WW and Marsh Harrier

I photographed this singing Willow Warbler with numb fingers this morning. It was bitterly cold on Orcombe Point, after a clear night and overnight frost. It was my first of the year and, had it been warmer, would have probably performed a bit better. Good to see and hear all the same. Otherwise just a pair of Stonechats, 9 Linnets and a handful of singing Chiffchaffs.
Back home, with both kids at work, Lu and I pottered in the garden. A gold-crowned Marsh Harrier flew upriver at about 1025, before re-orientating and heading high east. Otherwise just 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers were scoped from the garden.
A quick look at Blackhill Quarry produced the drake Ring-necked Duck, 2 Tufted Ducks, 3 Little Grebes and small numbers of Stonechat and Dartford Warbler. Nearby - 21 drake Mallards on Bystock Pool and at least 63 Fieldfares on the archery club playing fields, along with a single Mistle Thrush.

The Ring-necked Duck remained steadfastly asleep while I was there this morning.

 Female and drake Tufted Ducks - Blackhill Quarry.

Kestrel and Cirl

Male Kestrel - Sandy Bay caravan park.

First thing this morning I walked the coast path from Gore Lane to West Down, via Sandy Bay. Very little evidence of any migration but I managed to record 3 Blackcaps, 10 singing Chiffchaffs, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pintail and 2 Sandwich Terns.

Off Mudbank - 2 drake Wigeon, 3 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 7 Cattle Egrets in flight behind Starcross.

A dog-walk with Lu, around Blackhill Quarry, revealed 2 Little Grebes, 4 Tufted Ducks, 1 Redpoll and the drake Ring-necked Duck.

Kestrel with Budleigh seafront in the background.

Looking south from West Down at Straight Point and Sandy bay caravan park. In the far distance is Berry Head.

This male Cirl Bunting was blasting out its song at West Down  - right on the very edge of the Exmouth parish boundary.

Looking west from West Down. Littleham Village is in the foreground with the edge of Exmouth town beyond. Beyond that is the River Exe.

Linnet - Orcombe Point.

This afternoon's dog walk took us past Blackhill Quarry's drake Ring-necked Duck.

One of just three Dark-bellied Brent Geese off Mudbank today.

Cold with Few Birds

Two Wheatears and 3 Snipe on Orcombe Point this evening. The cold north-easterly is presumably holding up a lot of stuff as there doesn't seem to be much around at the moment.

On Wednesday, off Mudbank, counts included 7 Mallard, 1 Wigeon, 2 Greenshank, 8 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 9+ Common Gulls, with 150+ Curlew and 50 Bar-tailed Godwits on Cockle Sands.

Spring Spot Crake

Spotted Crake - Exminster Marshes. I felt the urge to see this bird as I've only ever seen August/September birds in the past. See here for a potted history of my previous Spot Crakes. It was never very close but it showed in the open quite a bit. Unfortunately too far off for my camera. I'm really not very keen on twitches so I didn't stay long - keen to get back to birding in Exmouth. I guess it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Spotted Crakes could breed on Exminster Marshes before too long. Otherwise - just a Marsh Harrier of note. Wow. Just a Marsh harrier! How times have changed!

Back in Exmouth - 3 Sandwich Terns off the lifeboat station - each on a yellow buoy.

RND Back

A drake Ring-necked Duck was back on Blackhill Quarry today. I popped up to see it late this afternoon. Also up there - 2+ Redwing, 2 Tufted Ducks and a single Coot.
Off Mudbank this evening - 1 Peregrine, 1 Greenshank, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Redshank and a drake Wigeon.

Beautifully calm and still off Mudbank this evening. Few birds.

Another WTE

Joel had a football match out the back this afternoon. With kick-off at 130pm, Lu and I walked down the road to watch, but just before we got to Warren View the gulls kicked off! I glanced up to see another White-tailed Eagle lazily circling, some way between Mudbank and Lympstone. It seemed to be drifting slightly north, upriver, but I didn't track it any further, keen to see Joel in action. Little else to report this weekend but it has been lovely weather-wise.

Small Tortoiseshell.

Peacock.

Comma.

Brimstone.

Nuthatch collecting mud to line nest hole.

Greenfinch.

Little Ringed Plover.

Bog Beacon.

Sandwich Tern

An early morning look off Maer Rocks produced 54 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Turnstone, 1 Sandwich Tern and 2 Great Northern Divers. 
On Orcombe, after work this afternoon - just three Stonechats and 3 Chiffchaffs. 
A Spoonbill off Mudbank this afternoon was presumably the (previously regular) juvenile bird.

A 'first of the year' Sandwich Tern - off Maer Rocks this morning.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - Maer Rocks.

 One of three Stonechats on Orcombe this afternoon. Migrant birds.