A Tit and a Hoodie

When i was year listing in 2007 i had no problem getting up at 2-3am and driving 500+ miles in a day then going home, well those days are now just a memory because i struggled like a bitch yesterday ? Woke up at 3.15am with a bugger of a headache got that sorted with pills, only to find myself yawning all day and being absolutely fucked on the drive home. God knows how i did it for 12 months ? Anyway, had a top day out in Devon & Dorset with the obligitory early start. Started off at Youngs Waterpark, Paignton for the Penduline Tit thats been residing there, was struck by the small size of the site and the lack of bullrushes also which is why it came as no surprise we didnt see it.


So we left for an hour or so and went over to Broadsands for the Cirl Buntings, no such problems here with stunning males showing well in the car park.


Back over to Youngs Waterpark for another go at the Penduline Tit was proving fruitless in the ever increasing wind, but just as we were about to leave it was picked up feeding on the bullrushes fortunately right next to the car.


Our next port of call was Dawlish Warren, first up was a Sandwich Tern battling against the wind then we picked up the female Surf Scoter loosely associating with her common cousins. From there we paid a token jesture visit to the Otter Estuary for the 1w American Herring Gull, no sign but there was my first Whimbrel of the year feeding with a Curlew. Tried at Bridport whilst passing for the Yellow-browed Warbler but no sign so continued with our next stop being Radipole Lake for the now (it seems) resident Hooded Merganser. A few Swallows and Sand Martins were welcome signs of spring in the blustery wind, we eventually tracked down the Hooded Merganser associating with the Tufted Ducks outside the Gurkha Restaurant, at first it was quite distant but soon plucked up the courage to come closer (after i went and purchased a loaf of Hovis). Even though it was coming to bread it always looked quite nervous and was quite skittish. Yes, i may have an ulterior motive for wanting to believe the duck is in fact a wild bird and not something that has escaped/been relased from a collection. All that said, nothing can take away the fact that it is one hell of a stunning duck and of course, of truely wild origins !


Ended the day with a visit to Lodmoor and picked up Spoonbill, Green Sandpiper and Willow Warbler.