Devon Birding (1 Viewer)

[da2m]

i passed the field were the cattle egret was back in jan and thought about them. i wish i had gone further around!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mark]

i passed the field were the cattle egret was back in jan and thought about them. i wish i had gone further around!!!!!!!!!!!

I think this bird is fresh into this site this week, as Kevin and I have regularly been checking the fields in the area over the last few months.. The Little Egrets have apparently been using this particular field for 3 or 4 days now, which has presumably dragged the Cattle Egret in with them.. My bet is that it will also attract another Cattle Egret or more in as well over the next few days..

 

[The Kerreran]

Took the big step of actually leaving the county yesterday [ :eek!: ] and ventured into Zumerzet! The Great White Egret proved obliging at Meare Heath, coming out and striking poses for 6 minutes for myself and a local birder, before getting bored and flying back into the reeds :t: I spent a large part of the day at Shapwick/Meare/Ham Wall, seeing lots of birds, very few people, and an Otter! :t: Mid-afternoon I moved to Cheddar Reservoir - with a male Marsh Harrier sat on a tree between Meare and Westhay a surprise bonus - where the adorable little Bonaparte's Gull proved even more obliging; sitting on the waterside maybe 20 feet from a knot of very happy birders [ many thanks to the guy with the bread! ]. The Red-necked Grebe came to about 50' from the side near the north water tower, giving wonderful views, and 4 Scaup rounded things off very nicely indeed. :-O

B B B

 

[Mark]

The Cattle Egret still near Newton Abbot today, but much more elusive as the Egret flock were 2 fields back from the main road with a herd of cows. 8 little Egrets counted there today.

 

[Kev Rylands]

Two Cattle Egret still at Aveton Gifford this morning, starting to show a bit of buff. Keep missing the Newton bird though...:-C

 

[Roy C]

3 Cattle Egret showing well with the Little Egrets at Fremington Pill today. Attached is a couple of comparison pics.

 

[da2m]

yep had the cattle egret this morning at 0645!!!! right i'm off to bed.

 

[Mark]

The Cattle Egret still in fields around Blatchford Farm north of Newton Abbot today but only loosely associating with the 9 Little Egrets present. At one point it was in a field with 5 large guinea fowl type things (big fat grey and white things) by the farm, which soon got bored of it and chased it around until it flew back to the sheep field !!

 

[Andrew]

Surf Scoter still off Langstone Rock with three Sandwich Terns patrolling the shoreline but bugger all else.

 

[Terry Smith]

5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and an amazing 42 Knot at Mudbank Lane, Exmouth, early afternoon.
3 singing Chiffchaffs and 2 singing Blackcaps at Bystock Reserve late this afternoon show at least some migrants are starting to arrive on their breeding grounds! Also a Siskin by the entrance gate.

 

[The Kerreran]

A very smart-looking male Wheatear at Nun's Cross Farm south of Princetown, but nothing else bar the usual suspects between there and Sheepstor [ though the Mipits were singing very prettily ]

 

[Mark]

The Cattle Egret still in the fields just north of Blatchford Farm, north of Newton Abbot today with 8 Little Egrets.

 

[da2m]

yep the cat eg is still there, managed some footage from the car, please visit the blog.

 

[Terry Smith]

Little Ringed Plover at Bowling Green Marsh today.

 

[Kev Rylands]

Finally saw the Newton Cattle Egret today - although it is no doubt the one from 2007.

Not much else around in poor weather a snipe and 8 LBB Gull all on offer at Passage House.

 

[da2m]

hi kev
did you notice the colour of the head, it's starting to change.

 

[Kev Rylands]

did you notice the colour of the head, it's starting to change.

Yes a bit of buff showing through, but not as much as the Aveton birds though. The leg colour also seemed brighter than in December.

Although not about Devon birds people may be interested in the following

“Birds of Botswana Part II” an illustrated talk by Ray Lovett
7.30pm on Monday 31st March 2008 in the Estuary Room at Darts Farm.
You don’t need to have seen part I to enjoy part II!

 

[The Kerreran]

A last minute rescheduling of my car's MOT threw things off for me yesterday and today [I hate computers..]. Two trips to Hope's Nose were the result- On Friday afternoon, there was a light passage of Gannet and Fulmar with a few Kittiwake, 8 Guillemots and a Razorbill on the sea, and 5 singing Greenfinch scattered through the bushes. Today was a different matter; unfortunately the rain got through my waterproofs, and my notebook and phone were both victims - hopefully my notebook will dry out ok and I can give some figures later.
Edit after drying: 102 Manxies S, 27 Sandies S, a 10 minute timed count gave 45 Kittiwake, 19 Fulmar, 3 Gannet S [though this was a little over-representative of Kittis and under- of Gannets] Many of the auks [roughly 60:40 in favour of Guillemots] landed on the sea, some only briefly, with only a couple of single-figure groups of Razorbills moving straight through and total numbers ~50. 4 C. Scoters [2m 2f], and single GC Grebe and R-T Diver came through S. Undoubted highlight arrived with ~50 GBB and ~20 'hangers-on' [immatures, Herring, and an LBB], the gull posse arrived in a knot, settled together on the sea, then moved to the outfall when it began to discharge strongly, [soon being joined by 25+ Kittiwake and 40+ Fulmar] among the gulls was a Lesser Black-Backed showing all the characteristics of a fuscus - black back [appearing a touch darker than the GBB's] showing no distinct border with the wingtips, a small thin rectangular mirror on outermost primary only, white head, very yellow legs, and a more 'elegant' impression than the other large gulls. I watched it for almost an hour on and off, until losing it for the last time at about 1415, [the gulls having begun moving off when the outfall began easing off after 1400]. This, of course, was the moment another birder arrived..
It was something said repeatedly to me while chasing a Cattle Egret up and down the Otter, but I'm starting to think maybe I should change my signature? :-C

 

[Mark]

Finally saw the Newton Cattle Egret today - although it is no doubt the one from 2007.

Hi Kev,

what is your thinking in it being the same bird? This bird like the last is with the Little Egret flock, so why would it be with the flock for 3 weeks in December and then go off alone for over 3 months before returning. So many people have been checking the fields on the way to Stover for example, that it just hasn't been there.. With so many Cattle Egrets around it surely has to be a new bird...

cheers

2 reported at Exminster today, now are they new birds or the 2 from 6 weeks ago ? !

 

[Kev Rylands]

Hi Kev,

what is your thinking in it being the same bird? This bird like the last is with the Little Egret flock, so why would it be with the flock for 3 weeks in December and then go off alone for over 3 months before returning. So many people have been checking the fields on the way to Stover for example, that it just hasn't been there.. With so many Cattle Egrets around it surely has to be a new bird...

2 reported at Exminster today, now are they new birds or the 2 from 6 weeks ago ? !

Hi Mark,

Just a hunch - my presumption is that the 2007 bird moved to the Exe in late December, the dates certainly fit.

Egrets,ducks and waders all move between the Exe and Teign so I think it has been on/around the Exe since December and returned last week -as you say there has not been one with the Little Egrets around Newton for three months.

The two at Exminster are no doubt the same individuals as mid winter as well just unreported/unseen for a couple of weeks.

As for the origins of the bird in Exeter 10 days ago or so... anyone's guess :t:

Cheers
Kev