A Devonian's WeBS Patch! (1 Viewer)

Andrew · Jul 14, 2003

I perform a Wetland Bird Survey once a month and consider this to be my ‘local patch’. The Wetland Bird Survey is run by the WWT with support from the BTO, RSPB and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. I walk through four sections of the Grand Western Canal in Devon starting at Greenway in Halberton and finishing at The Basin in Tiverton. The aim is to count the number of water birds using the canal. The birds I usually come across are Grey Herons, Mallards, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Coots, Mute Swans, Canada Geese, Common Kingfishers, Herring Gulls. I have only just begun this survey this year and not experienced the winter birds yet so there is the outside chance of a Eurasian Teal, Eurasian Wigeon or Common Pochard. I do count all the birds I see but they do not go forward to the WWT as they are only concerned with the Water Birds. I count all birds as it is a habit and these results go forward to the County Recorder at the end of each month with my other sightings. The other purpose of counting all birds is that I like to have a total for each month and will use these as targets to try and beat each time I go out. The canal is on average twelve metres wide and my stretch is approximately seven and a half kilometres long making for a surface area of 90,000 square metres. It may sound like a large area but there is not a great variety of birds to be seen. The water birds only come from the canal itself and surrounding fields, any flying over and obviously using the canal are counted too. Young chicks and ducklings are only counted if they have become independent and are over two thirds adult size with well developed wings. I cover the first four sections in reverse as a colleague will count the other section away from mine starting at the same time to ensure consistency. My sections shall be broken down into their own below. .

Andrew · Jul 14, 2003

Section Four.

Section Four : Greenway Bridge to Crownhill Bridge.

This section starts at Greenway Bridge (left) and continues in a huge bend leading to a small straight ending up at Crownhill Bridge. The first straight leading away from Greenway often provides a Common Reed Bunting and some Warblers. There is a golf course on the opposite banks on most of this section separated by a deciduous wood (right) that offers many birds including Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Nuthatch and Spotted Flycatcher. The fields enclosed by the huge horseshoe bend often provides some Deer and Foxes. This stretch is well populated by many birds but can be really sluggish for water birds with the Moorhen usually being the most numerous. However, recently this section proved good with a family of Kingfishers showing well. The last straight stretch between Tiverton Road Bridge and Crownhill Bridge is usually very boring and I am thankful it is a very short one.

Andrew · Jul 14, 2003

Section Three.

Section Three : Crownhill Bridge to Manley Bridge.

Here the towpath switches to the other side at Crownhill Bridge (left). This is also a large curved section but not as noticeable as there is lots of good growth and woods so you do not see the whole bend like Section Four. The towpath side is lined by many delicious trees with many parts of the other side dotted with some too. This is another sluggish section for water birds but often provides a Grey Heron and some mobile Mute Swans. The final straight at Manley (right) has a flood pool in a field on the opposite bank in the wetter months and usually holds some Canada Geese. Recently, the first third of this section provided my first ever local Hen Harrier which is a rarity round this part of Devon.

Andrew · Jul 14, 2003

Section Two.

Section Two : Manley Bridge to Tidcombe Bridge.

I usually have a rest here and some snacks washed down with a drink. This third section is quite twisty and goes through Snake’s Wood (right). The wood surprisingly provides very little in the way of birds. It is just after the wood finishes that more birds show up including a few Warblers and some Woodpeckers with a Buzzard or two thrown in. Goldcrests often show somewhere along this section as well as in Section Three. The section comes to an end at Tidcombe Bridge (left) just as the residential areas begin.

Andrew · Jul 14, 2003

Section One.

Section One : Tidcombe Bridge to The Basin.

This section runs from Tidcombe Bridge all the way to the end of The Basin (right). I have to say this is the dullest one of the lot with houses and private gardens on both sides (left). The most interesting bird I ever had here was a Common Kingfisher a while back and that is it really. It is just as beautiful as the rest of the canal but because of the gardens and high human activity there is nothing but Mallards all the way with a few Moorhen and Coots too. One garden provides the majority of the Mallards and the last count produced ninety plus Mallards for this stretch largely attracted by people feeding them.

Andrew · Jul 14, 2003

July 2003 Count.

The July count was rather much a non event with few birds showing and I was quite surprised not to record a single Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler or Sedge Warbler at all. I counted a total of Thirty Two birds and the WeBS count was . . . .

Grey Herons - 4
Mallards - 138
Common Moorhens - 39
Eurasian Coots - 4
Herring Gull - 2

The other twenty eight birds I recorded were European Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Common Blackbird, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Common Buzzard, Common Magpie, Winter Wren, Eurasian Goldfinch, Willow Warbler, Barn Swallow, Common Chaffinch, Great Tit, Spotted Flycatcher, Common Whitethroat, Common Swift, Common House Martin, Common Linnet, Song Thrush, European Robin, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Treecreeper.

Charles Harper · Jul 14, 2003

Sometime you can tell me how you get the photos on the page at all, much less shift their positions! As I said first time around, good, clear presentation, and I look forward to seeing your winter list. Also, I appreciate there being another bird counter out there!

phyllosc · Jul 14, 2003

A very nice looking patch, Andrew. Do you record - for your own interest - birds without webbed feet?!

Dave

Charles Harper · Jul 14, 2003

Somewhere in the thread starter he says he does, phyllo... or do you mean ones in spiked heels?

phyllosc · Jul 14, 2003

Whoops! You're right, Chas!

I just saw all those bushes and thought 'WARBLERS!' I'm a passerine man really, so just my luck to live on an estuary!

Dave

Andrew · Jul 14, 2003

I record all the birds I see, don't get many with spiked heels as I usually start at 530am before human disturbance scares off good birds. The bushes and trees are good warbler habitat. Problem is seeing them as I can't hear! My fave bird on the canal has to be the Reed Bunting!

Charles, I used full names so you can check them out. Also for other international birding readers.

I have inserted the other birds I saw on the day in the results post.

Karl J · Jul 21, 2003

Only just seen this, Andrew. I guess the counting makes for a more comprehensive assesment of the days results. I sometimes count the birds - depends what they are - don;t often count the more everyday sightings I have to admit.

Do you record the actual spot you've seen them in also, or is it just X-number in a certain section ?

Andrew · Jul 21, 2003

I count the water birds in each section of the canal and submit these to the colleague for the Devon Birds and the overall number of water birds are added up for the WWT in Slimbridge on a form. As for the rest of the birds I just submit an overall count to the Devon County Recorder but if there are "good" birds seen such as Spotted Flycatcher, Green Woodpecker then I will note their locations in each section and submit these as separate entries in the Spreadsheet submitted to the recorder.

k.k.stevenson1 · Jul 21, 2003

Hi Andrew .When I go out on my local patch i allways count the birds i see .And eny other patch come to that .Ken

KC Foggin · Jul 21, 2003

It just occurred to me that I was in the middle of replying to you last week on this thread when my puter got zapped by lightning and I never did return to re-post. I like the idea of keeping a monthly total of the birds you see. Never occurred to me to do this. Good way to compare with the numbers from year to year as well. Looks like mallards are alive and thriving across the pond as much as they are here.

Andrew · Jul 21, 2003

I would give twenty of these Mallards just for one Eurasian Teal! Sometimes there are some on the canal but I will need to pray one stops here when I do a WeBS this winter!

Hope your 'puter survived?

Padraig · Jul 26, 2003

Hi Andrew,

Just dropped into this thread to readyour account of your patch.

Note my edited profile-national flag: also that I have pinched your motto and reversed it. I'm sure we could have a different conversation about the ontolgical nicities of choosing the order of the wording.

Can't make the trip to Cornawll unfortuanely. I would love to have gone. i will be in another part of Cornwall at the time visiting friends. Of course I will bring my binoculors.

regards,

Padraig.

Nina P · Jul 29, 2003

Just picked up on this thread of yours Andrew, some lovely pic's, and enticing walkways, and the best time to bird is definately before the emits and noise makers are up and about. That is a rather neat canal, not like most of them, full to bursting with shopping trollies and junk, would definately entice me out with the wheelchair, as long as it was all like that, then I'd be able to get from start to finish at tortoise pace without bother. Nina.

Andrew · Jul 29, 2003

There is an improvement plan going on to level all the towpath but as it is it all seems navigable in a wheelchair. Some parts may be hard as it is compacted gravel and has become a bit loose making it hard to get through on a bike so a wheelchair may be hard. I hope they correct it soon.

Nina P · Jul 30, 2003

Well Andrew, as I'm only half the woman I was, my chariot is able to manage to a certain extent on pretty rough terrain, but it will only cover a maximum of ten miles on one charge so if terrain is rough, then the distance is dramatically reduced, and the more hilly the quicker the charge disperses, so as you see If it is more than 100yds then this body is too unreliable if the terrain is too hummocky then the range can be as little as two miles, so I am always embarrassed to ask people to give as precise information as possible, but the thing is untiol I ended up in one of them, I was as guilty as the rest of people in lacking knowledge, so I have had to overcome the embarrassment to help other people in the same situation. That said roughly how far is this fabulous walk, are there any steep sections, and is the gravel any worse than the average gravel path to peoples houses? Steep over 5% or tricky potholes over 1 inch deep, as that is the spec of my buggy, and if the answer is all OK, I will be there somehow.... Thanks for showing the lovely place. Nina.

A Devonian's WeBS Patch! (1 Viewer)

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