Solitary Sandpiper, Black Hole Marsh, Seaton, Devon
A very ropey flight shot showing the diagnostic tail
Wigeon, Greylake RSPB
Wheatear, Greylake RSPB
The pool at Greylake holding the Spotted Crake+Rixton+141010.jpg)
Argentatus Herring Gull, Rixton
Juvenile female Gyr about to go for an exercise flightxxxxxx
October 11th – 15th.
Xxxx
Monday morning started with my morning mooch around HGF. A Common Sandpiper was again present on the pool with the Wigeon increasing to six birds. Otherwise it was pretty quiet. The next stop for birding that day was in Devon (Black Hole Marsh) where a brief diversion from my journey into Somserset allowed me to go and see a Solitary Sandpiper. This American vagrant is very much like a Green Sandpiper though there are some subtle distinctions. It has a slightly longer bill which is also slightly decurved (very difficult in the field to pick up), is more heavily spotted than Green Sandpiper (particularly on the upper wings) and has a more pointed rear end. In flight the tail shows heavy barring rather than the largely white rear of a Green Sandpiper. Perhaps one of the more noticeable differences is the confiding nature of this bird – unlike a Green Sandpiper which spooks at any opportunity this bird paraded up and down in front of a large group of birders and paid us no heed whatsoever. Superb stuff! It was also nice to see a few Swallows hanging around here – not much else to report though as I didn’t have time to stay.
Xxxxxx
Tuesday after work (started very early so I could finish early) I managed a trip to Greylake RSPB in Somerset. I had no idea it was so close to my regular work trip down here. It’s a cracking little reserve of phragmites reed beds and grazing land with a couple of small pools. A very nice hide overlooks one of the pools and recently a Spotted Crake has taken up residence there. Consequently the hide was full of birders scanning the pool. Unfortunately the said bird decided to be elusive and as time passed the hide gradually emptied. Other birders came in and when the hoped for bird wasn’t parading in front of them waving a flag they left. When I found a ring-tail Hen Harrier (the first this autumn going off the log book?) no one seemed interested suggesting most people were there just for the tick. Each to their own but that’s not birding for me!
Xxxxx
Perhaps out of character for me I didn’t get bored sitting in a hide and wander off elsewhere. Instead I decided I was going to just chill and relax in the hide. I sat for quite some time constantly scanning the pool (which contained a few sleepy Teal) looking for a glimpse of the crake and watching the general area. Entertainment was provided by a Wheatear in front of the hide plus 2 hunting Kestrels and a fly through Sparrowhawk. The Hen Harrier returned and flew directly over the pool sending everything in to a minor panic! After 2 hours I was left alone in the hide and a sudden movement through the reeds at the back of the pool looked promising – bugger it was just a Water Rail. I say just a Water Rail – they are enjoyable to see simply because of their usual skulky ways.
Xxxxx
A flock of around 120 Wigeon flew round the hide for a few minutes before landing on an unseen pool and then more Teal started dropping onto the pool in front of the hide. More movement on the near side – damn another Water Rail (the first was screaming at the opposite end at the same time). The sun started going down rapidly after nearly three hours watching this pool and light started to fade. It was made worse by the fact that only around 30% of the edge of the pool was visible from the hide. I was distracted by some more Teal arriving then scanned back to see the arse end of a Spotted Crake disappearing into the reeds. I was slightly tempted to throw the scope out of the window. I quickly calmed down and thought – don’t give up now - it might come back. Thirty seconds later same thing happened further along the reedbed – little swine. Then I had a sudden thought (unusual for me I know!) perhaps it’s coming out of the reeds and backing off from the teal swimming there. I predicted a free area of reeds further round and scanned there – the little beauty walked right out and showed superbly! After around 10 seconds though it flew across the pool and out of sight and that was that. Interesting spot of birding but well worth it in the end and made all the more sweet by the work put in to find the bird.
Xxxxx
Wednesday night I arrived home from my brief work tour of southern England. The usual trip up the M40 had been disappointing – I saw only 17 Red Kites on the way home, less than half the usual tally. I was trying to get away from Slough as quickly as possible though. At home late evening three coveys of Grey Partridges were in the fields off Waterworks Lane with another distant couple of birds far out. Unfortunately the farmer has ploughed and replanted my feeding station with a winter crop – no stubble patch to feed this year. I have temporarily moved to another area though I think I will end up seeding the strip I did in year 1.
Xxxxxx
Thursday and HGF quiet again this morning. Three Skylarks sneaking across the south field were probably the highlight. At lunch I made a quick trip to Rixton. A gull flock was loafing around – over 240 Black-heads with 1 Common Gull, 19 Lessers (mostly immatures) and a single argentatus Herring Gull.
Xxxxx
On Moat Lane pool 1 the Mute Swan flock has increased to 10 – a drake Teal was on the banking and six Gadwalls kept flying around before decided to land elsewhere. I watched a tit flock pass through – it was noticeable that the birds moved through one or two at a time in species order – 9 Long-tailed Tits first followed by 14 Blue Tits and lastly 5 Great Tits. A Green Woodpecker was in the bushes at the back of the pool – it suddenly began calling like a strangled cat and flew off. A flock of 35 Redwings appeared next and flew over west before turning round and flying back the way they came! A couple of screaming Jays also made an appearance.
Xxxxx
I then headed off over the mosses. The tip pool is very drained and nothing was on it. The field opposite the farm off Prospect Lane has recently been ploughed and levelled – quite a few birds were feeding here including 15 Skylarks, 10+ Meadow Pipits, a Yellowhammer and a Wheatear. A Linnet flock of around 70 birds was buzzing around Woodend Lane – when they landed on the wires I found 6 Corn Buntings present with them – the first I have seen here for 3 months.
Xxxxx
After work I revisited Rixton. A Green Sandpiper was now present on Moat Lane pool 1 – predictably it flew off in the direction of the tip pool. I later scanned that pool and found 2 Green Sandpipers there. A flock of 18 Magpies was also flitting around on the muddy islands on the Moat Lane pool. On the mosses I spent some time chatting with the local falconer and watching while he put the juvenile female Gyr through its exercise flight. He also told me that the week before on successive days he had seen a male and then a ring-tail Hen Harrier quartering the mosses half way up Holly Bush Lane!
Xxxxx
Friday morning at HGF and it was clear that some migrant thrushes had arrived with quite a few Blackbirds and Song Thrushes in and around the south hedge – I also found a Goldcrest with a tit flock. A flock of 18 Skylarks was also buzzing around the south field with half a dozen Meadow Pipits too. Unfortunately all of the fields around HGF have been ploughed and planted with winter crops – for the first time since I can remember there is no stubble field this year. I think that will put paid to any hopes of the usual winter flock of Linnets this year – typically I would expect to see 140+ birds throughout the winter.
Xxxxx
At the feeding station this morning were around 40 Tree Sparrows and a covey of 8 Grey Partridges which retreated to the field behind our garden. I didn’t have time to stay and watch the area though – too busy with errands.
Xxxx
Friday afternoon (holiday) I headed up to Rossall in the hope of seeing the Red-backed Shrike that was lingering there. I knew it had been seen that morning so I was quite hopeful. When I arrived there was just one local birder present who confirmed he had seen the bird during the morning but not so far in the afternoon. An hour passed on cold, windy and mucky grey day with no sign. A Stonechat did give some brief respite from nothingness. I moved further up the track to try and get a different viewing angle – I was eventually joined by three other birders. Another hour passed and still nothing. I wandered back to the first birder who immediately told me had been watching the bird perched in the top of a bush five minutes previously. I looked where he had seen the bird – nothing – none of us had seen anything. I told the other guys and two immediately set off through the fields in an attempt to flush the bird. I don’t agree with that and I stayed put – in any event my view was that the shrike had done one and they thrashed the area and found nothing. Not sure what had been seen by the first birder, however after my diatribe about my treatment in the Sab’s Gull saga I am certainly not going to dismiss his opinion, particularly as I don’t know him.
Xxxxx
On the way home Fleetwood was rammed with traffic so I diverted up the coast and called in at Pilling Lane Ends. There were lots of Pink-footed Geese around and I counted at least 13 Barnacles with them. There were probably many more, however it was raining by now plus very, very cold and windy and I decided my car was a better option than freezing my nuts off!
Xxxx
Monday morning started with my morning mooch around HGF. A Common Sandpiper was again present on the pool with the Wigeon increasing to six birds. Otherwise it was pretty quiet. The next stop for birding that day was in Devon (Black Hole Marsh) where a brief diversion from my journey into Somserset allowed me to go and see a Solitary Sandpiper. This American vagrant is very much like a Green Sandpiper though there are some subtle distinctions. It has a slightly longer bill which is also slightly decurved (very difficult in the field to pick up), is more heavily spotted than Green Sandpiper (particularly on the upper wings) and has a more pointed rear end. In flight the tail shows heavy barring rather than the largely white rear of a Green Sandpiper. Perhaps one of the more noticeable differences is the confiding nature of this bird – unlike a Green Sandpiper which spooks at any opportunity this bird paraded up and down in front of a large group of birders and paid us no heed whatsoever. Superb stuff! It was also nice to see a few Swallows hanging around here – not much else to report though as I didn’t have time to stay.
Xxxxxx
Tuesday after work (started very early so I could finish early) I managed a trip to Greylake RSPB in Somerset. I had no idea it was so close to my regular work trip down here. It’s a cracking little reserve of phragmites reed beds and grazing land with a couple of small pools. A very nice hide overlooks one of the pools and recently a Spotted Crake has taken up residence there. Consequently the hide was full of birders scanning the pool. Unfortunately the said bird decided to be elusive and as time passed the hide gradually emptied. Other birders came in and when the hoped for bird wasn’t parading in front of them waving a flag they left. When I found a ring-tail Hen Harrier (the first this autumn going off the log book?) no one seemed interested suggesting most people were there just for the tick. Each to their own but that’s not birding for me!
Xxxxx
Perhaps out of character for me I didn’t get bored sitting in a hide and wander off elsewhere. Instead I decided I was going to just chill and relax in the hide. I sat for quite some time constantly scanning the pool (which contained a few sleepy Teal) looking for a glimpse of the crake and watching the general area. Entertainment was provided by a Wheatear in front of the hide plus 2 hunting Kestrels and a fly through Sparrowhawk. The Hen Harrier returned and flew directly over the pool sending everything in to a minor panic! After 2 hours I was left alone in the hide and a sudden movement through the reeds at the back of the pool looked promising – bugger it was just a Water Rail. I say just a Water Rail – they are enjoyable to see simply because of their usual skulky ways.
Xxxxx
A flock of around 120 Wigeon flew round the hide for a few minutes before landing on an unseen pool and then more Teal started dropping onto the pool in front of the hide. More movement on the near side – damn another Water Rail (the first was screaming at the opposite end at the same time). The sun started going down rapidly after nearly three hours watching this pool and light started to fade. It was made worse by the fact that only around 30% of the edge of the pool was visible from the hide. I was distracted by some more Teal arriving then scanned back to see the arse end of a Spotted Crake disappearing into the reeds. I was slightly tempted to throw the scope out of the window. I quickly calmed down and thought – don’t give up now - it might come back. Thirty seconds later same thing happened further along the reedbed – little swine. Then I had a sudden thought (unusual for me I know!) perhaps it’s coming out of the reeds and backing off from the teal swimming there. I predicted a free area of reeds further round and scanned there – the little beauty walked right out and showed superbly! After around 10 seconds though it flew across the pool and out of sight and that was that. Interesting spot of birding but well worth it in the end and made all the more sweet by the work put in to find the bird.
Xxxxx
Wednesday night I arrived home from my brief work tour of southern England. The usual trip up the M40 had been disappointing – I saw only 17 Red Kites on the way home, less than half the usual tally. I was trying to get away from Slough as quickly as possible though. At home late evening three coveys of Grey Partridges were in the fields off Waterworks Lane with another distant couple of birds far out. Unfortunately the farmer has ploughed and replanted my feeding station with a winter crop – no stubble patch to feed this year. I have temporarily moved to another area though I think I will end up seeding the strip I did in year 1.
Xxxxxx
Thursday and HGF quiet again this morning. Three Skylarks sneaking across the south field were probably the highlight. At lunch I made a quick trip to Rixton. A gull flock was loafing around – over 240 Black-heads with 1 Common Gull, 19 Lessers (mostly immatures) and a single argentatus Herring Gull.
Xxxxx
On Moat Lane pool 1 the Mute Swan flock has increased to 10 – a drake Teal was on the banking and six Gadwalls kept flying around before decided to land elsewhere. I watched a tit flock pass through – it was noticeable that the birds moved through one or two at a time in species order – 9 Long-tailed Tits first followed by 14 Blue Tits and lastly 5 Great Tits. A Green Woodpecker was in the bushes at the back of the pool – it suddenly began calling like a strangled cat and flew off. A flock of 35 Redwings appeared next and flew over west before turning round and flying back the way they came! A couple of screaming Jays also made an appearance.
Xxxxx
I then headed off over the mosses. The tip pool is very drained and nothing was on it. The field opposite the farm off Prospect Lane has recently been ploughed and levelled – quite a few birds were feeding here including 15 Skylarks, 10+ Meadow Pipits, a Yellowhammer and a Wheatear. A Linnet flock of around 70 birds was buzzing around Woodend Lane – when they landed on the wires I found 6 Corn Buntings present with them – the first I have seen here for 3 months.
Xxxxx
After work I revisited Rixton. A Green Sandpiper was now present on Moat Lane pool 1 – predictably it flew off in the direction of the tip pool. I later scanned that pool and found 2 Green Sandpipers there. A flock of 18 Magpies was also flitting around on the muddy islands on the Moat Lane pool. On the mosses I spent some time chatting with the local falconer and watching while he put the juvenile female Gyr through its exercise flight. He also told me that the week before on successive days he had seen a male and then a ring-tail Hen Harrier quartering the mosses half way up Holly Bush Lane!
Xxxxx
Friday morning at HGF and it was clear that some migrant thrushes had arrived with quite a few Blackbirds and Song Thrushes in and around the south hedge – I also found a Goldcrest with a tit flock. A flock of 18 Skylarks was also buzzing around the south field with half a dozen Meadow Pipits too. Unfortunately all of the fields around HGF have been ploughed and planted with winter crops – for the first time since I can remember there is no stubble field this year. I think that will put paid to any hopes of the usual winter flock of Linnets this year – typically I would expect to see 140+ birds throughout the winter.
Xxxxx
At the feeding station this morning were around 40 Tree Sparrows and a covey of 8 Grey Partridges which retreated to the field behind our garden. I didn’t have time to stay and watch the area though – too busy with errands.
Xxxx
Friday afternoon (holiday) I headed up to Rossall in the hope of seeing the Red-backed Shrike that was lingering there. I knew it had been seen that morning so I was quite hopeful. When I arrived there was just one local birder present who confirmed he had seen the bird during the morning but not so far in the afternoon. An hour passed on cold, windy and mucky grey day with no sign. A Stonechat did give some brief respite from nothingness. I moved further up the track to try and get a different viewing angle – I was eventually joined by three other birders. Another hour passed and still nothing. I wandered back to the first birder who immediately told me had been watching the bird perched in the top of a bush five minutes previously. I looked where he had seen the bird – nothing – none of us had seen anything. I told the other guys and two immediately set off through the fields in an attempt to flush the bird. I don’t agree with that and I stayed put – in any event my view was that the shrike had done one and they thrashed the area and found nothing. Not sure what had been seen by the first birder, however after my diatribe about my treatment in the Sab’s Gull saga I am certainly not going to dismiss his opinion, particularly as I don’t know him.
Xxxxx
On the way home Fleetwood was rammed with traffic so I diverted up the coast and called in at Pilling Lane Ends. There were lots of Pink-footed Geese around and I counted at least 13 Barnacles with them. There were probably many more, however it was raining by now plus very, very cold and windy and I decided my car was a better option than freezing my nuts off!
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