Out and about

A blue sky would have been good for these sedge photos on Black Hole Marsh this week

A reed warbler showed itself briefly also on Black Hole Marsh

and last night as well as a few dunlin and ring plovers there was another sanderling and a very nice curlew sandpiper both of which remained a fair distance away.

Have been off patch a bit lately and these pied flycatchers were taken at Yarner

This beautiful whinchat was taken on Dartmoor a few days ago

 A nice male greater spotted woodpecker taken at Stover

And finally this great crested grebe also at Stover with a very large dinner 

A visitor on the beach

Thanks to Steve this morning for finding this sanderling on the beach.  Having got there the length of the beach seemed a bit daunting when looking for such a small wader but luckily for me Karen had already relocated it and was sitting right in front of it.

Yesterday I caught this male kestrel over Stafford marsh

and this lone swift over the Borrow pit

Another great afternoon and yesterdays highlight

The whimbrel on Black hole marsh this week have been superb and have given some wonderful photo opportunities.  With a total of 36 yesterday and a few more today they looked absolutely stunning in the sunlight

This afternoon there were also 3 ring plovers and 8 dunlin

and 

also 13 black tailed godwits

Yesterday what I presumed at the time to be a crane flew over black hole marsh and headed down circling toward Colyford Common.  It turned out to be a Somerset ringed crane which was rather nice.  Shame it was so high up as it passed over.

Finally back to this afternoon and the 5 canada geese goslings were causing havoc with the waders.  One in particular took a liking to these 2 godwits

A worthwhile outing

A quick trip out this afternoon to Black hole marsh resulted in a fairly lengthy stay.  Firstly the canada geese were proudly showing off and parading their 5 young goslings.  Secondly there were so many whimbrel coming and going  that I lost count although there were well over 20 at one time.  Then while I was wondering what had put all the gulls up on the river and whether or not it was worth a look, a pair of beautiful garganey flew in and began feeding fairly close by.

Here are a few shots of the whimbrel which were continually coming and going.

And finally the canada geese goslings