Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

Hello all
we are sure that sues wonderful dipper report Could be a first on Patch; Sue would love to know the answer, they Bred in a Private garden which the Coly runs through
Hobbys calling over the back of the garden is always great.
Massive numbers of Swallows here tonight, were deligthed to report a fantastic breeding season,
Heres a Pic
taken through the car windscreen,in Whitford,
happy Birding
S&S

 

[bun]

Hi Simon & Sue, Dippers normally breed somewhere on the Coly but because its quite a long river sometimes finding out exactly where is difficult, i remember a few times they have nested near the Tannery in Colyton, also with singing males in early spring in Branscombe in previous years they must also breed there.

 

[John Watson]

Thanks everyone for the info - we are really looking forward to our visit at the end of August, sounds like a great local patch you all have.

Good birding!

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

Hello All,
Thanks kev for your imput, we had know idea they breed on our local patch,
Sue is delighted with her report, and a date for fledging wonderful,
Perhaps all us Local Birders, should get together chat and enjoy reporting about our local patch. were hoping for great feedback,
James, your right hummers are difficult, we had a Lucky influx in July havent seen one for over 2 weeks,
Heres our Last snap of 1 on another of there favourite plants, and good birding to John when he visits,
Happy Birding
S&S

 

[Gavin Haig]

Forgot to mention. Happened to be in a boat off Seaton on Monday. 2 or 3 Storm Petrels seen (well offshore) and 2 Grey Herons - juvs I think - heading purposefully south, 17 miles out!

 

[KarenWoolley]

:eek!:

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

Hello Birders,
Nice to hear from Gav. his birds were 17 miles out, Ours was 17 Miles High,
Surely both reports, to far off patch to count
Happy Birding
S&S

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

Hello Birders,
Sue noticed a Flock of Canada geese over at 9.10amThere calls were Wonderful. 20,towards the estuary,
Heres our pic of the evening,
hope you enjoy her,
happy Birding
S&S

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

hello Birders
Were so Lucky, a Barn Owl flew up our garden tonight and over our heads,
It landed behind us in sticks behinded our bird table.
trying to Gain pics at 9'20 with a camera is very difficult,
We have never had eye contact before with a Barn owl,
Well Amazing Birding
S&S
Heres our effort; as always

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

hello all
Hopeing for some great reports from the Estuary; this should be the Month,
a early Osprey, would be Wonderful,
The barn owl flew past me again tonight; my camera whent Clunck, clunck,
Well thats Birding, no light no pics.
A visit to the lanes at Axmouth, this wonder tried to run faster than Sue could Drive Hope you enjoy it
Happy birding
S&S

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

hello Birders
A barn over our heads, heres our effort no more than 5ft from us.
heres the Worst Bird pic ever, but we Hope it gives you all some Idea, About a Barn owl in our face so luckey,
S&S

 

[Ian M]

Inspite of the weather it was a relatively good morning on patch. While sheltering from the rain in the Colyford Common hide I saw a female Red-crested Pochard fly up river and land out of view. It was later relocated by Steve by Coronation Corner in the company of Mallards. As I waited for the duck to re-appear I enjoyed good views of an Otter fishing on the river and a Wheatear dropped onto the marsh. I was joined in the hide by Karen who was looking for the Wood Sandpiper Steve had seen earlier in the Stafford Marsh/ Black Hole Marsh area. We then visited Stafford Marsh and Black Hole Marsh and had a couple of in flight views of the unusually flighty bird, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover was far more amenable. While walking back to the car a Greenshank flew over calling.

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

Evening Birders,
great to see the Locals finding birds on the estuary,
Sue and I always try to give the local Patch, a farmland side to it,
farmland & woodland birds Are always difficult to picture they just dont stay still.
Heres a Silhouette, from am.
happy Birding
S&S,

 

[Ranger James]

Apologies to anyone in the Seaton hide yesterday afternoon, a mud walk from Seaton to the tidal exchange valve spooked a good number of birds from the creek!

Wheatear on Seaton Marshes as we walked down to the estuary, and a very odd scene of a grey squirrel crossing the mud to a salt marsh island as we wandered back. Looked like it knew where it was going, has anyone else seen greys on the estuary at low water? Disappeared into the salt marsh edge, but footprints showed that it had only crossed once that tide and headed directly across the mud and water.

James

 

[bun]

After a txt from Ian mc yesterday morning (Aug 11th ) saying he had seen a Garden Warbler & Lesser Whitethroat at Beer Head, i popped up at lunchtime & managed to see the/a Lesser Whitethroat also 5 Whitethroat & 10 Wheatear.

In the evening Phil had a Osprey fly over his house, south over town.

Today after work i went to the Beer Cemetery fields not many birds but a few migrants none the less with, 3 Spotted Flycatchers and 2 female Redstarts also 2 each of whitethroat & Blackcap.

Talked to a fisherman yesterday who said on sunday (8th) he had a really pinkish Tern with a long tail flying around his boat about half way out to Beer Head from the beach, probably a Roseate , shame i still have,nt seen one on patch.

Also a few Storm Petrels being seen by fishermen in the bay between 3 & 4 miles out.

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

Hello All
Heres A local, like all birders hopeing its numbers pick up, hope you enjoy our pic,
happy birding

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

hello All
The barn owl flew over my head Tonight, amazing Birding no hope of a pic but dont care it always is wonderful and so luckey.
we noticed in the last news letter single hobbys have been seen on patch Sue saw A pair of hobbys over & we were going to post the pic & still can so distant,
Heres our Pic of the evening,a true Wonder of Nature
Hope you all enjoy it
happy Birding
S&S

 

[Sue and Simon Wakely]

Hello Birders
Firstly well done phil on a fantastic garden tick,
Whitford Birding has as always been great, a garden full of Flying ants tonight brought in loads of Hawker dragon Flys, the garden was also alive with Butterflies,
Our birding Knowledge came into Play Tonight, the calling of Juvenille Sparrow Hawks, During the breeding season Sparrowhawks are Notoriosly secretive Often the the only sign of their presence is a pile of Feathers at a regular plucking post,
Hope you all enjoy our effort
1, 3 in the Frame so rare,
2, Shows how Pale the Juvenilles Are, a insight for us all,
S&S

 

[Ian M]

This morning I went up Beer Head and saw 89 Shag, 1 Garden Warbler, 10 Wheatear, 4 Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Pied Flycatchers.
I next visited Black Hole Marsh and had close views of Phil's 2 Little Stint, it was a pity they were back lit.

The photo of the Sparrowhawk was taken at Colyford Common on Saturday.

 

[Phil Abbott]

At least 1 Pied fly still up at Beer head at 5 pm and a shot of one of the stints.