Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Black-throated Diver


Black-throated Diver quite close offshore past the lifeboat station. I can probably count on one hand the number of BtDs Ive seen in Exmouth (though I suspect a number of 'diver sp' over the years have been this species)  so I was dead chuffed with today's bird.

I looked at the sea from the raised beach huts for the first hour after dawn. A Black-throated Diver was the highlight. Several Gannets plus small numbers of auks and Kittiwakes passed along with 1 Red-breasted Merganser, 1 Red-throated Diver, 2 diver sp and 2 Great Northern Divers.
Mudbank - c60+ Mallard, c200+ Pintail, 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 9+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 Peregrine amongst the usual other bits and bobs.
At West Lodge - 1 Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaffs and a Stonechat.
Maer long-stay carpark - 1 Siskin and 3 Chiffchaffs.
A short Blackhill Quarry dog-walk, late yesterday afternoon, produced 2 very vocal Firecrests (Frying Pans carpark), 2 redhead Goosanders, 1 Little Grebe and a drake Tufted Duck.


Not sure what to make of this. Hybrid Wigeon x Pintail? If so, it seems hard to believe it's the regular returning bird but I guess a move out of September eclipse plumage (to more Wigeon-like plumage) could explain why I haven't clocked it in several weeks. The photo below was taken on 25/9/24.



This massive (presumed immature female) Peregrine was again targeting Bar-tailed Godwits off Mudbank and causing pandemonium. No kill whilst I was there today but I've already seen it take two and I've no doubt it will be back for more!


Stonechat - West Lodge.


Firecrest - West Lodge. Presumably the regular individual.

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