Trip reports

Bowling Green Marsh - 20 January 2009

Wednesday, 21 January 2009

From the observation platform overlooking the River Clyst, we were confronted by a remarkable sight of thousands of birds on the mud-flats. There were very many godwits, mostly black-tailed, but also a good number of bar-tails including one that was in outstanding copper-red breeding plumage. There were also many other waders including avocets, knot, dunlin and redshank and there was a report of a spotted redshank having been seen.
Some members then made their way across to Powderham where there had been reports of some cattle egrets but only little egrets were found.
Moving on to the sea wall at Dawlish Warren, there were great views of a variety of sea birds, including 2 scoters, one of which was the reported surf scoter and the other an unexpected velvet scoter. Also present were razorbills, many great-crested grebes, Slavonian grebes, common scoters, red-breasted mergansers and, further out to sea, large numbers of gannets.
Without doubt the great find of the day and, if authenticated, probably the greatest ever find for a Taunton local group party, was a small auk no more than a hundred yards or so off the sea wall. At first it was thought to be a little auk but on closer inspection it was found to have a yellow bill with a black tip. There was a lot of discussion as to its identity and many suggestions were put forward.
It was not until arriving home that John Connolly was able to consult some seabird books and found that the only bird matching the description was an ancient murrelet.
There has been only one previous sighting in this country and that was on the waters of Lundy Island in 1990. If confirmed, this will indeed be a red letter day for Taunton RSPB group.