Sprinkle of Migrants

Redstart - seen only briefly - my third of the spring on Orcombe.

 

I was surveying in the South Hams for the early morning shift but managed to make it up to Orcombe later. I was kind of hoping for a deluge of migrants, following overnight rain, but it wasn't to be. The following were recorded in damp and mild conditions (in stark contrast to yesterday's cold and windiness): 2+ Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, up to 30 Swallow, 4 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin, 5+ Meadow Pipit, 5+ Willow Warbler, 2 Wheatear and a male Redstart. Additionally, I'm pretty sure the quiet, repeated 'tuc' heard from the 'wrong' side of a hedge was Sedge Warbler. Nearby the female Ring-necked Parakeet put in a very brief appearance before diving back in to her nest hole and 29+ Sandwich Tern were off the seafront.

Mudbank produced 18+ Whimbrel, c50+ Common Gull, 16+ Black-headed Gull and 10 Dunlin, but viewing conditions were awful. Good to see Terry out and about today.

Willow Warbler - one of at least 5 new in today.

A bedraggled-looking Meadow Pipit.

One of 18+ Whimbrel off Mudbank.

 

Bitterly Cold Birding - pm edit

 

Sandwich Tern - Maer Rocks - ringed on left leg. Couldn't see details.

 

A sea-watch off Maer Rocks this morning produced 3 Dunlin, 22+ Sandwich Tern, 9 Common Scoter, 2 Black-headed Gull, 2+ Manx Shearwater (my first this year, heading east), 2 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Swallow and 1 extremely distant 'commic' tern which was probably Arctic. Orcombe was completely 'blown-out' in a biting easterly/south-easterly - thoroughly unpleasant!

Off Mudbank - 13 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 4 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Redshank, 1 Grey Plover, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 7 Whimbrel, 8+ Sandwich Tern and my first Common Tern of the year.

Common and Sandwich Tern - on clapping eyes on this tern I initially assumed it would be yesterday's Arctic. A closer look revealed too long a bill, head and neck and a diffuse grey edge to the outer primaries. It lacks the clean, translucent inner and outer primaries that yesterday's Arctic showed, even at range. After all these years of birding I still find this species pair a real challenge, although autumn juveniles are considerably easier given decent views.

 

 

Little Ringed Plover - Exminster Marshes. I had to drop Joel at a Rugby game in Topsham this afternoon, so nipped over to Exminster for a few minutes. Very little of note in the continuing raw wind, but LRP, 2 Greylag Geese, 2 Gadwall, 1 Sand Martin and 1 Swallow noted. I've still only ever had 1 LRP in Exmouth. Another would be hugely appreciated.

Arctic Tern and Bonxie

The Arctic Tern was feeding around the buoys for quite some time. It was always distant but I attempted some field sketches to try and capture the features visible at this range. A stunning bird to watch with flickering wings and 'bouncy' flight as it fought against a cold south-easterly.

Orcombe was cold and way too windy this morning, but the icy south-easterly produced a few bits and bobs on the sea - 1 Great Skua, 2 Common Scoter, 9 Teal, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 7+ Sandwich Tern and an Arctic Tern that I picked up a little later on thanks to a text from Lee.

On Orcombe itself - 1+ Chiffchaff, 1+ Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 10+ Linnet, 1 Swallow and 1 Meadow Pipit.

Mudbank produced 80 Brent Geese. Three were Dark-bellied Brent Geese and I assume the rest were Pale-bellied Brent Geese - they certainly appeared to be, but the views were very poor as the birds swam off Cockle sands in very harsh light. Otherwise a drake Shoveler was an unusual record off there, and 9 Sandwich Tern were counted. One Whimbrel and 1 Redshank were the only waders of note.

 

 

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Maer Valley. A quick check for the Ring-necked Parakeet was unsuccessful. This is the third time in a row that I've failed to see it, which is a bit odd. Might it have gone?

Grasshopper Warbler

 

Mistle Thrush - St John's Road

 

Back to grey skies and a cold easterly this morning, and so better conditions for dropping migrants. The best bird was a Grasshopper Warbler that flushed from beside the coast path and landed briefly at the base of some Blackthorn, staring at me, before dropping deeper in to cover from where it soon started reeling and showing occasionally. I never normally actually see passage spring birds on Orcombe so it was a bit of a red letter day for me. This is my second this spring following a blank year last year. Other records included 10+ Willow Warbler, 3 White Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 2 Meadow Pipit, 5 Swallow, 1 Sandwich Tern and a very grey-looking, presumed 'continental' Song Thrush that repeatedly flushed low and fast from a stretch of hedgerow well away from the resident pairs' territories.

Off Mudbank - 7 Whimbrel, 1 Redshank and 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

 

Holly Blues are showing well in the garden at the moment.

 

Emperor Moth

 

Several Emperor Moths to Martin's pheromone lure on the commons this afternoon. Many thanks Martin - a very pleasant couple of hours in fine spring weather.

 

 

Whilst watching the moths this Buzzard caught a snake just behind us, presumably an adder, and headed off with it with a couple Carrion Crows in hot pursuit.

 

 

Dartford Warbler

 

Very quiet on the bird front with this Bar-tailed Godwit off Mudbank and a couple Wheatear on Orcombe the only things of note. Prefer it cloudy!

Waders

Streamer - Bristol Schools camp.

 

Disappointingly quiet on Orcombe today, following an uncharacteristically lively few days. Recorded were just 3 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 1 Meadow Pipit and 3 Wheatear.

Mudbank was better with my first Exmouth Black-tailed Godwits this year - a flock of 17 birds accompanying 3 Turnstone, 1 Redshank and 8 Whimbrel (also my first this year). Additionally - 2 Swallow, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 5 Common Gull, 11 Little Egret and a flock of 11 hirundines that were more than likely Sand Martin, but just too distant to identify with certainty.

Lu and I walked the dog on the commons this afternoon. It was generally very quiet but an overhead flock of 15 Crossbill enlivened proceedings.

My first Black-tailed Godwits in Exmouth since the autumn,  when good numbers were regularly feeding off Mudbank.

One of eight Whimbrel off Mudbank this morning - my first this year. A terrible photo but it's nice to document the first returning birds. Whimbrel get way more numerous and easy to photograph off Mudbank as the spring progresses.

One of three Roe Deer seen on this afternoon's dog walk.

A rather pasty-looking male Stonechat on Colaton Raleigh Common this afternoon.

Great Grey Shrike and Gropper - pm edit

Emsworthy Mire - the Great Grey Shrike was singing from the bushes in the above photo - a very strange mix of repeated phrases. Some reminded me of a Dunlin call, while other phrases were more 'rippling' - much higher-pitched than expected and can't be described as pleasing to the ear. Still, a very welcome new experience for me.

 

I did a breeding bird survey first thing and then headed up to Dartmoor for the Great Grey Shrike. I very rarely twitch but this bird proved irresistible. The last one I saw was a bird I found up on Woodbury Common back in November 2016, and I never got great views of it.

This individual was far more obliging than I was expecting. The birds that turn up on the pebbled heaths are usually an absolute nightmare to pin down and keep track of. Emsworthy Mire is a beautiful spot and well worth a visit. Thank you Mark for the info.

I didn't get up to Orcombe until late morning. The highlight was a reeling Grasshopper Warbler in thick bramble bordering the Bristol Schools field (still present and reeling for long periods this evening - about 20yds from where it was this morning). Otherwise just 4 Willow Warbler (a marked decrease), 6 Meadow Pipits and 3 White Wagtails made it in to the notebook.
Off the seafront - 14 Sandwich Tern, 3 Great Crested Grebe and 1 fs Mediterranean Gull.

Hastily-scribbled field sketches - I'm determined to do a bit more sketching. GGS is one of the easier species to do I suppose but I'm still not close to doing it justice.

This male Redstart was singing its heart out from trees right beside the red barn. I'd forgotten how lovely a song it is.

Three White Wagtails were on Orcombe this morning. Unapproachable so rubbish photos.

Dawn - my survey site in east Devon.