Birding Seaton Wetlands, Devon

Though Jackie and I have visited Black Hole Marsh and Seaton on several occasions we have never brought a group so we thought it was about time to change that.  So this morning, Sunday 4th September, we found ourselves meeting in the car park behind Colyford Road cemetery.  While we waited for everyone to arrive we checked a few commoner species off like Robin and Goldfinch.  Then Jackie found a Kestrel perched and Mick picked out a falcon soaring over the marsh, which then turned into two a couple of hunting Peregrines and shortly after we had Buzzard, three birds of prey in short succession, not bad.

Once we were all gathered and introductions completed we headed off to look over Black Hole Marsh, we had to decide which hide to go to first and decided on the Island Hide as the tide was in.  Looking through the screen before walking down the boardwalk to the hide we had our first Common Sandpiper and a superb Ruff.  From the hide we had a good selection of waders with Ringed Plover, Common Sandpipers, Oystercatcher, Lapwings and a small roost of Dunlin.  Jess picked out a Little Stint among the roosting birds, a very smart juvenile.

Dunlin and Little Stint Black Hole Marsh © Nick Hull

Justin picked up a Kingfisher zooming by as they do and we picked out a couple of Curlew and a small flock of Black-tailed Godwits with a few Redshanks.  Two of the godwits were coloured ringed, I recognised one of them as being an Axe rung bird as it has Orange Red Orange on its right leg but the other we could only see the colours on the left, so I took a digi-scope shot to record the sighting and we headed off towards Colyford Common.  The hedgerows were fairly quiet with the usual resident birds and a few calling Chiffchaffs.  By the Discovery Centre we had Swallows with a small number of House Martins swooping round us, one almost flew into Jackie!  A single Sedge Warbler gave brief views in the reeds and Linnets were in the bushes behind the Sand Martin wall.

CR Black-tailed Godwits Black Hole Marsh © Nick Hull

Out on Colyford Common and on the meadows were Little Egrets, Grey Heron and a few Mallard. From the hide we added Pheasant on the distant fields, on the marsh a single Stock Dove and more Curlew and Redshank.  Apart from a Green Sandpiper taking flight with a start our fourth bird of prey, a Sparrowhawk, went cruising through so fast not a single other bird on the marsh twitched.  We also checked off the usual gull species.  At the far end of the Common we found the local Axe Ringing Group and were shown a immature Swallow in the hand and how we could tell it from an adult at this time of year. 

After Lunch we visited Seaton Marsh starting with looking around Borrow Pit where we added a family of Mute Swans, closer views of Little Grebe, a small flock of Long-tailed Tits and several Moorhen.  Walking out to the Seaton Marsh Hide on route we had a Wheatear, from the hide we added little until as we walked back to our car we heard a Yellow Wagtail call but we just couldn't find it amongst the cattle as the grass was too long.

Our group throughly enjoyed Seaton Wetlands and I don't think it will be long before they return, if you have not visited it is highly recommended.