Paul's Birding Diary

Thursday 2nd - Saturday 4th October 2014 Beer - with Beer Brook running alongside Fore Street towards the beac h No, the village in Devon, not the beverage. It now seems, after days of rain and wind, or fog, that in my few days in SE Devon recently with Linda, we really had the last gasp of summer. A few photos here of this lovely corner of England (going a bit misty-eyed there, sorry about that). Aboard a tram on Seaton Tramway, with the Axe Estuary on one side and Seaton Marshes on the other A juvenile Black-tailed Godwit snapped from the moving tram Coastal scenery between Beer and Branscombe Always nice when you look for something and find it, this Clouded Yellow was at Branscombe Mouth beach This Red Admiral was also on the beach at Branscombe, dodging the surf at times Picturesque cows at Branscombe village

Sunday 5th October 2014 Some photos here of the juvenile Pink-footed Goose at WWT Slimbridge allowing close study as it fed/swam/wandered around the Big Pen.        

Wednesday 1st October 2014 Linda alerted me to a "strange grasshoppery thing" in the kitchen last night - it was this Speckled Bush-cricket . It's missing a hind leg, but still an impressive insect.

Tuesday 30th September 2014 Pisaura mirabilis (Nursery Web Spider) - quite a few of these around at the moment As I contemplate the repair estimate for my scope - an accumulation of wear and tear culminating in a fault on the focusing - my attention has turned of late to Spiders. My curiosity has been sparked by Collins Field Guide: Spiders - Britain and Northern Eurpoe, a recent birthday gift, and a desire to try and identify the local Araneae (a low-scoring scrabble word that). The author, Michael J. Roberts, isn't big on common names, but I've included here those used elsewhere. I must add, it is an excellent book. Anyway, here are a few pics from the garden and local environs. Pisaura mirabilis (Nursery Web Spider) Pardosa amentata (Spotted Wolf Spider) - several in the canal area but I haven't yet seen one in the garden Meta segmentata (Autumn Spider), male (left) and female (right) Meta segmentata (Autumn Spider), male Salticus scenicus...

Saturday 6th September 2014 Three of the Curlew Sandpipers At WWT Slimbridge this morning with Mike and Mark a good selection of birds around, including a GARGANEY , five CURLEW SANDPIPERS , five Ruffs , a Spotted Redshank , five Little Stints and 20+ Black-tailed Godwits from Zeiss Hide, six Common Cranes (presumed GCP birds but too distant to confirm), six Ruffs and six Green Sandpipers from Robbie Garnett hide and a Greenshank from Holden Tower. The pics here were taken with my S4 phone through Mark's scope - my own scope decided to play up and is being sent to the scope hospital. Spotted Redshank among Lapwing and Common Redshanks It was a good birders meet last night at the Fromebridge with a good crew and lots of merriment on the occasion of Andy J's 50th. Below is Jeremy's pic shortly before mass high-fiving the local crew in a random act of bonding.

Thursday 28th - Saturday 30th August 2014 Marsh Sandpiper (right) with Greenshank Now, I do like a nice rarity, especially a county first, so the brilliant find on Thursday by Martin of a juvenile MARSH SANDPIPER at Frampton was very welcome. Being on leave for the week, I was able to get to see the bird quite quickly; and returned for second and third helpings during its stay. It was always a bit distant so photography was a struggle, but it was a joy to watch this elegant wader feed among the Greenshanks and Ruffs . Pic taken Thursday morning Marsh Sandpiper with Ruff and Greenshank Phone-scoped pic On Sunday (31st) I visited Clevedon Court and was amazed at the number of dragonflies on the wing, mainly Migrant Hawkers , but also Common Darters and Ruddy Darters . I counted 11 Migrant Hawkers resting together at one location in the gardens and whilst it is hard to estimate the total number present it must have been in the order of 30 - 40. I also saw a Brimston...

Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th August 2014 Autumn Lady's Tresses, Breakheart Hill Friday I went in search of Orchids at Swift's Hill, near Slad, in particular Autumn Lady's Tresses and am grateful to the gentlemen there who pointed some out to me and also told me they were far more numerous at Breakheart Hill near Dursley. I went on to Breakheart Hill were, as the chap said, they were plentiful, and bigger (they're still a small plant) than the specimens at Swift's Hill. I also noted at least eight Chalkhill Blues here too, also a Redstart . Swift's Hill, looking towards Stroud Autumn Lady's Tresses, Breakheart Hill - not so spiralled flower spike as most specimens Chalkhill Blue, Breakheart Hill View from Breakheart Hill On Saturday a morning out with Mark produced a nice selection of birds at Walmore Common included five Whinchats , a Wheatear and c20 Yellow Wagtails , also a  Migrant Hawker dragonfly. We then went on to Crabtree Hill ...