Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (4 Viewers)

[KarenWoolley]

Southeasterly forecast for the morning..........................I wonder what I'll be doing!

Well I did go seawatching in the morning …………….......... Eventually!

I got up 'eagerly' at 5.30 but the visibility outside was dire and I decided it wouldn’t be much better (if not worse) on the coast , so I postponed. The rain had abated a little by late morning and I couldn’t hold back any longer, so off to the Yacht Club it was. I watched from 11: 00 – 12:00 and it was pretty uneventful, with only a smattering of birds. Only 6 Gannet!!

6 Sandwich Terns, 1 Kittiwake and 4 Razorbill all west and a flock of 17 Common Scoter, east.


This afternoon unperturbed by the poor show earlier and encouraged by the more southerly wind (actually I don’t need much encouragement) I set off to the shelter.

Ian M joined me after a few minutes and stayed for around an hour. This watch lasted from 16:10 – 18:10. The notable feature being a massive movement of Gannets (my biggest I’m sure).

Totals were Gannet 79W/4E, Auk Sp.7, Common Scoter /2, Kittiwake 7, Dunlin 9, Sandwich Tern 3, Oystercatcher 1, and Manx Shearwater 6/1 and also 2 on sea??

I saw two birds sat on the sea and at first glance I thought Auks, due to them being black and white and around that kind of size, but they had thinner bills and their heads were black and white, a black cap and white checks and throat. I think they were Manxies but I’ve never seen one swimming before, only distant flight views. Does this sound right?


No Skuas for me today ………………… Ah well, more reason for plenty of seawatching tomorrow, which can’t be bad.|=)|
Winds forecast due south! .........Oh!!....... That's another reason!!

Gav and Steve - I like the new look avatars featuring your good selves, they make mine look 'as dull as staring out to sea'

I will be following this trend shortly, with an interesting action shot of myself!!!

 

[Jos Stratford]

In a massive coup for the Backwater

A very poor responce to this one don't you think Gavin? You'd think the thread would have gone red, I mean more red then usual, with an overload of posters! Have the queues tailed back to the M5 yet? I'm happy to confirm my ticket is booked and paid ...I don't like to dip, so be aware if I happen to miss this mega of all megas

 

[Gavin Haig]

A very poor responce to this one don't you think Gavin? You'd think the thread would have gone red, I mean more red then usual, with an overload of posters! Have the queues tailed back to the M5 yet? I'm happy to confirm my ticket is booked and paid ...I don't like to dip, so be aware if I happen to miss this mega of all megas

One or two listing purists have put the mockers on this outstanding record, insisting that only birds that are REAL can be added to one's tally. Their loss! Look forward to meeting you at Trinity Hill - don't forget to pack a vivid imagination....

Gavin......may I be the first to suggest that you're clearly losing it and should get out more....

No, I'm afraid you can't - Steve has beaten you to it, having noted this already.....more than once. |=)|

Great pics by the way, Fraser. The artfully composed caterpillar shot suggests a missed vocation.

Gav and Steve - I like the new look avatars featuring your good selves....

Cheers Karen, but are we sure that it is actually Steve in his avatar? I don't reckon that I've ever seen Steve AND his scope more than 3 feet from the car......unless, of course, the motor is just out of shot??

Right. Birds. I rushed to the seafront at the first glimmer of light this morning, and was richly rewarded. With peace, solitude, and some pretty waves. By 07:05 the visibility had reduced to 4 inches and the best birds of a disappointing bunch were a Great Northern Diver W and a Common Tern E. A total of 30 Common Scoter W was also noteworthy.....just. Then in the afternoon the sun came out, forcing me to go to work. Brilliant.

 

[Steve Waite]

Hahaha, very funny Gav. That photo was actually taken at the top of the cairngorms about 4 years ago, just before we stumbled upon a stunning Dotterel!!

Now to today, thought a seawatch would be worthwhile this morning, but as Gav has said it turned out to be fairly crappy. 05:40 - 06:40 from the premier seawatching spot in Seaton (proved this morning)....the Spot On Kiosk. Highlights were: 1 Great Northern Diver (W), 4 Manxies (E), c22 Common Scoter (c20 blog, 2 W), 16 Dunlin (E along beach), 1 Arctic Skua (pale W at 06:00), 2 Sandwich Terns (E) and 3 Common Terns (E, 1 very close).

After work and dinner I thought a walk up the river valley would be a good idea (after aiding a rather ill-looking cow!!). High tide, so no mud on show, and I was getting blown about all over the place by the wind, still I managed 3 Whimbrel, 4 Stonechat (2 pairs - no young though!), 1 Greylag....and a really unexpected highlight - a female Pochard on Colyford scrape!!! It flew off after a loud 'bang' from behind me, but soon returned - allowing Bun to twitch it with success!!! Maybe a failed breeder???? The first signs of autumn passage!!!????

Pics: 1 - the Pochard (a very crap bright pic at that!), 2 - Flushers, 3 – a view up the river, 4 – the ‘artist’ within me, 5 - a large version of my Avatar!!!

 

[Gavin Haig]

Nice one Steve! Surely that diminutive little chap hefting the whopping great man-size scope and tripod can't be you?? The top of Cairngorm, eh? After that experience I'm not surprised you're reluctant to carry it far these days!

You are obviously under the misapprehension that because the 'Spot On' is better for seeing birds, that alone makes it a better seawatching spot than the shelter. That is because you are 21. My geriatric frame and lazy disposition demand a SEAT and, mostly, they get one. Sometimes I see birds too but, obviously, that is of only secondary importance ...........|=)|

 

[Jos Stratford]

Hahaha, very funny Gav. That photo was actually taken at the top of the cairngorms
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The HARDY LOCAL PATCHER says his words aside the avatar, ha ha ...by that I assume you mean the little-known Cairngorms of Lesser Seaton, yes?

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Any chance of some more detailed directions to the 'cracker ? (sorry to be a pain, but I don't have a pager). I took the day off work yesterday and hurtled down to your area but couldn't find the site. Need it for the Western P .

Thanks in advance etc.

 

[Steve Waite]

The HARDY LOCAL PATCHER says his words aside the avatar, ha ha ...by that I assume you mean the little-known Cairngorms of Lesser Seaton, yes?

Yep - that's the one Jos!!!!!

Gav - that was a hike and a half....knew we should have taken the ski-lift!!!!

Last day of the month means the woodland survey for me - unsurprisingly no Woodcocks - but a real surprise was what must have been a Chiffchaff X Willow Warbler hybrid. Its song was basically a perfect sounding Willow Warbler immediately followed by Chiff Chaff Chiff Chaff!!! Now and then it just did a normal Willow Warbler, yet other times, it sang a few phrases of 'Chiff Chaff' (without any Willow). To my ears, the 'Chiff Chaff' was slightly higher pitched than a normal one. I only saw it distantly - but it looked very Willow Warbler like (pale belly and legs, yellowish tones to upperparts). I'll be going back within the next couple of days and see if I can get a sound recording (Karen, maybe you could assist?? - our very own sound technician). An interesting bird.

Because of this - no seawatching for me this morning, but I understand more flying spoons passed by.

 

[Gavin Haig]

Any chance of some more detailed directions to the 'cracker ? (sorry to be a pain, but I don't have a pager). I took the day off work yesterday and hurtled down to your area but couldn't find the site. Need it for the Western P .

Thanks in advance etc.

If you just pop round, Laz, I'll make us both a nice coffee, break out some biccies, and tell you a funny story or two. The inevitable dip won't seem half as bad..........|=)|

After yesterday morning's ill-judged crack of dawn raid I just couldn't face another early alarm call. A text from Ian M saying '4 Poms so far this am' changed all that. In the shelter at 06:55, where a steady trickle of birds appeared. Best was another Pom which came in from the W and immediately went high. Ian saw it well and pronounced judgement, but it had no spoons, and my views were a bit inconclusive. Anyway, the interesting thing about this bird was that it just kept coming in and climbing, ending up heading over the town and (presumably) inland - I lost it behind buildings. Also 2 single dark phase Arctic Skuas cruised W. That was it on the skua front, but have to say we have had a glut this spring! Hardly any Bonxies, but Arctics and, especially, Poms have been very obliging (anyone done a tot-up?). Just waiting for a gorgeous Long-tailed to put the cream on......

By 09:15 this lot was also in my notebook: Gannet 45/5 (W/E), Kittiwake 21/6, Sandwich Tern 22/2, Great Northern Diver 2, diver sp. 1 (not GND - prob Black-throated), Razorbill 2, auk sp. 3, Manxie 41, Common Scoter /9, Black-headed Gull 9, Whimbrel 1.

Wish I'd got out of bed earlier...........

Gav - that was a hike and a half....knew we should have taken the ski-lift!!!!

I'll bet it was! You look shattered! Brings to mind a climb up neighbouring Carn Ban Mor many moons ago (Larry will remember!). It was a good 3 hour hike to the top, with one or two 'false' summits to get your hopes up/disappoint on the way. We were young, but not so fit, and overtaken on the way up by two elderly ladies carrying 120lb rucksacks and lamenting the demise of National Service - "Look at these pathetic wee striplings, Agnes"...... I cannot recall if I took a scope - which would have been torture. I CAN recall that none of us took anything to drink - which WAS torture!

 

[KarenWoolley]

I'll be going back within the next couple of days and see if I can get a sound recording (Karen, maybe you could assist?? .

It would be a pleasure Steve, just let me know when and where.

When my lovely cat woke me this morning at 4:45 I should have gently placed her outside, made myself a nice cup tea and got down to the shelter nice and early to view the passing Poms. I shouldn’t have slung her out the door and gone back to bed! I got up again at 6:15 and set off to the shelter, I got the text from Ian about Poms on the way there.

Once in the shelter I fluffed the Pom seen by Ian and Gav, I just couldn't get on it! :-C

I enjoyed the two Arctic Skuas though |=)|

I would like to claim some points Steve – A massive 3 points (could make all the difference) for a Black Throated Diver. This is an additional bird to the one Gavin lists and was seen prior to his arrival, by Ian and me.

While ‘walking the dog’ at lunchtime (he’s getting really tired of the beach). A quick ¾ hour look at the sea produced very little in numbers but included another dark phase Arctic Skua heading W.

Later in the afternoon (3:30 – 5:30) saw me back at the shelter for another pretty quiet seawatch.

Gannet 10/7 (W/E), Sandwich Tern 5/8, Auk Sp. 2 Manx Shearwater 10/13. But also....................

The highlight was yet another Arctic Skua, this time a pale phase. This was sat on the sea, out of view. It suddenly appeared and attacked a Sandwich Tern which, I was watching. It did this a couple more times to passing terns and each time settled back on the sea. Great Stuff! |=)|.

Re Avatar - As promised interesting ? action shot of myself. Sorry not bird related!

 

[KarenWoolley]

Poms have been very obliging (anyone done a tot-up?).

16 Poms past Seaton!!! |=)| (excluding Bun's pelagic ones).

With 3 last spring that's a 433% increase..........So far!?

 

[Steve Waite]

A day of ringing for me!!! (most of it just off-patch though). Ringed a family of 3 Swallows in Kilmington (just a day or two away from fledging), 5 baby Kestrels (also in Kilmington) and near Stockland Mast - an amazing SIX Barn Owl chicks - also got great views of both adults!!!

Then went to Waggs Plot (just n of Axmintser), another family of Kestrels (4 young), another famliy of Barn Owls (4 young - a day or two behind the first brood), an adult and 2 young Stock Doves, 3 baby Starlings and a few broods of House Sparrows.....

All in all - a really fab day....I love ringing |:$|

 

[Gavin Haig]

Encouraging news re Barn Owls, Steve - very nice.

Not much birding for me this weekend, but here is a summary, for what it's worth:

An hour's seawatch late afternoon yesterday - in overcast conditions and a light southerly - produced 3 Sandwich Terns, 1 Razorbill, 2 Guillemots and a flock of 23 Common Scoter, all W. The highlight was a pleasant chat with a local retiree who - like me - was escaping the seafront throng by hiding in the shelter.

Ever the optimist, I ventured forth for another seawatch early this morning. Conditions were even worse - a very light breath of SE breeze, and overcast again. It was so still that I didn't bother with the shelter - just stood on the beach in front of the 'Spot On Kiosk'. A few Gannets mooched around - not worth counting really. What I did count were (W/E) Sandwich Terns 3, Razorbill /2, auk sp. 1, 'commic' Tern 3, Common Scoter 6, Kittiwake 3, and Whimbrel /2. A very distant flock of small waders almost had to go down as 'small wader sp' , but thankfully revealed their identity through the diagnostic twists and turns of their flight pattern, so that I could enter in my notebook: 'Broad-billed Sandpiper 12'. When the BBRC finally catch on to the fact that wader flocks can be ID'd this way I shall have to start submitting my records. Perhaps they might welcome the retrospective submission of the flock of 15 Red-necked Stints that flew past me on a Dungeness seawatch some years back? Or perhaps not.............|=)|

 

[Andrew]

It's been quite some time since I last came down your way Gav, are Frydays still in business or do I need to come down to keep them afloat for the next three months?

 

[KarenWoolley]

Though conditions haven't looked favourable for seawatching lately I was encouraged to see that Ian had had 2 Storm Petrel yesterday morning, so I thought I'd give it a go this morning. On the way along the river I saw Gavin and stopped to ask him " how goes the seawatching this morning?" His response was hardly encouraging and I thought I'd give it a miss.....................

Well, I thought that........... next thing I know I'm on the beach setting up my scope. I focused in on the furthest flag and got comfy in the car. When I put my eye back to the scope, a bird came immediately into view.....A stonking big dark morph Pomarine Skua slowly cruising eastward, it didn't have impressive full spoons but had a large blunt projection from the tail. I was quite taken aback. Thoroughly unexpected. Brilliant!!|=)|

As I followed it eastward and zoomed in a bit as it got further away, I noticed a small dark bird following along behind it................Surely not a Stormie, I thought ( that would have been an incredible combo in the scope together) a closer look proved me correct, it was a Swallow. Another false alarm not long after was a Swift.

Apart from a couple of Gannets the Pom was the only bird(apart from gulls) seen in half an hour.

There was a trawler fairly close into the western most end of the bay and I decided to go to the shelter for a better view. Ian had just arrived when I got there and whilst trawling through he gulls following the trawler, we saw 2 dark phase Arctic Skuas heading east. Superb!!|=)|

Also seen a few Gannets loitering, 4 Auk SP.(W) and 1 Manx Shearwater.

Yesterday the lack of birds saw me at Brucklands looking at the dragonflies, plenty of different damsels and a few Emperors (which I took a few snaps of). I also got a nice pic of a singing Wren.

 

[Hawfinch John]

Hi everyone. I was away last week but a couple of things to report since my return.

A juvenile bullfinch has been visiting the garden feeders. It's the first juvenile I have seen and comes after our best year for bullfinches. Maximum 2007 garden count at one time was 4 males and 2 females on 13 January.

I see from the Axe Bird report that marsh tit and mistle thrush records are scarce. I recorded one marsh tit in the garden on 3 January this year: and 2 mistle thrushes in a grazed field in Ridgeway Lane on 6 February 2007. I will report any other scarcer recorded birds as I see them from now on.

Finally the best bit of news. I had a walk around the lanes yesterday evening seeing and hearing the usual suspects. I saw grey wagtail and GSW but can't verify any breeding evidence and the green woodpeckers were vociferous but I could make any visual contact. They are becoming a 2007 bogey bird for me.

As I walked along Clay Lane I heard repeated and anxious alarm from birds calls some way along from where I was heading. I approached the area very quietly, and peered into the trees and saw a tawny owl perched low on a tree. It didn't bat the proverbial eyelid. I stood completely still. After about 2 minutes it decide to fly off.

I've lived here for 8 years and heard them so many times at the back of the garden and in the area generally (and coming home late from the pub!) so it was nice to see one at last!.

 

[Gavin Haig]

It's been quite some time since I last came down your way Gav, are Frydays still in business or do I need to come down to keep them afloat for the next three months?

When I was in there the other day they did ask after you. "Where is that birder who subsists entirely on battered fish and beer?" they asked. I told them we were trying hard to find a goody to tempt you back with. They wondered if their small collection of breeding American warblers would be of any help. I replied that it would, but let's wait until the young had fledged. "Incidentally", they said, "you haven't heard of any Clark's Nutcrackers locally, have you? We seem to be missing a couple."

Seems I've been skua-ed! Sounds like I should have hung on a bit longer. Actually, it's very encouraging to hear that some are still around. This spring has been a total seawatching revelation as far as skuas are concerned. Curious about the patch's seawatching potential, in 2005 I resolved to put in some decent effort, and from early Jan I tried to have a go most mornings, nearly always very early, and usually for no more than an hour. By the end of May I had seen just 5 Arctic Skuas, and no other species. Although one or two others did have a little go, there really was hardly any other Seaton seawatching going on that spring. In 2006 a good deal more effort was made, by a few of us, resulting in a spring total of 27 Arctics, 3 Poms and a Long-tailed. This year Bun and Karen have added some more eyes, plus there seems to be seawatching going on at all hours of the day now - and being rewarded! My own tally so far is 1 Bonxie, 4 Pomarine and 21 Arctics. I know the Pom total is now 17, but I wonder how many Arctics?! Also makes me wonder what slipped though in 2005 and 2006?

As we learn, we seem to be quietly discovering just how very good this patch actually is.....|=)|

 

[KarenWoolley]

I know the Pom total is now 17, but I wonder how many Arctics?!

I may be wrong, but I make it 39 plus Bun's 4 pelagic ones. My personal tally is 23, and to think I hadn't seen any EVER before 7th May!|=)|

EDIT: Oh, and total Poms for me 5!!!

 

[Steve Waite]

So, so far this year for the patch it's 20 Poms, c43 Arctics and 4 Bonxies. That's awesome!!! Reason for so few Greats is probably because the first proper blow didn't occur til mid May, the whole of April and early May was sunny and gale-less - which is the best time for Bonxies, this may also be the reason why the ratio of Pom to Arctic is so high as Arctics are generally earlier migrants than Poms. More Poms this year I think because of a few reasons, the blow came earlier than last years May-gale, making it more ideal for Poms. Also thanks to Karen, Ian and myself during my week off and others (and probably also due to last autumns afternoon sooties) we did a lot more day-time seawatching (not just mornings and evenings) - this produced a fair few Poms. I'm more amazed by the Stormies - a bit of wind and they are there - up until last year, they were considered a patch mega! Ok, that's enough ramblings!!!

Was going out on a boat this morning, but a phonecall at 4:45AM from the skipper of the boat changed this - he had a fishing trip on - darn! Anyway, I'm well and truely into Dragonflies again. Lower Bruckland showed a few highlights includuing a terneral Red-veined Darter (plus one un-identified teneral Darter), 2 Red-eyed Damselflies plus a Broad Bodied Chaser, 2 Beautiful Demoiselle and plenty of Black-tailed Skimmers, Emperors, Common Blues, Azures, Blue-tails etc....

Last night had some super views of a Little Owl at Musbury - there are at least FIVE Little Owls in this village - what a hotspot!!!!

 

[bun]

Got a week off this week, so should be able to get out and about for a look around - Had a quick look about at Beer Quarry this morning nice to see the moorhen family doing well managed to see 1 adult and 3 chicks but they were being quite elusive, also a few chiffchaff singing, 6 stock dove, 1 female sparrowhawk, and 2 Buzzards, then had a walk around on the opposite side of the road had 2 whitethroat, 2 blackcap, 2 yellowhammer and a few linnets and more chiffs... then headed over to the marshes and saw - 3 kingfisher, 2 canada geese with 1 young one, 1 male kestrel, 1 male sparrowhawk being mobbed by a mistle thrush, a few more linnets, a drake shoveler a singing cetti,s on borrow pit and best of all cracking views of a Grass snake taking in the sun..then went up to coly common - really quiet 3 Lapwing, 2 Reed warbler, 1 sedge and 1 cetti,s the only birds of note.....interesting to read of john,s Bullfinches in his garden i been getting a pair in every day on my sunflower hearts all year and have had as many as five in at once - nice to see them cracking birds..