American Golden Plover, Gull-billed Tern and stacks of Red Kites

23rd May 2015 - Topsham and Exminster Marshes

I was thinking about breakfast and wondering whether to go to Bowling Green Marsh or maybe popping across the river. I'd decided to consider it over breakfast when Dave Stone called - James Diamond had found an American Golden Plover on Exminster Marshes. Twenty minutes later, coffee in thermos but still lacking breakfast, I was watching said bird at a range of something like 500m from the canal bank. Mostly it was just a head and neck appearing above the grass or out of a ditch, although it sometimes came into full view allowing a look at the all-important back end - long primary projection beyond tail and short tertials. Photos were clearly out of the question. It was a dull greyish bird with only blotches of black below ghosting the full breeding plumage pattern, a prominent dark cap and a broad white supercilium curving down the neck and breast sides. Despite watching on and off for about two hours I never saw it fly and the only time it spread its wings it was facing away.

While waiting for better views (and still thinking of breakfast), Keith Birchall called. Having decided to forgo the American GP, he was at BGM for the morning high tide and just happened to bump into a cracking Gull-billed Tern (now seriously regretting my earlier indecision, if I'd stayed for breakfast and gone to BGM?). Another twenty minutes in the car, and luckily opting at the last minute to drive straight there rather than stopping to pick up my bike, and I got to the hide just minutes before the tern flew out.

Some distant shots as it departed.

Gull-billed Tern - 23/5/2015 Topsham

Gull-billed Tern - 23/5/2015 Topsham

Gull-billed Tern - 23/5/2015 Topsham

All that and before breakfast. Mind you, it did remind why I hate twitching, even locally.

And the Kites? Most recent years I expect to see maybe one over the house. As I headed out the back door with the dog on our daily visit to the Rec a Red Kite appeared over the cemetery. I grabbed my camera from my rucksack and called to Carolyn in the kitchen, another followed, then another. At least five, possibly six as I lost birds at times behing trees and houses, gaing height and drifting north west.

Red Kite - 23/5/2015 Topsham

Red Kite - 23/5/2015 Topsham

Red Kite - 23/5/2015 Topsham

Red Kite - 23/5/2015 Topsham

I'd always assumed that our annual summer influx involved 2nd year birds, on a 'teenage wander' before reaching breeding age. From these photos it's possible to make out the pale undertail coverts shown by juveniles and most 2nd years. All were in moult but this doesn't help as all ages should be in primary moult at this time of year.

I soon got another call from Keith, who was now on the Exminster side, and who'd had twenty plus travelling west across the estuary, I picked up another five high and distant against the Haldon Hills. Ten in a day and a year total of 14 so far.