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Axe Estuary (1 Viewer)

Ranger James

Ranger James

Well-known member
Its about time there was a thread back on BF which focussed a little more closely on the Axe Wetlands.

With a hoopoe seen locally, it looks like an interesting spring is just around the corner and it would be such a shame if that is missed here for want of an active thread.

So local birders, patchworkers and visiting BF members; please post your sightings here!

James
 
Excellent idea. I went to Axmouth today to look for the Hoopoe. Didn't manage to find it. Would be interested if anyone else located it in the afterrnoon!

Around the locale produced 12 Stock Dove, 100+ Linnets, single singing Chiffchaff and a Med Gull on the estuary.

Also, could anyone point me in the direction of some info on colour ringed Black-tailed Godwits. There were a few on the estuary today. I didn't get any pics, but made some notes detailing the sequence on individual birds.
 
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John Tindale said:
Excellent idea. I went to Axmouth today to look for the Hoopoe. Didn't manage to find it. Would be interested if anyone else located it in the afterrnoon!


Also, could anyone point me in the direction of some info on colour ringed Black-tailed Godwits. There were a few on the estuary today. I didn't get any pics, but made some notes detailing the sequence on individual birds.
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware the Hoopoe wasn't seen after late morning yesterday.

The ringed Blackwits on the estuary are most probably those ringed by the Axe Estuary Ringing Group a couple of weeks ago. If they have yellow/red/yellow combination on their right leg then they were ringed here.
 
Out at Seaton Marshes this evening there were 6 Wheatears on Sheeps Marsh which is one of the fields to the south of the reserve.

I also had reports of a single Housemartin over Black Hole Marsh this afternoon.

If you didn't already know, the Axe Estuary Wetlands car park is now open at Black Hole Marsh - drive in through the cemetery on the Colyford Road, just to the north of Seaton and follow the signs through into the new car park.

Apologies in advance, because we (EDDC) plan to start work on the Tower Hide in the southeast corner of Black Hole Marsh on Monday and hope to have it finished by Easter. The path to this hide is already finished, so it will be possible to get wheelchairs quite close, with enough space to park them safely, but access to the hide will be by stairs.
 
Lovely weather again today.

Had fantastic views of a Red Kite that Steve Waite spotted flying northwards at tree top level over Black Hole Marsh, Stafford Marsh and Colyford Common this morning.

Also a few ChiffChaffs around, a pair of Bullfinches and a Brambling.

Later on, while having lunch on the dipping platform at the Borrow Pit, a Grass Snake swam across from the island to the shore where it stayed a while before swimming back again.

For information, the water level at Black Hole Marsh is falling now that the Self Regulating Tide Gate has been temporarily disabled, so there should soon be lots of lovely mud for the wader passage.
 
Ah, missed the red kite yesterday! Still, will be hanging around the reserves towards the end of next week with Bug Life International and Exeter University projects. So, plenty of time for a few passage raptors then.
 
Fraser heard a Willow Warbler at Stafford Marsh today.

There will be cattle back at Colyford Common and at Seaton Marshes by this time next week.
 
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Willow warbler singing in the hedgerow at Stafford Marsh this morning. Reed buntings, goldfinches, chaffinches, greenfinches, dunnocks and great tits on the feeders. Shelduck prospecting in nearby fields for nest sites, a wonderful moring to be out on the marshes!
 
Had the pleasure of looking through the 2010 Bird Report photos this afternoon. Some stunning shots from some local birders. Will, no doubt, be a fabulous report with those pics illustrating. Forgot what fabulous birds we got last year too - marsh harriers, osprey, curlew sands, goldeneye, rc pochard, golden plover, LB dowitcher, and there was that funny bright-eyed green sandpiper too!
 
Roger Boswell said:
Great to see a thread devoted to the Axe Estuary - hope to visit the new facilities when the birds discover them!
Click to expand...

Likewise, the old Backwater thread was a pleasure to read, a local patch at its best, choc'a'bloc with birds, good banter between the birders and a real buzz to the posts.
 
Jos Stratford said:
Likewise, the old Backwater thread was a pleasure to read, a local patch at its best, choc'a'bloc with birds, good banter between the birders and a real buzz to the posts.
Click to expand...

Well, lets hope for more of the same! Best birds ever in recent months, time to get the flag waving for what is now not so much of a Backwater!
 
Ranger James said:
Its about time there was a thread back on BF which focussed a little more closely on the Axe Wetlands.

With a hoopoe seen locally, it looks like an interesting spring is just around the corner and it would be such a shame if that is missed here for want of an active thread.

So local birders, patchworkers and visiting BF members; please post your sightings here!

James
Click to expand...

James any chance of a link to a map showing the geography of the area please. There are lots of references to locations in the posts here which are obviously known by locals. I only know of the road from Axemouth village down the East side of the estuary and limited parking to walk to the hide on the other side by the Seaton tramway.

Thanks
Jamie
[Somerset]
 
Good idea Jamie, a long overdue reference for visitors - give me a moment to rifle through my files and see if there's something appropriate.

James
 
Can't find a suitable map Jamie, but its on the "to do" list.

Avocet on the estuary today viewable from the Seaton Marshes hide, also 26 black tailed godwit in varying degrees of summer plumage. A few straggling wigeon left on the river too.
 
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