Wednesday 14 September 2016

Excellent day on patch - Avocet, Knot, Ruff, Curlew Sand...

14th September:
Steve found an Avocet on Black Hole Marsh at dawn - a good bird for here. Given how numerous they are on the River Exe during the Winter period, Avocet is a bird that a lot of people don't have a great deal of interest in, but this is a different story for patch birders here. This is only the 5th one I've seen on patch and 3 of the previous 4 were seen together. I saw it on BHM in the morning before it flew out to the estuary; views were generally distant but it was good to get prolonged views. Here are a few pics from this morning (I returned in the evening and the bird was still present at dusk):






Also on Black Hole Marsh: 6+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Ruff, 1 Curlew Sandpiper (presumably the juv from yesterday lingering), 1 Knot (Steve had a 2nd on the river) and 2 Wheatear on the hedgerow just South of BHM. The Knot showed superbly in the morning light...

There are a few pics in this series so I'll post some more soon

An XZ691 Royal Navy Westland Lynx HMA.8 caused havoc over the Axe Estuary as it did a VERY low fly-by & circle. A great sight but the birds were not at all pleased...


Unfortunately this is the closest I've got to anything Osprey related on the Axe this year...

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