bird watching
Quicklinks on this site
The United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. For more information go to their website
Bird RecordsSubmit your records using MS Excel and follow the instruction on the spreadsheet. Submit your records using a printable PDF file and follow the instruction on the form for posting. |
Rarities Forms For Devon County rarities use this For National rarities use the BBRC Rarity Form and please send a copy to the County Recorder |
Axe Estuary Newsletters
The Axe Estuary has a very active and growing group of bird watchers and ringers. Apart from their own annual Bird Report, they also enjoy their own bi-monthly newsletter. All Axe Estuary Newsletters are now available to read on-line and to download.
Goshawk & Sparrowhawk Identification
Mark Darlaston
As Goshawks are still persecuted despite full legal protection, it is regrettable that Devon Birds cannot advertise sites to watch them. However, there are places where Goshawk can be seen and we have provided some pointers about where to see them and how to identify them.
Leach's Petrel found on Dartmoor
Rob Harrison - 8 January 2010
A bird buried in a garden on 3 December and first thought to be a Storm Petrel has now proved to be a Leach's Petrel that died after being recovered from Roborough Down on Dartmoor.
Disturbance to Stressed Birds in Harsh Winter Weather
8 January 2010
Heidi Mellan, WeBS Counter Network Organiser, has issued advise to WeBS counters about disturbance to waterbirds in harsh winter conditions.
This is in advance of the next WeBS date (17th January) and it was felt best to bring the BTO article to everyones attention.
Rail and Jack Snipe on the Otter Estuary
9 January 2010
Chris Townend photographed two interesting visitors on the Otter Estuary on 9 January. A scarce Devon visitor was a Jack Snipe and Chris managed to get two very good photographs.
The second was a very unusual photographic record of a Water Rail drowning a Meadow Pipit and then eating it.
Tumbling Buzzards over Dartmoor
A stunning picture of a pair of 'talon locked' buzzards, was taken by Tom Wallis in August 2009. With only seconds to spare, Tom managed to grab 8 pictures of the pair as they fell from the sky. His reward was a well deserved first prize in a recent photo competition run by the Dartmoor Preservation Society.
Winter garden visitors including fieldfares
6 January 2010
The current harsh winter conditions have brought many unusual birds into gardens in search of food. However, the meeting of birds not normally associated with garden feeding often means confrontations with more normal garden visitors.
Lapwing Cold Weather Movements
5 January 2010
A flock of about two dozen Lapwings headed West along the edge Dartmoor on 4 January 2010. They were seen and photographed by Steve Hopper
Bird records 2009
5 January 2010
If you have submitted records in the last few weeks (late December / early January) and have not had an acknowledgement, please re-submit your records. The Recorders have had a problem with the lycos.com email system and are not getting all the email submissions. Please send your records again to Julia Harris
If you have not yet submitted your 2009 records, PLEASE DON’T DELAY – GET YOUR RECORDS IN PROMPTLY so that they can be entered into the database. Closing date is 31 January 2010.
Axe Newsletters 2009
Axe Estuary Newsletters for 2009
Please click on the issue to open the newsletter.
Crakey! What's that squealing noise?
16 December 2009
Data Manager Julia Harris receives all sorts of odd reports involving a variety of birds. Two emails from members this year concerned the finding of Water Rails in living rooms! The first was on 1 April and the second on 15 October – both at times when Water Rails are on the move. In both instances, the birds were let loose unharmed.
Garden Warbler in a Plymouth garden
16 December 2009
Phil Stidwill took this shot of a Garden Warbler – an incredibly late one – in his Plymouth garden on 3 December.
Crossbills at Wistlandpound Reservoir
16 December 2009
During the first week of December, Stewart Beer and Brian Palmer caught up with good numbers of Crossbills at Wistlandpound Reservoir, on the fringes of Exmoor.