hate the name Gypo, our last remaining one out of the three should hold its proper name as it's our estuay jewel. Two female Wigeons on corination corner were a pleasent suprise. One green sand, two BT Godwhits, 8 Dunlin on the scrape at coly common. Wonderful, lucky birding Gav! Wish the Montagu's Harrier had flew through a few hours earlier!:-C

Garden tonight, a barn owl flew through the lights is always amazing, 4 tawny owls calling, 3 herons flew over; they always sound like something from the dinosaur era. Talking about that era, a T-rex stuck its head out of a neighbouring woodland; here's the picture, run for your life!!!

Happy Birding
Simon and Sue

 

[Phil Abbott]

Lots happening at Beer head this morning,lots of common migrants flying over and on the ground so about 3 hours walking around with Ian m produced,4 Redstarts,Garden warbler,Lesser whitethroat,2 Whitethroats, 50 Chiffchaff,10 Willow warblers,3 whinchat,20 wheatears,5 Yellow wags and a Spotted flycatcher.
Fly overs were 20 Grey wags 8 Yellow wagtails,3 Tree pipits,200 meadow pipits,30 siskins,40 swallows,2 Sand martins and 2 House martins.

 

[Steve Waite]

Been working all day, which was a bummer because it looks like it's been a good day today! Mipits were going over Co-op's backyard at some rate this morning. That's an impressive haul Phil, you sure you weren't at Portland?!!!

Just had a productive half hour out before collecting my Chinese. A look over one field above Axmouth gave 3 Whinchats and 12 Wheatear. And a look over the scrape from the farm gate gave a juv Ruff (looked like a male on size) and a Barwit amongst the Blackwits.

 

[KarenWoolley]

At first light I walked up to Axe Cliff via the golf course, certainly wont be making a habit of it, it's a strenuous climb first thing in the morning!! Unfortunately the greenkeeper was already mowing when I arrived, he must have started before dawn!! I met Gav up there and we saw quite a decent amount really, especially vis mig, including if I remember rightly around 200 Meadow Pipits. So the same as Phil had on Beer Head. Also a nice selection of common migrants. Gav has the figures (see blog).

Walking back along the river later I only noted the Barwit, 7 Common Sandpipers and a surprise Great Crested Grebe, the first one I've ever seen on the river.

I had to go to Axminster late morning so took the dog for a walk at Trinity Hill on the way back. I was only about 50 yards from the car when I heard and then saw a pair of Crossbills fly over.

Later at around ten past two I was just driving past Axmouth Football club going towards Boshill Cross when I spotted a large BOP coming towards me quite low. It had very long wings and I thought it was going to be a Marsh Harrier (or better) but as it passed overhead it appeared to be too broad in the wing, it had a very long tail too and I think it was probably a Honey Buzzard. I only got the briefest view coz I was driving, so I couldn't see the plumage pattern. I thought I'd pull in at the big layby just to the north of the crossroads, quickly turn around and go after it but there was a massive queue of traffic stretching back from Boshill cross, so I couldn't. I just had to let it go. Very annoying!

This evening at Colyford Common a Ruff was new and there were also 33 Blackwits, the Barwit, 6 Greensands and best of all a Barn Owl, not THE Barn Owl ,I hasten to add! (that was safely tucked up in it's box). A new one. It was on the reserve and briefly landed on a post giving Gav and me a superb view. |=)| Before we could get our cameras out a Crow chased it off. ||

Attached are:

A truly staggering (-ly bad) Great Crested Grebe and a scintillating flight shot of a Common Sandpiper.:king:

 

[Phil Abbott]

Another 3 hours at Beer head this morning highlights were,1 Redstart,8 wheatears,stonechat,Lesser whitethroat,10 chiffchaffs,6 willow warblers,and 30 meadow pipits, also a Nuthatch at the sheep walk.
Fly overs were 8 Yellow wags, 6 Grey wags,3 Tree pipits,15 Siskins,100 meadow pipits,10 Skylarks,1 Golden plover and 43 Dark bellied brents.
Colyford common this evening Spotted redshank,Osprey,2 Ruff,Barwit,20 Blackwits,4 Green sand,Greenshank,6 Dunlin and 2 White wagtails.
I think theres going to be some good photos of the Osprey later.

 

[KarenWoolley]

Axe Cliff again first thing this morning and it was nothing like as good as yesterday, birdwise at least. There's little to mention really. A few Wheatears on the ground, and flying over, 30 or so Meadow Pipits a few Tree Pipits and a couple of Yellow Wagtails.

This afternoon after a text message from Phil t I popped down to Colyford Common to see a Spotted Redshank that was new in today with another Ruff. As I arrived Phil phoned me to tell me there was an Osprey perched on a pole on the reserve. It had just landed there after coming in with a large fish. I took a few pictures of the Osprey but the Spotted Redshank remained too distant. The first photo was taken from the boardwalk and shows the Osprey really struggling to subdue it's catch (the fish was struggling, but if you actually look closely the osprey has already eaten most of it's head, gruesome!) the other two were from a bit closer but are not as animated!

 

[Simon and Sue Wakely]

Evening all,

A lovely day was capped with wonderful sights. Estuary this morning, our Egyptain goose, a great crested grebe paddling towards corniation corner, 7 female wigeon, all gulls up twice but couldn't detect the suspect, obviously hoping for an Ospray! Tried Bindon Barns without luck but managed a pair of lapwings flying then landing in a plowed field. Back on the reserve at 12:30, a spotted fly was sat in our apple tree, managed to scope it for a picture but unfortunatly it flew away! With the main railway line at the top of the reserve, a smoking beauty trundled past at 12:45, managed a picture for you all to enjoy and bird picture as well.

Happy Chuffing!
Sue and Simon:t:

 

[Gavin Haig]

Axe Cliff again first thing this morning and it was nothing like as good as yesterday, birdwise at least. There's little to mention really....

Little to mention?????!!! :eek!:

PS - Cracking Osprey! Most envious.

 

[KarenWoolley]

Yesterday morning at Colyford Common the Spotted Redshank was gone but there were 4 lovely Ruff, a male and three females. The Osprey was perched on a fencepost out in the reedbed for a while but eventually showed really well hunting over the lower river. It tried for almost an hour to catch breakfast but was persistently harassed by eight Crows. Late afternoon I was back at Colyford Common with the Axe Estuary Ringing Group hoping to catch waders. We had a very successful (for us) session and caught eight birds in 8 hours!! Four were firsts for the group too! |=)|

The Osprey was back too, devouring a fish on the nest box pole again.

I've attached a couple of pics of the evening's 'star birds' An account (mostly in photos) of the whole evening will be available on my new blog later today.

Attachments:

1) The 4 Ruff on the scrape.
2) The Osprey hassled by crows.
3) Knot
4) One of the 4 Ruff

EDIT:

5) One I forgot, possibly the reason for our successful evening, Steve brought along the secret weapon. Here he is demonstrating it!

My blog: Wild Wings and Wanderings.

 

[Steve Waite]

Yesterday, I wandered down to Colyford Common at 15:00, we started setting up nets at 16:00. On the scrape were four lovely Ruff and a Knot (new in!). The Osprey spent hours sat on its Kestrel-box perch!

Then we commenced ringing! By the time we got back to our cars at 23:30 we had caught eight birds. No that's not many, but it was quality! Firsts for the ringing group were Black-headed Gull (two), Knot, Ruff (the smallest gingerish one of the four!) and Curlew (two). The other two birds were singles of Dunlin and Oystercatcher. Corking session, and great fun! I extracted the Knot with my jaw dropped to the ground (being a genuine estuary rarity!), and when I clapped eyes on the Ruff in the net I think I actually did pass out! Then seeing two Black-headed Gulls in the net on the last net round just finished me off!! The only downer for me was that we didn't catch any Snipe, there were loads flying around calling after dark, c30+. At one point the Gypo Goose came close to the nets too!!

Okay, now to today! Meadow Pipits are streaming along the beach, and on the shingle were five Wheatear and a Ringed Plover. The river at high tide gave the Great Crested Grebe and over 50 Wigeon. A look over the scrape from the farm gate showed now FIVE Ruff (I think my biggest flock here ever!), including one ringed bird!! The Osprey remains on the river, it was sat on a fence post between the farm gate and the river this morning.

I had a look over my favorite field behind Axmouth this morning too, and could see 70 grounded Meadow Pipits, two Yellow Wags and a Wheatear. I was back here though 10 mins after I had left as Karen had just flushed a Short-eared Owl!!! When I got back to my gate way it was circling high over Axe Cliff Golf Course (where I understand some year listers may be claiming to have also seen it despite being a zillion miles away! ). I had the pleasure to be able to watch it for at least ten minutes as it gained height and slowly drifted east. It eventually U-turned and ended up dropping back down not too far from where Karen had first flushed it from. Attached is the one photo I took when it was highest in the sky, it is really really bad and will look even worse when Karen posts the stunning photos she took! A few Siskins also flew over.

Karen, in your last photo what a STUNNING and healthy-looking....pair of hands!!!

 

[KarenWoolley]

While walking the dog at Axe Cliff mid-morning I was lucky enough to flush a Short-eared Owl from cover alongside the golf course having my closest ever views of this superb bird. At first it flew behind a hedge and I lost it but about ten minutes later it was flying again, hunting along the hedgerows. Predictably some Crows spotted it and began their assault, causing it to start circling high over the golf course. I phoned a few patchers and am pleased to say that a couple of them, at least, got onto it, from various vantage points. I lost sight of it as it drifted east. I almost always have my camera with me, 'just in case' and today it paid off cos I managed to get a couple of identifiable shots of it. Nice! :king:

Only other stuff worth mentioning, three Wheatears and a flyover Grey Wagtail.


Back to work tonight after a week off...:-C

Hope I don't miss the imminent rare wader at Colyford Common.

 

[Ranger James]

Great SEO pics Karen - what a lovely bird!

just a comment on the knot photo - are you meant to catch the birds to be ringed with nets? Rather than creeping up behind them!

James

 

[MKinHK]

a lovey evocative pic of the SEO - great stuff!

I could do with one here - 2 records only in HK, but one of my favourite birds from my birding childhood in the late 80s

Mike

 

[whereamiwhereami]

Hi all, back from another holiday, so great to see the patch osprey and catch up with the birding news, and to see steve still stuffing his face!!!