Blackcap and Bullfinches

A beautiful morning today, so no hesitation to get out for a walk in the local area. I regularly walk an area north of Exmouth (primarily arable fields and some woodland) along Exe View Road, and then I head down to Lympstone and the Exe estuary. A few images here to give a flavour of this area...

I'm not sure if I would call this area 'my patch', but I certainly walk a loop here regularly.

My walk this morning was not particularly exciting bird-wise, but recording a few of the things I saw will be a bit of a baseline for future blogs. Roll on spring!

The day started well with a New Year 'tick' as there was a Blackcap in a tree bordering a garden on Hulaham Road.

Much of my walk was dominated by Great Tits and Robins singing, no doubt setting up territories for the breeding season to come.

Passing by the woodland on Exe View Road, I heard at least two Song Thrush singing and a small flock of Long-Tailed and Blue Tits were feeding in the oaks on the side of the lane. A Jay was also making a racket towards the back of the wood.

I headed down the bridle path towards St. Peter's School, where two Meadow Pipits circled the fields.

I had my first raptor of the year when a male Sparrowhawk nearly flew into me as it flew over the hedge and continued low up the lane after passing over me. It was far too quick for me to get a picture! My second raptor of the year, a Buzzard, was sat in a tree by a field a couple of minutes later.

In the garden of a small cottage on the bridle were a pair of Bullfinches. A record shot of the male below and a better image of the female.

There were several Redwing on this section of the walk, as well as one Pied Wagtail feeding near a manure pile on a field along with several Pheasants.

As I crossed the A376 into Lympstone Village, another Sparrowhawk circled overhead.

A few more Redwing passed over through the village, and a Goldcrest called on the corner of Strawberry Hill. A flock of House Sparrows always cheers me up!

On reaching the estuary, I was a little miffed that it was high tide (I hadn't checked the tides!), so the estuary only added Black Headed Gull, Oystercatcher, 6+ Great Crested Grebes, 4 Mute Swans and the distant Avocet flock at Turf to my day's list.

Not a stunning morning's birding, but great to be out. I just need to time my walk better to make the most of the tide at the estuary!