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Cofton / Dawlish Country Park & Powderham
Distant but brilliant views of two Alpine Swifts above the Dawlish Country Park (Cofton Hill). Also displaying Sparrowhawks and Buzzards, a fly over Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Red Legged Partridge, Song Thrush and two Mistle Thrush.
Over at Powderham 32 Cattle Egret along with a handful of Little Egret. Kestrel on wires at Exminster.
Back home at South Brent five Buzzards passing over just on 5pm all headed west.
Livermead Torquay
Not common to see a wheatear on the beach at Livermead, Torquay, presumably arriving from an African journey
Croyde
A quick lunch before a dash to Croyde… Where it took us a while, but eagle-eyed Andy Leat caught it flying into a field beyond the sheep-filled field at the top of Middleborough Hill. 3 Hares in the next field over too. A few Fulmar at Baggy point and at least one distant Manx Shearwater quite a way out heading South.
Sandwich terns at Slapton Ley
At least 2 sandwich terns arrived over the ley at 10.45 this morning, Torcross end.
Bowling Green Marsh
Sightings between 09:00 to 11:30am included 2 Spoonbill, 1 Spotted Redshank, 6 Greenshank, 3 Knot, 1 Dunlin, 1 Snipe, 1 Bar Tailed Godwit with large numbers of Redshank and Black Tailed Godwit. Also 2 Pochard, Pintails, Tufted Ducks, Wigeons, Teals, Shovelers, Shelducks, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff and Sand Martins.
Alpine Swift: Berry Head, Brixham
Alpine swift x1 clearly seen at 11.30am on 25/03/23 off the end of Berry Head flying back and forth around the cliffs.
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Croyde hoopoe
On top of the hill and around the sheep field, on Middleborough Hill.
Hoopoe, Croyde
Found a hoopoe in the sheep field, atop Middleborough Hill, above Sandleigh Tea Rooms, Croyde.
Flighty, but staying around the top of the hill.
Wrafton Pond
16:30 to 17:15
Amongst the Sand Martins we counted 4 Swallows & 1 House Martin
flying low over the pond so the white rump was clearly visible.
Garganey on the larger of the scrapes.
Male wheatear Northam Burrows / Skern
Male wheatear singing by the beach at the Skern this morning.
Lynton
6 Male Wheatear, 1 female.2 Chiffchaff singing near Church.Increase in Meadow Pipits, no Stonechats but an increasingly nasty wind up through the valley.
Lower Tamar Lake
Lower Tamar Lake this morning.
3 Goosander 1m 2f, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2m Tufted Duck, 5 Sand Martin.
Note:
All the feeders except the ones at the hide will be brought in at the end of this month and put back out at the end of June.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
On this morning’s very big tide: 11 Snipe, 8 Greenshanks, Common Sandpiper, Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard (female), 3 Goosanders (1 drake), Kingfisher & Great Black-backed Gull (3rd cy) P:15F, ringed as a Pulli June 2021 at Portland Harbour, seen Newlyn 23/12/21 & last seen at Blaxton Meadow 15/1/23.
River Otter – Sand Martins
Walking south from Ottery St Mary’s this morning, I had 2 Sand Martins. Also 3 Goosander, 2 Grey Wagtail, Dipper and Kingfisher.
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Bowling Green Marsh
Yesterday: Tufted Ducks, Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, Shelduck, Pintail, Wigeon, Little Grebe, Shelduck, Snipe, Blackwits, Stock Dove, Willow warbler, Sand Martins
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LORP Budleigh
Yesterday: Good views of 4 Water Pipits in summer plumage, Chiffchaffs, Cettis Warblers, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal, Gadwall, Greenshank, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese.
Wrafton
Evening look around: Garganey still on the small scrape. Drake Pochard on Wrafton Pond and still several Chiffchaffs. Walked around Sherpa Marsh and was surrounded by Sand Martins, many flying very low over the ponds. A smart male Wheatear on the embankment opposite the Toll House, and at last a fine Swallow, if briefly.
Dippers ashburton
pair of dippers on river ashburn by main car park 1st I’ve seen there this spring.
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Dawlish Countryside Park – Alpine Swifts
Amazingly, despite the windy grey skies and squally heavy showers that had me in and out of the car several times, this morning, 2 Alpine Swifts duly appeared over the woods on Eastdon Ridge and were soon speeding around together, twisting and turning before moving out across Dawlish Countryside Park. Fantastic – now I need to go and dry the camera off!
Exminster Marshes
Visit to the marshes this morning was in time to see the high tide roosts. Birds were well distributed across the marshes with the larger flocks in the centre. Here there were curlew, black-tailed godwit (c250), shelduck (c100) and about a dozen cormorant. Nearer the canal , on the various pools, was one flock of c65 bar-tailed godwits, c30 curlew, 2 lapwing and a single avocet.
Duck numbers quite low and only 3 brent geese seen.
In Station Road and on the canal bank there were at least 4 chiffchaffs singing and another flock of 4 together. clearly migrants and the only migrants seen before the rain set in.
