Bowling Green Marsh

Bowling Green Marsh

29 December 2010

It was a damp and dreary morning and we 14 hardy souls had assembled in an already crowded car park wondering if we really ought to be somewhere else. However, after a short spell of swapping snow stories we set off into the mist, heading down to the quay first of all to give the tide time to have its full effect.

At times we weren’t sure whether we were peering through atmospheric mist or droplets on our binoculars, and for those of us also dependent on spectacles …! Still, more by listening than looking, we managed to identify some signs of life – Chaffinch, Collared Dove, Blue Tit. Then from the quayside we had a really clear view of … a misty river, all very moody, but after a little more staring we eventually identified a female Tufted Duck and a solitary Dunlin probing the mud at our feet.

Wandering towards the Goat Walk provided a few more candidates for the day list – an Avocet, a Redshank, a rather scruffy Redwing, Song Thrush, a very welcome greenfinch and possibly a jackdaw. However, virtually nothing from the Goat Walk – a Pied Wagtail and a lone Black-headed Gull. A Curlew flew over in the mist.

The next stretch of road produced more vehicles driving up and down than birds flitting about, but turning down towards the viewing platform we found the field a lot more full of life – good numbers of Brent Geese and very close views of the Red-breasted Goose, Wigeon, Shoveler and Godwit. A flock of Skylark flew over. From the viewing platform itself the water merged into the mud, which merged into the sky, all much the same colour, and all empty of life – almost. We heard the determined muttering of some Brent Geese again and wondered how far away across the mud they were, when they suddenly appeared out of the gloom – about 100 feet up and heading for the main river channel.

There being little chance of seeing much more we retraced our steps and headed for the hide, where the day definitely took a turn for the better. There were several hundred Avocet, and also Black-tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Dunlin and Redshank. A few Grey Plovers were spotted in the murk and also a couple of Snipe at the water’s edge. Some of the water was still frozen, which the Shovelers seemed a bit surprised at. Slowly the visibility was improving and we were able to see all the birds more clearly. Suddenly all the birds took off and we had wonderful views of a Peregrine.

We walked back up to the car park stopping occasionally to check the many small birds flitting about, mostly Chaffinch and Blue Tit – the good folk of Topsham seem to have been generous with their bird food this winter – but we did also see a Reed Bunting.

Despite the weather we all agreed that it was a good morning. Thank you Richard.

Number of species seen: 50.

Melanie and John Parker

Birds seen, in BOU order or alphabetic order

BOU order

Canada Goose

Brent Goose

Red-breasted Goose

Shelduck

Wigeon

Teal

Mallard

Shoveler

Tufted Duck

Cormorant

Sparrowhawk

Peregrine

Moorhen

Coot

Avocet

Grey Plover

Lapwing

Dunlin

Snipe

Black-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwit

Curlew

Greenshank

Redshank

Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull

Feral Pigeon

Wood Pigeon

Collared Dove

Magpie

Jackdaw

Carrion Crow

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Sky Lark

Wren

Starling

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Redwing

Robin

Dunnock

House Sparrow

Pied Wagtail

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Reed Bunting

Alphabetic order