BOWLING GREEN MARSH, 23 AUGUST

BOWLING GREEN MARSH, 23 AUGUST

The yearly mid-week visit to Bowling Green attracted the usual good turnout including several non members and one or two visitors to the area who had got notice of it from the Regional Office Events Diary (beginning to prove a good source of potential new recruits).

Arrangements had been made for Malcolm Davies to show us the work that has been going on at Goose Moor adjoining Bowling Green together with aims and hopes for the future. An area of salt marsh has been created by digging channels and putting in a self balancing ‘lock’ which allows the area to flood with the incoming tidal water. This is very new equipment for this country and is being closely watched by other authorities for possible use elsewhere, particularly with a view to assisting in ‘managed retreat’ schemes around the coast as climate change takes effect.

It certainly looked impressive and the works done so far appear effective. We saw several waders there included Ringed Plover and Greenshank together with a Kingfisher and a Sparrowhawk overhead. A hide is to be erected but it will be a couple of years before this area can be opened to the public. Nice to have a sneak preview and won’t it be good if Avocets are persuaded to stay in the future?

The Bowling Green hide was rather full but birds were plentiful and included Knot, Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel with close views of Black tailed Godwit allowing excellent comparisons between the breeding and non breeding plumage (they almost look like different species). A trip to the lookout platform over the Clyst showed the birds leaving the marsh as the tide ebbed and the usual Seal put in an appearance.

Our thanks go to Malcolm for an interesting visit with 48 species seen.

John Allan

Birds seen, in BOU order or alphabetic order

BOU order

Mute Swan

Greylag Goose

Canada Goose

Shelduck

Wigeon

Teal

Mallard

Shoveler

Pochard

Great Crested Grebe

Cormorant

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Sparrowhawk

Buzzard

Moorhen

Coot

Ringed Plover

Lapwing
Knot

Dunlin

Black-tailed Godwit

Whimbrel

Curlew

Redshank

Greenshank

Common Sandpiper

Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull

Feral Pigeon

Stock Dove

Wood Pigeon

Kingfisher

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Sand Martin

Barn Swallow

House Martin

Pied Wagtail

Robin

Blackbird

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Blue Tit

Magpie

Carrion Crow

Starling

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Alphabetic order