Trip reports

Budleigh Salterton - 22 March 2008

Monday, 24 March 2008

The party gathered at White Bridge and walked down the river to the beach. Flying birds were only visible for short periods as they zipped past in the high winds, while others often kept out of sight as they took advantage of any cover that was available.
Species seen on the river included little grebe, mute swan, herring gull, black-headed gull, wigeon, shelduck, redshank, oystercatcher and lesser and greater black-back gull. While on the fields and in the hedgerows, other birds seen were dunnock, carrion crow, magpie, rook, curlew, Canada goose, heron, teal, greenfinch and pied wagtail.
It was difficult using binoculars and telescopes at the beach, but many gulls were on the water and a procession of shags flew past. Best birds seen, however, were a pair of eider ducks, the male really outstanding in his summer breeding plumage of white, black and green and, had he been closer I'm sure it would have been possible to see the lovely pink blush that covers his breast at this time of the year.
The group then headed back up the river by a different route on the other side of the meadows. Plenty of ivy-covered trees and blocks of gorse and bramble that will come alive in late spring were fairly silent, but there were small birds seeking shelter and those spotted included dunnock, reed bunting, robin, chaffinch, goldfinch, blackbird and greater-spotted woodpecker.
Where the path joins the road at White Bridge, there was an exciting few minutes when a pair of peregrines was spotted circling high overhead in the strong wind. These, the fastest of birds, were streaking about the sky and soon disappeared down the wind at a rate of knots.
A circular route was taken out to the cliffs where difficult viewing conditions revealed many gulls sheltering in the coves and a constant stream of shags flying in and out of the cliffs and settling on the choppy sea. Some of the returning birds were seen to be carrying beaks full of weed to add to their nest sites.
A distant fishing boat appealed to be hauling in nets and on closer inspection it was noted that the clouds of birds surrounding it were in fact gannets, showing bright white against the dark sea.
Another good bird seen was a fulmar petrel, although once it had left the cliff-face, it soon swept out of sight. Coming back across the fields, other birds added to the list included a pair of stonechats, a pheasant and two red-legged partridges.