Taw etc
Male Blackcap on my fat-ball feeder early this morning. Kingfisher and 40+ Godwits on the scrape. Dipper in the river near the reserve. Water Rail seen in the reserve. Drake Goosander seen from Barstaple Long bridge. Upstream on the Leisure Centre side.
+1 Photo
Laughing Gull Beesands 5th Jan 2023
Laughing Gull giving fabulous views this morning , beautiful Gull flying up and down the beach , often landing just in front of car park. Beware don’t park in front of houses parking tickets being issued.
Beesands Ley
Laughing Gull showing well on the beach up to 10.00. Also Great White Egret, male Ring-necked Duck & Fulmar.
+1 Photo
Skern Northam
Yesterday at Skern Northam there were large numbers of Golden & Grey Plover, Lapwings, Dunlin, Shelduck and Wigeon. There were also a few Pied Wagtail and a male and female Black Redstart.
+1 Photo
RSPB Bowling Green Marsh
One little duck for debate, seen from the hide at RSPB Bowling Green Marsh today what I suspect is a possible Eurasian Wigeon x American Wigeon hybrid. (Further images on the DB’s FB page)
Pintail, Pochard, 20 plus Snipe, 100’s of Black Tailed Godwit on site.
From the viewing platform 100’s of Dunlin and a count of 59 Grey Plover, one drake Red Breasted Merganser.
From the Goat Walk 100’s of Avocet, Black Tailed Godwit and Dunlin
+1 Photo
Crownhill Down
This afternoon Fieldfares, Redwings, Green Woodpecker. Ravens and Crows,
Beesands and area
Beesands: Mid afternoon a 2nd winter Laughing Gull dropped in on Ley briefly then flew off, relocated patrolling along the beach, still there when I left at 15:30. Also on Ley drake Ring-necked Duck, Great White Egret and Little Grebe.
Start Pont: two Eider and 6 Red-throated Divers flew past.
Slapton Higher Ley: F/imm type Marsh Harrier hunting.
2w Laughing Gull
Plym Estuary & Saltram
A 2nd cy Little Gull was on Blaxton Meadow this afternoon with the Black-headed Gulls, before flying off and later seen flying down river (presumably the same bird as seen recently elsewhere in Plymouth). Also, Peregrine, Green Woodpecker, 2 Firecrests, c15 Siskins, Grey Wagtail, 3 (3rd cy) Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Goosanders (1 drake), 53 Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard (female), 2 Little Grebes, Grey Plover, 38+ Snipe, c400 Dunlins & a Kingfisher.
Clovelly Lakes
Clovelly Lakes this morning.
16 Goosander 3m 13f, c150 Canada Geese.
Northam Burrows and Skern
I recorded the summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit on 19.12.22. It was there again feeding on the large puddle just the other side of the entrance hut to the Skern on 20.12.22 when it was photographed (not by me). However I did see the photographs confirming it was a Bar-tailed Godwit with correct underwing pattern and visible barring on the tail feathers.
Sumer is icumen in!
south molton, Monday Jan 2nd
Two red kites Bray valley
Godwit
It has pale bars on the tail, Seems conclusive with the shorter Tibia length.
+1 Photo
Summer plumage Godwit at The Skern
In response to John’s call for images….our friend Roger Catlin captured these images on Boxing Day. So, going by our Collins I’d say Bar Tailed. But I’m very fallible!
Skern Merlin
Confirm the Merlin at Skern yesterday. Sitting quietly on the mud at high tide, 1400. Notable absence of small birds!
Asford Strand – Taw Estuary
9 Goosanders (5m+4f) on the north side of the Taw Estuary this morning
Colyford
Isabelline wheatear showing well on the boardwalk despite the weather.10am. didn’t see the EYW.
Plym Estuary & Saltram Monday 2nd January
An excellent count of 48+ Snipe on the afternoon’s high tide at Blaxton Meadow. Also, Grey Plover, 7 Greenshanks, 8 Turnstones, Teal (drake), Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Bullfinch, 2 Grey Wagtails, Green Woodpecker & c20 Redwings.
Exminster & Powderham Corner
Exminster Marsh – 2 Marsh Harrier (3cy M & Prob Ad F), 1000+ Golden Plover, 800+ Lapwing, 350+ Wigeon, 180+ Teal, 36+ Shoveler, 9 Pintail, 45+ Curlew, Ruff, 3 Kestrel, 3 Snipe, 11 Greylag, 50+ Brent Geese best of 2 hours on Exminster Marsh this morning.
Powderham Church to Turf bike ride in afternoon. Tide high. 340+ DB Brent Geese, 45 Pintail, 6 GC Grebe, pr RB Mergansers, Kingfisher, 1000+ BH Gull, 40+ Common Gull, 2 Stonechat were best of it.
Velator Reserve
Firstly though, Sue Bruce (plus her daughter and son-in-law) were at the Skern yesterday, and Mark id’d the sum plum Godwit as Bar-tailed! Anyone else seen it more closely? Or a photo?
Ringing today produced a good start to the year with 48 birds ringed. 21 of which were Greenfinch, plus one of Chris Dee’s. 5 Great Tit, 6 LT Tit, 6 Redwing 2 Song Thrush, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Blue Tit one each of Goldcrest and GSW. Retraps included Chiffchaff and Kingfisher. The local Buzzard was taking an interest in the nets!! Went down the Toll Rd later, missed the Little Owl despite perfect conditions, but saw the female Black Redstart. Thanks to Grahame Preston for the heads up.
The Skern additional to Colins report….
Adding to the abundance of birds seen and reported by Colin we have to add a highlight….in fact my 1st for 30 years…a MERLIN stooping constantly on a skylark over the large freshwater scrape at the end of the tip road. Didn’t see the result as it was lost to sight. Also seen was this gull….not sure, but possibly a Common Gull? Thanks to the scoper in the blue coat for pointing it out to me.
Eds – yes, Common Gull.
