Thursday 28 May 2020

Golden Oriole and Garden Quail

Well it seems that things do come in threes and I have now used up all my good birding fortune with a very welcome male Golden Oriole at Squabmoor Reservoir. Incredibly, my third local rarity find in just 12 days and all within a couple of miles from home!

I was out birding the East Devon Commons on Tuesday 26th May and once again, very optimistically, I was hoping for a Red-footed Falcon. However, that soon changed when I heard the distinctive fluty song of a Golden Oriole! It was singing from the trees above Squabmoor Reservoir from 08.50hrs until mid morning. It was heard again in the same area from around 5.15pm until about 6.15pm. Sadly, I never actually saw the bird but I managed to get a couple of sound recordings of both the song and the Jay-like / Squirrel-like call. See video and Sounds below.
I was particularly pleased that Helen also managed to hear it in the evening - She has now done the Budleigh Treble!šŸ˜‚

Other excitement from Budleigh Salterton was recording my first Quail over the house on the evening of the 26th May at 11.26pm. It passed over quickly giving the "Mau-Wau" call as described by the excellent Sound Approach website: https://soundapproach.co.uk/common-quail/  

On the River Otter on Monday 25th May, Helen and I had a great encounter with one of last year's Beaver Kits and a Tawny Owl too!


Tawny Owl, River Otter

Beaver, River Otter

The Budleigh treble in context - 12 day Purple Patch!






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