Devon Bird Bonanza!

 Another trip down to Devon...

...in search of winter wading birds!

This was my favourite shot of the trip - and its not of a wader! Its a male Kestrel, taken at Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve.

I spotted him hovering some distance away, he then flew off and perched right at the top of a tree. It was lovely to see its plumage up close.

This Ringed Plover was on the Otter Estuary in the town of Budleigh Salterton, where I was staying. I took many photos of it but this was my favourite as it shows movement.

The Otter Estuary Nature Reserve is also classified as a SSSI and covers 57 acres of tidal saltmarsh and mudflats. It's a very important place for wildlife in the area and at the moment the Lower Otter Restoration Project has started work. There's some more information on this new project here: http://www.lowerotterrestorationproject.co.uk/

Here's a Redshank - taken on the same day and location.

And a Curlew! I have never managed to get this close to one before so I was extra pleased to get this photo.

3 Dunlin feeding - guess where I took this?! Yup, the Otter Estuary again! 

On to the lovely Exe Estuary...

There was a small group of Turnstone feeding on some seaweed; I could even hear their beaks scratching against the rocks when they pushed, flicked and 'turned' the seaweed!

Look closely at what this one has caught!

In a tall hedgerow by the estuary, I heard the soft, plaintive call of a Bullfinch and after a little while this female appeared and started feeding on buds.

Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) are found in farmland, woodland and scrub and were once very common in the UK; during the 1970 - 80's there numbers declined steeply. However, they are on the increase though their numbers are still 36% lower than in 1967 (BTO)

They were (and still are for some people) considered a pest as they eat buds. 

Bowling Green Marsh is a small RSPB reserve on the Exe Estuary where there is a large 'scrape' and lots of islands for wading and resting birds.

This Black Tailed Godwit in winter plumage was looking gorgeous in the late afternoon sun.

Out in the estuary at Topsham a large flock of Avocets were feeding and as I watched them a Peregrine Falcon swooped in an attempt to catch one, thus spooking them and making them take to the air. However, the Peregrine didn't manage to catch any.

Back at Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve... 

A flock of Brent Geese on the beach, spot the photo-bomber!

I really pleased to spot this seal out to sea.

Walking back to the car after a super day at Dawlish Warren look who was following me...