Back again… northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2026/02/nd-r...

Rolling back the years... #UKBirding

Probably struggled with this dark-mantled LWHG more than I should have, but couldn't come to a confident, unequivocal ID. Interesting, whatever it is. Much easier were 28 Cattle Egrets and 9 Avocets - unequivocally largest flocks I've seen of either on the Axe! #DevonBirds

High ISO fuzziness in the late pm gloom, but even so, this leucistic 1w BHG looks pretty amazing. River Axe at Axmouth. #DevonBirds

Just got home from evening out to find 20W actinic porch light has pulled in two moths! Varied Tortrix best, plus Winter Moth. So, naturally the trap deployed immediately. Suspect I know how that's going to go, but you've got to try... #TeamMoth

9 miles today (Axminster/Kilmington) brought the #FootIt list to 54. GBBG was unexpected, but other highlights were 2 Song Thrushes in full song within 100m of home, and at least one uncooperative Sibe Chiff at Kilmington WTW with a conservative estimate of 60+ collybita. 😎 #DevonBirds

A 5-mile walk around the Axmouth lanes produced my first Fieldfares of 2026 plus 4 lovely Bramblings, including this smart male. Satisfying stuff...😎 #DevonBirds

Last light Larids, and other stories... #DevonBirds

Amazing number of gulls coming down the Axe valley in the last half hour or so before dark. Main prize was this 1w Caspian Gull which flew past the Seaton Wetlands Tower Hide around 16:30 and conveniently landed across the river. 😎 Barely enough light for the P950 to focus! Also 10 Meds. #DevonBirds

Added a couple more to my 'Naff Pics of Firecrest 2026' list this afternoon, when this little beauty popped up for a few seconds at Branscombe late this afternoon. Photos of 10+ distant Common Dolphins W were even worse. #DevonBirds

Despite unfulfilled expectations, a lovely local day out... #DevonBirds

A long, circuitous walk from Seaton seafront to Colyford and back today. Rewards included this lovely Sibe Chiff at Colyton WTW. I never tire of these subtle gems. 😎 #DevonBirds

There are plans afoot... #DevonBirding

And so it begins... #DevonBirds

Out the front door, then almost 5 hrs investigating footpaths and habitat mainly on W side of Axminster. Pleasantly surprised at potential. Among 42 spp recorded were a few not particularly expected, like Green Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Treecreeper, etc... It's a start. #FootIt #DevonBirds

Always look at gulls! 😄

Studies in greige... #DevonBirds

One of two Siberian Chiffchaffs at Colyton WTW this afternoon. Impossible to count in any meaningful way, but wouldn't surprise me if there were 100+ Chiffs present here. Quite a captivating sight. 😎 #DevonBirds

Keeping it simple... #DevonBirds

A rare sight in the Axe valley: 13 Barnacle Geese and 5 Brents. Don't mean to seem ungrateful, but Whitefronts and Beans would be very welcome too. 😄 #DevonBirds

A pleasant but frustrating walk along the lower Axe Estuary trying to read gull colour-rings that were either too far away or too glaringly lit was massively enhanced at last knockings by the appearance of this lovely 1w Caspian Gull...😎 #DevonBirds

This is what happens when the weather is awful and you spend too much time wistfully scrolling #TeamMoth stuff... 🙄

The glittery distraction... #TeamMoth

ObsID to the rescue... #TeamMoth

There have been a few mothy blanks lately, but I've been holding out in the hope of one of these for the new garden. Well worth it. Last night brought two, along with a very worn Brick, which was NFG *and* for me! #TeamMoth

Gulls & Terns... #DevonBirds

A very pleasing 1w Caspian Gull on the Axe Estuary at midday. More than happy if they keep coming like this for the rest of the winter. 😎 #DevonBirds

Wetter and windier this afternoon, and yet another 1w Caspian Gull on the Axe Estuary. Doesn't match any previous first-winters that I've managed reasonable photos of. #DevonBirds

A nice, hefty 1w Caspian Gull on the Axe Estuary this morning. Unfortunately its half of the flock flew the moment I got the camera out, so just these slightly out-of-focus flight shots to record the happy event. My 10th Axe Casp in exactly 6 weeks. My first 10 took from 2007-2018!! #DevonBirds

Thus far, in East Devon... #DevonBirds #TeamMoth

Hard to imagine a finer way to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon than loitering around the sewage works. Yesterday's Sibe Chiff (presumably) gave me one chance at a photo, and a bonus Firecrest added a dash of dazzle. 😎 Colyton WTW #DevonBirds

Sibe Chiff at Colyton WTW late this afternoon, one of probably two with decent numbers of collybita. Made a change from gulls. One of these shots taken at 3200 ISO, which is a bit of a stretch for the Nikon P950. #DevonBirds

Niche birds... #DevonBirds

Ten Years in West Dorset is less a blog post, more a chapter in my life. Hopefully an inspiration for those who prefer the paths less trodden. Bit of an epic, so well done if you get through it all. #DorsetBirds

Awkward lunchtime gulling on the Axe with @axebirder.bsky.social, but 3 Caspian Gulls to show for it. Despite wind, torrential rain and inconveniantly distant birds, managed to maintain record of getting photo of every Casp I've ever seen...however awful! #DevonBirds

1/1 to the porch light 😎 #TeamMoth

A bit of moth jam... #TeamMoth

In other news... While a rare moth was heading for the trap back home, Gong were at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis. So was I. Ozric Tentacles in December. My cup runneth over. 😎

Just two moths actually in the trap this morning, a Rusty-dot Pearl and this beauty. Banded Sable was not on my shortlist of candidates for number 24 on the new garden list! As far as I can make out, less than 20 Devon records. Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

The actinic porch light scored nicely last night, pulling in this lovely little Vestal to shelter from the rain. 😎 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Smart gulls and a very unexpected first for Devon... #DevonBirds #TeamMoth

A lunchtime check of the Axe Estuary gulls turned up a hefty 1w Caspian Gull. Half an hour later a 2w dropped in. First time I've had two at once here. Or anywhere! 😎 #DevonBirds

Completing the set... #TeamMoth

Olive-tree Pearl on the trap vanes already, and a different individual to last night's. Promising. 😊 Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Pick of the trap migrant-wise, this Olive-tree Pearl accompanied by Vestal and Rusty-dot Pearl. But in some ways best of the 9/8 was Blair's Shoulder-knot on house wall, a new moth for me. Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Quick check inside the trap revealed this peering at me. Olive-tree Pearl? Would be a nice bit of quality for the new garden. Only ever caught a couple in Bridport. Axminster VC3 #TeamMoth

Very distant, awful light, etc... but this Cirl Bunting on clifftop brambles was highlight of the morning at Axe Cliff, Seaton. Nothing of particular note vis-mig wise, but some nice Woodpigeon flocks coasting. #DevonBirds

Onwards and upwards... #DevonBirds #TeamMoth

Prior to my final outing as guide on Seaton Birdwatching Tram, a quick look at R Axe produced this 1w Caspian Gull, yet another in ridiculous series of records this year. Think this takes us to c31 in 2025 (mostly c/o @axebirder.bsky.social) compared with 38 birds in preceding 18 yrs! #DevonBirds