watched from the hide 15:30 till 19:15
The highlight was a juv Merlin flying low over the marsh , 1 juv Curlew sandpiper eventually showed among 40+ dunlin, 2 adult spotted redshanks , 6+ Ruff ( included 3 new paler winter plumage birds continuing the good autumn passage ), 6+ snipe, 500+ black tailed godwits , 1 juv bar tailed godwits, 350+ curlew, 12+ whimbrel, 40+ wigeon, 24+ little egrets, 2 buzzards, 1 jay, 4 reed warblers , 1 sedge warbler , 20+ lapwing, 250+ redshank, 12+ greenshank, good numbers of teal.
a quick look from the viewing platform, gave good views of the juv curlew sandpiper after it flew out of bowling green marsh to the river clyst, 2 knot , 100+ oystercatchers, 6+ reed warblers.
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Bowling green marsh
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Sherford Cross, near Chillington
Hobby over cereal fields.
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Exton
Osprey off Exton Station at 1310hrs. It caught a small fish in a channel between the mudbanks and flew off towards Powderham Marshes.
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Bowling green marsh
watched from 15:30 till 18:00 from the hide
on arrival a spoonbill was showing well on the far side another good bird this week , 4 juv ruff, 3 spotted redshanks, 419+ curlew, 9+ bar tailed godwits, 550+ black tailed godwits, 12+ whimbrel, 76+ wigeon, 23+ pintail, 35+ dunlin, 5+ greenshank, 3 snipe, 1 sedge warbler, 3+ reed warblers, 12+ little egrets, 2 grey heron, 3 buzzards, 1 little grebe.
A quick look in goosemoor produced 25+ greenshanks.
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South Brent ~Hobby and others
The day started well with a Green Woodpecker being watched on a field post from the kitchen window.
The Hobby subject of previous posts has been in on three occasions that I know of, my wife tells me that she met three birders this afternoon who were looking for it, if they didn't catch up with it they can seek consolation from todays images.
On one visit it landed in a mature Ash tree very quickly being joined by a male Sparrow Hawk that lofted up into the canopy, female Sparrow Hawk gave a fly over in the morning, good number of Buzzards overhead during the afternoon including one very light individual that I did not recognise as a local bird.
Steady passage of small numbers of both Swallow and House Martin
Green Woodpeckers have been calling for most of the late afternoon.
Last night the resident Tawny owl showed very well on several occasions.
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Staddon Heights
A single Yellow Wagtail tonight and also a Peregrine over Oreston.
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Exmouth - Shelley & Mudbank
Off Shelley Beach at 0800, 14 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 40 Dark-bellied Brents.
Mudbank: 4 Pintail amongst large flock of Wigeon and Mallard
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Berry Head
Covered top of head early: 6 Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Chiffchaff.
Overhead: 2 Tree Pipit, 5 Meadow Pipit, 4 Grey Wagtail, 8 'alba' wagtails just 3 Siskin (heard only) we seem to missing out them here at BH!
Then seawatch 0730-0900: 10 Arctic Skua >S, 5 Balearic and 1 Manx Shearwater >N, 8 Mediterranean Gulls> S. Also a pod of 30+ Common Dolphin and 5+ Harbour Porpoise just off head.
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Bowling Green Marsh
Viewed over the morning outgoing tide 0915-1200Hrs.
Left of the viewing platform Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Water Rail amongst the large flock of waders mostly Redshank to the right of platform 8-Avocet, 3-Sandwich Terns and the Spoonbill dropped in and was feeding in the water channel near riversmeet house before flying up river and out of site and no sign from the goatwalk.
Video link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvCzX63QxHo
Yesterday at Cockwood railway steps on the incoming tide the Slavonian Grebe was nearby and Sandwich Terns diving in front the Warren bight area. From top of Dawlish earlier a few Gannets fishing around the bay.
Slavonian Grebe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOupEugjbj0
Sandwich Tern. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWIqiHqA-2M
Gannet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAzBlGfKNEo
Spoonbill BGM 10-9-2015
Avocet BGM Viewing Platform 11-9-2015
Slavonian Grebe Cockwood 10-9-2015
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East Soar
Still quiet here with highlights of Redstart, 2 Wheatears, 15 Alba Wagtails ( sev.Whites ), 6 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, 28 Siskins flying west through Starehole, 12 Yellowhammers & 110 Carrion Crows.
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Instow
Juv Mediterranean Gull and Grey Plover pick of the evening's birds north/east of the cricket club at Instow.
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Soar Mill Cove area
Good raptor day with juvenile Hobby, 2 Buzzards, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk seen. In addition, 6 Whitethroat, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 Chiffchaff, 7 Wheatears, 10 Yellowhammers, 2 Cirl Bunting. Stonechats everywhere in good numbers. Flock of 45+ Linnets. 50+ Swallows and 1 Sand Martin. 4 Ravens.
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croyde
working in croye ths wk aloud a bit of watching.On the beach maximum med count 6 on wednesday 2 ad,2sw,2fw.2 tree pipit possibly individuals as 2 days apart,100+ house martins on west side of baggy then over down end area most days,yellow wagtail this morning 11 sept,several willow warblers in hedges next to house above beach car park from where all sightings came from.
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Bowling green marsh
watched from the hide 15:30 till 19:00
Another good high tide with the spoonbill droping in then going to sleep , a big increase in most waders and wildfowl with 223+ wigeon and 36+ pintail of particular note, 5 adult spotted redshanks being a nice surprise, 755+ black tailed godwits included lots of juv's, 8 avocet highest count this autumn , 3 juv ruff, 4 knot , 30 dunlin , 370+ redshank, 4+ bar tailed godwits, 404+ curlew, 12+ greenshank, 165+ teal, 12+ whimbrel, 5+ yellow wagtail, constant stream of swallow , house Martin and sand martins South , peregrine, sparrowhawk and 3 buzzards, 8+ little egrets, 1 juv water rail and 4+ snipe.
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Slapton Ley
Two male red-crested pochards observed on Slapton Ley at approximately 14:00 on 11/09/15. Both show eclipse plumage.
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Lundy
Several updates posted on the Lundybirds blog, including news of 3 Ortolan Buntings found earlier today, 11th Sep: http://www.lundybirds.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/stop-press-3-ortolan-buntings.html
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Bowling green marsh
Watched from 07:30 till 11:45
The highlight of the morning was not one, not two , but 3 Ospreys all catching fish in a magical 20 mins after 10:05 from the viewing platform, all flew towards turf/ exminster.
the spoonbill again showed well from the hide with supporting cast of 4 adult spotted redshanks. 3 ruff, 1 juv curlew sandpiper ( later from the viewing platform as well ) 40+ dunlin, 1 avocet, 1 juv water rail, 4 snipe, 8 whimbrel, 300+ curlew, 700+ black tailed godwits, 2 bar tailed godwits, 1 kingfisher , 2 green sandpipers, 1 peregrine, 1 sparrowhawk , 2 buzzard, 12+ chiffchaff , 5 blackcaps , 2 knot, 10+ greenshank, 280+ redshank.
also from the viewing platform, 1 common tern, 3 knot, 1 nuthatch.
another great morning on the marsh.
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Berry Head
Sea watch between 06.50 and 11.10 hours produced good numbers of feeding Shearwaters largest raft held 60+. Difficult to assess total numbers due to circular movement but would estimate 200+ Manx and 20 Balearic. Also 16 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas, 6 alba and 2 Grey Wagtails east 32 swallows west and Hobby in/off and then east.
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Soar
Best birds of the day were a Yellow-browed Warbler which showed for a short time in East Soar williows at 09.40 (but we couldn't find it again) and a Turtle Dove nearby. Also: 4 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Wheatears, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, 5 Whitethroats, 14 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, c20 Swallows, 8 Siskins (over), Snipe and a Roe Deer.
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R.Caen
15.50 > 18.00
Plenty of interest on R.Caen until the dogs arrived & then nothing of interest at all!
66 Dunlin but not one Curlew Sandpiper amongst them.
2 Ringed Plover, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Linnets, 23 Pied Wagtails,2 Wheatear, 204 Black headed Gulls, 7 Med Gulls + 1 juvenile, 6 Common Gulls, 1 Little Egret & a Kestrel flying over towards Braunton Marshes.
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