March of the Gulls: the Finale

 I dipped Steve Waite's Caspian Gull on Thursday. Oh well, the important thing is that we added another species to the Axe year-list and to this month's haul of goodies. I thought it unlikely that we'd get anything more but Cor Blimey Mate we finally got a Ring-billed Gull too! I arrived just in time to see it but no photos - if you want pics they're on Steve's Axe Birding blog - but was just happy to see one here. Now I need to find my own one! Talking of which, I did at least find my second Patch Slavonian Grebe on Friday off Seaton Hole. At first, I saw nothing there but decided to count the Great Crested Grebes. One, Two, Three, Four...Flipping Heck! A Summery Slav! Not in full sumplum yet but still very pleasing nonetheless. The last one I found was a late Autumn/Winter bird so different again. I'm short of new photos so I'll inflict my phonescoping efforts at recording the Slav upon you...                                                                                  

Slav Grebe Yes Really! ( Copyright TD Wright )

Slav Grebe Don't Laugh! ( Copyright TD Wright )

Slav Grebe Record Shot ( Copyright TD Wright )

Slav(ish) Grebe ( Copyright TD Wright )

For those of you who are really masochistic, I've got 2 brief pieces of video too!But I'll leave that for now. Worth mentioning are a couple of migrants- a lone redwing at Seaton Hole horse paddock on Saturday, Willow Warbler singing at Borrow Pit and best of all 3 Swallows passed through Seaton Marshes late on Sunday. I was actually looking at the Gulls which had gone up by the skatepark when they flew into view, my first of the year. I expected Sand Martins, but then saw massively long tail-streamers and Navy Blue upperparts as they headed towards the Estuary. March is a good month. The Grebe was still present yesterday apparently, so if Tim White or Sue Smith with her impressive new kit want to give it a try, we could do with some better 'portraits' of it please! End of post!                                  

Up North Contd.

Andy Capp Statue ( Copyright T D Wright )

Andy Capp Statue ( Copyright T D Wright )

Whilst you're up there, you can also say hello to a true Northern hero at Hartlepool headland! It's even good for birds; I've seen White-throated Robin and Arctic Warbler here, plus Snow Goose on a seawatch. It's excellent for Skuas and, if the timing is right, Little Auks. Anyway, the last post showed that Eastern Crowned Warbler has lemony-yellow undertail-coverts, as do these pics...                                                                                                             

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Above, we can see the contrasts of the dark crown and pale, greyish 'collar'; plus, the bright green wing feathers and the duller mantle.                                                               

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

The crown stripe is clearly absent from the forehead. What we need is a dorsal view...                               

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

And that's the best I could manage! Not a bad set of pix though, and what a cracking bird. I even got YB Warbler and LEO plus Siskins in the plantation. Well worth the drive.

It's Grand Up North!

As we're experiencing a stall in Spring migration just now, I thought I'd continue my retrospective look at 2014. Over the years, I've visited the North of England many times. I've stayed in Filey several times, Bridlington, Saltburn, Mablethorpe, Seaton Carew and Scarborough. I have to say the birding is often magnificent during the Autumn, and I've seen many rarities including Great Knot, Pechora Pipit, Ross's & Franklin's Gulls, Desert Warbler and Lesser Crested Tern to name but a few. The falls of commoner birds can also be spectacular, and seawatching often rewarding. It also has the advantage over Norfolk and the Northern isles of not being so expensive! Anyway, 2014 gave me a reason to head up the A19 once again.                                                

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Eastern Crowned Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

No dark tip to the underside of the lower mandible then! This beauty spent several days in the golf course plantation at Brotton. I know it's a long way from Devon but this species has only ever turned up in the Northeast (that you could go to see anyway) and I missed out on it before because I was working all weekend when the South Shields bird turned up a few years ago. This one was showing really well, and even a novice photographer like me could get some decent shots. More on next post!

Funny Gulls Contd.

Herring Gulls ( Copyright T D Wright )

Well, once you start 'stringing' it's hard to stop, so here are some more shots of gulls which have perplexed me a little this winter. The above shot is of the same gull I showed you on the last post. Below, I've added a possible argentatus which I didn't get flight views of so gave up on. It was considerably darker than the other Herrings,remaining so as it rotated 360 degrees whilst on the water. It seemed to have a lot of white at its wingtips but all the gulls were flushed and I lost it as I took my eye away from the scope, so that was the end of that! I just thought I'd post these pics in case they're of interest to any gull fanatics...                                                                          

Herring Gulls ( Copyright T D Wright )

Herring Gulls ( Copyright T D Wright )

Herring Gulls ( Copyright T D Wright )

Quiet Weekend

Short-eared Owl ( Copyright T D Wright )

Ok well we often get a flurry of migrants then a lull at this time of year, so given the unhelpful weather and Northerly winds it's not surprising that all I can think of to mention since the LRPs departed is a Black Redstart at Seaton Hole on Saturday and a First-winter to First -summer Med Gull from Tower Hide. Of course, I've seen some other wildlife- a Badger surprised me during lunchtime briefly today! Also, I've had a single Little Owl close to home which is nice. I'm not sure if the Short-eared Owl has left us now-there have been reports of them moving through migration watchpoints-but it was still present up to the 17th at least, so here's another couple of pics I didn't post before...

Short-eared Owl ( Copyright T D Wright )

Kingfisher ( Copyright T D Wright )

I've been saving this Kingfisher picture for just such a lull in proceedings. I've not posted one on the blog before and they're such a characteristic bird of the Axe & Coly that it's time I did. Another feature of my recent 'Patch' birding has been looking through the estuary gulls and wondering...    

Herring Gulls ( Copyright T D Wright )

Herring Gulls ( Copyright T D Wright )

Herring Gull ( Copyright T D Wright )

I think this is just a sub-adult argenteus Herring Gull. But when I look at pictures of proposed smithsonianus birds on the internet, I can't help thinking we ought to get one. This bird was paler grey than the accompanying gulls I first saw it with and had one helluva 'black eye' (technical terms!) and extensive hood. It also had some markings on the tertials but I think that's just because it's not quite matured yet. Its bill was longish and had a fairly slender base or shaft. A striking bird, but I suppose it's probably a 'local' going through its transitional period which is what made it stand out to me. One of these days I'll find a 'biggie' that's not an obvious 'white-winger', you mark my words!

Distant Dolphins

OK, I had another look at my shots of the St. Patrick's Day Bottlenose Dolphins and decided to post a couple, just for anyone who may have missed 'em.

Bottlenosed Dolphins ( Copyright T D Wright )

Bottlenosed Dolphins ( Copyright T D Wright )

Bottlenose Dolphins ( Copyright T D Wright )

Bottlenose Dolphins ( Copyright T D Wright )

OK, 4 is not a couple but I got carried away. No shots of them leaping clear of the water like on Steve's blog, but a memento nonetheless.

Birds From The Main Road

It's great when one can pull over by the side of a major road and see good birds, isn't it? The A3052 is a main East Devon artery, a bit like Route 66 - "You go down into Sidmouth, onto Newton Poppleford..." - that kind of thing. We are lucky over here by the Devon/Dorset border that it runs right alongside Bridge Marsh, which has afforded us views of various geese, several species of Egret, birds of prey...and even small waders. Nevertheless, the 2 Little Ringed Plovers that were present yesterday were not easy to pick up, being so small and distant and often obscured by vegetation. So, fair enough Steve Waite, you did well to find them, especially as I'd visited Seaton Marshes, A.E.Wetlands and Coly Common (inc. platform) and seen very little all day. A nice end to a pleasant day.                                                     

Little Ringed Plover ( Copyright T D Wright )

Little Ringed Plover ( Copyright T D Wright )

These 2 pictures are from last spring, as yesterday's 2 were 2 far away 2 photograph. But they were there, honest. Little Ringed Love It! C U soon. OK that's enough text-speak.

Branscombe Beauties

I've been to Branscombe twice this week. First on Monday, when I took these Firecrest pics. On Wednesday, I got some shots of the Yellow-browed but not as good as I wanted. The improved weather kept it up high, so I should've moved in for the 'kill' on dingy Monday. I saw it well enough along the fence on Monday, but it's another case of "I'll get it next time" stupidity on my part. I ought to learn from experience but don't seem to.Still, there are lots of Yellow-broweds turning up these days which is great. Are we actually witnessing a return migration, or are all of these Spring YBWs just overwintering birds which are still around? Any comments on this most welcome...

Firecrest ( Copyright T D Wright )

Firecrest ( Copyright T D Wright )

Firecrest ( Copyright T D Wright )

Firecrest ( Copyright T D Wright )

Firecrest ( Copyright T D Wright )

Yellow-browed Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Yellow-browed Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Yellow-browed Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Bit of crown stripe visible above.                                                                             

Yellow-browed Warbler ( Copyright T D Wright )

Chiffchaff ( Copyright T D Wright )

There were so many Chiffs flitting about it seemed rude not to post a picture of one...but can somebody teach me how to remove twigs from photos please?

Recent DSLR pics 12-17th March

White Wagtail ( Copyright T D Wright )

The mass arrival of Chiffchaffs is always welcome at this time of year, but this is my first DSLR Spring so I returned to the Borrow Pit with said encumbrance on Saturday having failed to phonescope them on Friday. I was especially hoping to see an Eastern type and hear it call as this is essential if you're going for Siberian. Although, according to Killian Mullarney, some abietinus Chiffs call like tristis, and some of them look very like tristis, so how can we ever be sure we've got one? I say this as a birder who has found Sibe Chiffchaff and had it accepted too! Is it because of the dark eye stripe? Possibly, but the whitish throat and underbelly are another possible factor. A complete lack of greeny-yellow tones on the breast , head and upperparts is also important. Finally, DNA analysis might be conclusive. Then again, it might not. Oh well, let's just enjoy them as Chiffchaffs...                                                                                 

Chiffchaff ( Copyright T D Wright )

Chiffchaff in mid-hweet ( Copyright T D Wright )

Chiffchaff ( Copyright T D Wright )

Chiffchaff ( Copyright T D Wright )

Chiffchaff ( Copyright T D Wright )

Chiffchaff ( Copyright T D Wright )

Chiffchaff ( Copyright T D Wright )

They were hovering over the water and picking off insects and spending more time in the reeds than the bushes. We ought to call our Spring arrivals Reed Chiffchaff, as it seems to be an annual phenomenon at Seaton Marshes, Axe Estuary Wetlands and Colyford Common. After snapping these at the Borrow pit on Saturday, I was seeing them in the Reedbed Loop on Sunday. On the way to the platform, I got the Wheatears and Stonechats again-this time with the DSLR.                                

Stonechat ( Copyright T D Wright )

Wheatear ( Copyright T D Wright )

Stonechat ( Copyright T D Wright )

Wheatear ( Copyright T D Wright )

Stonechat ( Copyright T D Wright )

Okay, to bring events up to date I 'll add that we've had Gadwall(pr) and Shoveler among the raft of Wigeon off Seaton. We also had 2 each of RB Merg. and GC Grebe fly East yesterday ( 17th ). But the best sighting was a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins which S.Waite picked up from Beer Head and which I later saw from Axe Cliff. I tried to photograph and film them but I don't have anything good enough to show you. The sea boiled with fish before they surfaced, leaping clear of the water at times. Terrific stuff. I saw them turn tail after a good feed and head back towards Beer. I believe I.Waite saw them again off Branscombe, where he was enjoying the YB Warbler and Firecrest (pics of those on next post) which Phil ( or Flabbot as he's sometimes called ) found on Saturday.Anyway, as I was walking back from my second Bottlenose experience ( the first being from Beer in November 2013-self-found yeah!) I ran into this old friend...                               

Short-eared Owl ( Copyright T D Wright )

Nice to know it's still with us! Add to this 6 Redwing at Seaton Cemetery and, well, not a bad day, eh?