Date: 12th/15th November
Location:
Broadsands, Brixham,Slapton, Chew & Newton St Loe
Broadsands, Brixham,Slapton, Chew & Newton St Loe
Weather:
Pretty good although overcast
Pretty good although overcast
Species Highlights:
Cirl Bunting,Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper, Gannet, Fulmar, Ring Necked Duck, Water Pipit, Redwing.
Cirl Bunting,Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper, Gannet, Fulmar, Ring Necked Duck, Water Pipit, Redwing.
Observation:
Still trying for that #200 headed down to Devon for some Cirl Bunting and whatever else we could get, on arriving at Broadsands car park we soon saw a male and female Cirl Bunting feeding on ground.
The female stayed in the tree but this cracking male showed well.
From here we drove the few miles to Brixham Breakwater to see if any divers were about, unfortunately not but did mange Purple Sandpipers.
By lying down on the breakwater managed some decent shots, the sandpipers carried on feeding.
Also a bird missing from Lauren's #200 year list the Turnstone, i think you could say it showed quite well, as they do, feeding some 5 foot from her.
We took around 100 shots each of this lovely little bird it was feeding on a small piece of seaweed and looked like it was enjoying it!
Did have this Grey Seal, reminded us of Pier 39 in San Francisco although they have 100 seals and Brown Pelicans, sunshine and no rusty metal as a backdrop, sad.
Another added to Lauren's list were Brent Geese.
As we left a Rainbow lit the spot that all the divers were probably!
Another very short drive around to Berry Head for lunch, plenty of offshore action to watch including this Porpoise, i was taking a picture of the Gannets so this wasn't on Porpoise !! Lol.
Fulmars
Plus those Gannets
Was amazed to see all the different plumages.
Thought we even saw a Skua but another just Gannet.
This one almost all black, i guess 1st year?
While eating our lunch a pair of Rock Pipits were looking for their lunch coming very close at times.
A Magpie looking splendid in the now sunshine, really showing his iridescent colors.
A tweet about a Franklin's gull came in at Radipole but we were 2 hr 30 mins away and then still 2 hours from home so decided to head to Slapton Ley to see if we could catch up with the long staying Ring Necked duck.
A few Tufted Ducks to search for but we found it.
A super looking Male, a life tick for us both.
A successful trip and 5 ticks for Lauren and 3 more for me, getting closer!
Tuesday had to do a few jobs so had to wait until Wednesday to get out and decided on Chew Valley Lake. Looked for the M/f Red Crested Pochard but nothing to be seen so went to Morton hde a got a Water Pipit, 196 for me.
Not much else to see so headed up to Stockhill woods for a few more mushrooms not many about this year but did manage to catch up with a few Crossbill, saw around 10 birds flying and calling and even got a obscured shot of this female.
Thursday 10:45 Am bit earlier than last week headed out around patch, fewer birds around top fields but Linnet and a single Skylark seen. into Village and House sparrow in all the normal places this week, but highlight was Redwings flocks of them in Send a Cow Woodland which was alive with bird song, even 2 Fieldfare( last year had 1 on the 26th Nov, so a week earlier)
Spent 20 mins trying to get one in focus in the awful light, will try again with blue i hope.
Jen the Mute back on Lower Lake, stranger.
( 2 Adults, 2 Juveniles back on top lake, they've been away for 2 weeks, no ideal where ?)
Kingfisher darting around, this inbetween lakes, water here around a inch deep!
Lake path closed still fixing Dam thought they'd done it! So had to detour and walked through college and down through upper woodland. The bird sounds here was louder than Send a Cow, Redwing, Blue, Great and Coal Tits along with Chaffinch sadly still no Marsh Tits seen or heard but very good to hear. Back round and returned via lower lake and Kingfisher still fishing, Ed the Bailiff told me he had Siskin feeding in the Alder but i failed to see them.
Back to Send a cow and still plenty of Redwing flying around, just before church footpath came across this Jay 1 of 4 that i'd seen today, feeding for a few minutes.
One of the local even stopped there car to let me get a bit closer, nice chap!
Back along lanes a female Kestrel was as usual the last tick for day, was almost home and saw these Pheasant making a right racket, missed the shot when they were airborne and fighting. So a good day ended on 41 species.
Still trying for that #200 headed down to Devon for some Cirl Bunting and whatever else we could get, on arriving at Broadsands car park we soon saw a male and female Cirl Bunting feeding on ground.
The female stayed in the tree but this cracking male showed well.
From here we drove the few miles to Brixham Breakwater to see if any divers were about, unfortunately not but did mange Purple Sandpipers.
By lying down on the breakwater managed some decent shots, the sandpipers carried on feeding.
Also a bird missing from Lauren's #200 year list the Turnstone, i think you could say it showed quite well, as they do, feeding some 5 foot from her.
We took around 100 shots each of this lovely little bird it was feeding on a small piece of seaweed and looked like it was enjoying it!
A single Guillemot was floating around the Harbour but no divers were seen.
Did have this Grey Seal, reminded us of Pier 39 in San Francisco although they have 100 seals and Brown Pelicans, sunshine and no rusty metal as a backdrop, sad.
Another added to Lauren's list were Brent Geese.
As we left a Rainbow lit the spot that all the divers were probably!
Fulmars
Plus those Gannets
Was amazed to see all the different plumages.
Thought we even saw a Skua but another just Gannet.
This one almost all black, i guess 1st year?
While eating our lunch a pair of Rock Pipits were looking for their lunch coming very close at times.
A Magpie looking splendid in the now sunshine, really showing his iridescent colors.
A tweet about a Franklin's gull came in at Radipole but we were 2 hr 30 mins away and then still 2 hours from home so decided to head to Slapton Ley to see if we could catch up with the long staying Ring Necked duck.
A few Tufted Ducks to search for but we found it.
A super looking Male, a life tick for us both.
A successful trip and 5 ticks for Lauren and 3 more for me, getting closer!
Tuesday had to do a few jobs so had to wait until Wednesday to get out and decided on Chew Valley Lake. Looked for the M/f Red Crested Pochard but nothing to be seen so went to Morton hde a got a Water Pipit, 196 for me.
Not much else to see so headed up to Stockhill woods for a few more mushrooms not many about this year but did manage to catch up with a few Crossbill, saw around 10 birds flying and calling and even got a obscured shot of this female.
Thursday 10:45 Am bit earlier than last week headed out around patch, fewer birds around top fields but Linnet and a single Skylark seen. into Village and House sparrow in all the normal places this week, but highlight was Redwings flocks of them in Send a Cow Woodland which was alive with bird song, even 2 Fieldfare( last year had 1 on the 26th Nov, so a week earlier)
Spent 20 mins trying to get one in focus in the awful light, will try again with blue i hope.
Jen the Mute back on Lower Lake, stranger.
( 2 Adults, 2 Juveniles back on top lake, they've been away for 2 weeks, no ideal where ?)
Kingfisher darting around, this inbetween lakes, water here around a inch deep!
Lake path closed still fixing Dam thought they'd done it! So had to detour and walked through college and down through upper woodland. The bird sounds here was louder than Send a Cow, Redwing, Blue, Great and Coal Tits along with Chaffinch sadly still no Marsh Tits seen or heard but very good to hear. Back round and returned via lower lake and Kingfisher still fishing, Ed the Bailiff told me he had Siskin feeding in the Alder but i failed to see them.
Back to Send a cow and still plenty of Redwing flying around, just before church footpath came across this Jay 1 of 4 that i'd seen today, feeding for a few minutes.
One of the local even stopped there car to let me get a bit closer, nice chap!
Back along lanes a female Kestrel was as usual the last tick for day, was almost home and saw these Pheasant making a right racket, missed the shot when they were airborne and fighting. So a good day ended on 41 species.
Thanks For Looking!
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