Beastly Birding

Golden Plovers & Lapwing, Stedcombe field 28/02/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

I didn't want to spend too long out in the biting wind today but thought I'd take a look by the tramsheds as they're quite sheltered. A Chiffchaff was desperately searching for food among the paving slabs outside Tesco's which is often a result of freezing NE winds around here. By the Sheds, I bumped into IM who gave me a lift up the road to where SW had clocked 184 Golden Plover in Stedcombe field which is also associated with hard weather round here. On the way back down, I saw a plover species by the tramsheds which IM got his scope on and confirmed to be a Grey Plover which is the first one of those we've had for a little while. Tomorrow should be interesting...

Golden Plovers & Lapwings, Stedcombe field, 28/02/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Hawfinch, Colyton Church, 28/02/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Oh, and the Hawfinches have made it to the end of February! Must tick them for March tomorrow...

Caspian Gull

Caspian Gull, Axe Estuary, 26/02/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Thanks to Steve Waite for alerting me that one of at least 2 Caspian Gulls on the Axe this winter was loitering by the tramsheds. I wandered from the straight and narrow long enough to scan for and pinpoint the bird and grab some pictures. I have to say it's a bit underwhelming even for a Caspian Gull but I couldn't see anything better about! Why so many cripplers in Dorset and not much here? Anyone got an empty seat in their car and heading for Radipole?! Also around on Sunday was a Marsh Harrier still which I also took some record shots of.

Common Sandpiper, Axe Estuary, February 2018 (Copyright TDW)

Glossy Ibis, Seaton Marshes, Feb.2018 (Copyright TDW)

Caspian 1stW, Axe Estuary, 26/02/18 (Copyright TDW)

Caspian Gull 1stW, Axe Estuary, 26/02/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Marsh Harrier, Colyford Common LNR, 25/02/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Marsh Harrier, Axe Estuary, 25/02/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Seaton Marshes update.

A brief visit to SM hide today showed that the Common Sandpiper was still present as were 5 Shoveler. Then the 1stW Caspian Gull visited Sheep's Marsh before flying to the estuary. A couple of visitors said they'd seen a Marsh Harrier earlier from Tower hide also.

Seaton Sunday Sightings

Just for non-twitter dudes, I saw the first-winter Marsh Harrier on Sunday afternoon from Tower Hide, and there may still be 2 around as other people have posted pictures of a different-looking bird. I also saw the Glossy Ibis from Tower on BHM late on where a redhead Goosander was also present.

XTDN .20-10-2013 Revisited

I've been asked for images of a gull I reported back in October 2013. All I have are these 2 video clips on my old phone. The green ring read XTDN so I sent the details off and got a letter from the Hiddensee Ringing Group in Germany. The bird was ringed as a nestling in June 2013 at REDDERN, which is close to Dresden and the Polish border. From what I could see on the maps available to me there is a huge lake at this location which must contain a gull colony. The paperwork was perplexing as the ringers seemed to have recorded the bird as belonging to Herring Gull "group" i.e. argentatus/cachinnans/michahellis. This suggested to me that they were 'lumping' Herring,Yellow-legged and Caspian Gull together, or that the young bird was non-identifiable to species. As you can see in this video (I hope) the first-winter plumage was still quite challenging for Ian MacLean (he joined me to look at the bird if I remember correctly) and myself. I noticed an adult bird nearby which briefly features in the video and may have been a YL or even a hybrid. The temptation was to see XTDN as a YL but its head & bill look more Caspish,although surely (as I thought) far too 'dirty' for 1stW Casp? I even wondered if it was a LBB! I left it up in the air and hoped that the ringing details might clear that up,which of course they didn't.Typical! Anyway, it may be that I found a Caspian but wasn't confident enough to claim it. If these clips are enough to convince anyone all well and good. Otherwise, I'll stick with my original plan to 'put it down to experience'...

Colyton,Colyford & Seaton News Update

Just to bring the blog up to date I had 12 Hawfinch today at Colyton Church before getting the bus and a Cattle Egret flew over Colyton on Friday 2nd. Possibly the same CE was visible from Tower hide on Sunday 4th, as were 2 Goosander, a Greenshank and a 1stW Med Gull.
       On Tuesday, a real pipit-fest at Coly Common with 8 Water, 4 Rock and 20 Meadow from the boardwalk. From Tower hide 3 adult Med Gulls brightened up the estuary.

Hawfinch (Alternative View!), Colyton, 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

       Today (Weds.7th) I managed to see the Glossy Ibis on Sheep's Marsh but nothing exceptional otherwise. 4 Shoveler on the lagoon and 5 Great Crested Grebe on the sea were next best sightings. Stonechats on Coly Common and on the Seaton Marshes fence got me thinking about the Wheatears that will be joining them in a few weeks...roll on Spring!

Water Pipit, Colyford, 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)