Friday 21 November 2008

Thursday 20th November 2008


Distant Surfer




No I don't mean there was someone on a surfboard right out in the bay! I had incredibly distant views of the female Surf Scoter again this afternoon from the seafront at Exmouth. It has such a distinctive head shape you can pick it out at considerable distance. It appeared to be with 4 Common Scoters. Of course, the sea was flat calm, otherwise it might have been a tad more difficult. I also had a couple of high-flying Gannets right out in the bay, but there was nothing else of note.


This morning I had a quick look over the Exe estuary from Mudbank Lane. Again, there was nothing unusual, but large numbers of wildfowl were close in to the railway line. Several hundred of each of Dark-bellied Brent Geese and Wigeon were continually calling, the former 'barking' and the latter 'whistling'! Scattered amongst these were about 100 Pintail - these ducks are so smart, they always seem to be in immaculate plumage! A Green Woodpecker was calling from some trees a little further along the lane towards Lower Halsdon Farm. This is now owned by the National Trust. After the last owner died a few years back he decided to leave it to the trust, rather than let some disgusting developer get hold of it and build hundreds of houses all across the estuary-side fields. In my book, the guy should be awarded a posthumous knighthood!

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