Otter Estuary

Otter Estuary

8th March 2009

We met at Lime Kiln car park at 9 a.m. A strong Westerly was blowing, but with a completely blue sky. A quick look from the end of the pebble bar revealed a few Gannets in the distance fishing and a small raft of Common Scoters.

Looking up the estuary a small company of Wigeon were noisily feeding nearby, in full plumage with their orange crests glowing in the sunshine. First stop at the platform along the path to Otterton produced many Herring Gulls, a few Common and a brief glimpse of a Mediterranean Gull, but no sighting of a much talked about American Herring Gull. I later found out that he doesn’t show till after 2pm! Most inconsiderate!

I suspect a strong wind was keeping many birds skulking low in the reed beds. Past the road bridge a pair of Kestrels gave us a good display above us, again fighting the wind. Along this path there are two large rookeries and I am always amused by their constant chattering and industrious activity.

“And, see yon Rooks how odd their flight,

They imitate the gliding Kite,

And seem precipitate to fall,

As if they felt the piercing ball-

‘Twill surely rain - I see with sorrow

Our Jaunt must be put off to-morrow”

Well, our jaunt continued but with clouds thickening. Scanning the fields 6 egrets showed well feeding close to the hedge, three of which were Cattle Egrets, a lovely surprise, their yellow beaks and shorter posture comparing well with their cousins. A few Teal kept low in the ditches along with a few Herons.

Crossing over the second bridge to return home saw the rooks’ behaviour turn true. The heavens opened, the temperature dropped and the wind blew for much of our return. For my part, I was in a hurry to return to the car and the return was disappointing apart from a small herd of six Curlew and possibly a Whimbrel.

(Collective nouns -Charles Louis Hett, 1898)

Number of species seen 43

Lyndon Savage

Birds seen, in BOU order or alphabetic order

BOU order

Mute Swan

Shelduck

Wigeon

Teal

Mallard

Common Scoter

Pheasant

Little Grebe

Gannet

Cormorant

Cattle Egret (3)

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Buzzard

Kestrel

Water Rail (heard only)

Moorhen

Coot

Whimbrel

Curlew

Redshank

Mediterranean Gull

Black-headed Gull

Common Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Wood Pigeon

Green Woodpecker

Rock Pipit

Pied Wagtail

Wren

Blackbird

Redwing

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Magpie

Jackdaw

Rook

Carrion Crow

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Alphabetic order