The Delayed Post; In Which He Has 'Proof'...

Ok, here we go; the rejigged post that should have been posted on 31/5 if google weren't useless excuses...


The biggest news was a creamhead [almost certainly a 2cy] Marsh Harrier, which came in/off from the ESE early afternoon at Hope's Nose! Flying very low over the water [and still trying the flap-flap-glide into the NW-ish wind], it looked to be heading right in, but then it met a GBB [only getting light menacing] and turned north, staying about 1km out [I guess the gull made an impression!]. Most likely went for the Exe, but seeing as it stayed out, the Otter and Axe are possibles too.


I tried for pictures, but the Geeb intervened; after the first [below] it was going away from me all the time;

Yes, that's The Wreck - it was well out!

[Cream crown theoretically visible..!]

In glide, heading away and to the left.
 Showing dark brown upper- and underparts

[honest]

Wasn't that lovely? Another 'splodge he claims is a raptor'.. Oh well.


The 4.5 hour seawatch the Marshie showed up during also featured a Stormy, 2 Puffins, 43 C Scoter, and 481 Manxies [all but 4 going south]. 2 Arctic Terns accompanied 7 Commons - they looked like they went into the Bay. 4 Swallows came in/off after the cold front cleared, and 2 Oyks flew north. Speaking of, the Lead Stone pair were still in evidence; they gave a GBB a nasty peck where it really hurt, judging by the resultant yelp.. [ouch]



A seawatch on Friday - another 4.5 hours - gave 69 Manxies; both N and S! There was definitely some feeding going on way out to the near due east, so it could be circulation, but all the passing birds were much closer in, so I reckon its just one of those things. The weather wasn't as good as I'd hoped, and they were just passing feeding groups which happened to tally.

Also notably by were 2 [slightly untimely] Balearics, 2 Common Tern, and a flock of 20+ small waders heading north - they looked like Sanderling but I can't be sure. Definite highlight though was the Long-tail, which passed slowly north around 1040. It was out at big shear range, but the light caught it beautifully... :D



That harrier takes my DevonYear up to the 13th of October...