Arctic Tern Pics 12/11/18

Arctic Tern , Seaton 12/11/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Arctic Tern + BH Gull, Seaton 12/11/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Arctic Tern, Seaton 12/11/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

I couldn't post these the other day but here's some of my Arctic Tern shots. This bird may have been present since the 6th as Mike Hill reported a 1st Winter tern on the estuary that day. He wasn't sure which 'Commic' it was though so it's great that Steve Waite caught up with it on Saturday (or another?!) as this is a rare treat around here. Sandwich, Common and even Black Tern are more common on the estuary than Arctic. I have seen Arctic on the Axe before but that bird wasn't such a stayer. It's great that a good number of locals got to enjoy and photograph this one. It's all about location sometimes, isn't it?

Dippers + Cattles

Dippers, Colyton November 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Cattle Egrets + Little Egret, Colyton 13/11/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

Cattle Egret, Colyton 13/11/18 (Copyright T D Wright)

I found time for a walk along the Coly today and although the Fieldfares weren't about I wasn't disappointed. A Green Woodpecker stopped me for a moment; then 2 Dippers flew in and performed beautifully on the rocks. One even quivered its wings at the other before they moved on. Out among the cows, a lone Cattle Egret took off to join 4 more which were heading back down to the wetlands. Exactly how many do we have?! It's double figures but possibly dozens!

Arctic Tern + Black Redstart

Just a quick update as I can't download pictures just now. The Arctic Tern is still present today - I saw it at lunchtime fly down the estuary and over the Yacht Club. It then joined the throng off Spot On for a while. At least one Black Redstart is still on the rocks toward Seaton Hole; I saw the stunning male today then turned back.
   On Saturday, I saw my first Fieldfares of the winter in Colyton then had 7 Cattle Egrets fly over Umborne Bridge. That's all I can do for now so good birding to you...

Great White

Great White, Sheep's Marsh, Seaton 29/10/2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

I was in town wondering if I had time to walk up to Seaton Marshes before getting my bus when Tamara made my mind up for me by sending out news of a Great White moving about the Axe. Before I got to the hide I saw it fly across to Sheep's Marsh where it showed briefly then disappeared from view. Four Cattle Egrets were about so a nice - if brief - visit before dark.

Catbird Flit

Grey Catbird, Cornwall, October 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Grey Catbird, Cornwall, October 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Thanks to Charmouth Birder (who's not really a twitcher) I managed a very brief visit to Cornwall as I wanted to see at least one of the many rares that have visited Britain this Autumn. It eventually showed very well and I grabbed some pics before we made the most of our day by visiting PG and Hayle to boost our trip-meter. Shame I can't find time for a week down there but those days will return soon I hope. Here's a couple more snaps...

Grey Catbird, Cornwall, October 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Catbird Cornwall Oct' 18 ( Copyright TDW)

Catbird Cornwall 10/18 (Copyright TDW)

Kite, Clouded Yellow & Egrets

      On Monday, I got a surprise from Seafield Gardens, Seaton looking North when a wheeling Red Kite drifted West at lunchtime. Earlier, I'd seen a Clouded Yellow butterfly along West Walk so not a bad non-birding day again!
      Over the weekend, four Cattle Egrets were about on the estuary as were three Greenshanks still. Sorry I can't supply photos but the computer's not allowing that. I've finally been offered a lift to Cornwall so I may see the Catbird after all!

The Portland Principle

Shag, Portland, 04/10/2018 (Copyright T D Wright )

Bonxie, Portland, 04/10/2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Hoopoe, Portland, October 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Having failed to spot anything new on patch recently (despite rumours of Whooper Swan, Marsh Harrier and Long-billed Dowitcher!) I accepted the kind offer of a lift to Portland (from @CharmouthBirder) based on the principle that I would at least see some different species for a change. This we certainly did, including a couple of rares and some goodies at nearby Lodmoor to boot. (We didn't boot them, in fact no flushing was necessary). The highlight for me though was a relatively 'common' species - the Great Skua or Bonxie - which I rarely see from Seaton. It was Richard who picked it up but it came closer & closer in order to exploit one of those close-in fishing vessels which seem to be tacking a fine line between Portland Bill & the Portland Race. A cluster of gulls were feeding around this boat including a Great Black-back which must have been as gutted as the fish being thrown to it when the Bonxie robbed it of a beakful. Tremendous entertainment. A few auks and Common Scoters plus Kittiwake passing by kept us amused too.
    We also witnessed a bit of a Chiffchaff fall around the bill, with very meagre bits of cover holding absurd numbers of birds. Wheatears,Stonechats,Wagtails, Skylarks and Mipits were about plus a lone Spotted Flycatcher which performed nicely near the Obs. A Clouded Yellow butterfly flew through my bins as we looked at the Linnet flock. Further up the island, we enjoyed brief views of Turtle Dove and prolonged views of Hoopoe.
     At Lodmoor, 2 Great White Egrets were mobile and conspicuous. The Grey Phalarope showed well if distantly. A Hobby gave us a terrific flying display and a Marsh Harrier flushed most of the waders although we couldn't see the Yellowlegs among them. All-in-all a good visit to an area I don't get to so often nowadays. Pure Portland Pleasures...

Marsh Harrier, Lodmoor, October 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Marsh Harrier, Lodmoor, October 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)

Med Gulls, Lodmoor, October 2018 (Copyright T D Wright)