Devon Birding (2 Viewers)

[SANDYMERE]

Whooper Swans

Technically a Cornwall spot but as the sight is close to the border i wanted to share with the Devonians too.

 

[The Kerreran]

The unringed and wary Red-Breasted Goose still at Black Hill quarry pool today, between Woodbury and East Budleigh Commons. The bird favours the grassy peninsula on the south east side of the pool.

So it looks good, Mark? I hadn't gone for it, being put off by the 'presumed escape' tag it's always been given... I'd assumed that that meant a big bit o' plastic, or 'Property of Paignton Zoo' label, or something!

 

[Gavin Haig]

...unringed and wary...

Call me a sceptic, Mark, but this is the most optimistic three word phrase I've read in a long time!

 

[Andrew]

A very wet WeBS count on the canal this morning produced 4 Kingfisher, 2 Snipe, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrests and 3 Bullfinch.

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As for the Red-breasted Goose. It is a demonstration of how things could have gone so differently. It appeared at the same time as the first few Brent Geese were arriving on the Exe. If this goose had landed a few miles further west amongst them then lots of people could have been getting in their cars!

Probably will go and see it. Just in case!

 

[Gavin Haig]

If this goose had landed a few miles further west amongst them then lots of people could have been getting in their cars!

Including me, I expect. I am so unimaginative!

 

[Ppedro]

Red-breasted Goose

First record shots :-O

 

[twitcher93]

First record shots :-O

It's gen then... tick!

 

[Mark]

Call me a sceptic, Mark, but this is the most optimistic three word phrase I've read in a long time!

All I can say is that it is a fully winged and unringed, and when all the birds on the pool were spooked, it was the first to take flight...It was first seen on October 28th, incidently the day after the Black-Throated Thrush.

There is also nothing like a nice bit of insurance, especially when the finder tells you he is submitting it, hence my sudden haste to make the effort to see it !! Think all interested Devon listers should take out the same insurance!!

If anyone is interested, the bird is still present today....

 

[The Kerreran]

First record shots :-O

:clap::clap::clap:

 

[The Kerreran]

Probably will go and see it. Just in case!

Yeah, me too....

Darnit, why am I feeling resigned about this? This is either a daring escapologist or a bold explorer, and either way it deserves our attention. Mark's gone there, looked at it, and judged it on his observations, and kudos to him for that. Tomorrow I'll do the same.
And hey, if it does turn out to be plastic, at least its purdy!

 

[The Kerreran]

Tomorrow I'll do the same.

Five little words..

Well, I went, I got quite muddy, I almost got flattened by a big dump truck thing, and I eventually saw the bird. I think the OS need to do a little updating - only one pool marked for Black Hill Quarry, I reckon there's at least 5 there! I think some different instructions may help - Park in a car park [there's at least 4], get on the East Devon Way [marked with pictures of Foxgloves and purple arrows], follow it until you find yourself in a stand of pines overlooking quarry workings to your north, look in the SW corner for a little grassy island with a couple of bushes on it. Oh yeah, take a big scope.

Right, now I've finished venting... The bird is all Mark says - no rings, intact flight feathers, very alert. Its got quite a nice spot - sheltered, plenty of grazing, nice island to roost on, and plenty of Mallards and BHGulls for lookouts - I'm not surprised its staying put. If it was further east, would I have been the only one there?

 

[devon.birder]

Five little words..

Well, I went, I got quite muddy, I almost got flattened by a big dump truck thing, and I eventually saw the bird. I think the OS need to do a little updating - only one pool marked for Black Hill Quarry, I reckon there's at least 5 there! I think some different instructions may help - Park in a car park [there's at least 4], get on the East Devon Way [marked with pictures of Foxgloves and purple arrows], follow it until you find yourself in a stand of pines overlooking quarry workings to your north, look in the SW corner for a little grassy island with a couple of bushes on it. Oh yeah, take a big scope.

Right, now I've finished venting... The bird is all Mark says - no rings, intact flight feathers, very alert. Its got quite a nice spot - sheltered, plenty of grazing, nice island to roost on, and plenty of Mallards and BHGulls for lookouts - I'm not surprised its staying put. If it was further east, would I have been the only one there?

Thanks for that. What are the "frying pans" mentioned on the pager this morning?. I would have gone to have a look at it tomorrow but we are going up to North Devon to see that other vagrant from Europe at Wrafton!!!!. Roger

 

[Andrew]

Would the attached image correctly show the actual pool the goose is on?

 

[kmonty1950]

Would the attached image correctly show the actual pool the goose is on?

That's it Andrew, I also had a female Merlin just up the path from there.

All the best

Ken.

 

[Andrew]

Thanks Ken.

 

[The Kerreran]

Would the attached image correctly show the actual pool the goose is on?

I know Ken's already answered this, but I'd like to add that if you zoom in on the RBA map, you can even see the goose's li'l island [NW not SW corner - shows how turned around I got this morning..! ]

Roger, 'Frying Pans' is marked on the OS map by the road to the SE of the quarry - I don't know if it is a place name, a feature, or what [possibly a kitchenware dump :-O ] . There are 2 car parks in the vicinity, which are closer than the small parking area by the Wright's Lane junction [and I think they are where the East Devon Way intersects the road] so make sense to be put on the pagers, I suppose.

Adding on from my morning post, now I have more time - the goose has two prominent wingbars and also a third faint one above them, and on the rear of the flanks the black and white pattern was more sawtooth than barring. I'm not an expert on goose aging, but would that make it a second winter bird?

 

[devon.birder]

I know Ken's already answered this, but I'd like to add that if you zoom in on the RBA map, you can even see the goose's li'l island [NW not SW corner - shows how turned around I got this morning..! ]

Roger, 'Frying Pans' is marked on the OS map by the road to the SE of the quarry - I don't know if it is a place name, a feature, or what [possibly a kitchenware dump :-O ] . There are 2 car parks in the vicinity, which are closer than the small parking area by the Wright's Lane junction [and I think they are where the East Devon Way intersects the road] so make sense to be put on the pagers, I suppose.

Adding on from my morning post, now I have more time - the goose has two prominent wingbars and also a third faint one above them, and on the rear of the flanks the black and white pattern was more sawtooth than barring. I'm not an expert on goose aging, but would that make it a second winter bird?

Thanks for that Tom, I will have a look on Friday weather permitting.
This morning the first winter Grey Phalarope was showing down to about 15 feet on the very small pool of flood water on your left after you cross the first bridge on to The Skern.
There were about 500 Golden Plover and at least 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose on the saltmarsh but then a sudden downpour with thunder and lightning ended any further viewing. I later met another local Birder who was there after the storm had passed and he told me he had seen 3 Snow Buntings on the saltmarsh before they had been flushed by a Merlin.
Mid afternoon the drake Red-crested Pochard was still at Wrafton but I have to say that it is very tame. I was standing on the wooded jetty and it was feeding right beneath me amongst the assorted Mallard type ducks. It was diving for food though not taking bread, but then nobody was there feeding the ducks. Of course if it is still there in January.......... Roger

 

[Mark]

Spotted Sand

The Spotted Sand still late afternoon north of Topsham recreation ground on the River Exe and showing well, favouring the small bay beneath the path immediately north of the small reedbed and the reedy island underneath the motorway bridge. Also 2 Common Sands along the river. Surprisingly the first record for the Exe.

 

[Jon Turner]

Technically a Cornwall spot but as the sight is close to the border i wanted to share with the Devonians too.

Ah, I wondered who it was leaning over the hedge taking these pics last sunday. I stopped and looked over to see what you were photographing! Thanks for drawing them to my attention!

Very strange place for them to pitch in. Not there on my return from Cornwall today.:C

Jon

 

[Andrew]

The Red-breasted Goose was still at Black Hill Quarry and quite easy to locate. The car park is at SY035850 and you just walk across the road and then NNW until you see a barb wire lined track running out to a pool. It is on the left of the track.

The Spotted Sandpiper showed well as Mark has already said but I left my main camera at home. Here's a few from my Pocket Brownie.