Lyme Regis Birding - or an even quieter Backwater (1 Viewer)

[Roger Boswell]

10 Purple Sandpipers on the Cobb this mornibg (7 in image)

Grey Wagtail on the Lim

Pied Wagtail on Church Cliffs

 

[Roger Boswell]

Back from two weeks in the Highlands to very quiet birding Lyme - must be all the visitors on the beaches!

Spectacular display outside our house by Swifts and House Martins this morning - they appeared to be chasing one another round the houses. Bluetits and Wrens in the garden - and a family of fox cubs. One inquisitive one comes down to our decking while we are eating outside.

Family of Grey Wagtails on the Lim and an unusually large number of GBB Gulls on the ledges.

I have been told that there were Sanderlings and Turnstones on Monmouth beach recently.

 

[bren-escape]

Roger, that fox pic is amazing!

 

[Roger Boswell]

Our single parent Bluetit looked shattered a few days ago - making use of our feeders to provide fast food for his growing brood.

Yesterday - the windiest day for ages they decided to fledge. His task was made more difficult locating them round the garden. I really think they look too immature to have fledged.

 

[Perry Grin]

Our single parent Bluetit looked shattered a few days ago - making use of our feeders to provide fast food for his growing brood.

Yesterday - the windiest day for ages they decided to fledge. His task was made more difficult locating them round the garden. I really think they look too immature to have fledged.

They do look very young. Hope there aren't too many cats round your way!

 

[Roger Boswell]

A feeding frenzy just off thr Cobb this morning was the only interest today. When I looked at the images one bird stood out - what is the bird in the top right of the picture - could it be a Bonaparte's Gull !!!!! Certainly has a strange coloured bill.
All action is in and around our garden. A Great Tit and Coal Tit are regularly taking sunflower seeds from our feeders to their nests while a Robin is tucking into the fat balls for his family.

A House Martin is building a nest under our eaves - isn't this a bit late? The mortar looks rather variable in quality - I hope it has the necessary strenght this time.

The Fox cubs are now looking very mature - one regularly comes down to join us on our decking while we are having lunch.

 

[Roger Boswell]

A larger image of my mystery gull what is it???

A PHALAROPE????

 

[scary-canary]

A larger image of my mystery gull what is it???

A PHALAROPE????

I think it's just a black headed gull, with quite a slim neck. Sorry, definitely not a phalarope.

 

[Roger Boswell]

I think it's just a black headed gull, with quite a slim neck. Sorry, definitely not a phalarope.

Thanks - these youngsters always confuse me.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Something to report at last -

A ringed Mediterranean Gull was among some BH Gulls on the ledges below Church Cliffs this morning. I had to wait 20 minutes before the tide rose high enough to push it off the rock it had settled on.

 

[Ranger James]

Hi Roger,

If you've got any decent photos from the Devon side of the border do have a think about submitting them to this competition: http://www.wildaboutdevon.co.uk/ some good photos on there but yours knock them into a cocked hat!

Hopefully catch you on the marshes soon,

James

 

[Roger Boswell]

Now 2 Mediterranean Gulls on the ledges below Church Cliffs - and an increasing number of Black-headed Gulls.

A Heron was also fishing on the ledges - and had caught quite a large one and seemed to have difficulty getting it in line to swallow.

Young Rock Pipit on the wall beneath the museum.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Hi Roger,

If you've got any decent photos from the Devon side of the border do have a think about submitting them to this competition:

Will try and entice the Gulls into Pinhay Bay - that would just about count as Devon! The BH and Med Gulls seem to like the ledges to the E of Lyme with Herring and now quite a number of juvenile GBB/LBB gulls around the mouth of the Lim. This morning the tide was out so I was able to get quite close to the group standing on the ledges. Yesterday it was quite dull and low cloud, but today it was much brighter - the Med Gulls really stood out with their jet black hoods and white feathers.

My most recent birding trip to Devon was Aylesbeare. It was great to see so many Dartford Warblers - at a distance! Plenty of other birds to see and although I am unable to hear them there were at least 5 Nightjars on the heath late in the evening.

I see that birds are beginning to arrive at Seaton so I will be down there soon.

 

[Roger Boswell]

The 2 Med Gulls are still at Lyme, but today were beyond the last break-water to the East of Church Cliffs.

The Heron was again fishing on the ledges.

 

[Roger Boswell]

I have done it again!!!

My Phalaropes are again Juvenile Black-headed Gulls. Will be keeping my head down until Autumn.......

 

[luke]

they look rather like Black headed gulls roger??

 

[Roger Boswell]

Many apologies - I have done it again. They were behaving just like Phalaropes and were in the same place as last years. I usually associate the BH Gulls with the ledges to the E of Lyme - not swimming calmly around near the Cobb.

Thankfully I had a good enough image for experts not to set off for Lyme!

Thanks to Luke and the Dorset Bird Club for putting me right.

 

[scary-canary]

Many apologies - I have done it again. They were behaving just like Phalaropes and were in the same place as last years. I usually associate the BH Gulls with the ledges to the E of Lyme - not swimming calmly around near the Cobb.

Thankfully I had a good enough image for experts not to set off for Lyme!

Thanks to Luke and the Dorset Bird Club for putting me right.

You'll get another one one day Roger!

 

[Roger Boswell]

You'll get another one one day Roger!

Looking back it was 7 Sept 2008 that the last one was in Lyme - NOT 2009!

 

[KarenWoolley]

Hi Roger,

There was a Grey Phalarope off the Cob in 2009 'twas on Monday 9th November.