Devon Birding (1 Viewer)

[Ppedro]

Highlights at Start Point this morning were a Merlin and two Firecrest. Interested to see Prawle had 8000 + Woodpigeons. By the time I left Start at 11:30 AM I had seen only 300. Travelling home saw a flock flying over Stokenham south-west so obviously cutting across from Slapton or further north towards Prawle and missing Start. Woodpigeons seem to want to do something different every day !

 

[Terry Smith]

The Long-billed Dowitcher flew on to the main pool, Bowling Green Marsh, with Redshank, from the Clyst Estuary at 1410hrs today.

This morning there was a Spotted Redshank on the channel at low tide, adjacent to Mudbank Lane, Exmouth.

 

[Ppedro]

Start Point

Had a good go at Start today. Bit of vis mig early on but most of it very high up. Numbers included 21 Brambling, 380 Chaffinch, 3 Redpoll, 16 Siskin and 3 Reed Bunting. A couple of Merlin speeding around the place. Pigeon passage still pretty poor here, c340 through heading up channel. A few more thrushes than of late, 10 Fieldfares, 111 Redwing and 30 Song Thrushes. Just 2 Chiffs and 4 Goldcrest in the bushes. Starlings up to 500. Highlight came this afternoon on the sea where a Long-tailed Duck arrived with a small flock of Scoter before being spooked by a boat. Also one Eider.
Attatched are photos of Mattiscombe Beach from bottom of Down Valley, view across Start Bay to South Hallsands and probably the greatest photo ever taken of any type of seaduck.........at Start Point on 5/11/07 :t:

Perry

 

[Kev Rylands]

Hi Perry,

Sorry can't be certain from the photo but was the Long-tailed a drake?

Cheers
Kev

 

[Ppedro]

Hi Perry,

Sorry can't be certain from the photo but was the Long-tailed a drake?

Cheers
Kev

Hello Kev,
bird looked like a female ( though i`m not familiar with the full range of young male plumages ) so not the Dawlish bird. Unfortunatly none of the twelve Scoters it was with looked like your Surf Scoter either.

 

[Terry Smith]

The Dawlish Warren Surf Scoter was viewable (albeit distantly) from the seafront at Exmouth this afternoon at 1230.

 

[Kev Rylands]

Thnaks Perry,
thought it might be a female type. The Warren Long-tailed is out there somewhere - again no sign today - odds on it will turn up on another thread before long

 

[Ppedro]

Do you mean the all new Cley just this side of Dorset. They sure are doing a good job up there. Doubt they`ll get a Long-tailed though........................ probably a Harlequin instead :eek!:

 

[Andrew]

I'll take a Pochard on the Grand Western, Perry & Kev, but for now let me just shout "EIGHT-NIL!"

 

[Terry Smith]

A Green Sandpiper on the Clyst Estuary early pm, looking up the channel from the viewing platform. Bird was opposite the 'stone barge'. No sign of LB Dowitcher, but tide as low as it gets!

 

[Kev Rylands]

Hi Andrew -Pochard now you're talking - not had one at the Warren for six years!

Surf Scoter still at the Warren but very distant this afternoon, but if the link below is in your favorites you already know that

Cheers
Kev

 

[Mark]

The female Red-Crested Pochard still at Beesands today with the Gadwall and Pochard flock, no real reason why it is an escape, seems to be fully winged and un-ringed. Also a female Scaup and a Swallow over the Ley.

Nearby at Slapton, 3 Ruddy Duck including 1 male at Torcross, a Kingfisher at the bridge and 2+ Firecrest at Strete Gate at the start to the 'woodland walk'. No sign of the Marsh Harrier.

 

[Andrew]

No exciting Pochard or Tufty for me today on the Grand Western Canal.

Two Little Egrets flew east over the Tiverton end of the canal. Five Kingfishers were logged. A notable increase in winter thrushes.

Two Canada Geese returned for the winter without bringing some sexy exotica I would unscrupulously tick off!

Had to let a Redpoll go due to bad light, woulda been a canal year tick. There will be more.

 

[Gavin Haig]

No exciting Pochard or Tufty for me today on the Grand Western Canal.

The 'new Cley' is hosting both Tuftie AND Pochard right now. Quality!

 

[Ppedro]

The female Red-Crested Pochard still at Beesands today with the Gadwall and Pochard flock, no real reason why it is an escape, seems to be fully winged and un-ringed.

Red-crested Pochard still there, fully winged ? Where did I hide me blunberbuss |})|

 

[JRE]

Don't suppose this is a tickable individual is it?
*Unscrupulous tick-hungry little b*stard here*

 

[Kev Rylands]

tut tut Jyothi
Just one day with the Poet and swearing already, it's a slippery slope from here B

Re the punk pochard, tick away - can't be any worse than the one on the canal a few years back, eh Andrew?

 

[Andrew]

Hey Kev, don't slag off that lovely bird, you were asking me to find one again last year when you were desperate for Devon year ticks!

It was good to see it being reported by others for a few days. People actually travelled to see MY bird!

 

[Mark]

nothing like a good old duck to generate a bit of discussion, that's 6 responses to my original comment tonight...apart from being a bit 'off colour', there is nothing wrong with this one !!

 

[JRE]

tut tut Jyothi
Just one day with the Poet and swearing already, it's a slippery slope from here B

Re the punk pochard, tick away - can't be any worse than the one on the canal a few years back, eh Andrew?

Ahh, it was all locked away before, just a little encouragement and i can do it for Britain .
Only problem now is getting from Brixham (school) at 3.45 to Slapton before its dark. Difficult. Mark, how long has the bird been around, and do you think it'll stay until the weekend at least? As in, it's not getting bullied by the local Pochards or anything?
Cheers
J