• April 2011

    Gareth Williams
     
    Spring is really upon now with a good bulk of returning migrants being spotted, or heard. One such bird is the small Chiffchaff, a leaf warbler which spends a lot of time flitting in tree tops and bushes. The call is a repetitive cycle of its own name. Another bird to listen for is the Willow warbler and their call cascades from high to low. Both these birds look very similar so knowing the calls is a great help.
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  • Signs of Spring

    Sally
    A few warmer days are all the birds seem to need to know that spring is on its way. The slightly lighter mornings bring with them a blackbird, song thrush and wren dawn chorus. Although only three species it is beautiful none the less. The sunny days of late promote the simple song of the great tit and the wetland equivalent of the reed bunting. Their single note songs always make me smile at this time of year as they…

  • A day trip to Dorset

    Gareth Williams
     
    Last week I was lucky and had some time off work, and as it was nice weather i made the most of it!
    Along with a couple of work mates we headed for the Dorset RSPB reserves. First stop was Portland bill to see if any migrants were coming through, unfortunately the wind in the wrong direction so we didn’t see much on that front. However, looking out to sea we did see plenty of Gannets and Fulmars, and a first for me…

  • Birds on the move

    Gareth Williams
    March, the month of migration, already birds are on the move. Early visitors include Ospreys which winter in South Africa, most breed further north than Devon and as they move up the country they will feed along rivers and large lakes. One has been spotted over the river Exe in the grounds of Powderham park (a favourite haunt) it’s also worth keeping an eye on the old boat that can been seen from Bowling Green marsh and…

  • February sights and sounds

    Gareth Williams
     
    February is a great month to learn birdsongs and calls. Around this time our native birds are busy establishing a territory pending the breeding season, so can be heard through out the day. Add to that the trees haven’t got any leaf coverage so spotting the birds high up or deep in thick woodland is much easier. Birds to listen out for are Song thrush, Black bird, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Wren, Robin and Dunnock. Soon…

  • A Busy Start to the New Year

    Sally
    With weather a little more akin to a normal UK winter; warmer days and rain, the conditions on the reserves have been excellent for our winter wildlife. To say goodbye to the snow and freezing temperatures and welcome a drop of rain meant that the water levels came up rather nicely. The wet features on Exminster Marshes are like little magnets as they draw in a range of wildfowl, from pintail to pochard. At the moment…

  • The Big Freeze

    Sally
    As the cold weather continues, I feel fortunate that the reserve is located adjacent to the estuary, so our waders and wildfowl at least have somewhere to go where the mud is soft and there are still feeding opportunities. As all the standing water on Exminster and Bowling Green Marsh is frozen and soft ground for feeding is non existent, our birds and wetland wildlife are pushed to their limits. However over on Powderham…

  • Godwits, The Topsham Primary School and Countryfile!

    Sally
    With the help of staff and volunteers from the RSPB Exe Estuary Reserve, some children at The Topsham Primary School have become members of a Godwit Club.  The children have been meeting after school to study the amazing migration patterns of the Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits.  These beautiful wading birds breed in Iceland during the summer months and then travel to the warmer climates of northern Europe for the winter…

  • Winter is here!!

    Sally
    Last month the driest, and now the coldest, as the water areas freeze and disappear under a dusting of snow. The wetland birds are fortunate to have the estuary on their doorstep, their other policy is to use their numbers to keep sections of water open and a count of 1,200 wigeon on Exminster Marshes and over 500 teal on Powderham Marshes at the end of November illustrated that this was the tactic they were employing…

  • RSPB Darts Farm

    Gareth Williams
    It’s been all go at the shop over the past few weeks. Where to start? Let’s see, The Autumn Watch team popped in to say hello in-between filming an episode featuring parts of the Exe Estuary, Bowling Green Marsh, and our Cruise. It was good timing on their behalf as a Cattle Egret could be seen feeding out among the herd of Devon Red cows from our window. 
    Colin Scott
    The bird was on site for a good…

  • Autumn

    RobCook222
    There has been much activity on the Exe Estuary of late- whilst tempestuous storms have stripped away many of the autumn leaves and left everything sodden, still frosty nights have left the marshes an ephemeral frozen wonder. The water levels across Exminster Marshes have been increased too which has brought in the spectacle of large numbers of overwintering birds whose numbers will swell further as the weather gets colder…

  • Topsham Primary School goes international with the RSPB

    Sally
    Staff and volunteers from the RSPB Exe Estuary reserves have recently been working with the young people in the local area, with visits to Topsham Primary School to look at migration and the amazing journeys made by of some of the winter wading birds that use the Exe Estuary as a safe refuge. 
    The children have been learning about the inspiring tales and travels of the black tailed godwit. Looking at how these birds…

  • Autumn and Winter Delights

    Sally
    The one thing about working on a wetland reserve, you look forward to the autumn and winter, as the winter wildlife is as good if not better than in the spring and summer. Although this time of year brings with it shorter days and wet weather, on the positive side it attracts large numbers of wetland wildlife. The autumn colours and the shinny bright berries lining the hedgerows are just the tasters to wet our appetite…

  • The Arrival of Autumn

    Sally
    The telltale signs or autumn are now with us, shorter days, misty mornings, heavy dew and shinny bright berries lining the hedgerows. There has been a distinct lack of rain during September which has facilitated our activities on the reserves, particularly our grassland management and estate work. However we know this will soon come to an end and we prepare for the grasslands to change their character and become a wetland…

  • October?

    Gareth Williams
    What lovely weather this past weekend has been, it feels more like July than mid autumn. With the warmer conditions the last of the Butterflies have been out in force catching the last pollen filled flowers. One such plant attracting many species is the humble Ivy. A late flowering plant, insects are now flooding to its energy rich bounty. Red Admiral, Comma and Speckled wood butterflies were out today (sun 10th).
     
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  • Exminster berries

    RobCook222
    It really does seem to have been a good year for fruits and berries- the south hedgerows of Exminster Marshes have been illuminated by the reds of rosehips, guelder rose, hawthorn and woody nightshade. These strikingly bright colours act as bird beacons in a fascinating display of evolutionary mutualism- the birds benefit from the berries whilst plants benefit from having their seed dispersed far and wide. These reds…

  • Autumn on the farm

    Gareth Williams
    Autumn on the farm
    Autumn is the time of transition from summer into winter. Already wintering birds have returned to the Exe. Avocets, Wigeon and black-tailed godwit numbers are on the increase, while swallow, reed warbler and hobby continue to press forward on their migration back to Africa and warmer conditions.
    Having said that, summer lingers on with good Butterfly numbers seen on warmer days, Dragonflies to have…

  • Making hay while the sun shines

    Sally
    The month of August on the reserve almost feels like the calm before the storm, as we frantically work on the grassland management before the arrival of the wetter weather and of course our winter visitors. The long summer days have been a huge help in allowing us to take full advantage of what is a small window of opportunity to undertake this work. At most we get 8 weeks after the birds finish breeding before the weather…

  • Telescopes, Binoculars and Ospreys

    Gareth Williams
    Want to know more about binoculars and telescopes? Unsure what 8x25 means? If so then join the team here at Dart’s Farm this Saturday from 11-2 where our trained staff will be at hand to answer your questions. The first Saturday of each month is now designed around Optics and people getting the chance to try and test them out.
    Saturdays are also know for the free 2 o’clock walk, come along in the afternoon…

  • The Exe Estuary

    Gareth Williams
    The Exe Estuary
    This is one of my favourite times of year to see birds on the River Exe, from Exmouth to Topsham along the cycle path or on the train there’s lot’s to see. An hour either side of high tide is the best bet to see wader birds in close to the bank.
    This morning on my way to work I spotted the first wigeon returning to the Exe, when they arrive most of the birds can be seen along mud bank lane…

  • The reserve is getting ready for the winter visitors!

    Sally
    Well it really feels like summer when the number of grazing animals on the marsh increases and we enter the time for our main grassland management.  Hay bales dotted about the fields and short turf makes the grassland look nicely trimmed ready for the increase in water levels and the arrival of our autumn visitors, in the shape of wildfowl and waders. The weather has been kind and assists our access onto ground that turns…

  • A first for the lower Clyst River

    Gareth Williams
    During this summer staff and volunteers have kept records of the wildlife seen around Darts Farm. During June I was lucky enough to take a photo of a Dragonfly seen on the ponds I then posted the image and findings onto the internet where it was picked up by a number a people saying the Dragonfly was a Scarce Chaser.
    Later I was contacted by the Devon Group of the British Dragonfly Society and I was informed that this…

  • Butterflies at Darts

    Gareth Williams

    Butterflies at Darts.

    As you can see there are a wide selection of butterflies on the wing at present, especially here at Darts Farm where we've counted 14 species this year. During the nature walk yesterday (sat 24th) I showed the group, Gatekeeper and Common Blue Butterflies, the majority hadn't seen these types before and were very happy to get close views.

     

     

     Small Copper. Image copyright Tim Hughes

     

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  • Rare breeding birds around the Exe Estuary

    AJ Bellamy

    Follow the link to the latest radio broadcast from Exminster Marshes for news on new breeding birds around the Exe Estuary

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p008rgng

    Part one 1:14:00 - 1:21:00

    Part two 1:29:30 - 1:40 :00

    Available untill 22nd July

  • Gull Billed Tern

    AJ Bellamy

    Two seen on the high tide roost this evening at bowling green marsh with a number of med gulls and spotted redshank. 

    Copyright Martin Wolinski