Once Upon A Time...

That ketchup post is finally here.

I'm not going to go into all the twelve visits to the Nose I made last month, because - aside from the last - there was a running theme of 'No Wheatear....::sniff::'

First report was a trip out West. 

A Wood Duck has been frequenting the duck pond at Saltram - where all the birds are actually wild [go figure, if you've seen it; right by the gift shop!] - along with a male Red-crested Pochard, with evident designs on the more-or-less resident female.

 

Wood Duck?!? Well, it is my opinion that not every Wood Duck is an escape. If Mandarin can get to Iceland, and Woodies can get to the Azores - and they can - then genuine vagrants can get here. A pair in Cornwall recently being most recent.

This Wood Duck was reportedly very wary - for a duck on a pond - and I wanted to have a look. I've seen an interesting Wood Duck in Devon before - a male, so automatically written-off by all and sundry - and as I said, I wanted to see how wild-acting this bird really was.

 

 

Of course, the one day there was no sign of her.....

 

 

 

Ok, turns out two days, as The Teacher tried the day after me and dipped her as well.

 

 

But other things to see.

The male and female RCP showed wonderfully, at least 36 Mandarin did too, and oh yes, a winter plumage Curlew Sandpiper eventually turned up at a nice range down on Blaxton Meadow. [Plumage Tick!] 

Pics of all on BlueSky, along with a colour-ringed Curlew, Med Gulls, and the naughty Ring-necked Parakeets.

I - being Out West already - went on to South Huish, where eventually the Water Pipit showed riiiight at the back of the Big Puddle.

 

It being a bit blowy, I gave the sea some attention, seeing a lone male Common Scoter and eventually a Red-throated Diver out there. Passage of one Gannet and one Kittiwake was a bit underwhelming, enlivened briefly by 8 more Common Scoter.. Until off to the North, a skua hove into view! Pom! It turned about and headed off NW, but too late to avoid me. 😁

But that was it.

Next trip was a two-header also.

Started in a wood by the edge of Dartmoor, where a small woodpecker showed nicely though not as well as for some other birders [drat], and on nearby heath a male Dartford Warbler steadfastly would not be photo'd, either...

After taking care of Important Things, Powderham Park contained at least 28 Cattle Egret and - on I think the fourth attempt - an Egyptian Goose! Woo.

Powderham Bend saw me sit myself down for a slightly late lunch and hope for an Osprey on the rising tide. 

Nope.

5 Red-breasted Merganser were on the water, and 47+ Turnstone and 66+ Dunlin were trying to stay out of it by the yacht club.

The weekend after, I headed up onto t'Moor with the Folks and their 'orrible slobbery dog [he's a sweetie, really, and very friendly. Very very friendly]

We did the walk I'd scouted the month before - up to White Tor - and all the sunshine was most appreciated. Lack of big flock of Golden Plover this time and no Wheatears, of course.

That's all for this time. We have more to come, including Proper Filthy Twitching With Friends!

Be Seeing You...