Axe Estuary Wetlands

About 15 of us attended a meeting of the East Devon Birders at the Axe Estuary Wetlands today. Although the weather was a bit gloomy & chilly at first, we did have a bit of sunshine for a minute or two & more importantly, no rain. There was also a meeting of another birding group from Taunton, so we set off to start at Colyford Common so that we wouldn't be fighting for space.

Heading for Colyford Common. 

The group split into 2, half of us went to the platform & half to the hide. The birds were a bit thin on the ground, but I did get a 'first' for a birding trip. A bit of advice for anyone that lives next to a bird reserve….don't get out of the bath/ shower & stand in front of the French windows to dry off! I didn't manage to find the bird that had just landed in the top of a tree, but saw rather more than I wanted to in the house behind! We then swapped places & went to the hide where we saw a Green Sandpiper, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing & Stonechat.

Outside the hide at Colyford Common

We couldn't see the other half of the group at the platform, so assumed they'd headed back towards the information centre without us. However, when we got there & looked back towards Colyford Common, we discovered that they had in fact been in the reed beds & it was us that had left them behind! We added Snipe to the list,  made use of the excellent new toilet facilities, passed the Taunton group that was now heading for the Common & headed to Black Hole Marsh. Again, it was very quiet. There were a few Swallows & a Buzzard overhead, one Ruff, one Dunlin, some Oystercatchers, Lapwing & Teal.

The platform at Black Hole Marsh

After a spell in the Island Hide, lunch called & we headed back to the car park. About half of us then went back to the Tower Hide, where there was a bit more action. Several Water Rails made fleeting appearances, or one was moving about a lot! There was a nice Grey Plover, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Wigeon, Little Grebe & a very obliging Kingfisher. There were also lots of gulls on the estuary, mostly Black-headed, with a few Great Black-backed & a Med.

The Axe from the Tower Hide

I finished with 52 species for the day, plus a possible Cetti's Warbler in the reeds on the way back to the car park. A very pleasant day.

Must try harder.....

I've been a bit lax in the birding department lately.....too many other things going on! I really must try & get out more.

I'm not really Year Listing this year, as evidenced by the fact that I'm on a measly 146. However, Libby is trying for a good list, and is rapidly approaching 200.  It's been fun joining her as she adds a few to her list, including the Caspian Tern, Temminck's Stint & Spotted Crake around the Exe. We've also been over to Black Hole Marsh a couple of times, the latest being on Friday in search of the Little Crake, which unfortunately failed to materialise. However, we went away quite happy with our Little Stint & Curlew Sandpiper. I don't think the chaps from Stoke & Leicester were quite as happy!

The Little Crake hunt at Black Hole Marsh.

I tried out the new hide at Bowling Green Marsh yesterday afternoon & saw my first Osprey of the year. It seems a bit odd to build a nice new hide & then make a large part of it virtually unusable for birders by fitting full height glass which isn't of sufficient quality to use bins or scope through. However, apparently that section may be locked up & used as a classroom anyway....what a waste!

Beer Head & Black Hole Marsh

Yesterday I went along to the Devon Birds meeting at Beer Head. There were about 17 of us, and we were led on the walk by Steve Waite, local patch birder & Devon Bird Recorder. Steve also writes a blog about birding on the Axe, which I read regularly (http://stevesbirdingblog.blogspot.co.uk) so it was nice to actually meet him.

The forecast was for heavy rain showers and for once they actually seem to have got it right! However, between showers we saw quite a nice variety of birds including quite a large flock of lovely Yellow Wagtails, Wheatears, Whinchats, and a Redstart - which I missed, unfortunately. I suspect that Steve would have found more birds without us, as we make quite a lot of noise...we're quite a sociable bunch & tend to natter as we wander!

One minute we were watching a juvenile Green Woodpecker...

....the next we were taking cover from the rain

There goes the culprit

What a fantastic place for a walk; birds are a bonus!

More rain approaches, head for the trees!

Watching Whinchats & Wheatears

The meeting finished at lunchtime, but 6 of us went on to Black Hole Marsh. We added 24 species to the day list including Green & Common Sandpipers, Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit & Kingfisher. We spent quite a while watching a small & distant wader on the river which we thought at first was a Curlew Sandpiper. However, after much head scratching & consulting of the Collins we decided it was probably just a lonely Dunlin. It's a shame Steve wasn't still with us as undoubtedly he would have  been able to ID it in a flash!

Low water levels at the Marsh

Colin had a visitor in the hide....I think it may be a Speckled Bush Cricket but I'm happy to be corrected!

When we'd first entered the hide, a couple of people had just been treated to fantastic views of a juvenile cuckoo sitting on nearby fence poles. Apparently it had been feeding in the grass & flying up when disturbed by passing trams. After about an hour we'd practically given up hope of seeing it when a bird flew in from across the river & landed on a post. Bingo! I still haven't got the hang of digiscoping but I managed a record shot!

The cuckoo finally put in an appearance

It was worth the wait!

Another very enjoyable day out with the Devon Birders.

The Axe Estuary

Last Thursday (24th) I went to my first DBWPS meeting of the year at Seaton. We met up by the bridge & went in search of the Black Redstart that's been frequenting the yacht club & front. It wasn't long before it was sighted & we all had a good look as it hopped along the drives & walls of the houses along the front. Out to sea was a Red-throated Diver which spent most of its time under water.

We then walked up the estuary to Coronation Corner. We were quite a large group so it was pretty cosy!

Playing sardines on the platform; David & Wally formed a breakaway group!

We added quite a few birds to the list including Black & Bar-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, Lesser & Great Black-backed Gulls & Common Gull.

Then lunch in the car park at Black Hole Marsh before visiting the Tower Hide, where we added a rather nice Med Gull to the list. As a couple of us lagging behind passed the viewing platform near the field studies centre, a wader flew off which we managed to identify it as a Green Sandpiper. We all had a better look on the way back when we found it lurking in the far corner.

Snowy hills from the Tower Hide

Work was in full swing by the field studies centre where they're building a new & rather impressive looking Sand Martin & bat wall. We were also impressed by the new artwork inside the centre.

Sand Martin/ bat wall under construction

Admiring some of the art work

A slightly smaller group of us continued on to the hide at Colyford Common, where we added Greylag Goose to the list. It wasn't until later when I read some of the local blogs that I discovered that this is actually quite a good bird for the Axe. We also added Rock Pipit, Stonechat & Golden Plover to the list.

It was all a bit boggy & slippery underfoot. This was evidenced by Ian who ended up head first in a ditch! Luckily he was uninjured, as were his optics....although he did have a soggy bottom!

 Bob helps Ian out of the ditch whilst Jonathan takes care of the scope

In the car park as we were getting ready to leave we saw an impressive flock of about 1000 Golden Plover flying above the estuary. A good way to end the day.

As usual, it had been an enjoyable trip. I ended up with 50 species on my list, and I missed a few, including a Peregrine & a Sparrowhawk.

Last year this was my inaugural trip with the Devon Birders Group. It's useful to visit new places with people who know the area...I'm sure there were quite a few birds on my 2012 list that wouldn't have been there  if I hadn't joined up.  And, more importantly, the trips are always a good day out with a very friendly bunch!

Bewick's Swans

I was planning to go Woodcock hunting this afternoon, but then just after lunch I checked Birdguides and found that there were 2 Bewick's Swans at Axmouth. Birdguides showed them as being opposite Axmouth Football Club, which I couldn't find at first, but as soon as I did the swans were easy. 

The Bewick's Swans are the right hand tiny white dots beyond the pool

My usual bad digiscoped shot

I then went to the Tower Hide on Black Hole Marsh until the light went. I had a good chat with a local birder in the hide, but didn't find any particularly interesting birds. I even checked the gulls!

Year List now on 218

Two ticks & a DBWPS trip

On Sunday, after spending my 3rd morning in Mudbank Lane looking for the Scaup, I checked Birdguides to find that it was at at Bowling Green Marsh. I jumped in the van  and headed straight over there. At first the hide was full due to an RSPB event, but I managed to get a distant & not very satisfactory view of the Scaup. I went for a wander up to the platform & Goatwalk before returning to the hide to find it nice and quiet with just one birder sketching a wigeon. I found a duck which I thought was the Scaup over the far side of the pond & the other chap agreed. He turned out to be very knowledgeable & helpful, and when the Scaup obligingly swam up the channel towards the hide he pointed out the features that distinguish if form a Tufted Duck, including the small patch of grey on its back that identified it as a 1st winter male.

The Scaup swam up the channel towards the hide giving us an excellent view

On Monday I went in search of Seaton's Cattle Egret which had just reappeared on Birdguides after not being mentioned for a while. I parked at the cemetery at Black Hole Marsh & walked to Colyford Common LNR where it had been reported, wishing I'd worn wellies. From the hide I saw a couple of egrets in a cow field by the A3052, and although they were a long way off and partly obscured by vegetation, I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of the Cattle Egret's distinctive yellow bill. I walked around to the road and had a better, but still not great, view from the platform of the Colyford Tramway.

It 's the minute white spot above the far right fence post!

I had the Canon with me so at least you can see what it is.

The Egret then walked behind the hedge so I continued along the road hoping for a better view. The bird was nowhere to be seen, but I did bump into Karen of  'Wild Wings & Wanderings' (http://karenwoolley.blogspot.co.uk). I've been enjoying her blog for ages, so it was really nice to actually meet her. The Cattle Egret was out of view for ages but then reappeared, flying across the field with a Little Egret to mix with the cows. Karen got much better photos by digiscoping than I could manage with the Canon & she gave me a quick lesson. I gave it a try but I obviously need to practice as I couldn't even get the Egret in the view screen!

Synchronised nibbling

Karen in action...

Yesterday there was a DBWPS meeting at Roadford Lake, which is West of Dartmoor & not far from Cornwall. It's actually a large reservoir, the only non-acidic 'mud-bottomed' reservoir in Devon, or at least it was when my 'Where to Watch Birds' book was written. I'd never been before so it was nice to explore somewhere new. We met at the dam car park but then drove to the reserve area at the  North end of the reservoir. We started off in the hide near the Southweek Viaduct. There was virtually no 'edge' due to very high water levels, so the only waders we found were 2 Snipe, along with a couple of Wigeon, Tufted Ducks & Great Crested Grebes. We then walked to Toft where we found 3 female Goldneye, my first of the season, as were the Fieldfares which flew over in several large flocks. We found another female Goldeneye on our way back across the viaduct. After lunch it started to rain so we just had a short walk in the woods South of the hide where we added Lesser Redpoll & Siskin to the list. That took my total for the day to 42 species, although unfortunately despite our best efforts, that didn't include a Willow Tit.

View from the dam end....the reserve area is at the other end.

View across the Southweek inlet (DBWPS hide just visible on the water's edge)

Year list total now on 207.

Seaton Sandpipers

I'd seen photos of the Wood Sandpiper at Black Hole Marsh in Seaton, & as it looked so nice & I've never seen one in the UK, I drove over to the Axe yesterday to see if it was still there. I bumped into one of the ladies from the DBWPS in the car park, so we set off together in search of the wader. It didn't take long. At the start of the walkway up to the Island Hide we looked through the screen & there it was! Great! There was also a Common Sandpiper & a Green Sandpiper, although that was too far off for a photo.

Wood Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Whilst watching the sandpipers from the Island Hide, a horrible screaming suddenly started from just outside the hide on the ramp. It turned out to be a battle to the death between a young rabbit & a stoat. It was pretty horrible, but I guess that's nature. The worst thing was that the stoat then ran off & left the rabbit's body behind, although I don't know if it went back for it later.

Stoat v bunny

The Island Hide, the rabbit & stoat had run a long way up the ramp

There were quite a few gulls on the Axe & as there have been a few juvenile Yellow Legged Gulls about, I did have a look. However, I know that probably the only way I'll recognise one is if it taps me on the shoulder & introduces itself, so I didn't spend too much time there.

I paid a quick visit to Seaton Marsh as well, a bit further downstream, although there wasn't too much activity there apart from loads of Redshanks on the estuary mud & the trams.

No wonder they look bored, not a pair of bins in sight!

Year List now on 198 + 2 sub-species

The Axe Estuary

Yesterday (Friday) I attended my first Devon Bird Watching & Preservation Society meeting. We met in the lay by near to the bridge by the harbour. There were about 20 people there & luckily they were a nice friendly bunch.

We started off with a spot of sea watching. It was fairly quiet, but there were a few Great-crested Grebe, a distant Red-throated Diver & equally distant Fulmar over by Seaton Hole. I particularly liked the Fulmar as I needed that for my Year List.

Next stop was the bridge where we had a rather nice view of a Kingfisher sitting on a pole in the sunshine. There were a few ducks & distant waders but nothing too exciting. Then off to Black Hole Marsh where there's a nice new car park beside the cemetery. I came to the marsh once before, back in October 2010 when I came for the Solitary Sandpiper. Since then there has been a lot of work done, with the addition of nice new paths & hides. We walked North and had a look at the new field study centre & hide before continuing on to the hide & viewing platform at Colyford Common. There are several pools, lots of marsh & grassland, as well as the estuary itself.

Colyford Common from the viewing platform

The group looking for an elusive Bullfinch

Sandwiches in the car park, then back to the Tower Hide which gives good views across the estuary. The estuary that was covered in gulls, deep joy! I was hoping for a Mediterranean Gull, and having been watching the blog of an Axe Estuary local, I knew there should be some about. So, time for some serious scanning. There were a few Lesser Back-backed Gulls which I needed for the Year List, so that spurred me on to inspect the masses of Black-headed Gulls in search of a Med.

Dave, one of the group experts found one! Great. I was sitting beside him at the time & got to have a look down his scope. Despite several attempts at following his directions, I just couldn't see it behind the 2 Herring Gulls.....I think there was a queue waiting for a look, so I'm sure I wasn't very popular, especially when the flock flew! Not a good start at my first meeting!

View from the Tower Hide. The Med Gull is out there somewhere!

I was determined not to give up, so kept scanning. Gull blindness was setting in when Alan said he thought he may have one. I homed in with Carl (Zeiss....my scope) & sure enough even I could see this one. It was coming into its Summer plumage so had a nice black head, its bill was much more orange than the Black-headed Gulls, & those primaries were just so white! Lovely! I definitely needed that one for the list. Luckily everyone got to have a good look at it in Carl, so hopefully I redeemed myself!

That was it for the meeting, but it was still fairly early so I thought I'd try out another site before heading home. I was going to head for Seaton Hole but then found that a few of the chaps were heading to Seaton Marsh, another section of the West bank of the Axe just South of the section we'd already done. I tagged along & got a few extra species for the day.



When we finished there, it wasn't quite dark so I paid another quick visit to the bridge & sea front, after all you just never know........

I enjoyed my day's birding. Its a great area to explore & it made a pleasant change not to be by myself. And the 3 Year List birds helped too!