Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

[Steve Waite]

A good morning for vis mig. Started the day with Gavin on Beer Head till 08:00, grounded migrants here included 2 Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps. Then to Seaton Marshes where there were 3+ Willow Warblers, 5 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap. I finished my birding morning stood on the seafront counting birds flying west.

These were the totals from counting from three different locations (Beer Head, Seaton Marshes and Seafront), all west unless stated: 3 Grey Heron (2 in/off, 1 east at sea), 5 Shelduck (in/off), 226 Wood Pigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 37 Rook, 4 Jackdaw, 2 Skylark, 8 Meadow Pipits, 1 White Wagtail (flew low over seafront, looked like a male, my first of the year), 2 Pied Wagtail, 18 Linnet, 1 Greenfinch and 1 Chaffinch. Really enjoyable stuff. Also 1 Common Scoter flew west at sea with c20 sat around.

Oh and the Alpine Swifts are still around.

I predict a decent large raptor by the end of the day, either a Kite or an Osprey. But will it slip through undetected.... We will see....

 

[Steve Waite]

a female kestrel coming in off the sea at about 4, flying into seaton Hole....started with Hobby, then Cuckoo but had to settle for a Kestrel

How about Lesser Kes? :-O

 

[Larry Sweetland]

UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!

Just finishing off me salmon fillet and salad when the mobile goes off. Tsk! Who's this then? Pause the video. It's Steve - sounding slightly panicky - "James has just had an Alpine Swift over the football ground!" What??!! Out of the door like a shot - even Sandra comes for this one - James is phoning as we go - it headed for the town. Drive slowly through town........LOOK! LOOK! There it is!! Pull in to car park, jump out, and...hang on a sec...there's TWO!! Phone the others......Phil gets one from the clocktower......Steve's not seen one yet...........then eventually Phil tracks them down - they're circling Fosseway Court, a block of flats down by the seafront......off we go - and there they are. Rela-a-a-a-x.

Absolutely amazing. Swooping low over the heads of oblivious Co-op shoppers and a handful of raving birders were two very stunning Alpine Swifts.

After a while they seemed to vanish, even though one, particularly, seemed to be trying to roost on the flats. We waited. Nothing. Eventually, chilled through in the biting wind (no coats grabbed in the hasty exit) Sandra and I left. But Steve phoned a little later to say that at least one had roosted on the flats. Excellent. Hope to see it again before breakfast tomorrow.

When I started this patch report I said something like "There were some exciting moments last year, and hopefully there would be some more" Erm....what can I say? Phil mentioned that it would be nice if we got a Night Heron in this influx.....we got one - he found it! Andrew mentioned that we should look out for Alpine Swift.....we got TWO! Would someone like to suggest some more stonking goodies please??!!

And so - to the mundane, average, patch-type stuff.....
The 3 Egyptian Geese are still up near Boshill Cross, and seawatching this morning and this evening produced a combined total of 15 Gannets, 10 Common Scoter, 24 Kittiwakes, 8 Sandwich Terns, 16 Manxies, 1 RTD and 12 Razorbills. A big highlight for me this morning was a gang of 7 Pale-bellied Brents W at 07:15, really close. My first Pale-bellieds here, but totally eclipsed by this evening's mayhem..............

Now this is just getting silly

 

[Ranger James]

A few other target birds along the way too such as Darties at Aylesbeare.

Forget Aylesbere Andrew - get yourself up to Fire Beacon Hill for darties, you can actually see them up there!

Hoping the swifts will stick for a little longer - I'm stuck in the west of the district today!

James

 

[James McCarthy]

Peaceful birding

Having seen the swifts from the car while driving the kids to a doctor's appoint ment in Axeminster (!) & being a bit shy of crowds I veered away from staying at the Co-op this evening to have Seaton Marshes all to myself for 30 mins...nothing remarkable there but lovely singing swallows (15+) and plenty of Chiffs & a couple of Willow Warblers flycatching... nothing new in but its only a matter of days now before the flood starts - I'm away from Thursday for 2 weeks so I guess it will start Thurs lunchtime
James

 

[Gavin Haig]

I predict a decent large raptor by the end of the day, either a Kite or an Osprey. But will it slip through undetected.......

2 Red Kites and an Osprey........................slipped through undetected, unfortunately.

The 3 Alpine Swifts showed brilliantly (best yet) this morning at Lower Bruckland Ponds - treetop height and glorious sunshine - magic! They came in to roost in the town again this evening, 2 getting behind their favourite duct very quickly. The third one kept trying, and after several 'oohs' and 'aahs' at its near misses, a cheer went up from the appreciative crowd when it finally wedged itself in. All over by about 19:35.........

Other stuff this evening comprised 1 Wheatear, 1 Willow Warbler and 80 Shelduck at Colyford Common, and a House Martin over the estuary. Lastly a Water Rail 'singing' at dusk, from the 'Farm Gate' viewpoint.

Andrew texted that the 3 Egyptian Geese were still present too.

 

[Andrew]

Went to Lower Bruckland right away and found at least two of the three Alpine Swifts. Classic views, really low and fast. All the features easily seen as opposed to yesterday morning's panic induced viewing.

Found the three Egyptian Geese just north of the large bridge on the A3052 (I think that's the number).

A look at Seaton Marshes found at least two Willow Warblers feeding with one more at the Borrow Pit but sadly no Garganey. A local said he had a sum plum Med Gull on the deep water scrape but I saw none, shame.

Now guys, have a rest so I can visit a different part of Devon.

 

[Gavin Haig]

Now guys, have a rest so I can visit a different part of Devon.

Sorry Andrew - might as well just move here!

Thanks to all the Seaton boys, my first ever Alpine Swift

You're very welcome, Ian. Quite a few have ticked Alpine Swift in the last couple of days, I think, and it's been great to see so many satisfied 'customers' heading off after cracking views. Some classy pics appearing on Surfbirds now, for which I, in turn, say 'Thanks' as they find their way into my 'Local Birds' folder. When the crowd cheered as the birds went to roost tonight it kind of summed up the whole event..........

 

[Gavin Haig]

Steve and I thought it might be clever to check the sea off Branscombe first thing - nothing! The estuary? Sleeping Sandwich Tern the highlight. Not much anywhere it seemed.......

Later in the morning Steve's dad phoned to say that plenty of Chiffs and Willows were moving through Seaton Marshes. Decided to take extended lunch break up Beer Head. Good decision - 11 Chiffs, 10 Willow Warblers, 5 Wheatears, 2 Blackcaps, 11 Rock Pipits, plus 23 Meadow Pipits over. Best by far, though, was a cracking male Redstart - a real dazzler. Managed not to flush it, so spent ten minutes or so soaking it up. Brilliant. Year list up to 136 now.

Popped in briefly to Branscombe to look for a Firecrest Ian McLean saw earlier. No joy, but several more Chiffs and Willows.

Finally, the Axe Cliff Scoter flock is down to 18. Nothing else of note here.

 

[larusargentatus]

Seaton produces the goods again...

Sorry Andrew - might as well just move here!



You're very welcome, Ian. Quite a few have ticked Alpine Swift in the last couple of days, I think, and it's been great to see so many satisfied 'customers' heading off after cracking views. Some classy pics appearing on Surfbirds now, for which I, in turn, say 'Thanks' as they find their way into my 'Local Birds' folder. When the crowd cheered as the birds went to roost tonight it kind of summed up the whole event..........

Hi Gav,
Much as I'd like to pay you a visit and tick off alpine swift, logistics at the moment ensure that you won't have to look at my ugly face until you find something REALLY rare, though at your present rate, that might be in the next 2-3 days!
Not much in the way of london news to keep you awake, but I'd better let you know that when there is, you'll know about it!!!!
Later........
Paul

 

[Andrew]

Who got the Beer Osprey then? My betting's on Phil! 15-1

 

[Gavin Haig]

Who got the Beer Osprey then? My betting's on Phil! 15-1

It was that MEGA-jammy Steve!!!! Went up to look for the Redstart....blah....blah....hopefully he'll post the gory details later

The only consolation was that as I frantically scanned the sky from town in the last few minutes available before going out this evening, I managed to put 3 Alpine Swifts on the day-list as they headed off to bed.

 

[Steve Waite]

Wow what an evening!!!

Before work I went around with Gav (Branscombe, river, Seaton Marshes) - waste of time, highlight being a Sandwich Tern on the river from Coronation Corner.

Went to work at half 8, by which time the Alpine Swifts had still not woken up yet, but from the back yard of Co-op, minutes after I had started (about 08:33) I noticed one of the Swifts flying about overhead - it's just so weird seeing these birds as part of my everyday life!!!

In my hour lunch break I looked along the river, and briefly at both marshes - but very little (3 Egyptian Geese still), and I was feeling highly gripped by Gavin's Redstart.

When the clock ticked 5:30 I jumped into my car and straight up to Beer Head. What a smart move. The first patch of bushes I arrived at, Redstart! I caught sight of it as it flicked over away from me, so amazingly it was still here (if it was the same one), but the worst view ever, I wanted better! I stomped around the immediate area gagging to see it properly but I was stopped in my tracks when I could hear the local Gulls making a bit of a fuss. I looked up, and with my naked eye I could see a large dark bird in the middle of the screaming flock of Gulls, I put my bins to my eyes…..a raptor, with white head (it turned a bit)…OSPREY! At first it was low (below me - at clifftop height) but it circled up and up, went west a bit, then back east, but kept gaining height (my guess is that it had just flown in low over the sea, hit dry land and wanted to gain height, makes sense). I got a super 5 minutes show from this bird as it circled over the headland with a few Gulls. So which way did it go?.....Don’t ask me! As the Osprey was circling and as I was making phone calls, I caught sight of a movement along a nearby hedgerow, the Redstart, and indeed a stonking male! I spent too long indulging on the beauty of him, so when I looked up in the skies again, the Osprey was no more.

Well apart from these two stunners, there was a lot less around from what Gav saw earlier, just two each of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Wheatear.

I hear all three Swifts roosted again tonight, when will it become four?

 

[Jos Stratford]

Great thread, just keeps getting better down there. Ha ha ha, how far is Hastings?

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Hi chaps!

Been enjoying this thread muchly since it started, but never realised how soon I'd be tempted down to pay the area a visit! Looks like my first distance twitch of the year will be down your way tomorrow morning. (So long as the Swifts go to roost tonight, that is!) I see Steve mentioned they'd not surfaced till around half eight this morning - is that the norm, or has it varied much? Looking forward to checking out the delights of the Seaton environs! Maybe even see one of you out and about!

Keep up the good work.

James

 

[Andrew]

They seem to be late risers cos the sun does not hit their roosting spot first thing so it takes a while to warm up. Do you think that too guys?

 

[James McCarthy]

Beer Head for babies...

Sorry Gavin but may not be able to contribute much to Beer Head's observations this year....scored pretty low on my baby index - 1 out of 10 for strollers & 1 out of 10 for walking (Michael kept on rolling down the hill poor bloke)...however do agree its a magic place....just have to wait till he is 2+.
Bit bright this am (9-10) - 3 Blackcaps, 1 Willow warbler & 1 Chiff...wonderful views of the Peregrines & the only surprise....a Redwing. Possibly heard a snatch of Whitethoat song but only the once.
See you all in 2 weeks
James

ps. also for Gavin, regarding your comment of March 23rd..."a double figure LBB Gull count is always notable, so 162 was jaw-dropping. Almost all adults, and the vast majority of these was very dark-mantled, only a teeny bit paler than GBB Gull. There were some obvious British graellsii, but all the rest really looked like Scandinavian intermedius. Now, in Devon intermedius is an A-list rarity, full description etc...not often you get well over a hundred birds at the same time all requiring a full description. Hmmm.....not too realistic, methinks."

I saw this in the Thanet (Kent) blog the other day...

Monday 3rd April 2006 Pegwell Bay
" and I was interested to note that the majority of Lesser Black-backed Gulls present were of the race "intermedius". there wasn't a count beside this but there are usuually pretty good numbers there.

 

[Gavin Haig]

Ha ha ha, how far is Hastings?

Good one!! 3 Far enough that we seem to have got away with it!!

Fairly quiet day.........40min up Beer Head from dawn produced just 2 Blackcaps, a Stonechat and 2 Siskin over. Lunchtime at Seaton Marshes - 1 very handsome White Wag plus a very few Swallows and Sand Martins going straight through. The 3 Alpine Swifts were safely tucked in at Fosseway Court flats by about 19:15.....come on down, James!

What am I talking about - 'Fairly quiet day'?? 3 Alpine swifts is quiet??

Hi chaps!

Been enjoying this thread muchly since it started, but never realised how soon I'd be tempted down to pay the area a visit! Looks like my first distance twitch of the year will be down your way tomorrow morning. (So long as the Swifts go to roost tonight, that is!) I see Steve mentioned they'd not surfaced till around half eight this morning - is that the norm, or has it varied much? Looking forward to checking out the delights of the Seaton environs! Maybe even see one of you out and about!

Keep up the good work.

James

Cheers James......Sunday morning they didn't come out till 08:55, so if you're here before 8 you should be safe to see them come out - if it was me I'd bring a flask, get here early and make sure! Then get yourself up to Lower Bruckland Ponds, where they will hopefully give some cracking views low down, before they drift upwards and southwards.

I probably won't be around much tomorrow but can be ID'd from following field marks - 6'3", startlingly good looking, Zeiss 10x40 BGA bins with thin red strap. Steve can be clinched from the several pairs of eyes in the back of his head, and Phil is easy - breaks into broad grin whenever he spots one of the Torquay boys on our patch!

Have a great day.

 

[Steve Waite]

Well my day envolved too much work and nowhere near enough birding. Had 40 minutes down Seaton Marshes late morning where there was a cracking male White Wagtail amongst the Pieds, 2 Willows, 2 Chiffs, several Sand Martins and Swallows and the wintering Common Sandpiper. Also managed a bit of time out mid afternoon, highlights being the three Alpine Swifts and a House Martin with a few Sand Marts and Swallows over Boshill Cross and 4 Blackcap (2 of each sex) in Axmouth. Oh nearly forgot, saw my first Brimestone of the year today.

Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive....

 

[Ranger James]

I'm headed out to Seaton now, so get the red kite ready for a crippling view from Seaton heights Steve. I need cheering up - I have meetings untill 10 tonight and its been the best weather of the year so far. hurumph. can't complain as I spent all day yesterday birding and saw bearded tit at Radipole. Nice.
Jim