Cattle Egret at Dusk

I had a Cattle Egret from the gate by the tramline level crossing near the White Hart

pub at dusk on Sunday. My tweeted picture has already wrinkled a few noses, therefore I'm leaving this blog post as text-only for non-twitter folks!

Portu-geezers

Marine Hydrozoan Siphonophore, Seaton Beach, 21/10/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Portuguese Man-O'-War, Seaton Beach, 21/10/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Thanks to a Brianstorming Session on Saturday, I finally connected with a beached flotilla of Blue bottles. It's also worth noting that lots of storm-driven detritus covered the high-tide strandline. Cuttlefish, Dogfish and various seaweeds torn up by the roots were testament to Brian's power....

Cuttlefish, Seaton Beach, 21/10/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Seaton Beach, 21/10/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Cuttlefish, Seaton Beach, 21/10/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Portuguese Man-O'-War, Seaton, 21/10/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Look at the tentacles leading away from this one (above)...be careful out there folks!

From Seaton beach, 21/10/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Quick Update

I've not had much time - or much luck - for birding this week. Today, I managed a quick walk along Seaton beach but all the Portuguese Men O' War (hope useaproperplural finds that acceptable!) were gone so too late for me to add to the vast array of photographs of 'em. Still, I did see a Wheatear on the beach and the Bar-tailed Godwit was flying around the bay with its Oystercatcher mates before returning to the estuary.
                                      I've not connected with the Firecrest & Hawfinch influx yet but I'm trying to find them around Colyton ... which could take a while. Last night, I walked back from the bus stop in the dark and could hear Redwing-like calls overhead. Shame I couldn't see if they were Starlings or other thrush species mimicking them. A sonograph would help but I don't carry that sort of equipment around with me! Happy birding everyone 😈😊 !

For Non-Twitterers

Just so those of you who don't get my tweets can catch up with anything of note really. Yes, I have had complaints! An adult Yellow-legged Gull found by IMc on Saturday 7th Oct. was my only reward from Tower hide, although people had earlier seen Cattle Egret (at Seaton marshes today) and a Bittern drop into the reeds 'opposite' Tower. We still had a couple of waders about but many have moved on. 5 Dunlin looked suspiciously like alpina birds. One each of Little Stint, Greenshank and Ruff was all I could muster besides the Blackwits, Curlews and Oyks plus the increasing numbers of Lapwing and Redshank. A Marsh Harrier eluded me but was well seen by other locals and photographed by Sue Smith I believe. I checked Colyton Wastewater Treatment Works Sunday but only had Browncap, Chiffchaffs & Goldcrests there. A couple of Stonechat along Cownhayne was an improvement on nothing...oh and Siskins are about so  'listen up' too! Redwings very soon I reckon...

Black Hole Extra

Grey Wagtail, BHM, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Grey Wagtail, BHM, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Amongst all the Yellow, Pied and White wagtails we've also had quite a few Greys about. Some of them may be from further afield than our own Axe & Coly birds. This 1st Winter was by the Island hide on BHM. We've also had more than one Curlew Sandpiper but not always together. One of them seemed to have 'palled up' with a Dunlin yet we had 2 together one evening. Possibly 3 in total?

Curlew Sandpiper, BHM, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Curlew Sandpiper, BHM, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

The Ruff, or Reeve in this case, must be a female as she seems unimpressed with the Redshank's antics...

Ruff & Redshank, BHM, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff & Redshank, BHM, Sept.'17(Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff & Redshank, BHM, Sept. '17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff & Redshank, BHM, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

And finally, a nod to the humble Dunlin. We've had lots of variety with schinzii & alpina plus some odd-looking ones. They're easy to overlook, dotted about the marsh like this. But 'The Hole' wouldn't be the same without them...

Dunlin, BHM, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff Stuff & Phals

Heron Gang, BHM, 23/09/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

That Grey Phalarope, BHM, 23/09/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

The Grey Herons seem to be roaming around in groups of six or more just now. Must be adolescents. As for our Phalarope friend, it seems quite settled...

Grey Phalarope by Walkway, BHM, 23/09/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Grey Phalarope, BHM, 23/09/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

If you thought it was a black-and-white bird, its legs provide a bit of colour now and again. Anyway, I ventured up to Colyford Common where it's not just those Blackwits that have been feeding near the boardwalk...

Ruff, Coly Common, 23/09/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff, Coly Common, Sept. '17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff, Coly Common, Sept. '17 (Copyright T D Wright)

They came even closer when I sat down on the boardwalk to photograph them. Seemed quite curious...

Ruff, Coly Common, 23/09/2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff, Coly Common, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

But carried on feeding...

Ruff, C.C., Sep. 17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff, Coly Common, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

And preening. There were 2 males and a female but they seemed to be getting along as a trio...

Ruff, Coly Common, Sept. '17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruffs & Reeve, Coly Common, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruffs & Reeve, Coly Common, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

A little stretching was required.

Ruff, Coly Common, Sept. '17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruffs x3, Coly Common, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Then they waved goodbye! But what a show it was...

Ruff, Coly Common, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Ruff & Reeve, Coly Common, Sept.'17 (Copyright T D Wright)

Last night I realised they were still at Coly Common but there were 2 new ones on BHM. Eventually, all 5 got together on the estuary before flying North. Maybe back to Coly Common? Otherwise, there was still a Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Little Stints and several Yellow Wagtails at Black Hole.

Grey Phalarope

1st Winter Grey Phalarope, BHM, 20/09/17 (Copyright T D Wright)

👍 Yeah! Having not seen a Grey Phalarope on BHM due to absenteeism back in 2010, I wasted no time responding to Phil Abbot's find last night, even though I had been off volunteering for the RSPB and was on the bus home, thinking "There's not enough daylight left to go birding". I missed my stop and told the driver to drop me off in Colyford which meant I had to leg it down the cycle path to see one eighth of what I might have seen at Abbotsbury recently. Amazing what patch birders will do for a species they could easily see elsewhere, isn't it?! I got completely soaked (again!) and had to walk home in the dark but it was well worth it. Even though all my photographic attempts were defeated by poor conditions I had to inflict at least one image of the cheeky little chap upon you (male or female? Dunno! ) which, like most of our Grey Phals, was a first-winter bird. OK, now for Red-necked...👴