Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

[Roger Boswell]

Hello, nice photo of an adult Ring-billed. Some/most are a tad larger than Common Gulls, but not all. To my eyes, your bird does like slightly larger bodied than the Common Gulls, but note its posture, very upright with breast out, thats a good feature of Ring-billed.

No birding for me today really. But did see a new bird for the oiled list - an Oystercatcher on the estuary. I see the boom has gone...brave move.....

The Oystercatcher was just N of the bridge when we saw it - looked very sad. However, next to it was a magnificant Cormorant in summer plumage.

The oiled Guillemot is still surviving on the Cobb. It has been reported to the RSPCA but it is always on the furthest rocks of the breakwaters.

 

[bun]

Surf scoter off Beer this afternoon, with 6 common, surfie looking more striking than ever, lots of yellow on bill and quite visible white patch on back of neck, also 1 g.c grebe.

 

[Simon Wakely]

Coly common am, just to give you all some idea of how high the tide was

 

[Andrew]

Steve, Bridge Marsh, is that the fields by the main road going east of Colyford?

 

[Simon Wakely]

Hi All,Farm Gate am plenty of water, and loads of birds. 13 Shoveler,35 Teal, 128 Shellducks, Gav 11 more needed to beat our record. Plenty of Widgeon, 15 Mute Swans, Our Greylag Goose, a first winter med. Bridge Feild first winter Iceland Gull, We our sure this is the right name,for this part of our patch, makes more sense than Bridge Marsh. No offence intended. We nearly posted submarine behind bird hide glad we didnt, it was the keenest birder in history, holding his Scope above his head. Well Garden mayhem 51 Goldfinches, 5 Blackcaps, 1 Greenfinch, 10 Chaffinch, well we could carry on but no rare birds. My uncle rang saw his egg on the Forum ,found it Briiliant. He is now breeding EMUS.

 

[Ranger James]

Hi all, long time no post.

Roger, what a beautiful guillemot pic, pity there's such a sad story behind it.

Steve, are you naming birds now? Anthropomorphisitic birding? You need to get out of the Shire young hobbit.

wish I'd seen some birds recently to talk about, but all I seem to have been doing in February is chasing round meetings.

Let March be my month. :flowers:

See you all soon,
James

 

[Steve Waite]

Silvio - nope, about the 5th, the last one prior to this was in Dec '05. I think it is the first non-adult though!!

On the way back to work last night after my lunch hour, at about 17:40, driving down Sea Hill Rd. (down to the Woolworths roundabout) the Iceland Gull flew slowly west along the beach! In the gloom it looked luminescent white!!! A bit of luck!!!

Just been looking about from the Bridge Marsh gateway (yes Andrew - the field formely called the L.R.P. field, just south of the A3052 east of Colyford), I spied 160 Common Gulls and 2 1st-winter Med Gulls (1 each side of the main road). Again, lots and lots of water about!!!

I then came home, and now have to go to work till darkness sets in....

 

[Ranger James]

I then came home, and now have to go to work till darkness sets in....

...and then you can begin your quest to find the golden ring.

 

[Gavin Haig]

Had time for a look at the estuary gulls late afternoon. Surprisingly few, but although the numbers were low there was a constant turnover - as birds flew off they were replaced by new ones. Also, several flew straight through without stopping. A good count of 7 Med Gulls put in an appearance, all of them stopping at least briefly:
2 adults - both unringed, one with almost complete hood, the other a speckly half-hood.
1 second-winter, unringed, very speckly half-hood.
4 first-winters, 3 unringed, the other was our buddy with the green ring, which I could read, finally - AATL (a German bird, probably - details emailed to project team).

At least 3 of those are new birds.

Yesterday I had to take a trip to London, and wound up having a stroll around a couple of spots I used to go as a kid - both near Wembley. I grew up in this area. One was a little park where there used to be a playground by a stream. The playground has been rebuilt next to the nearest road - presumably no kids would be allowed to play out of sight near the stream these days. The other spot is called 'Fryent Way Open Space'. In my day we just called it Barn Hill. There is a little spring-fed pond on the top of a hill where we used to catch Roach, Perch and small Tench. 'No Fishing' signs there now and, again, I cannot imagine unsupervised kids being allowed anywhere near it today. Most of the hillside used to be long grass with a little oak scrub. Yellowhammers used to be a feature. It is now a wood!! That was a bit of a shock. On a birdy note, both spots echoed with the screeching of Ring-necked Parakeets. That was also a surprise! Even when I was birding the London area they weren't EVERYWHERE! I guess they probably are now.

 

[bun]

Only ring necked parakeets ive ever seen (Outside of London anyway) was 2 flying in off the sea at Beer Head in August 1989, dont think anyone i told at the time belived me though!! Went up Beer Head this afternoon with the logic these southerly winds might have blown in a early wheatear, i should of stayed at home! saw 4 ravens and 3 stonechat and that was it, after slipping and falling in the mud for i think the 3rd time id had quite enough, and retired to sit in front of my fire for the rest of the day!

 

[Gavin Haig]

4 first-winters, 3 unringed, the other was our buddy with the green ring, which I could read, finally - AATL (a German bird, probably - details emailed to project team).

Just had a really nice email from a member of the team responsible for ringing AATL. Apparently the colony where it hatched is on a little island in the Elbe estuary, NW of Hamburg. Last year there were around 140 pairs of Med Gulls in a huge colony of Common Gulls there. AATL was ringed on June 17th 2006, and this is its first sighting away from the colony. The whole tone of the email is 'Brilliant! Thanks very much!'. It's rather nice to be able to contribute, even in a small way, to these colour-ringing projects.

I'm sure - given time - Ring-necked Parakeets will colonise Devon too. Their march seems relentless. A very optimistic Beer Head expedition, Bun! My 'first Wheatear' prediction is Mar 13th.....

 

[Simon Wakely]

Hi All, Farm Gate got soaked, Greylag, Bridge Field with 6 swans for company. 12 swans in total. 10 Shovelers, Shellduck now 61. Didnt see Iceland gull,sounds like Steve saw it departing company with us. Kevs (optimistic) thanks for the spelling Gav,trip to find Wheatears, sounds as fruitless as my Uncles search for his Emu, mine you he has found a large egg 3 miles away in a feild,bringing it across in the morning for ID. We recken first wheatear, 16 march Optimistically.

 

[Steve Waite]

I'm sure - given time - Ring-necked Parakeets will colonise Devon too. Their march seems relentless. A very optimistic Beer Head expedition, Bun! My 'first Wheatear' prediction is Mar 13th.....

Last two years I've had the first Wheatear on Beer Head, both in the afternoon, in 2005 it was on 14th March, and in 2006 on 15th March....but this year, I'm going for an early one - 8th March. One male.

 

[Gavin Haig]

A look at the sea first thing produced just 1 Red-throated Diver W. The Surf Scoter was visible off Beer, plus a total of 7 Common Scoters scatterred around.

On the estuary was a single adult Med Gull, still pretty much in winter plumage.

The evening gull scenario was rather like yesterday - not loads, but a good turnover. Had them to myself from 16:30 until dusk. Again, 7 Med Gulls put in an appearance, all unringed - 3 adults (all different from this morning's) plus 4 first-winters. At least one of them has to be a new bird but, judging from the good numbers in recent days, I'll bet a few are. A day total of 8 then.

 

[Simon Wakely]

Hi All, when off in search something away, from Waders, Gulls and Ducks. Limited for choice no chance, our patch has great spots. Blackberry castle is one of them, Marsh tits seem to love this area, always see them here. The fort area is a great place to see Jays. But we didnt drive here for fun, by the way Nannies water, in full flow over road, so a ford, first time we have seen this for (YEARS). Anyway back to why we are here Woodpeckers, first stop 2 Greatspots, Horsefeild next couldnt park Horses and hounds everywhere.So end up on Honiton common. 4 Greatspots, and a Lesserspot calling. Our first ever in devon. We know its just off patch but to here one (Brilliant). By the way no pics of Egg, Uncle just missed a tractor on his way here its smashed to peices, hes gone home to rebuild it,we cant wait to see it never seen one before

 

[tereksora]

Hey Gav....the Med Gull I told you about, AANY , on the Otter on Nov 7th., was ringed on the very same day at the same place!
Bri

 

[Simon Wakely]

By the way, reports from (Hollyford Woods) are at best hopeless, And reports from scrapes behind river hide no better. Wish we could get to these areas, James quite rightly mentoined hollyford woods, months ago. Best time for Woodpeckers starting to call, no leaf cover. Good Luck,,,

 

[James McCarthy]

Not having posted for yonks, have to happily report that my local gang of Herring Gulls round the house are suddenly back to their 'alert calling' ways - picking up several buzzards in the last few days...lets hope for a repeat of 2006 with a few diff spp...

 

[Simon Wakely]

Hi all, Its been a good am, Farm Gate, Greylag and Egyptian Geese back, 107 Shellducks, 10 Teal, 17 mutes. Male Blackcap right next to our back door. Uncle has brought Egg in, Pics will be posted its FANTASTIC a first for us.

 

[Simon Wakely]

We promisted a pic, hes taken egg home.