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Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

Dear all,
I happened to be riding that nice little seaside tramline yesterday morning and looking forward to an ice-cream when this big funny birdie flapped over - I was rather surprised at how big it was and that it had an almost red nose, so I took a photo with my Kodak Brownie, sorry for the fuzzy snap. Could anybody please help me to identify what it is and tell me if I qualify for Seaton Bonus Bonanza points.

Hello Jos - thanks for posting your sighting. Your blurry photo shows an Oystercatcher, a fairly common wader on the Axe. I don't think Steve awards Bonanza points for them, but well done anyway. Apparently a pretty hefty Oystercatcher has been noted inland at Southleigh just lately - an unusual record....

To say I was a bit gutted this morning is understating things a little. Having had the late call from Fraser last night I set the alarm for 5 with good intentions. Like Bun and Steve, though, I didn't hold out any hope. UNlike them I kept hitting the snooze button.

Bad error....|=(|

Never mind though - a delightful Pale-bellied Brent on the estuary later more than made up for everything, and provided far, far more enjoyment than any major-stonking-spectacular-rarity-that-would-have-been-a-lifer could possibly have managed. Here are some pin-sharp pics that just prove my point. Is it not the loveliest thing?

EDIT - where is that 'tongue-in-cheek' smiley when you need it???
 

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Evening all!

Dragonflying for the most of the day, the main highlight being a mature male Scarce Chaser on the river near the A3052 road bridge, along with 150+ White-legged Damselflies. At Lower Bruckland Ponds, 6 cracking mature male Red-veined Darters (all but 1 on lower pond with island) and a lovely male Broad-bodied Chaser.

Nipped down the river mid afternoon to see an adult Common Tern on the mud by the tramshed, and 3 Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin off Coronation Corner.
 
Evening all, had a quick look at the river this afternoon between 15.30-16.15, pale bellied Brent goose, 2 ringed plover, 2 dunlin, off coronation corner - then went for a walk round the back of Axmouth- 2 whitethroat, 1 blackcap,4 red legged partridge and 4 buzzards up...but no Red or Black Kites ( there due tommorow hopefully!!)
 
Can someone confirm (or otherwise!) the identification of this bird seen on Chimney Rock (in the undercliff) yesterday. It does not seem to be a standard Rock Dove - is it a Stock Dove?

I also include a picture of the Shelduck ducklings seen at Seaton hide on Friday.

Roger
 

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I ventured down to the banks of the Axe just south of the road bridge to look for Scarce Chaser this morning, Ian was already there and we saw at least one (female/immature?) orange one and at least one possibly two males, I think. The males do look remarkably similar to Black-tailed Skimmer and Keeled Skimmer. I got some pictures for confirmation - Steve ? I also got sun burnt knees and nettle rash - byproducts of getting my shorts out!

1) Female Scarce Chaser - river
2) Male Scarce chaser? - river
3) Male Scarce Chaser? - river (different one)
4) Male Scarce Chaser? - Bruckland Ponds
5) Banded Demoiselle

Also at least one Red-veined Darter at Brucklands.

This evening I walked the dog around the Rat's hole Gate area of the Coly, NOT hoping to see the Stork anymore - looks like it's in North Devon! |:(|

There was a family of Grey Wagtails, stacks of juvenile Long Tailed Tits a pair of Kingfishers (no young seen yet) and a pair of Spotted Flycatchers collecting nesting materials.
 

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I'd agree on the Scarce Chaser, but I'm no expert on these - as mentioned earlier this thread finally got me into the dragonflies ...photographed about 20 species this weekend, Scarce Chaser one of more common.
 
Great shots Karen! First picture is of a teneral Scarce Chaser, and the next three show mature males. Interesting that one of them was at Lower Bruckland, maybe the teneral I saw there last week that has matured and made its home there?

Very gripping news breaking this morning about the Black Stork - it was first seen in Southleigh on the Tuesday of last week, maybe even the Monday! Bun will hopefully give more details later. On a totally seperate note, I am starting a campaign - do not buy milk or beef from Southleigh farms!!!!

Had a bit of time out last night, the Pale-bellied Brent Goose was still on the river, and that's the lot!
 
Evening all, back to work today - had a chap i know well, pull up in his truck this morning and say - I was looking for you last tuesday, some woman i know from southleigh said they have seen a Stork out there" he then informed me he was told not to tell many people because the Local farming community and residents didnt want loads of Birders decending on on there village and fields!! so it seems it was hushed up a bit...Very gripping but i do suppose this type of thing happens quite a lot all over the country....hope the next one we get drops in at a more viewer friendly place!
 
A little belated stuff first:

Fraser - thanks very much for the reserve 'wet bits' update a few posts back - your info is well appreciated. A Terek Sandpiper fixation, I notice - I hope it is cured soon, very soon.

Also, I see nobody has answered your dove query Roger (unless I've missed it somehow?) - I think you are right, and it is a juvenile Stock Dove.

Judging from most of the recent pics it looks like I'm not the only one to have given up birding in response to a vicious dip (catch me at the next local boot sale if you fancy some bargain optics). Having recently filled our new pond with water I bunged some freebie plants in it a couple of days ago, complete with snails and a few other wriggly things. Today it received its first interesting visitor (well, the first I've managed to notice) - a Small Red One. Apologies for the iffy focussing, will get the hang of macro eventually.....

EDIT
- strictly speaking I suppose it's a LARGE Small Red One.
 

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Judging from most of the recent pics it looks like I'm not the only one to have given up birding in response to a vicious dip


You noticed then!!

My optics soon to be featured on Ebay.:-C

Farmers........ don't you just love 'em!!

Another dragonfly attached, photographed from kooky angle, can you tell what it is?

and Gav, 'large brown one' won't suffice ;)
 

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Thats a Chaser Karen, Four-spot or Scarce though???? I'd say the former.

Fancied a seawatch this evening, I did 18:30 - 20:15 from Seaton Hole, and saw about 250 more birds than you may expect in an average mid-June seawatch!!!! Logged (all but most the Gannets - W): 173 Gannets, 76 Manxies (plus 4 prob Balearics....they were very very distant, just weren't flashing any white at me as they tilted from side to side), 6 Curlew, 4 Whimbrel, 2 Kittiwake, 4 Sandwich Terns, 2 Guillemots and 2 Razorbills.

Had this Popular Hawkmoth in the garden this afternoon, and have been watching Badgers with Bun this evening, I took loads of videos, and a few photos, but all of the latter turned out rather crap!

EDIT - I reckon Scarce actually Karen.
 

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Thats a Chaser Karen, Four-spot or Scarce though???? I'd say the former

EDIT - I reckon Scarce actually Karen.

I'm Impressed Steve!

In fact I was impressed you narrowed it down to two initially.

Yes, it's Scarce Chaser Number 4, from Bruckland Ponds!

and yes, I'm easily impressed! |=)|
 
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Hi All.

Nice to be back online after house move on the 19th of May.
Here's a rundown of what we've seen in the new garden so far (with the help of numerous bird feeders);
•We have resident Great Spotted Woodpeckers, and the male has been feeding a juvenile on our peanuts. One of the females is ringed on the right leg.
•Green Woodpecker - now a regular visitor to our massive ant colonies.
•A Barn Owl flew through the garden.
•So far we have recorded 42 different bird species here.
•We also have resident jays in the garden.
•We have also seen a fox with 4 cubs in a neighbouring field.

Hopefully pictures of the birds will be up soon.

Simon & Sue Wakely. B :)
 
Welcome back Simon and Sue. Sounds like the 'Wakely Reserve' is developing nicely!

Discovered my bins still work, as I pulled up next to the estuary and saw birds through them. Highlight was a nice 1st-summer Med Gull - looked like full hood, apart from a white forehead. Does that sound like the bird that was seen earlier this month, anyone? As a point of total trivia I have now seen Med Gull on the patch in every month for the last 14, and (unless something goes horribly pear-shaped) will hopefully clock up an unbroken Jan-Dec run in 2007 - which will be a first for me, anywhere. Being aware of such inconsequential tosh just proves what a sad anorak I am....

Paul, my old mucker from the smoke, has recently completed a mammoth task - putting 25 years of his birding notebooks into PDF format. He kindly gave me a copy on disc. I am mightily impressed! It covers 1982-2006 inclusive - which coincides nicely with when I began to get serious - and he has pasted in photos of every single goody where they have been available. Being an incorrigible lister, Paul's log is stuffed with class A grips! I now have some idea what I missed during my 'wilderness years' (virtually all the '90s and some of the '00s), with Scilly '99 being particularly ludicrous!! However, at least one of my 1990 'island specials' (loads of megas on islands that spring!) was not one of Paul's.... ;)

Cheers Paul - brilliant stuff!!
 
Nice to hear from you Simon and Sue, Barn Owl on the garden list, that's ace! Little Owls aren't far from you either, should get them on the garden list before time.

The 1st-summer Med I saw last week was well hooded, so possibly the same bird, but who knows.

On the river just a minute ago, the Pale-bellied Brent STILL, a Lapwing, and lots of babies Shelduck (including a family of 9 very small ones which Dad saw swimming across the bay from Beer yesterday morning). Kinda wished I went seawatching this morning, hope someone did.....

EDIT - Wow, this is our 100 pages!!!!! Happy century backwater birders!!!!!
 
Garden tonight:
•Male Great Spot, feeding juvenile.
•Loads of young tits on feeders, all four garden species.
•Here is a picture of the ringed female I informed you about yesterday:
 

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Interesting about that ringed GS Woodpecker Simon, I wonder if it is one I've had my hands on!!??

Off to catch some much needed zzzzzzz's, can't see an early start for me in the morning!!!!!
 
Only spent a little time out mid afternoon, the Pale-bellied Brent Goose off Coronation Corner the highlight. Also saw 3 Clouded Yellow, Large Skipper and a few of the commoner dragonlies.

EDIT - Forgot to mention, mid-morning, looking out the front room window and 21 Canada Geese flew east....I actually felt a little excited by this.....birds on the move....a whole flock!!!!
 
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Evenin' All.

Tonight, I saw some birds - but Dan writes this for me and he hasn't a clue what I've seen. Noticed my improved grammar and ability to do wonderous bullet points (•) lately? :-O

Right, here's what we saw today;
• 4 Canada Geese flew over.
• Barn Owl seen last night at 10:30 whilst Sue was walking the cat. Sighted again this evening at about half 7ish, following the railway track looking for food.
• 4 Jays in the garden this morning, and managed to get a good picture of one tonight.

Simon & Sue Wakely. (and Dan - with picture help from Abi). :t:
 

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