Lapland Bunting now 'B' rarity for this autumn

Steve Waite – County Recorder

At the end of August and throughout September 2010, large numbers of Lapland Buntings arrived in the north of the UK, with some sites in the northern isles of Scotland boasting triple figure flocks!

As the autumn progressed these birds flew south, and it wasn’t long before Devon had a ‘slice’ of the action.

A Bittern was seen and photographed by Keith Bragg on 2 January 2010 at 1045hrs beside Moor Brook (SX 59059275) which is on Dartmoor, just to the east of Okehampton Camp.

The bird was watched from a car and was only 15-20 feet away.

9 April 2008

Following on from Andrew Cunningham's encounter with a Long-eared Owl along the Grand Western Canal, two more sightings have come in from other parts of Devon.

6 April 2009 – updated 24 April 2009

A change of plans for Andrew Cunningham on 4 April meant he was walking the Grand Western Canal from Tiverton to Sampford Peverell instead of visiting the Exe Estuary…resulting in this close encounter with a Long-eared Owl.

2 March 2009

This lovely picture of a Snow Bunting was taken by John Lusher on Ryder's Hill, at 515 m one of the highest points on the southern part of Dartmoor.

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Iceland Gull photographed by Steve Waite at Seaton in February. More of Steve's photographs can be seen on his website.

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A 1st winter Iceland Gull seen in fading light on the Axe Estuary in January 2009. This is the fourth individual to be seen on the Axe this year.
More of Steve's photographs can be seen on his website.