Wheatears@Seaton Marshes

Wheatears, SM 30/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Wheatears, SM 30/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Wheatear, SM 30/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Wheatears, SM, 30/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

The track to SM hide was buzzing with at least 7 Wheatears last night. The evening Sun gave me a chance for a few photos...

Wheatear, SM 30/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Urban Dipper

Dipper, East Devon, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Dipper, East Devon, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

I could scarcely believe my eyes recently when I was walking past a stream in a nearby town and something hiding behind a post caught my eye. A Dipper! A first-winter bird I'd say and a welcome bit of wildlife when I least expected it. Fortunately, I had my camera too. Shame about the crisp packet I suppose but it does give the picture an urban feel! Litter-pick, anyone?

Dipper, East Devon, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Dipper, East  Devon, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Dipper, East Devon, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff at last!

I've just come from a brief visit to BHM where a juvenile Ruff was being watched by a couple of visitors. I phonescoped it and stuck a low-quality image of it on Twitter plus one of an adult Med Gull. The Cattle Egret was showing well as were the Yellow Wagtails. Several Greenshanks and Green Sandpipers about but nothing else notable. OK must dash - - - - Ah, that's better!

Beer Head Sunday 20th August

Wheatears, Beer Head, 20/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Wheatear, Beer Head, 20/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

All three 'Hirundinos' (as Gilbert White might've said), Beer Head, 20/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Garden Warbler, Beer Head 20/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Garden Warbler, Beer Head 20/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Willow Warbler, Beer Head 20/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

More Blackwit pics

Limosa Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Limosa Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Limosa Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Limosa Blackwits

'Limosa' Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

'Limosa' Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

'Limosa' Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

All this talk locally about islandica Blackwits has led me to look at them again as I believe we get both races on the Axe Estuary. By that I mean that the far eastern race melanuroides is very unlikely! This bird from Seaton Marshes hide had a broad bill-base, shallow forehead, long bill, long legs and generally seems a good candidate for Limosa, the race which breeds in the UK (about 200 pairs) but which can be outnumbered at times by the vast influx of islandica birds at this time of year. The juvenile islandicas are quite striking but the adults differ from Limosa by having a narrower bill-base, steeper forehead, shorter bill and shorter legs. I'm now ready to start checking just how many of each race we get on BHM and the Axe I hope! Unless we start to get a few more interesting species to distract me that is...

Seaton Marshes update

Whimbrel, SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Common Sandpiper, SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Whimbrel, SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Southern Hawker, SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Blackwit, SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

I visited BHM twice over the weekend but only had what's been around anyway - 3 Green Sands at dusk last night and 2 Greenshanks plus 9 Ringed Plover (no sign of LRP from Sat) and just 1 Cattle Egret. Today, then, I thought I'd give Seaton Marshes a go for 2 hours. Best birds were Whimbrel and 3 Common Sands but Willow Warblers are about too. Here's some snaps of other wildlife...

Gatekeeper, SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Southern Hawker, SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Southern Hawker,SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Blue-tailed Damselfly, SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Rattus Norvegicus (for all the Stranglers fans!), SM, 14/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Sunday Afternoon Birding

Cattle Egret, Axe Estuary, 05/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Cattle Egret, Axe Estuary, 05/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Cattle Egrets, Axe Estuary, 05/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Cattle Egret, Axe Estuary, 05/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Cattle Egret, Axe Estuary, 05/08/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

I finally managed to get down to BHM this weekend but couldn't add anything new to Steve Waite's monthly roundup. The 6 Goosander were on the estuary briefly Sunday evening and I posted video of them on Facebook. They flew off and I lost them but I expect they are still around. I had a single Yellow Wagtail by Island Hide before leaving and at least 2 Cattle Egrets were on BHM. Looking at different birds on Sat/Sun I'm sure there were 4 Cattle Egrets about as one had a black juvenile bill and the other 3 were a pair and a single which differed in the extent of black & yellow on their legs & bills. Anyhow, I'm sure we'll end up with more than 4 by the end of the Autumn. I could only manage 2 Green Sandpipers but the numbers of Common Sandpipers remain in double figures. Plenty of Dunlin still but only a single Ringed Plover at high tide so we await the next 'wave' of those. I'm not having any luck with these Wetlands Hobbies either but I've not had as much time to look for them lately as other things have been detracting from my birding time. What a nuisance!