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Blog
27 December 2015
Torbay Boat Trip
After last nights gales and the heavy rain early morning I was expecting the trip to be called off, but on it was! Myself and 7 other soles joined Nigel and the Captain all waterproofed up on the boat. Like yesterday as it was so dark I wasn't expecting any pics and the ones I took of the pair of Peregrines in their roost were quickly deleted! Plenty of birds about with good numbers of Cormorant and Shags on the rocks and cliffs, Gannets making forays close to the shoreline and making spectacular dives. A few small Grebes with 2 Slavonian and 3 Black-necked Grebes and 3 of the larger Great Crested Grebes seen close to Broadsands Beach.
On the way to Berry Head I counted 24 Great Northern Divers with another 4 seen when we went to Preston Beach on the way back to Paignton Harbour. Surprisingly we didn't see any other species of Diver? Did see several times 7 Common Scoter and always at a distance.
Saw another Peregrine and plenty of Grey Heron, Raven, Little Egret, Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Flyover Curlew, Guillemot, Razorbill, 3 Purple Sandpiper, Great-black Backed, Herring and Black-headed Gulls, a few Kittiwakes and Fulmar.
Also saw a couple of Grey Seals on our travels.
Great morning out in good company!
23 December 2015
Birding around Topsham
Down the Cycle track found lots birds in the bushes with Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Robin, Collard Dove, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie and Wren.
Not much on the creek with singles of Green and Redshank, Little Egret and a few Black-headed Gulls.
Goosemoor was also quiet with singles of Curlew and Greenshank and plenty of Black-headed Gulls. All the action was in the bushes between the railway and the walkway with Wren, Robin, Blue and Great Tit, Reed Bunting and 3 Goldcrests which were too mobile for me to get a pic, a bit frustrating when they were together-just not quick enough!
Along the road again more small birds with a female Bullfinch putting in a few passes between the bushes as I walked down the road, also seen House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon on view.
Lots of ducks at Bowling Green with Shelduck,Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Tufted, Mallard, Gadwall and Pintail. Moorhen, Coot and Grey Heron with Mute Swan, Canada, Greylag and Dark-bellied Brent Geese around the reserve. Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Lapwing and Redshank were the Waders I saw. Plenty of small birds around the hedges with Blackbird, Goldfinch, Stonechat, Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Robin, Dunnock and Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Magpie. Also a Sparrowhawk quartered over the back reeds before disappearing over the railway track.
Again very quiet from the platform with the exception of some Redshank and a Spotted Redshank nothing else!
When I got to the Goat walk I was surprised to see 20+ Turnstone close to the wall, a first for me. It then rained and I got soaked! should have brought my waterproofs, never mind so didn't hang around but still saw Great-black Backed, Herring and Black-headed Gulls, Avocets, Curlew and Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, Mallard and Pied Wagtail before heading back to the car.
Met lots of humans about today, all seem happy if not wet!!
20 December 2015
Exminster Marshes
The weather was supposed to be sunny with occasional showers, but went prepared as they always get it wrong!!
So with wellies and waterproofs I left the RSPB carpark down the footpath towards Turf.
Plenty of birds down here especially Finches with a small flock of 20+ Greenfinches a few Chaffinch, Goldfinch and 2 very smart Bullfinch who sadly wouldn't sit still long enough to get a pic. The Peregrine was sat on the Pylon looking around and with all the birds around it was spoilt for choice which one would be breakfast!
Several hundred Canada Geese in this section of the marshes with 200+ Wigeon, 50+ Teal and smaller numbers of Shoveler and Mallard. Grey Heron, Mute Swans, Coot and Moorhen also seen. Carrion Crow, Magpie, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Starling, Robin, Long-tailed, Great and Blue Tits, Wren and the sound of a Cettis was a welcome sound.
By the time I got to Turf it was raining and I had found out my waterproof coat wasn't very water proof?? Anyway plenty of waders on the edge of the tide, not going to give numbers as I couldn't honestly give it with all the movement but there was very large numbers of birds with Avocet, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Grey and Golden Plovers, Lapwing, Oystercatchers, Curlew, Redshank, Cormorant, Black-headed and Herring Gulls, Mallard, Shelduck and a single Snipe flew over. Also 5 Red-breasted Mergansers where the males were displaying-great site!
Making my way back to the car along the road in the rain, there was very few birds but as the rain eased off Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Long-tailed, Great and Blue Tits, Fieldfare, Redwing and Stonechat were around the hedges with Rooks, Carrion Crows and Jackdaws in the pasture looking for food. Large numbers of birds around the ponds and wet areas of the marsh with Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Black-tailed Godwits, Curlews, Redshank, Dunlin and Lapwing. Again large numbers of Canada Geese in this section with a few Mute Swans. Some of the fields had large gatherings of Pheasants especially between the Red Lion and the Railway Bridge, also saw a electric blue flash of a Kingfisher fly down the ditch. I didn't though see the American Wigeon as it had flown off somewhere.
Saw quite a few humans and plenty of birders and very nice they were too! It is great to be around such a happy bunch, more of it please!!
13 December 2015
Torbay Boat Trip
Another trip out into Torbay, this week though the weather was a lot better, very little wind and not raining!!
Paignton Harbour was full of water at 9am and the Turnstones were sat on all the boats and the Kingfisher was flying from perch to perch in search for breakfast.
Ashley the skipper took us out towards a couple of small fishing boats that were gutting fish and the boats were surrounded by 100+ gulls, lots of Great-black Backed and Herring Gulls with a few Gannets. We then went down towards Goodrington, 2 Peregrines in their usual roost with several pairs of Fulmar looking like they are already set up to nest? a bit early?
We saw quite a few Divers and Grebes with 5 Great-northern Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver flew behind the boat,11+ Great-crested Grebes, 6 Black-necked Grebes, 1 Slavonian Grebe and 3 small Grebes sp that we couldn't positively id. 4 Common Scooters around the Mussel Farm with plenty of Gulls around with Fulmar, Kittiwake, Herring, Black-headed, Great-black Backed Gulls, also 12+ Gannets, Cormorants, Shags, 12+ Grey Heron, Little Egret, Oystercatchers, 3 Razorbills and good numbers of Guillemots, 2 Ravens with Carrion Crow and Jackdaws also seen, 2 Mute Swans close to the beach and 4 Purple Sandpipers in Brixham Harbour with Turnstone, Rock Pipit and Pied Wagtails on the Harbour wall. At Berry Head we were lucky to see 2 Harbour Porpoise which sealed the day for me.
Had a really good morning with some lovely people.
Shame to hear some "Birders" criticising the boat trips because we are disrupting the birds? Today the Scooters were put up by a Gig and Grebes were put up by pleasure boats and a Trawler, do we here you complaining to them? Because pictures have been put on Devon Birds of birds flying it doesn't mean we have put them up! Have you not heard of "Cropping"? To me its just sour grapes from so called "Elite" Birders who want to keep it all to themselves!! Instead of complaining why don't you support someone local trying make a go of it! Rant over!
12 December 2015
Birding around Topsham
Not been to Topsham in a while so parked up at Darts Farm on a very blustery and dark afternoon and walked towards the cycle path. Plenty of xmas shoppers about but not that many birds with just Pied Wagtails, Rooks, Carrion Crows, Black-headed Gulls and House Sparrows to wet my appetite.
Down the cycle track found again a little sparse until you got out of the wind at the end of the track where it meets a road, too the left is a copse with Alder and these trees were full of birds with Bullfinch, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Robin, Blackbird, Treecreeper, Great, Spotted Woodpecker and Dunnock. Just a bit further on there was Magpie, House Sparrows, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crows.
The tide was out and there was Greenshank, Curlew, Redshank, Teal, Black-headed and Herring Gulls with plenty of Jackdaws over head.
At Goosemoor there was Mute Swan, 100+ Widgeon, 30+ Teal, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Redshank, Curlew, Cormorant and Carrion Crow on the mud with Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tits and 2 Goldcrests in the bushes.
Along the road there was Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Dunnock, Wren, Starling, Carrion Crows and Collard Doves on the wires, a lot of these birds were around the feeders by the hide enjoying the food put out for them.
Around the reserve there was good numbers of Widgeon as well as the visiting American Widgeon, Teal, Pintail, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Shelduck, 14 Greylag Geese, Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Moorhen, Coot, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwits, Stonechat, Jay, Magpies, Kestrel and a fly over Great-spotted Woodpecker.
There wasn't much on offer from the platform except a bit of quality with a Spotted Redshank to go with a couple of common Redshank and some Curlew.
The Avocets were putting on a show from the Goatwalk with Godwits, Curlew and Redshanks on view.
Met lots of humans out on this windy dark day but all seemed happy enough, must be xmas!!!
06 December 2015
Torbay Boat Trip
To be honest after such a stormy night I thought the trip would be cancelled but thankfully it went ahead. It was grey, overcast and raining so there was never going to be any award winning pictures but was hoping that the bad weather would bring in some quality birds.
Because of the weather we couldn't go to the north or venture the other side of Berry Head.
Out of Paignton Harbour and headed towards Brixham harbour via Broadsands and the Mussel Farm.
We passed the Peregrines in their normal place, both huddled up on a ledge trying to stay out of the wind.
Plenty of Gulls about with Great-black, Herring, Black-headed, Kittiwakes and Fulmars. Gannets also close in and coming over the boat. The usual Cormorants and Shags on the rocks with Oystercatchers, Turnstones, Carrion Crows, Little Egret, Grey Heron and Rock Pipits. One bird we didn't see was Purple Sandpiper? Not in the harbour at Brixham or on the sea wall so don't know ere they disappeared to?
On the water I counted 8 Great Northern Divers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 6 small Grebes which I thought were all Black-necked but others thought 1 was a Slav? I did see a small Grebe later that was a Slav closer to Broadsands. Also a small Auk flew by that brought some excitement that it was a Little Auk but waiting on the photographic evidence. Saw a few Guillemots and a couple of Razorbills, 7 Common Scooter were seen the sea would side of the Mussel Farm.
A good couple of hours out in pleasant company and looking forward to the next trip.
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