Curlew Sandpipers at Bowling Green Marsh

Friday 4th September saw myself and Mavis heading out on a trip to Bowling Green Marsh at Topsham for a birdy day out. An early start for the high tide roost saw us arrive at the RSPB hide at just before 9am having been serenaded by a mournful sounding singing Chiffchaff as we walked down the lane to the hide.

The hide was busy but we managed to get a seat and we started scanning through the throng of noisy birds out on the Marsh.

Curlew, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin were seen in good numbers and amongst them we found a few Lapwing, a very smart looking juvenile Ruff and at least 6 even more smart looking juvenile Curlew Sandpipers. Unfortunately Psycho the adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was patrolling around and scattering the small waders at regular intervals (along with a flyover Sparrowhawk and a Spitfire airplane) so counting the Curlew Sandpipers present was difficult, 6 was the most counted at any one time but 16 had been counted the previous day.

 Ruff with Redshank

 Curlew Sandpipers with Redshank, Dunlin and Shoveler

 Curlew Sandpipers, Redshank and Dunlin

Curlew Sandpipers and Redshank

The Curlew Sandpipers were stunning and gave some fantastic views, beautifully patterned with a lovely peachy wash across the chest and another of my favourite birds.

 Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin and Redshank

 Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

A very noisy and large gaggle of Canada Geese were spread across the Marsh and amongst them was the regular Snow Goose of unknown origin, present now for a couple of years and no longer with its companion in attendance, and also present was a strange looking Canada x Greylag hybrid bird.

 Snow Goose

 Snow Goose

Snow Goose

Plenty of eclipsed plumaged ducks were present with a good number of whistling Wigeon seen and heard along with Shoveler, Gadwall, 4 Pochard, a juvenile Shelduck, Gadwall, Mallard, Pintail and Teal but the highlight were 2 Garganey picked up by another birder swimming across the back of the Marsh before disappearing from view - brief and distant views but my first juveniles and my first at Bowling Green.

We moved on to the Viewing Platform where the small waders were arriving from the Marsh to feed on the rapidly appearing mudflats as the tide dropped. From here we enjoyed more good views of at least 8 Curlew Sandpipers amongst the Dunlin along with 3 Ringed Plover before most of the birds flew off upriver towards The Goat Walk.

Curlew Sandpiper with Dunlin, River Clyst Viewing Platform

We moved on again to The Goat Walk and sat on a bench enjoying the views and having a chin wag but I kept an eye on the lower estuary in the hope of finding an Osprey. We were eventually very lucky as I found one soaring over the water off Mudbank amongst a mellee of agitated gulls, it was distant and the scope views were hazy but it hovered a few times before I lost it amongst the swirling birds. I soon refound it heading towards Powderham Park where it disappeared into the trees with a fish in its talons, unfortunately we had missed it diving into the water but we were very pleased to have seen it albeit so distantly.

A very enjoyable day out and much needed by both of us following a few difficult weeks - some great birds and very nice to catch up with Mavis too.

Curlew Sandpiper, Bowling Green Marsh

Friday 8th September and with another day of grotty weather forecasted I decided to head off to Topsham for the morning hide tide wader roost at Bowling Green Marsh where I could at least sit in the bird hide out of the wind and rain. It was raining as I stepped off the train at Topsham at 9am but it stopped shortly after I arrived and it remained dry although mostly overcast for the rest of the day.

As I entered a packed hide I was met by Dave from Daves Diary who was pointing out a juvenile curlew sandpiper in amongst the waders close to the hide on the new scrapes - a very smart looking bird busily feeding with a few dunlin between the legs of sleeping curlews and redshanks.

 Curlew, Redshank and Black Tailed Godwit

 Curlew Sandpiper

 Curlew Sandpiper

I spent a while in the hide as the tide began dropping until the waders began to fly off to the River Clyst and amongst the curlew, redshank, black tailed godwit, greenshank, lapwing and dunlin were a green sandpiper, a female ruff, 2 whimbrel, a bar tailed godwit and a few ringed plover along with the curlew sandpiper. Eclipse plumaged ducks were dotted around the marsh - pintail, gadwall, mallard, teal, shoveler and wigeon - and a female marsh harrier showed very well quartering back and forth over the reeds at the back of the marsh. A few house martins, sand martins and swallows were buzzing over the water and a kingfisher resting on one of the islands was a nice surprise.

I wandered over to the River Clyst viewing platform to watch the waders feeding on the increasingly exposed mud and managed to find a curlew sandpiper amongst the dunlins, presumably the same bird seen earlier on the marsh. 2 kingfishers were fishing from the walls of Rivers Meet House but there was no sign of any ospreys.

 Kingfisher

 Greenshank

Curlew Sandpiper

Onwards to Dawlish Warren for a quick look around and from the dune ridge I scanned the estuary on a low tide where the only birds of note were a few common terns resting on the sand banks with Sandwich terns. Offshore there was a large mass of birds feeding offshore which seemed to consist of herring gulls and gannets with a few terns while on the sand banks were more roosting Sandwich terns with 2 very smart black terns, my first at Dawlish Warren.

Black Terns

Autumn ladies tresses were still in flower across the site and I also saw a few common darter, a few hawker dragonflies, a male common blue, meadow browns and gatekeepers before it was time to catch the train home just as the rain began to fall again.

 Common Darter

 Sand Wasp

Autumn Ladies Tresses 

 Autumn Ladies Tresses 

Autumn Ladies Tresses 

Tuesday 12th September and I headed down to Falmouth with work colleague Sue for a wildlife boat trip with Orca Safaris, something we have been wanting to do for some time. The weather was looking good for the trip and we headed off from Falmouth Docks out into the bay in grey skies and a gentle breeze. A few gannets and shags were soon found and 2 mute swans close to the beach were a surprise. Eventually we found a small pod of common dolphins much to Sue's delight and we had some great views as they swam around the boat before getting bored and moving away.

 Common Dolphin

 Common Dolphin

 Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin 

 Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

 Common Dolphin

Common Dolphin

Gannet

Also seen were a few guillemot, plenty of gannets, shags and herring gulls, a first winter Mediterranean gull, a few cormorant, great black backed gulls and 3 Sandwich terns but we didn't go far enough offshore to find any interesting sea birds. And on the way back to shore we got involved with a lifeboat rescue of a yacht that had lost its steering - a very enjoyable trip.

Falmouth Lifeboat

A Quartet of Sandpipers

Sunday August 28th and a day off to myself and I had planned to visit Preston Down in Torbay for the Devon Butterfly Groups walk to look for brown hairstreaks but on opening the bedroom curtains it was grey and misty and drizzly so I decided to head off to Bowling Green Marsh at Topsham instead. The weather did improve and it stayed mostly dry but was cloudy and humid.

I started off in the hide and quickly found the spoonbill which had been present for a few days but it was doing what spoonbills always do - sleep! It occassionally awoke and showed its bill but would quickly tuck its bill under its wing again and return to sleep.

Sleeping Spoonbill

The usual birds were on show across the Marsh including black tailed godwit, teal, little egret and lapwing but a winter plumaged spotted redshank was a nice find busily feeding in the water along with a common sandpiper feeding along the muddy shoreline, my first sandpiper of the day.

I headed off to the viewing platform overlooking the River Clyst and scanned around where the highlights were a spotted redshank roosting with redshanks on the mudflats, presumably a second bird to the one seen feeding on the marsh, a Sandwich tern resting on a buoy down river on the Exe, 2 juvenile curlew sandpipers feeding along the shoreline (sandpiper species number 2) and greenshanks and black tailed godwits feeding and flying around.

A holly blue was flitting about along the hedgerow as I headed back to the hide and it was a surprise to find the hide totally packed out after being virtually empty earlier but I managed to find a standing place at the back. Birds were flying in from the estuary as the tide came in and I added ringed plover, dunlin, a bar tailed godwit, 3 knot, curlew and a calling whimbrel to the wader list.

I eventually found the bird I had come to see, a very smart wood sandpiper which had been around for a few days. At first it was tucked away to the left of the hide but eventually flew in right in front of the hide giving some great views, the best I have had of this species and sandpiper number 3 for the day.

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper

Later a green sandpiper also flew in to the channel in front of the hide but quickly flew off again back towards Goosemoor, sandpiper number 4. Birds were coming and going and the spotted redshank was still feeding in the water, the spoonbill was still asleep at the back of the marsh and presumably the 2 curlew sandpipers from the viewing platform were busily feeding away along the muddy shoreline. Lots to watch but there was no sign of the osprey that had been reported over the previous few days.

Slightly Awake Spoonbill

It started to rain as I headed home on the train but I managed to see the resident Slavonian grebe on the River Exe at Cockwood from the train on the journey back to Plymouth.

Duchess of Sutherland at Plymouth Station on my return

Monday 29th August and a hot and sunny Bank Holiday Monday for a change and so we headed off to Wembury for a walk. I was hoping to see some yellow wagtails and wasn't disappointed with 3 found feeding around the feet of the cattle in the field by the footpath. However they were very skittish and soon flew off inland but on the walk back I found a single bird in the field which gave some nice views before flying off inland also.

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Also seen were a noisy adult and even noisier juvenile Sandwich tern flying along the shoreline, a male whitethroat at Wembury Point,, stonechats, chiffchaffs, swallows and a female sparrowhawk flying low over the stubble field spooking the roosting gulls which included an adult lesser black backed.

Common blue, speckled wood, large white, meadow brown, small tortoiseshell, red admiral  and holly blue were on the wing but there were no moths again in the toilet block.

We enjoyed a coffee and a pasty for lunch from the cafe on the beach before heading off home to cool down and prepare for dreaded night shifts, bringing to an end some excellent days of wildlife watching with 2 lifers added to my British list.

Hudsonian Whimbrel (at last!) and a Penzance Pelagic

Friday 26th August and with 3 days off following my unscheduled days annual leave we headed off on the train to West Cornwall. Unfortunately it was the August Bank Holiday weekend and bright and sunny and warm and so it was a little busy but overall it wasn't too bad.

We had the first class carriage of the train to ourselves from Plymouth to Hayle which was very nice and we enjoyed complimentary tea, coffee, biscuits and cake for breakfast. We alighted at Hayle and walked along the estuary to the railway station at St.Erth so I could do a bit of birding. The tide was heading in and I managed to see a nice selection of waders - 3 greenshank, 2 whimbrel, 2 black tailed godwit, curlews, redshanks, 2 dunlin and a curlew sandpiper (my 3rd in a week after a complete dip last year). Also seen were a greylag goose amongst the Canada goose flock, 5 eclipse plumaged wigeon amongst teal and mallard and a 2nd summer Mediterranean gull moulting into winter plumage.

We caught the packed out train from St.Erth to St.Ives and had an enjoyable few hours wandering around St.Ives. Despite the crowds and sunshine I managed to find a few gannets and fulmars offshore along with an adult kittiwake and a juvenile and 2 adult winter plumaged Mediterranean gulls. A grey seal was also seen swimming in the water off the beach near The Tate Modern with swimmers nearby totally oblivious to its prescence.

We then caught the train from St.Ives to Penzance for an overnight stay at The Union Hotel ready for an early start on Saturday morning (for me) to go on a seabird pelagic trip I had booked (yes, I had finally gotten around to doing it!). The trip was planned for a 7am start but was cancelled due to a lack of people but I was offered an afternoon trip from 5pm instead and so our plans for the Saturday were rearranged and it meant that I now had the opportunity in the morning to visit Marazion while David visited Newlyn.

The Egyptian House, Penzance - opposite our hotel

I headed off on the bus to Marazion and then walked along the coastpath to Perrannuthnoe to look again for the long staying Hudsonian whimbrel which has been appearing, disappearing and then reappearing in the area since November 2015. I hoped that this 3rd visit would be the charm and indeed it turned out to be.

 St.Michaels Mount, Marazion

The tide was heading in and the sun was shining and I found a group of curlews roosting on the rocks with oystercatchers and little egrets. No sign of the Hudsonian whimbrel amongst them but a neurotic sounding whimbrel was whistling away further along the footpath. I scanned around for it along the shore with no luck but as I peered over the clifftop I flushed a curlew then a whimbrel and then the Hudsonian whimbrel which had been making all the noise, noting its dark toned plumage and lack of white rump in flight which looked quite outstanding especially when compared to the curlew and whimbrel flying with it. It disappeared along the coast but I headed back to the curlew roost amongst the rocks and quickly refound it with 3 whimbrels, its uniformly dark plumage and much brighter and distinct head patterning being very noticeable. I often find whimbrels have variably patterned head markings with some more distinct than others but the Hudsonians was very outstanding. It flew off with the curlews and whimbrels a few times as the tide continued to rise and it was quite noticeable amongst them with its darker plumage tones, no white rump and small size - finally I had seen it, a British life tick for me at last.

 Hudsonian Whimbrel with Curlews

 Hudsonian Whimbrel (centre) with Whimbrel (right) and Curlews

Hudsonian Whimbrel and Curlews

Other birds seen along the beach were ringed plovers, dunlins and turnstones, a kingfisher, a grey wagtail and rock pipits with fulmars flying around offshore.

Goose Barnacles on driftwood, Marazion Beach

I met up with David back in Marazion and after a pint we walked back to Penzance for lunch, enjoying an ice cream in the hot sunshine along the way. After lunch and a look around Penzance it was time for David to head back to Plymouth on the train while I headed down to the harbour for my pelagic trip.

We headed off on The Mermaid II along the stunning coast towards Lands End as the sun started to become more obscured by clouds rolling in from the south west. The weather conditions were not looking great for seabirds but I was just excited to be out on a boat with the glorious views and a sense of anticipation.

Turnstone, Penzance Harbour

The guide began to chuck food over the back of the boat which attracted gulls as we sped along the coast and amongst the herring, great black backed and lesser black backed gulls of various hues and ages a juvenile yellow legged gull was picked out. I managed to get onto and noted its white rump, black tail band and dark upperwings with a poorly marked  inner primary window as we bounced along over the waves but it was a brief view only as it disappeared in the melee of gulls. An ocean sunfish was also seen flapping its fin in the air as we whizzed by.

 Here Come The Gulls!

 Gulls

Gulls

A juvenile kittiwake, variously aged gannets, fulmars and Manx shearwaters were also seen before the engines were cut off Lands End and chumming began. The silence was a shock after all the engine noise and it was peacefully beautiful as we bobbed around in the waves waiting to see what would appear. Manx shearwaters and fulmars circled around the boat at times but didn't linger unlike the mass of gulls. I managed to find 2 Balearic shearwaters flying by but they were distant and quickly disappeared off into the Atlantic, being noticeably paler toned and with dusky looking underparts compared to the crisp white underparts and dark tones of the Manxies.

Some fins were seen breaking the sea surface, presumably common dolphins, but they were very unobtrusive and quickly disappeared. Compass jellyfish were also seen but it was decided to head back towards Penzance as there was little seabird action going on.

Heading back and a lone common dolphin came to the boat, circling a few times and leaping out of the water before disappearing behind the boat. A circling group of gannets gave away the prescence of a group of feeding harbour porpoise which gave their usual brief fin views before moving away. Another group of common dolphins came to the boat but also quickly disappeared from sight and with the light fading we continued on our way back to Penzance, watching Manx shearwaters and gannets and gulls along the way.

A fellow birder on the trip called a large shearwater off the back of the boat and I quickly got onto it in the dull and fading light as it flew low over the waves away from the boat, noting its long wings and pale brown looking upperwings. At first I thought it was a Corys but it banked to the left before appearing to land on the sea, showing a distinct dark cap and looking almost skua like before I lost sight of it - a great shearwater and another British life tick for me (my second of the day!). Despite going back and searching for it we couldn't refind it but it provided an exciting end to the trip.

We arrived back at Penzance harbour just before 9pm and it was quite dark by this time as I headed off to the railway station to catch the 21:30hrs train to Plymouth, the last train of the day. My shins were black and blue from knocking against the boats benches in the choppy swell and my core muscles ached too from trying to keep myself upright as we bounced across the waves but it was worth it - I had had a fantastic time despite the less than ideal conditions and I am looking forward to doing a pelagic trip again next year.