Otter Estuary,

Otter Estuary,

Sunday 11 March 2007

It is not often that Group members can anticipate a field meeting knowing that there is a good chance of seeing a rarity so it was great news to hear that the long staying Cattle Egret had been seen a few days ago in the fields above White Bridge. This bird had been seen up and down the Otter between Otterton and White Bridge for 5 months and whilst many of the party had already seen it several had not. Even for those that had already seen it it was, hopefully, going to be good to see it again! Add to this the fact that we were just coming into the migration period and it promised to be a good day.

A very good turn out meant that we had to split the group in two with Ray Jones again helping out. A walk to the estuary mouth along the shingle ridge nearly froze us but resulted in the usual Rock Pipits, Oystercatchers and Wigeon but also a Razorbill some distance out. No other waders and no migrants. The stroll to White Bridge, despite numerous walkers and dogs, gave us Curlew, Teal, Reed Bunting, Meadow Pipit and a migrant Whimbrel. In the field where we saw a Water Pipit last year there was, in amongst the Meadow Pipits, another Water Pipit!! Or was it??? After much debate it was decided it wasn’t. Cetti’s Warbler and Water Rail were heard but not seen and we were a bit late in the year to see the usual Kingfisher from the bridge. The Little Grebes were there however with a Buzzrd flying way over.

The search for the Cattle Egret did not give us too much trouble as it was in the third field past the bridge amongst the other, more usual, Little Egret. Another ‘life tick’ for some and a good view of a rare bird for this country. On the way back we saw a small party of Long tailed Tits to round off an enjoyable morning.

Number of species seen – 39

John Allan

Birds seen, in BOU order or alphabetic order

BOU order

Mute Swan

Shelduck

Wigeon

Teal

Mallard

Red-breasted Merganser

Pheasant

Little Grebe

Cormorant

Cattle Egret

Little Egret

Buzzard

Water Rail (H)

Moorhen

Oystercatcher

Whimbrel

Curlew

Black-headed Gull

Common Gull

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Razorbill

Wood Pigeon

Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit

Pied Wagtail

Robin

Blackbird

Cetti’s Warbler (H)

Long-tailed Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Magpie

Rook

Carrion Crow

Starling

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Reed Bunting

H - heard only

Alphabetic order