Thursday 27 November 2014

Tuesday 25 November 2014

More Seaton sightings

One Lonely Avocet-perhaps it's Dyslexic? This is the Axe, you want the Exe old chum!
Just Redshanks for company here...

On Saturday I briefly had these 4 Goosander on the Axe estuary before they flew upriver and out of sight. We've done particularly well for this species lately-sightings have increased both last year and this.Ian Mc had 7 a couple of weeks ago which makes my 4 less impressive than they would have been in the past but I was pleased to get some reward for checking the estuary as it can often be a case of 'nothing to report' at this time of year. We've had more Common, Mediterranean and Black-backed Gulls recently though so it was no surprise when SW found an adult YL Gull which I also caught up with. I also found one earlier in the Autumn but it wasn't as 'stonking' as this one.
It's funny how Yellow-leggeds look much darker in Devon than they do in Greece. The ones on Lesvos must have been bleached-out by the intense Mediterranean Sun in May. Even so,look how pale the Common gull appears in this photograph. I thought the YL could almost be a graellsii Lesser BB! Perhaps the East Mediterranean population is slightly paler than the Western/Northern ones we get? I'll see if I can find out. 

Seaton Sightings

Just some pics of late autumn/early winter migrants I've snapped this November. To start with,a Black Redstart at an undisclosed site in the Seaton 'patch' area. Thanks to KH for texting these out.
I think this one may be a first-winter male,although from what I can gather in various texts it could also be a 2nd winter as they vary a great deal as immatures.

Tuesday 18 November 2014

late tern

This tern was on the Axe estuary on Thursday 13th November. As terns are very rare on the Axe I'm posting these pics but I think it's a Common.If any of you want to tell me where I went wrong I'd be glad to hear from you.Its secondaries were quite messy as it was storm-driven and in moult...

Common Tern or No?


Thursday 6 November 2014

first post

OK I'm trying to publish photos again.Here's a Hornet I snapped at Colyford this September.This blog will mainly feature birds but this is an e.g. of other wildlife I hope to include.