Sunday 1 October 2017

Odd Pied Wagtail, Ruff and Hobby

 
This oddly-plumaged Pied Wagtail was on the cricket pitch this afternoon. Note the dusky ear coverts and dark loral line. The breast markings are a little odd too but no doubt just an odd Pied.
 
Best birds today, and very difficult to get in Exmouth,  were 4 Ruff off Mudbank for a short while on the rising tide - all juveniles - 2 males and 2 females I think, though they were never that close to properly scrutinise. A Hobby was also notable. It went over the cricket ground, high towards the Warren, and I probably wouldn't have noticed it had the White Wagtail that I was photographing not suddenly froze and looked skywards!
Nick and I did Orcombe early on, and in similar conditions to yesterday recorded 10+ 'alba' wagtail, c200 Meadow Pipit, c40+ Linnet, c10+ Chiffchaff, 6+ Goldcrest, 1 Stonechat and, unbelievably,  my first Reed Bunting of the year.
The only other birds of note today were 5 Sandwich Tern in the estuary and 2 Greenshank, 13 Redshank, 12 Grey Plover and 9 Dunlin off Mudbank.


Hobby - Exmouth cricket pitch - thanks to a White Wag.
 
 

White Wagtail - Exmouth cricket pitch.




 
 
Dawn skies - Orcombe

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