Garden Warbler

Garden Warbler - last year's '5 birds in one day' was exceptional. Typically we're lucky to get one in spring and I'm never too surprised to get none. This morning's bird was a real show-off. Probably too cold to care that I was standing feet away pointing a camera at it!

 

It was bitterly cold at 6am this morning following a night of clear skies. Fortunately the wind had dropped, but that did nothing to prevent the loss of feeling in my fingers. I walked from Foxholes to Sandy Bay without seeing a bird, but by the time I'd turned around and started walking back the sun was stirring things into life. The line of flowering Blackthorn along the cliff-top path yielded a singing male Lesser Whitethroat, my first Garden Warbler of the year, 1 Willow Warbler and 3 Blackcap. Just as things were picking up I had to get back to get ready for work.

Yesterday, in far from ideal windy conditions, I recorded 7 Whimbrel, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Tern, 2 Turnstone, 1 Redstart and 1 Blackcap. The Redstart was a female bird in exactly the same spot that Nick had one the day before - surely the same bird. It was incredibly difficult to get close to and nigh on impossible to photograph. A flash of fiery-red tail and gone.

Whinchat

Whinchat - mobile around the top fields this evening. My first this spring but Orcombe's second following a bird that Terry had on the 20th. Nothing else this evening but Nick had our 5th Redstart of the spring earlier (another female).

Being very much a 'Z-list' birding site each and every migrant is appreciated and warmly welcomed. It has been a good spring so far, by Orcombe standards, but as yet no Swift, Ring Ouzel, Sedge Warbler, Hobby or Garden Warbler. Wonder what's next......

Spot Fly

Spotted Flycatcher - Maer Valley

 

This Spotted Flycatcher was found earlier in the day by Rupert. It was in the lovely little sheltered spot around where the footpath crosses the stream in Maer Valley - just outside the Orcombe patch. When I arrived Terry had already located it. It was feeding quietly at the back of a small stand of willows. It's a relatively early one but Spotted Flycatcher is an expected spring and autumn passage migrant on Orcombe. We've done quite well for them the last few years.

Earlier Nick and I had done a quick circuit of Orcombe but it was really quiet. I popped up there again late morning. It was a bit warmer and there were a few more common migrants around. Totals over the two trips included 4+ Whitethroat, 10 Whimbrel, 5+ Great Crested Grebe, 1 Common Tern, c15+ Sandwich Tern, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Blackcap, 2 Wheatear and 3+ Willow Warbler.

 

 

Orange-tip

More Migrants

Black Redstart - still looking quite settled in the Dung Field. This is a very vocal individual - easily located by its repetitive high-pitched 'seeep' call.

 

Migrants on Orcombe today included my first Lesser Whitethroat of the spring (mobile and singing in the Geoneedle area), Redstart (female-type around the entrance to the Bristol Schools Camp), Black Redstart, 4 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap and 1 Willow Warbler. Offshore there were at least 6 Common Tern and 1 Little Tern. A quick scan off the seafront, looking across towards Warren Point, produced 22 Whimbrel, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit and 1 Great Crested Grebe.

I managed to get out at dawn in the rain yesterday morning to record my first Grasshopper Warbler of the spring - a reeling bird just up from the Geoneedle. Also recorded yesterday were the Black Redstart (still occupying the Dung Field), a female Redstart in the top fields, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Common Tern, 1 Blackcap and 2 Wheatear.

In the evening, with rain still in the air, Derek and I enjoyed the spectacle of c30/40+ Swallow, c5/10+ House Martin and 1 or 2 Sand Martin hawking low over the cliff top around the Geoneedle. They were feeding on flies coming off the top of flowering Blackthorn and were at times just a few feet from us. A magical experience and one we sadly don't experience too often in Exmouth.

Redstart - typically nervous and flighty. It just wouldn't allow a close approach, hence the distant record shot. This is the fourth to be recorded on Orcombe this spring -1 male and 3 females cf 3 males throughout the whole of last spring.

Interesting Flycatcher

 

A cold-toned female-type 'ficedula' flycatcher on Orcombe this afternoon. It shows a large white patch at the base of the primaries. The patch doesn't quite reach the edge of the wing though so whether it sits within range of pied or collared or both I'm not sure. I would of course be grateful for any comments on the bird. Below are a few more photos of it. I'm clearly nowhere near as clued-up on these species as I should be!

 

Not sure how much the light is making the rump look paler on this shot.

 

 

 

Black Redstart - dung field. Terry found this bird lunch time. It's the latest one I've ever seen on Orcombe. He also had Yellow Wagtail, Redstart and Whinchat up there today.

 

 I did two trips up there today - a cold dawn trip before work and the later visit after work. Totals in a strong fresh easterly included 9+ Willow Warbler, 3+ Wheatear, 1 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, a flock of 42+ Linnet, the aforementioned Black Redstart and of course the Flycatcher.

Late news for Monday from the Imperial - c85+ Sandwich Tern, 52+ Whimbrel, 17+ Lesser Black-backed Gull and 2 Pale-bellied Brent Goose.

White and Yellow Wags

Male White Wagtail

 

I managed a couple trips up to Orcombe today and thoroughly enjoyed birding in the warm sunshine for a change. The first trip was early on with Nick and I was able to nip out again later on in the morning. Totals included 3 Swallow, 2 Willow Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 1 Goldcrest, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Meadow Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail and 1 White Wagtail.

Various glances at the river, from the back garden, today have produced 2 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit,  3 Knot, 2 Redshank, 7 Dunlin, c60+ Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Tern, a flock of 37 Whimbrel north upriver and my first House Martin of the year.

This is my first White Wagtail of the spring. Following just one record in Exmouth for me last year, this was today's star bird.

This male Pied Wagtail stopped wagging long enough for me to grab a shot. It allows a nice comparison with the male White Wag above.

It has already gone down in my book as a good spring on Orcombe for Yellow Wagtails. Invariably at this time of year I get the odd 'flyover' but it's most unusual for them to stop and feed. Contrast that with the autumn when Orcombe can be buzzing with birds feeding among the cattle. This is my second so far - this time presumably a female. Note the olive-grey smudges on the breast and the grey cast to the nape.

Dung Heap Wheatear - one of three present this morning.

Red Kites

Today's third Red Kite tracking high east at 1445.

I only stuck an hour on Orcombe Point this morning. It was quickly evident that little had arrived overnight with only 2 Whitethroat and 2 Wheatear making the notebook. The early start was barely justified by 5 Whimbrel, 5 Turnstone and a Sanderling on Maer Rocks. Offshore just 8+ Sandwich Tern and 4 Great Crested Grebe.

Lu and I have done a bit of pottering around the garden today as the kids have been busy doing bits and pieces. I kept an eye on the sky and the river and managed to log 2 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, c30+ Whimbrel, 26 Dunlin and 1 Grey Wagtail. Best of all though was 3 Red Kites. The first went high east at 1150 and the next north, upriver just minutes later. It passed over Cockwood and Starcross before losing height over Powderham and continuing towards Exminster. The third went high east at 1445.

After yesterday I was hoping for a few more terns. This Sandwich was one of just 8+ off Maer Rocks early morning.

 

Four of the five Whimbrel on Maer Rocks this morning.