Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

[Steve Waite]

Started the day at Beer Head, the chilly north easterly wind ensured migrants were at a low. A male Redstart was the highlight, but probably a lingering bird from a previous day, although a male Stonechat was the first I’ve seen here for a while. 1 Meadow Pipit and 3 Linnets braved the headwind and came in off the sea. Westerly passage (over here and over town up till 08:30) included 8 Stock Dove (one flock of 7) and 6 Wood Pigeon.

After work I was out and about this afternoon. Stomping around north of Coronation Corner was fairly unproductive, except for a superb show as one of the Alpine Swifts became the focus of a Peregrines attention. The Peregrine was chasing it for about three minutes, up and down. But the Swift was saved when another Peregrine came loafing past, attracting the attention of the Swifts attacker. A great show and a lucky escape! On the river were three Ringed Plover, encouraging to see wader more passage underway.

After a look at Colyford and over the river valley (the three Egyptian Geese still present, got these pics earlier in the day) I went to Seaton Marshes. Soon after my arrival, at 16:40, in flew a Spoonbill, it appeared in front of me, circling, and getting lower with each lap, I was sure it was soon to land, but no, it started gaining height again, rapidly too. After five minutes of it circling the marshes, at varying heights, it headed, a bit like a bullet, west. I’m sure it will be on the Exe by the morning. It looked to be an adult bird (yellow throat, dark bill with yellow tip, no black on wing tip), but it did show a distinct grey wash on the upper wing coverts. Don’t know if that means anything? Anyway, a nice bit of excitement, and a pleasing find.

 

[Steve Waite]

The Peregrine was chasing it for about three minutes, up and down. But the Swift was saved when another Peregrine came loafing past, attracting the attention of the Swifts attacker. A great show and a lucky escape!

I've just found out only two Swifts were observed roosting tonight..... Oh dear..... Fingers crossed!!!! :eek!:

 

[Andrew]

Only need two for the first breeding record!

 

[Steve Waite]

Only need two for the first breeding record!

True, but good news, there is still three, though I haven't seen them today.

My birding today didn't start till late afternoon, I started with a seawatch from Seaton Seafront, 16:40 - 18:45. Two highlights, the best being a superb flock of 14 pale-bellied Brent Geese that flew close west at 17:38, an awesome site. The second highlight was a Bonxie that flew west at 17:56. Other birds (west, unless stated) were: 87 Manx Shearwaters, 55 Gannet plus 12 east, 42 Kittiwake, 5 Auk sp., 1 Common Scoter plus a flock of 20 west and 2 Sandwich Terns east. All in all a brilliant seawatch. By quater to 7 the wind had dropped, as had all passage, so I headed for the river.

South of the A3052, the L.R.P Gav found this morning was still present, the tenth one I've seen this spring, all on the same scrape too!

A look at both marshes produced good numbers of hirrundines, but only two House Martins. At Colyford Common, two gorgeous summer plumaged Water Pipits were a highlight, feeding infront of the main scrape, pink breasts, blue heads and all...absolutle beauties!

 

[mountain man]

Hi Steve,

Do you know if they roosted in Seaton tonight?

Tom

 

[Steve Waite]

Do you know if they roosted in Seaton tonight?

Not sure mate, don't know anyone who was there looking either. I will post as soon as I can whether they are there in the morning or not.

I’m sure it will be on the Exe by the morning

I posted this last night about the Spoonbill, guess what I've just found out has been seen at Exminster Marshes this afternoon.... Some birds are just too predictable...

 

[Gavin Haig]

Bit of a seawatch day today - almost an hour from 06:35 produced 1 RTD W, plus 4 other divers I couldn't clinch, 2W and 2E - at least one was probably a Black-throated - bit frustrating. 23 Gannets W and 5E, along with 2 Kittiwakes and 2 Common Scoter W. Just about had time to scan the distant scrape S of the A3052 at Colyford and was pleasantly surprised to find a Little Ringed Plover and a White Wag - nice.

Had a quick look at Lower Bruckland Ponds in the afternoon rain - no birders, no swifts, but 1 House Martin among 20+ hirundines.

Before this, I'd taken a look at the sea from the rather nicely substantial shelter at Beer. In 35 mins from 14:45, 19 Manxies and 7 Gannets had flown W, so thought it might well be worth another go later.....

In position 16:30 (Steve texted a few minutes later - 'I'm seawatching' - he was at Seaton). A slow trickle of birds, but enough to keep the expectation there.......Packed in at 18:00 - 43 Gannets W, 2E; 65 Manxies W; 1 Common Scoter E (plus 21 on the sea in front of me). Undoubted highlights, though, were a flock of 14 Pale-bellied Brents W and, just as I was about to pack up, a Bonxie too. Skuas are not exactly ten-a-penny off here, so every single one is much appreciated. I am really looking forward to seeing my first Poms from this bit of coast......

I'll have to wangle this seawatching arrangement again - Steve and Phil at Seaton, me at Beer. Stuff is mostly heading W, so I can daydream and enjoy the scenery until Steve phones with the goody. Even then, I've probably got time to stroll up the High Street and enjoy a cream tea before the birds appear in front of me.......Steve's on the phone going 'Woo-Hoo!!!! Brents!!!' (I've had them 3 times to his nil this year), so I'm looking....and looking....and waiting....and looking....and after what seems an AGE, they fly past.

I love seawatching, but it is very addictive. Years ago I would read in a Bird Report 'Arctic Skua - 36 seen during a 9 hour seawatch....blah...blah' and think '9 HOURS!!! How do they do that??' Now I know - scary. Thankfully I never have 9 hours, but if I did.........

Bonxie, and the recent Turnsone, put me on 138 for the year, I think.

 

[johnkneem]

Hi all,
Many thanks for all the helpful postings on this forum regarding the Alpine Swifts - I thought I'd better register with birdforum to give this update. In the absence of any postings this morning I chanced my arm with a quick visit from sunny Bournemouth and was rewarded with short sightings of two birds as they left the roost, one at 0851, the second at 0900. Both were "it would have been easier to miss them" type views as they sped off to the north, so hopefully the third bird is also about and you'll have them back tonight.

Again, many thanks,

John Murray

 

[Gavin Haig]

......In the absence of any postings this morning I chanced my arm with a quick visit from sunny Bournemouth and was rewarded with short sightings of two birds as they left the roost, one at 0851, the second at 0900.......

Good decision! And thanks for taking the trouble to join and post :t: Hopefully Tom and Dan chanced it and scored too??

Very little birding today, just an early morning scoot round......gave the sea 5 mins - absolutely nothing moved. Pleased to see what looked like 2 Alpine Swifts in the roost (and so it proved) - apparently all 3 were over Lower Bruckland Ponds later - they really do like it here (unfortunately no idea whether they roosted again tonight). On to Seaton Marshes - no big, white, obvious stuff (that was at Exminster!!), so up to Colyford Common. The 3 Egyptian Geese were briefly present, but flew N up the river. Ambled up to the new viewing platform - not bad at all. I foresee some pleasant summer evenings and lots of walking straight past the hide! Certainly adds an interestingly different perspective. 2 rather vocal Cetti's along the tramline, 2 mobile Water Pipits (which looked like they still had some moulting to do - not quite full BP) and a White Wag. Excellent. Lastly, LRP still just S of the A3052 in the....what shall we call it?......LRP field

 

[mountain man]

Not sure mate, don't know anyone who was there looking either. I will post as soon as I can whether they are there in the morning or not.

No worries, we got them anyway! Had a great day, scoring great views of all 3 Alpine Swifts at the fish ponds, then the 1w Glaucous on the beach at Budleigh Salterton, Dartford Warbler at Aylesbeare and finally the Spoonbill on the Exe. Not a bad day really.

 

[Gavin Haig]

Basically a day of no birding, so just a quick update in case anyone is contemplating a visit for the Alpine Swifts.........

Went into town at 17:40, hoping I'd be early enough to see them go to roost if they were still about, only to find they'd beaten me to it AGAIN. All 3 safely wedged in - the first around 17:25, apparently, with the other 2 coming in some 10 minutes later. Look forward to seeing them again tomorrow.

 

[Steve Waite]

Basically a day of no birding

Ditto!!!

A quick half hour out late afternoon/early evening showed that the L.R.P was still sat beside it's scrape, a fisherman stood adjacent to it on the banks of the Coly totally oblivious, and he was suprising close to it! I might have to wander nearer to it with my camera tomorrow! At Seaton Marshes there were 2+ House Martins among the hirrundine flock. That's about it though.

 

[dan pointon]

Yeh, managed to get down there with Tom and had a superb day, nailing all 3 Alpines and plenty of other scarcities. Seems like 2 of the Alpines associate together where as one's a bit of a loner - possibly roosting somewhere else??

Cheers

 

[Doug Rudge]

Gavin / Steve,

Great thread - hope you don't mind a novice like me contributing!

I went down to the roost this morning and saw 2 of the 3 Alpine Swifts leave at 08:31 and 08:56 respectively, both heading north over the Co-op car park and away. By 10:15 the third bird had roused a couple of times but was still showing no signs of leaving (so I did!).

Will try to catch up with all 3 of them later today at the Lower Bruckland Ponds then hopefully see them go back to roost this evening.

Thanks again, Doug

 

[Steve Waite]

Spent the afternoon birding, several looks along the river and at both marshes provided very little indeed, the Egyptian Geese being the highlight. Gav and I spent several hours above Axe Cliff golf course, and in the western part of the undercliff - a massively underwatched area, we pretend it's not here because it's so vast, people who have been here would know exactly what I mean!! But today we did, beside the golf course we were suprised with 3 Wheatear (2m, 1f) and a cracking male Redstart. In the undercliff was the odd Willow and Chiff, but Blackcaps were just everywhere!!! Some singing frantically to keep up with the others!!! A highlight though was a winter plumaged Black-throated Diver fairly close offshore, neither of us were expecting that! Also an Eider and a few Scoter sat on the sea.

 

[Gavin Haig]

.....Great thread - hope you don't mind a novice like me contributing!......

Of course not - the password is, in fact, 'Great thread', so, good guess - you're in!! Glad you scored today - you weren't alone apparently. All 3 Alpine Swifts roosting again tonight, though mostly not very predictable in their timing - when I looked, one was already in and I'm told the other two didn't appear till about 18:45, long after I had to leave.

With all the extra eyes around I'm just waiting to be gripped with a flyover Red Kite or worse......please be kind and find something that we can all see!

Had a look at Beer Head late morning. 2 Redstarts, 2 Wheatears, 10+ Willow Warblers plus several Swallows and Sand Martins moving through. A really good run of Redstarts we're having just now - excellent.

Good decision to try Axe Cliff with Steve for a couple of hours this afternoon. Very encouraging to get some migrants up there - especially another smart male Redstart. Biggest surprise, though, was definitely the close, crisp Black-throated Diver off Culverhole, showing about 3 acres of white flank - brilliant. Steve's mentioned the Blackcaps - the place was CRAWLING with them! There's about 6 miles of land-slip undercliff between Seaton and Lyme Regis and, as Steve said, it's VAST. It's also inpenetrable and quite depressing really. It is absolutely heaving with birds.............

Just when I think my day is done, get a call from Phil, who's only gone and found a pair of Dartford Warblers on our patch! Just had time to enjoy cracking views - especially the stunning male - before going out this evening. They take my patch total to 139 this year.

Edit: nearly forgot - had a Wheatear fly over the Co-op car park while waiting for the swifts. Is that a Co-op grip, Steve??!!

 

[Doug Rudge]

Went out looking for the Alpine Swifts today but only distant views from the Ponds.

Did manage to catch them at the roost though. Got there just after 17:00 to find one bird already there and showing well just outside the ducting.

Great views of the other two as they came in over the Co-op car park (thanks mainly to Steve's dad who spotted them coming about half a mile away).

The attached photo was the best I could get in the dying sunlight.

Look forward to seeing them again tomorrow!

 

[Phil Abbott]

Thats a better day today chaps,i started the day by walking from colyford to seaton along the river had a few willow warblers ,and then two new birds for the year,2 whimbrel with the curlew,and a white throat on the gorse bank.Then midday a bit of sea watching after a bit of prompting from gavins impresive totals.several sandwich terns but only 2 commons also lots of hirrundines in off.then up to beer head with gav,a second whitethroat plus a yellow wag and a redstart which i missed,and then a little sea watch this evening produced 1 whimbrel ,20 + manx,and a red necked grebe.so its Branscombe sea watching early A.M.(collective total so far is 154)

 

[Steve Waite]

Well a super day today. I started the morning early, looking for the Dartford Warblers (dipped them in a brief look last night, but did see a Tree Pipit) and was rewarded with cracking views of the male. With this out the way, off to Beer Head. En route I stopped off alongside the A3052 (L.R.P. field), where there was a Whimbrel stood among the Curlews, with the 3 Egyptian Geese nearby.

Only had an hour on Beer Head. I covered as much of it as I could, but rather hurriedly. The highlight was without doubt an excellent view of a Grasshopper Warbler, sitting out in full view on cliff side scrub, before flying a short distance, perching up again briefly, and then disappearing into the vegetation. Somewhat of a hard bird to catch up with locally, so I was made up. Also on Beer Head, a female Redstart (first female of the year) and several Willow Warblers, most in the immediate area of where the Gropper was. Vis mig was non-existent, 2 Shelduck west the only exception. An additional bonus, all thanks to a phonecall from Gav, who was seawatching off Branscombe at the time, was a distant Grey Plover that flew east, along with three Whimbrel. I could get nothing on it (no scope), except for general shape and size, but thanks to Gavs sharp eyes, it's on my year list!

After work, a look on Seaton Marshes produced a Redpoll (somewhat of a surprise), 2 Wheatear and a White Wagtail. Then I repeated yesterday’s activities and made my way up to Axe Cliff and the west end of the under cliff (with 6+ House Martin over Axmouth en route),. A male Whitethroat and 2 Wheatear being the only birds of note, with 17 Meadow Pipits and the odd Sand Martin and Swallow in off.

I then looked over Colyford Common where there was an L.R.P. (eleventh of the Spring, but my first one away from the legendary L.R.P. scrape!), a Ringed Plover and a Dunlin on the scrape with 6 Wheatears on the reserve.

After a cuppa I tried a seawatch off Seaton Seafront, 17:28 – 17:55. 12 Black-headed Gulls flew west and at c17:40 Manxies started; first a flock of 6 flew east, soon followed by a 3, a 4 and a 9. I left Gav and Phil to it as my birding day ended.

 

[Andrew]

Guys,

How far off are the sea birds when you are sea watching?

Are they discernable on shape alone or are they so far off you are going by jizz?