Local Patch Yeartick
Another cold day today, but with much more sunshine. Lunchtime saw me heading down to Shelly Beach. I did my usual march round the appartment blocks and watched the birds flying past as they left their high tide roosts and zoomed towards their feeding grounds being left exposed as the tide started to drop. Plenty of common waders flew by, the best being a small group of Knot. However, apart from a female Goldeneye, there was nothing of particular interest to note.
I decided to have a look at Mudbank lane, as more mud was becoming exposed , but duck would still be in close to the railway line, making viewing fairly simple. I first concentrated on the duck. A few Pintail and Wigeon were feeding just off the tideline, and 9 Common Teal were with them, not always an easy bird to connect with in Exmouth. My only Teal so far this year on my local patch had been a drake on a tiny tiny pond up at Bystock Reserve. However the best species were 4 (2 pairs) of Shoveler, a local patch yeartick, and one I didn't see at all last year in Exmouth! I then searched through the waders and gulls, but the only bird of note amongst these was the resident Greenshank. Unfortunately I then had to return to work!
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