[Reprinted with permission, apologies for the delay!]

Axe Estuary Birds No 138 15^th August 2010

The Birds

Much better this period, as to be expected, with a notable rarity and several migrants dropping in and passing over the patch.

The rarity, although of dubious origin, was a female Red-crested Pochard first seen on 11^th, and present until at least the 13^th on the Estuary. This record follows on from a pair present for a few hours on Black Hole Marsh and the Estuary last May. I will wrap the ducks up now, with a drake Tufted Duck making the Borrow Pit his home for the last week or so, a few Teal are now starting to appear now, and our first Wigeon I’m sure are only a matter of days away.

At least one Osprey is to be expected during this period, and one that flew south then west away from Seaton on 11^th was it, although its visit couldn’t have been briefer! I hope we get a lingering juvenile later in the year.

Also on cue was our first Wood Sandpiper of the autumn, with one seen mostly around the Black Hole/Stafford Marsh area from 10^th. Green Sandpiper numbers remain rather low, with no more than six seen on any one day – they should be present in double figures by now. Dunlin numbers peaked at 30, with up to 20 Ringed Plovers seen on Black Hole Marsh. A couple of single Little Ringed Plovers have also been noted feeding around the edge of the marsh. A couple of Greenshank have been noted and Black-tailed Godwit numbers peaked at six with up to three Whimbrel noted. The first four Snipe were seen on 14^th.

On the Estuary, gulls have included a total of three juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls. Sporadically a Water Rail can be glimpsed feeding along the banks of the upper river or along the back edge of Black Hole Marsh.

A few migrant passerines are being seen now, with Beer Head producing a Garden Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, five Whitethroat and ten Wheatear on 11^th. The following day two female Redstarts and three Spotted Flycatchers were in the fields behind Beer Cemetery.

An interesting sighting was of a Barn Owl roosting in a hedge beside the Axe just south of Boshill Cross, this could mean its usual roosting box is currently over crowded by owlets.

No moth photos this time, as conditions have been far from ideal for trapping of late. So instead a few photos showing the antics of the 9^th when a few more Water Voles were released in the area to bolster the relatively recently introduced population. While on the subject of mammals, the following day, the first Otter seen for a good couple of months was spotted at Colyford Marsh.

Photos: Red-crested Pochard, Tufted Duck, Wood Sandpiper and Water Voles – Steve Waite.

The Trivia

I am pleased to tell you that the 2009 Report is now available, after many set backs and production difficulties. It is available from the TIC in Seaton and Archway Books in Axminster at £4.50 or by post from EDDC Countryside Service, Knowle, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8HL. Phone 01395 516511, price £4.50 plus £1.00 P& P.

James Chubb saw something unusual last week – a Grey Squirrel rushing across the field towards the salt marsh between Black Hole Marsh and Seaton Marshes. As James said “There are no trees there – must have been nuts1”

We saw an unusual Blackbird in our garden in Colyford. An adult male with a grey head, and a rusty orange patch on it’s chest, where a Ring Ouzel is white. There were also grey patches on it’s wings. It was collecting beak-fulls of food, so presumably feeding young. There is another grey-headed one, without the patch on the chest.

Richard Staniforth, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, writes “I emigrated to Canada in 1966. In the sixties I would cycle from Honiton to Seaton which was quite a task because of the ridge of hills that blocked every direction! I would leave my bike over the hedge adjacent to the A3052 bridge and walk down the east side of the marsh to Seaton and back the same way.  It was quite a job to get around some of the dense hedges and saltwater channels that criss-crossed the meadows but it was well worth it! There were occasional wooden bridges over those salt water channels but they were always wet and very slippery. I never would see other birders in the early sixties which was disappointing for me, especially when I now learn that there were in fact quite a few fellow enthusiasts!

I had some good birds, especially during the cold winter of 1962-3. Unfortunately, my notes were left behind when I emigrated but I should contact my sister who lives in Dalwood as she may have them. In Manitoba, we are just now commencing work on our first Breeding Bird Atlas. This year is the first of five for recording information.  It is a challenge because of our low population, and lack of roads in the northern half of the province but very enjoyable nevertheless, particularly as we also have a group of excellent birders here.”

(By coincidence, I met another birder in Colyford hide who 20 years ago also used to walk down that side of the river.)

News from Holyford Woods

Along the Hangings there are enough ripe blackberries to add to apples for a pie! I have had two brief views of the Roe buck deep in the woods, and he is now sporting his lovely rich red summer coat, so he should catch a doe’s eye as the rut starts about now. Bird calls heard regularly are dominated by the plaintive cries of the two juvenile Buzzards and their parents. Heard virtually every time all through the year are the calls of Nuthatches and Greater Spotted Woodpeckers (drumming as well), and from the fields north of the woods those of the Green Woodpecker. I disturbed three when walking there last week. By the entrance gate there were three baby Toads in the grass, and froglets are still to be seen near the Top Pool. Butterfly numbers have dropped, and the only interesting one was a Holly Blue one day.

Reserves

There will be further work done on the reserves in the next few weeks – the path at Colyford Common will be extended to the viewing platform, and a ramp built. Work will begin on the hide at Black Hole Marsh, and improvement to the paths there, and the path at Seaton Marshes will be re-surfaced. All good stuff!

Diary Dates

Tuesday 17^th August 9am – 11am Reptile Ramble at Fire Beacon Hill for Junior Rangers.

Friday 20^th August 5pm – 7pm Bird Watching Tram Trip with Donald Campbell.

Saturday 21^st August 5pm – 7pm Bird Watching Tram Trip with Ian Waite.

Wednesday 18^th August 4pm – 6pm Musbury, evening walk for water plants and birds with Mike Lock.
Meet Waterford Farm SY 265947. Wear Wellies.

Friday 20^th – Sunday 22^nd August. Wet and Wild Weekend – Events throughout the weekend. See attached poster.
Thursday 2^nd September 10am – Noon Meet the Birds, Colyford Common hide. Everyone welcome.

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Biodiversity Exhibition at the old TIC in Seaton’s Underfleet Carpark, with various informal walks and talks – more details at the Exhibition or phone 01395 517557.

This twice-monthly email newsletter is freely available to anyone who would like it, as is a periodic one about the activities of the East Devon Local Group of the Devon Wildlife Trust. Just send me an email with Axe Estuary Birds and/or East Devon DWT in the subject line. Also, for those without a computer, I will send a copy by post if you would like to send me some stamps.

Thanks to those who keep we informed – please continue to tell us of any unusual, interesting or amusing sightings, and what is about locally, and send any photos you would like to share.

Steve, Jean and David.

davidwalters@eclipse.co.uk. tel. 01297 552616 Mobile 0779 1541 744.

7 Springfields, Colyford, Colyton, EX24 6RE

Mute Swan. Photo Sue Smith

The following is reproduced with permission. Thanks to the team!

Axe Estuary Birds No 137 3^rd August 2010

The Birds

The birding effort will step up now, as August can be an exciting month for passerine migration – not to mention wader, gull and sea passage. Next month should be a good one, but the end of the last month – covered in this newsletter – showed that things are just starting…

Waders have continued to pass through the area, and Blackhole Marsh has been pulling them down. A lovely Ruff was a nice highlight on 29^th, along with a Little Ringed Plover (with two the previous day, and another single on 24^th). Good numbers of Common Sandpipers can be seen along with up to four Green Sandpipers. The odd Whimbrel and Black-tailed Godwit have also been seen.

The 26^th showed a small arrival of duck, with nine Shoveler and a Teal on the Estuary. It’s nice to see Little Grebes have bred successfully on Lower Bruckland Ponds, with three young here during this period.

A windy start to this period meant eyes were trained on the sea on 15^th, four Balearic Shearwaters flew west along with 54 Manxies.

Gull numbers remain high on the Estuary, two Yellow-legged Gulls were found – a juvenile on 17^th and a stunning adult on 24^th. Two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls have been seen, with the first on 17^th. The ‘White One’, a leucistic Herring Gull that was seen towards the end of last winter, was seen again on the Estuary on 17^th.

Little effort has been put into looking for migrating passerines as yet this autumn, although it is clear Willow Warblers are moving through now in good numbers. The first returning Wheatear was noted at Colyford Common on 27^th, the first White Wagtail on Blackhole Marsh on 21^st, and two Crossbills flew over Seaton on 30^th.

Hobbies have been very scarce this summer, so several sightings of individuals during this period have been most welcome, maybe they are still breeding relatively close by?

Photos: Ruff, young Little Grebe and White Wagtail – Steve Waite; Wheatear – Karen Woolley.

The Trivia

I am delighted to report that Colyford Common is now accessible to small mobility scooters, thanks to Fraser and his team The gate at the top is somewhat narrow, but my scooter is 22” wide and goes through it quite easily. The path down to the Common is OK if a bit rough, and then the board walk out to the hide and the reed bed is wonderful. There will be further work to the top gate, and ramps to the enlarged hide in due course.

Also, Black Hole Marsh is accessible with care, and again further work will be done down there in due course to make it even more friendly to scooters and wheelchairs.

As you probably know at Seaton Marshes we can even get wheelchairs etc right into the hide. And I speak from experience in stressing how therapeutic simply getting out onto the reserves is – it has made a huge difference to my life (and to Diana’s too!)

Mike Dannat was on a tram trip with his grandchildren and noticed five Herons and four Little Egrets standing in a circle round a small wet patch opposite BHM – all facing more or less inwards. It just struck him as a strange formation.

Today, August 2^nd, there was a Common Tern on the scrape at Colyford Common.

And the sane day, Sue Smith was at Colyford Common in the evening, taking photos of Dunlin.

Peter Vernon has sent a few images of a Privet Hawk Moth which he caught in his moth trap the other night. “It is the UK’s largest resident moth with a wingspan of 110mm. Pictured on my hand to give you some idea of the size of the beast but honestly it was a stunning moth and in perfect condition.”

News from Holyford Woods

There are now the first signs of Autumn showing, with plump nuts on the Hazel trees, and shells opened by Squirrels lying on the paths, and the blackberries now about to ripen, though rain is needed to fill them out. Strangely, in the grass either side of the path on the north side of Top Pool, I have disturbed lots of tiny froglets! Considering the spawn was laid earlier than usual; why the delay? There has been some great bird activity. Yesterday a dog-walker joined me to watch the two very noisy young Buzzards, from the nest beneath Seaton Down, calling ‘mummmm mummmm’ while having a lesson from a parent on catching the thermals. A few days earlier I had watched one of them, calling loudly, flap its way across to the conifers, make a crash landing, sort out its wings and flap back to the trees near the nest. From my seat one morning I heard two irate Blackbirds creating a commotion trying to fend off a Jay threatening their young. Walking below the conifers Paco picked up the scent of what I thought would be a Roe deer, but it was a fox, trotting along between the trees. It was very scruffy so was either a vixen after rearing cubs, or worse it was suffering from mange. No going down the Badger setts for a while for Paco in case it was the one using them. Wednesday was an excellent butterfly day, so I did the M & S Butterfly Count. In fifteen minutes on The Hangings I noted 1 Peacock, 5 Speckled Woods, 12+ Meadow Brown, 2 Small Copper, 1 Comma, 3 Common Blue, 3 Green Veined White,12+ Gatekeeper and 2 Large Skippers. A lovely sight as they danced around a bramble bush and a clump of Ragwort.

Ringing

A couple of recoveries of interest:
Blackbird ringed LA47325 on 13 February 2010 at Colyford became a road casualty at Herselt, Antwerpen, Belgium on 2 April this year, a distance of 558km.
Reed Warbler ringed as a 3J at South Milton Ley on 16 July 2009 was controlled by the Group at Colyford Common on 7 June this year.

Another good session today (Aug 2^nd) with a tally of 61 birds as follows:
Reed Warbler 14(1); Willow Warbler 1; Blue Tit 11; Cetti’s Warbler (2); Goldfinch 5; Chaffinch 3; Common Sandpiper 1; Lesser Whitethroat 1; Sedge Warbler 8; Greenfinch 3; Great Tit 6; Robin 1; Chiffchaff 1; Wren 1; Dunlin 1; and Blackbird (2).

Diary Dates

Thursday 5^th August 2pm – 4pm Bug Hunting at the Borrow Pit for Junior Rangers.

Tuesday 17^th August 9am – 11am Reptile Ramble at Fire Beacon Hill for Junior Rangers.

Friday 20^th August 5pm – 7pm Bird Watching Tram Trip with Donald Campbell.

Saturday 21^st August 5pm – 7pm Bird Watching Tram Trip with Ian Waite.

Friday 20^th – Sunday 22^nd August. Wet and Wild Weekend – Events throughout the weekend. More details to follow.

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Biodiversity Exhibition at the old TIC in Seaton’s Underfleet Carpark, with various informal walks and talks – more details at the Exhibition or phone 01395 517557.

This twice-monthly email newsletter is freely available to anyone who would like it, as is a periodic one about the activities of the East Devon Local Group of the Devon Wildlife Trust. Just send me an email with Axe Estuary Birds and/or East Devon DWT in the subject line. Also, for those without a computer, I will send a copy by post if you would like to send me some stamps.

Thanks to those who keep we informed – please continue to tell us of any unusual, interesting or amusing sightings, and what is about locally, and send any photos you would like to share.

Steve, Mike, Jean and David.

davidwalters@eclipse.co.uk. tel. 01297 552616 Mobile 0779 1541 744.

7 Springfields, Colyford, Colyton, EX24 6RE

NB: The following is reproduced by kind permission of Axe Estuary Birds.

Photos: Greenshank and Redshank chick – Sue Smith; Mediterranean Gull, Small Red-eyed Damselflies, Double Line,

Grey Arches, Lackey, Small Elephant Hawkmoth and Scarce Silver-line – Steve Waite.

Axe Estuary Birds No 136 19^th July 2010

Apology

Sorry this edition is a week late, I had computer problems which are hopefully all sorted now.

The Birds

The last period has seen much richer rewards for the local birders, especially during the last week, as wading birds are starting to drop into the valley to have a rest and a re-fuel during their southward migration. Some rough weather (a bit of a rarity this year!) has prompted some sea watches too.

A couple of Green Sandpipers remain in the Colyford Common area, and Common Sandpipers are now also very much passing through at the moment, with eight on 13^th the peak count. The first Ringed Plover was noted on 7^th, then on 13^th a nice over-night arrival included five Little Ringed Plovers (3 adults and 2 juveniles) on Blackhole Marsh along with the ‘autumn’s’ first Dunlin and two Greenshank on Colyford Marsh. The following day a Whimbrel was also here.

Sea watching, as expected at this time of year, wasn’t brilliant. There were still birds to look at though with a few notable sightings. Balearic Shearwaters are regular and annual now in this month, the first lingered off Seaton on 12^th, and seven more were seen passing by between then and the end of this period. Manx Shearwaters have been trickling past in small numbers, with 70 west on 25^th being the highest count. The only Skuas noted have been Great Skuas, aka Bonxies (the old Shetland name for them, now used world wide!). One flew west on 2^nd then three flew past Beer on 14^th. A few Common Scoters are passing now too, with some landing and resting offshore.

The first juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls were found on 14^th when two were picked out in the flocks of Gulls on the Estuary. Mediterranean Gulls have been fairly frequent within the last couple of weeks, with some cracking summer plumaged adults being seen. Several have also been seen passing, with six passing west within a couple of hours on 2^nd.

Two juvenile Peregrines over the river valley on 13^th were good to see, and as the Beer pair only raised one young, these must have come from a pair along the Undercliff LNR. Whilst on the subject of locally bred youngsters, the Oystercatcher born on Blackhole Marsh is ‘home and dry’, it is now as big as Mum and Dad. More great news is of the sighting of two Redshank chicks on Colyford Marsh on 13^th – though being only a few days old they have a long way to go yet!

Small Red-eyed Damselflies are out again at Lower Bruckland Pond, and are best seen in areas with plenty of floating weed/vegetation. Although the most recent weather hasn’t been any good for moths, there was some good weather towards the start of the period. Here’s a few of the highlights from my moth trap…

Photos: Greenshank and Redshank chick – Sue Smith; Mediterranean Gull, Small Red-eyed Damselflies, Double Line,

Grey Arches, Lackey, Small Elephant Hawkmoth and Scarce Silver-line – Steve Waite.

The Trivia

On a walk from Colyford to Colyton along the Coly on 17^th Moira Anderson saw the Kingfisher flying up and down the river, she was not sure if it was the same one or several!   Also in a little glade half way along the Coly side between the A3052 and the Mill she saw a Tree Creeper and 2 Spotted Flycatchers busy doing just as their names suggests!!!   Also saw a couple of Comma butterflies.

David was at Bowling Green Marsh recently and shared the hide with a large, lethargic tabby cat. Like David, perhaps he was not too old to admire the birds, but too old to do anything about it!

News from Holyford Woods

Over the last four weeks, the Woods have gradually slipped into summer mode. The bracken is over 6ft. in places, the ferns have done really well and several Stink-horns have tainted the air with their ‘aroma’. In open places and on The Hangings the brambles have taken over. There will be a very good crop of blackberries if the weather behaves! The long dry spell has meant few wild flowers along the path below The Hangings, but butterflies have been busy in other areas. I have seen 5 Orange Tips, 6 Green-veined Whites, 2 Holly Blues, several Peacocks, Red Admirals, Speckled Woods, Meadow Browns, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Comma. The occasional Hornet has been seen too.

Among birds heard and/or seen are Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, and 2 Bullfinch and I have watched a Tree Creeper and a Nuthatch feeding young in oak trees. The dense greenery renders binoculars almost useless. There has been a second family of Moorhens but Top Pool is so overgrown a count is impossible. Here there are some magnificent Jurassic (or are they Triassic?) Giant Horsetail lining the stream.

The Roe Deer have not been in the Woods very much, but I have seen females grazing in the fields both North and South of the valley, with their young out of sight, but yesterday Paco told me there was deer about, and on going in to the undergrowth he disturbed a young one and mother. Their reaction was too swift for a photograph. Paco has ignored the Badger Setts so all is quiet there, but Squirrels get chased up trees – yesterday I got a shower as one raced through the wet leaves above me. The world is in a mess, but Holyford is always a wonderful place to escape to.

Ringing

Monday 19^th’s session resulted in 39 birds of which two were retraps. The tally was:

Mute Swan (1) plus 3 cygnets too small to ring; Chiffchaff 2; Blue Tit 7; Reed Warbler 17(1); Greenfinch 4; Goldfinch 3; Kingfisher 1; Sedge Warbler 1; Reed Bunting 2; and Wren 1.

Diary Dates

Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. Biodiversity Exhibition at the old TIC in Seaton’s Underfleet Carpark, with various informal walks and talks – more details at the Exhibition or phone 01395 517557.

This twice-monthly email newsletter is freely available to anyone who would like it, as is a periodic one about the activities of the East Devon Local Group of the Devon Wildlife Trust. Just send me an email with Axe Estuary Birds and/or East Devon DWT in the subject line. Also, for those without a computer, I will send a copy by post if you would like to send me some stamps.

Thanks to those who keep us informed – please continue to tell us of any unusual, interesting or amusing sightings, and what is about locally, and send any photos you would like to share.

Steve, Mike, Jean and David.

davidwalters@eclipse.co.uk. tel. 01297 552616 Mobile 0779 1541 744.

7 Springfields, Colyford, Colyton, EX24 6R

Grass Snake in the Borrow Pit 9^th July 2010 – photo Sue Smith