Backwater Birding - Seaton, Devon (1 Viewer)

[Simon Wakely]

Hi Roger, Glad Sue Pointed out the Iceland Gull to you. Your Pics are great ours terrible. Hope to see you soon. Shes always doing it, but as reported, Hen Harrier is Sue Greatest find. Apart from Scandinavion Long Tailed Tit, in our garden. Male Siskin eating Sunflower Hearts on one of our logs am.5 Blackcaps still with us.

 

[Steve Waite]

Thanks Kev, head pattern looks pretty similar....
As for size, hard to judge when sat on sea, I would have said same size as Black-headed, but noticable longer-winged. It was a wonderful bird!

Re: the landing on the beach theory....I'm concerned that this is what it did!

Seaton Beach is very up and down, and the biggest slope is down to the waters edge. When you are stood by the spot on kiosk - you can't see this bit, or anything stood/sitting here! I lost the bird when it was over the edge of the sea/beach, we looked in all directions immediatly after - no sign. 40 mins later, Ian M latches on to it, really REALLY close in, flying west, away from where I lost it..... It was sat on the sea when I picked it up, maybe it was in need of rest? So it could easily have been huddled up for 40 mins with a small gang of Black-heads.....oh poo! Why didn't we check here!????

 

[Terry Smith]

Thanks Kev, head pattern looks pretty similar....
As for size, hard to judge when sat on sea, I would have said same size as Black-headed, but noticable longer-winged. It was a wonderful bird!

Re: the landing on the beach theory....I'm concerned that this is what it did!

Seaton Beach is very up and down, and the biggest slope is down to the waters edge. When you are stood by the spot on kiosk - you can't see this bit, or anything stood/sitting here! I lost the bird when it was over the edge of the sea/beach, we looked in all directions immediatly after - no sign. 40 mins later, Ian M latches on to it, really REALLY close in, flying west, away from where I lost it..... It was sat on the sea when I picked it up, maybe it was in need of rest? So it could easily have been huddled up for 40 mins with a small gang of Black-heads.....oh poo! Why didn't we check here!????

So it'll be back in Exmouth tomorrow then Steve! :bounce:

 

[Fraser Rush]

Greetings backwater bods

Haven't posted anything for ages - too busy doing really boring stuff in the office, don't seem to get to the estuary more than once a week at the moment.

However all that changed today - while you were all busy enjoying sundry nice gulls I was stuck at Colyford Common all day with a contractor and a big digger. Made some great improvements to the 'wet patch' which should hopefully bear fruit in late summer.

Between bouts of pointing at the ground and shouting 'dig here' took a short walk up the Stafford Brook, past the ringing hut. Not really looking for birds, just idly planning this year's proposed Himalayan Balsam Blitz, when a Dipper flew past and on upstream.

Sorry Steve, I know you're quite keen to find one of these on the patch.

I should be there all day tomorrow too as we're going to be making a few alterations to the drainage at the north end of the reserve to hopefully create a new reed bed in the field where the new platform is. Don't build your hopes up for Bittern/Bearded Tit/Marsh Harrier - it'll take about five years to grow. Anyway, will have another look at the Stafford Brook and let you all know whether my only find of the year has stayed around.

BTW Steve, do I get an extra 300 points for finding one of your worst patch bogeys. Worth a try!

Cheers

Fraser

 

[Steve Waite]

Between bouts of pointing at the ground and shouting 'dig here' took a short walk up the Stafford Brook, past the ringing hut. Not really looking for birds, just idly planning this year's proposed Himalayan Balsam Blitz, when a Dipper flew past and on upstream.

That's a really interesting record Fraze, hmmmmm...I wonder if this is a regular hang-out for them.....

 

[Gavin Haig]

12 Med Gulls (2 adults, 3 2nd-winters, 7 1st-winters - including green AATL, and a new colour-ringed bird, red 5P5).

Just received an email with details of yesterday's new colour-ringed Med Gull, red 5P5. It was ringed as a chick at a gravel pit colony in Wloclawek, central Poland, on June 17th 2006 (same day as several German birds!). Of the 12 chicks ringed there last year, this is the 4th that has been sighted since. Not bad going.

PS. Another top find yesterday, Steve, you jammy beggar! Thanks for trying, but I don't think it had my name on it.

I will, of course, get my own back later in the year..... |=)|

 

[Steve Waite]

Hello guys! A cracking morning birding this morning - but no megas like yesterday!

Started with a seawatch, Gulls everywhere again! The highlight being a 1st-winter Med Gull which flew in from the east then headed inland with a flock of Black-heads. There were a few Kits, Auks and Gannets passing....but not many! I then went for a look up the river...

Last March the Egyptian Geese turned up, this March.....Black Swan!!! There were two pairs of Mute Swans on the east side of the river between Axmouth and Boshill, one pair had the Greylag for company, the other had this.... wondered what the heck it was when I first saw it, with its head tucked in! It was more brown-black, than black, think it might be a first-winter, surprisingly smaller than the Mutes!!

I returned home but was soon disturbed by a phone call from our very own reserve warden, Frazer....he had a Dartford Warbler on Colyford Common. I went down there and soon found myself watching a cracking little male, occasionally giving a few bursts of song....a right little beauty. Good find that Fraze, bit of a weird one really! But that's 20 points to you....and that's 20 more than Mr. Chubb.... Come on James!

Went for a look along the river again, Iceland Gull showing well (I think it is the whitest bird I've ever seen!), plus 3 1W Med Gulls (green-ringed, red-ringed and un-ringed).

What a nice mornings birding.... Oh, and how many points is Black Swan....

 

[Roger Boswell]

It was such a superb morning I just had to see if I could find that Iceland Gull - and I did! Near the tram sheds and in full sun it looked superb - even better in flight.

 

[Andrew]

The Newton bird was also small for a Laugher, smaller than some Black-heads.

I got that impression with the Exmouth bird too. Did anyone else?

 

[Terry Smith]

I got that impression with the Exmouth bird too. Did anyone else?

Andrew,

We breed BIG BUTCH Black-headed Gulls here in Exmouth!! So the Laugher may have seemed a little on the small side. Not as small as the Little Gull I saw today on Matford Pools though!!

Yours understandingly,

The Old One :bounce:

 

[Andrew]

Suppose it is all the throwaway leftovers from the poor fish and chip shops in Exmouth?

Only kidding, Capels is not too bad, only just.

 

[Gavin Haig]

A sleeping immature Black Swan looks remarkably like a sleeping mature cowpat - only bigger. Quite a thrill.

I kind of HAD to check the gulls out this morning. Pretty good numbers on the river again, with the highlight being the cracking Iceland Gull in the sunshine. Gorgeous. Nice pics, gents, by the way. The Laughing Gull was off somewhere else, doing just that.

I was just thinking about going to work when the mobile went off. 'Rush, Fraser' said the screen, in business-like fashion. It was, indeed, our illustrious reserves manager - and a patch first for me. No, not the Dartford Warbler (seen 3 on the patch), but Fraser, actually with GEN - now THAT was a patch tick. And may it be the first of many such calls, Fraser!! Thanks very much! Actually, it was the first Dartford Warbler I've seen in the valley, and very smart too - as Steve has mentioned already, it was even singing a bit (though in rather subdued fashion).

In the late afternoon I popped down to Colyford Common again, and bumped into Bun - we had a single White Wagtail among 50 Pied (not the same bird as 21st), plus 2 Water Pipits and our hobbling Egyptian Goose.

A Blackcap singing its little heart out as I loaded the van this morning reminded me that it is actually March, and therefore SPRING. Excellent..... |=)|

Bun coaxed me into some spring predictions. Mostly boring and predictable, I suggested Purple Heron, Woodchat, Red-rumped Swallow and the like, but one or two slightly less obvious (that would be VERY nice) are Red-footed Falcon and Black-winged Stilt, plus I'd really like to find a Tawny Pipit on Beer Head. Mostly my predictions never happen, but one thing can safely be said - there will be SOMETHING about this spring that is unique, unpredictable and memorable........

 

[Simon Wakely]

Morning all, has anybody seen my mate, the grey lag, can't find him anywhere.

 

[Steve Waite]

Morning all, has anybody seen my mate, the grey lag, can't find him anywhere.

Funny you should say that... I see on birdguides there was a single Greylag at Abbotsbury today!! The Greylag I had fly over town last year (Feb 2006) was seen at Abbotsbury first, it looks like this one has done the opposite... It's just so amazing how much commutes between the two places, Whooper Swans, Spoonbills and Geese do it so often, I just wish the Ducks they have/had there did it too!!!

A seawatch this morning was rubbish, Colyford Common was rather quiet but for 9 Rock Pipits (1 pink-breasted) and despite lots and lots of Gulls on river, couldn't find anything decent, though a count of 330+ Great Black-backed Gulls was notable. No Black Swan today either, it's obviously carried on with its migration...

Wow, Cornwall is pretty hot at the moment, if it all stays in place I'm off early next week!!! WB Diver is one I've always wanted to see, and to see one well would be even better!!! With the supporting cast on show even the most un-twitcher hard core local patcher would be tempted......... And I see the Glaucous-winged Gull has popped up again....I wonder where it has been for the past 2 months??!

 

[Simon Wakely]

Hi All, Icland Gull Coranation Corner am. Farm Gate 108 Shelducks, and are great Egyptian.Sounds like Greylag has left us. We have to agree with Steve , we need Ducks on our Patch. Bruckland is, or should be the place to find one ,Sue,had a quick look, 12 Canada Geese,8 Coot.

 

[Simon Wakely]

Thanks Sue and Simon for visiting me - am.

 

[bob hastie]

Finally managed to get myself, some good light and some birds in the same place at the same time.
As these 3 rare events took place on this patch I thought I would post the results here.
The raven was in a tree in someones back garden, some people have far better garden birds than me.
I know the robin isn't rare or unusual but he was such a friendly little chap I thought I would give him a few minutes of fame.

 

[Gavin Haig]

Total Eclipse

Not just the moon getting blanked out tonight - a big chunk of Cornwall has disappeared under Birdguides boxes. Now, if I were the twitchy kind.....

That White-billed Diver does look superb, and would fill a conspicuous gap on my British list, plus I haven't seen Gyr Falcon or Franklin's Gull for about 20 years. Then there's all those nice 'padders' like Dusky Warbler, Yellow-browed, American Wigeon, Spotted Sand etc etc... Would make a VERY nice day out (or two).

Tsk! What am I thinking??!! How could I entertain such gross patch neglect when there are Med Gulls to be counted? The call to duty had me at the estuary at lunchtime, where I met Phil (fresh from a Cornish raid) and 7 Med Gulls - an adult, 2 second-winters and 4 first winters (including one with an unreadably muddied green ring). Had another look late afternoon - 2 first-winters, and both were additions to the lunchtime crew. Total of 9 today, then. Another good count. Followed that with a trip to Colyford Common, which was a delight in the evening sunshine. Nothing spectacular, but a White Wagtail with 55 Pieds, plus 2 Water Pipits were nice. Hoped, in vain, for an evening Sand Martin appearance. Soon, very soon.......

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Just noticed that there's a Glawk (ouch) at Colyford Common on birdguides. Looking forward to the story. Who's the pointmeister on this one ?

 

[Terry Smith]

May be yesterday's bird from the Otter estuary?