Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

[Steve Waite]

Not one Med Gull this morning Gav, none for you to miss!!!! Just 2 Whimbrel on the river.

This morning at 09:45 I picked up the male Small Red-eyed Damselfly in the top corner of the pond, I was almost stood on top of it for fifteen mintues before it did was it likes doing - which is rather annoying, flying out into the middle of the pond, and disappearing. However settled it looks on some floating vegetation watch out, because it can up and off to a totally different area of the pond at any moment!!!

I did manage to get these two (out of forty pics taken) rather crappy digi-binned record shots, but it does show the clinching features quite well.

 

[Ranger James]

I did manage to get these two (out of forty pics taken) rather crappy digi-binned record shots, but it does show the clinching features quite well.

How do you do it Waite? "I think I'll have a dabble in dragonflies this summer, while the birds are thin on the ground."
Two weeks later you have a first ever record for a species west of Hampshire!
Truely remarkable. You are the Axe Estuary's Mourinho.

Just to echo Gav's point about parking sensibly so as not to irritate teh Bruckland Ponds bods - could you post a diagram here of where to park, and perhaps indicate by means of a few small asterisks where to see these gob-smaking rarities you seem to be able to produce at will?

Are you sure you didn't plant them?

Cheers
James

 

[Steve Waite]

What's going on???? Before yesterday morning there were no Devon records of Small Red-eyed Damselflies, yesterday evening there was one, now, Friday afternoon, there's at least twenty!!!! Yes, at the VERY least twenty male Small Red-eyed Damselflies at Lower Bruckland. Mind blowing!!! Also about 5 Red-eyed Damelflies still present.

Unbelievable!!!!

After this a look at Seaton Marshes produced 8 male Ruddy Darter (1 of these being an immature, the other 7 were corkers!!!!)

 

[Ranger James]

What's going on???? Before yesterday morning there were no Devon records of Small Red-eyed Damselflies, yesterday evening there was one, now, Friday afternoon, there's at least twenty!!!! Yes, at the VERY least twenty male Small Red-eyed Damselflies at Lower Bruckland. Mind blowing!!! Also about 5 Red-eyed Damelflies still present.

Unbelievable!!!!

After this a look at Seaton Marshes produced 8 male Ruddy Darter (1 of these being an immature, the other 7 were corkers!!!!)

Would you consider picking my lottery numbers this saturday?
James

 

[KarenWoolley]

Hello I've not posted before but have met most of you regular local posters,

I had to post this afternoon as I've just had a First (lifer you call it I think!)
Just been down a the sailing club seeing about getting our boat launched, when all of a sudden all the birds on the estuary took flight (2.00pm). What had spooked them? I legged it up onto the bridge and saw an ospreyheading up the river towards Colyford it soon dissapeared from sight.

About 5 mins later the birds took to the air again, I was back in the sailing club carpark by this time and got an excellent veiw as it passed overhead and headed out to sea. I ran up on to the beach in time to see it dive into the sea just a few hundred feet offshore.(didn't catch anything) It the headed straight out to sea and out of sight.

As you may have noticed I'm chuffed to bits about this chance sighting, especially as I missed the one earlier this month!!

Wish I could have let someone know at the time. I'll have to get some of your numbers presently.

 

[Jos Stratford]

The comradeship and friendliness of the Axe patch workers is one of the great things about this thread, pretty good stuff with the damsels too

 

[KarenWoolley]

When I read my post back it sounds a bit daft when I said "dived into the sea" I didn't mean gannet style!!

It dived towards the surface (I'm not actually sure it reached the surface because my veiw was obstructed by the ridge of the beach I hadn't quite reached it from the carpark) and reappeared fishless!!.

 

[bob hastie]

Kilmington Damsels

Hi all
Steve thanks for the directions last night. We had a quick trip out to Kilmington this evening (Whitford Bridge was a bit busy)
What a great place for White Legged Damselflys, must have been 30+. Also saw Banded Damoiselle,Beautiful Damoiselle, Blue tailed and Common Blue.
Here's a few shots of the results.

 

[Gavin Haig]

First off - Karen, thanks for posting, and welcome to BF. Hope your next local find hangs around a bit longer!

Steve's already highlighted today's insect action (the Ruddy Darters were a tick for me) so I won't say any more about that.

So. Bird stuff then.......

Bit of a surprise were 2 Sandwich Terns on the estuary late afternoon. Walked up the river with Steve later on. One juv Med Gull, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper and 2 Whimbrel were present, plus a flock of 10 Dunlin - our highest autumn count so far, I think. Steve spent fifteen minutes helping me with the finer points of juv Med Gull identification so I don't overlook them in future (see yesterday's post). I restrained myself from giving him the good kicking he so richly deserved......

On the face of it, not much happening today. Karen's Osprey proves otherwise though!

 

[James McCarthy]

Nice one Karen...and to think thats what you said to me the other evening when i was asking for a harrier, you said an osprey would do you fine

 

[Steve Waite]

Bit of a nothing day today, managed some birding time at each ends of the day. Early morning produced 4 Dunlin and a Whimbrel on the river, and this evening a Green Sand was good to see on the puddles and wet grass of Colyford Common, gives some hope for a Wood Sand or better! 2 Common Sands were on the river and that was about that. Oh a nice male Broad-bodied Chaser showed well at Colyford Common, they are soooooo great!!! I had a half hour and a ten minute seawatch this evening too, bugger all, just a few Gannets....

 

[Gavin Haig]

This evening I watched the sea for nearly an hour. It was blue. The sun went down a bit. The sea turned grey. It was a little choppy. There were some buoys. One or two of them had flags. It was nice. I went home and had some cocoa......

This morning I went to the river. I spied a Water Rail. It was nice. I heard another. I went home and had some cocoa......

It will happen.....it will.

 

[Phil Abbott]

The parking situation seems to be sorted out at lower bruckland if the lay by is full you can park in the fishermans car park for a small fee(£1),there has also been honesty box's putup for the up keep of the ponds so you boys who saw Alpine swifts,Bean goose, and Barnacle goose,or have seen Lesser Emporer,its time to get your hands in your pockets,we dont want to loose access to this excellant habitat so come on people next time your there please park sensibly and donate. 2 Green sands and 4 Lapwing colyford common this A.M in the wet corner.

 

[Steve Waite]

This morning I hoped for a lie-in but this was shattered when my phone rang, Gav discovered a juv Yellow-legged Gull, and out of curiosity I went down to have a look. It stuck out like a sore thumb! Honestly it did, all features so well marked it just didn't look anything like a juv Herring Gull at all!

Went home, and ventured out again late morning with dragonflies at the top of the list - and so to Lower Bruckland for a quick visit, which turned out to be a two and half hour visit!!! A slow and careful count revealed 54 Small Red-eyed Damselflies, including 5 pairs ovipositing (these were the only females seen). WOW! Intrestingly only 16 were on the now nicknamed 'Small Red-eyed Pond' (second pond down, where they were first discovered) and the remaining 38 were on the top pond covered in floating vegetation, hence making finding them a lot more of a challenge! Just two male Red-eyed Damselflies aswell.

After this I met Gav along the riverside at Coronation Corner, we sat down and within a few minutes it was my turn to find a juv Yellow-legged Gull. A different individual to earlier, not quite as 'crisp' as this morning's bird but still striking, size and shape being a large part of it. Cool, two in one day!

Bad news is I'm off patch for a few days, good luck with your hunting guys, hope it holds on for me!!!!

 

[Steve Waite]

One last thing to add to the blog tonight, just had this Jersey Tiger Moth in the front garden.

 

[KarenWoolley]

One last thing to add to the blog tonight, just had this Jersey Tiger Moth in the front garden.

No birding for me today been out sailing So couldn't get to Gavin's YL Gull this morning.

When I got home though at 19.00 had a Jersey Tiger Moth on the front door.

 

[James McCarthy]

As Steve & Gavin know we now have another 'weapon' to find 'it'....managed to finally get my canoe on the river so here goes the Colyford creeks!
5 dunlin (3 w black bellies, 1 brown one and a 5th bird I didnt see well) & 15 Redshank were all I got today (just on the lower strecth of the river) & was happy to have confirmed it was a juv YL Gull I was watching on the sea last night.
Bye Steve, wonder what we will have to find to get you to 'have' to suddenly dash home cos you forgot your toothbrush or something...what d'ya reckon Gav...?!

 

[Doug Rudge]

Spent a pleasant evening in the hide at Seaton Marshes. It was high tide at 18.22 which had pushed most of the birds off the estuary in search of refuge on higher ground.

There were 191 Black-Headed Gulls in the field to the north, 13 Little Egrets on the Lagoon, 5 Common Sandpipers perched on the branch in the estuary, and on the banks there were 2 Whimbrel, a Dunlin and a Greenshank which was 'spooked' every time a tram came by and kept flying off calling like crazy.

Also made it up to Lower Bruckland after lunch where, after a lot of help from other more experienced hunters I managed to catch several Small Red-eyed Damselflies, including a pair ovipositing in the corner of the top pond nearest the layby/footbridge.

 

[Gavin Haig]

At last found something of reasonable quality that wasn't made of plastic. This morning's juv Yellow-legged Gull did indeed stick out like the proverbial......spitting image of the one on the Portland website home page. Have been looking at the big gulls for a while now, seeing one or two 'is-it-or-isn't-it?' individuals. Absolutely no doubting this one though - very smart. Pleased to see another one this afternoon too. Feel pretty sure we're going to get several more now - haven't really bothered looking for young 'uns before. Never too old to learn though!

A bonus Clouded Yellow flew past us whilst checking the gulls this afternoon, which reminds me that I saw one at the old Seaton Heights Hotel yesterday, feeding on thistles.

With Steve off-patch for a few days a really good bird is badly needed. Dying to know what excuse he'll pull out of the bag to explain the necessary several-hour disappearance to his Dearly Beloved!

Almost forgot - YL Gull puts the year list on 172.

 

[Andrew]

Hung around the Axe estuary from 6:45am until 12:45pm with Ian.B trying to find a Yellow-legged Gull and failed miserably. Scanned the river several times and the beach once. It was hard work in the heat too.

Best bird was a Common Sandpiper in front of the hide at Seaton Marshes. Could not even stumble across a Med Gull.

Popped into Lower Bruckland and found at least three Small Red-eyed Damselflies (lifer) and two Red-eyed Damselflies. Several Emperors and Common Darters on the wing too.

Enjoyed the return visit though. Nice place. Less Grockles than the Otter Estuary!

Fish and chips were delightful too.