Lyme Regis Birding - or an even quieter Backwater (1 Viewer)

[Roger Boswell]

Typical - first time for ages that I have not lugged my full photo gear down to Lyme and the Spotted Sandpiper is asleep on the rocks at the Lim mouth; first time I have seen it for ages.

Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails on way to the Cobb.

19 Purple Sandpipers in a group on the rock armour - all can be seen in the image!

Grey Wagtail on the Lim.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Bright and sunny but a very strong wind this morning. Too much spray to get to the end of the Cobb but could see 5 Purple Sandpipers on the rock armour.

Walked down to Church Cliffs - plenty of Rock Pipits & Pied Wagtails along Marine Parade.

2 Oystercatchers on the ledges.

As the tide went out exposing more of the ledges the flock of 12+ Purple Sandpipers plus the Spotted Sandpiper flew in. They were all flying about, but eventually the Spotted Sandpiper flew onto a rock just in front of me.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Bright and sunny but little wind this morning.

Spotted Sandpiper in the rock wall behind the aquarium with 21 Purple Sandpipers.

Pied Wagtails in Broad Street and plenty of Rock Pipits along Marine Parade.

Grey Wagtail in the ford section of the Lim.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Off patch yesterday to walk the coast path Ladram Bay to Budleigh, then up the Otter. Cormorants passing nesting material to one another on the cliffs, a Fulmar soaring past and superb views of a Kingfisher along the Otter. Further up, good views of a Goosander.

TODAY - cold dull and very still PM in Lyme. Many birders still coming to see the Spotted Sandpiper - which was visible on the ledges to the east of Lyme at low tide - about 2:30pm. Also there were 8+ Purple Sandpipers, 4 Oystercatchers and a Curlew.


A Grey Wagtail on the Lim.

Can anyone help with the last image taken a few days ago on the main beach. I am sure it is a young Lesser Black-backed Gull, but could it be intermedius??? it was quite striking.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Started down to Lyme in bright sunshine - but it quickly changed with dismal weather arriving from the east.

Tide exposing the ledges east of Church Cliffs with 6 Oystercatchers and 12 Purple Sandpipers feeding there.


YESTERDAY a Black Redstart was in the vicinity of the Marine Theatre (not seen this morning).

 

[Roger Boswell]

Not much wind but bitterly cold on Church Cliffs this morning.

Too cold to count but Purple Sandpipers and Oystercatchers on the ledges with 2 Grey Plovers.

Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails along Marine Parade.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Rather late down to Lyme today - the tide was way out - the birds were very distant.

A good selection on the ledges including

6 Grey Plovers
6+ Purple Sandpipers
4 Curlews
4 Oystercatchers
and has the Spotted Sandpiper returned again (arrowed in image)?

Unfortunately focus was on the Oystercatcher - I hadn't noticed the different Purple Sandpiper sized bird through the binos.

Grey Wagtail on the Lim.

Female Blackcap in the garden

 

[scary-canary]

It does look like the spotted sandpiper doesn't it. Hope you get to see it again. Visited Lyme with the family today, not really birding but did see a dipper in flight by higher mill. Fascinated by the antics of several rats just above the town mill too. Feeding and scampering about. Took some pictures which I'll post when I download them.
Chris

 

[Roger Boswell]

Went down to Lyme earlier today - as the tide was going out and uncovering the ledges.

4 Grey Plovers
3 Oystercatchers
12 Purple Sandpipers
and the 1 'different' wader. I was able to get nearer and a better image; no yellow legs! Is it a Dunlin???

Plenty of Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails all along the seafront.

 

[James Lowther]

yes definitely a dunlin!
seems strange the lyme spot sand went missing just as the stanpit one turned up but it seems to be coincidence as they are look like different birds,
cheers,
James

 

[Roger Boswell]

yes definitely a dunlin!
seems strange the lyme spot sand went missing just as the stanpit one turned up but it seems to be coincidence as they are look like different birds,
cheers,
James

Look closely at the Lyme images and you will see that this one is missing a toe.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Late morning it was high tide, sunny and warm - the ledges deep under water.

10 Purple Sandpipers were on the rocks in front of the Museum and another 9 asleep on the rock armour at the Cobb.

Only other birds were the ususl Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails.

 

[scary-canary]

Day out in Lyme

here is the cute little rat(!) I was watching on Sunday.
Also this fantastic piece of street art. Any ideas who did it?

Chris

 

[Roger Boswell]

Just back from a few days in Sitges - plenty of Black Redstarts around.

2 Dippers and a Grey Wagtail on the Lim - just below Horn Bridge.

Yesterday at low tide on the ledges
4 Grey Plovers
3 Oystercatchers
12+ Purple Sandpipers
1 Godwit - not sure which, too far away
1 Curlew
- and the white stork on the wall !!!!

 

[Roger Boswell]

Total contrast to yesterdays sea fog and low cloud - bright sun and warm all day!

Dipper on the Lim behind Limbrook Cottages.
4 Oystercatchers on the ledges W of Church Cliffs
7 Brent Geese further W in Lyme Bay
18 Purple Sandpipers on the rock armour at the end of the Cobb

 

[Roger Boswell]

2 Wheaters on the Cobb this morning.

1 Dipper upstream of Higher Mill Flats.

BH Gulls now in full summer plumage.


Garden birds returning - Blackcap, 2 Nuthatches, Long-tailed Tits, Song Thrush, Blue Tits, Great Tits. Female Blackbird busy filling up a Bay Tree with nesting material!

 

[Brian Stone]

And Mediterranean Gull in summer plumage I see from the picture.

 

[Roger Boswell]

And Mediterranean Gull in summer plumage I see from the picture.

And I thought I was getting better at identifying them! - it did stand out rather.

 

[Roger Boswell]

Bright sunny and warm - and not many birds to be seen!

18 Purple Sandpipers close to the end of the Cobb.
2 Grey Wagtails on the Lim

 

[Roger Boswell]

Decided to visit the Colyford reserve this morning. Only about 3C when I arrived at 7:30!

At least a couple of Reed Buntings, a Willow/Chiff and Linnets on the wires and several Goldfinches in the trees.
Plenty of Shellducks, some Wigeon and a Shoveller. Several Little Egrets and Canada Geese. Redshanks and a Curlew in the estuary.
Highlight was an Iceland Gull - seen from the Tower Hide