Purple Sandpipers – Torquay
8 Purple Sandpipers still in situ at Haldon Pier, Torquay Harbour this pm.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
Little of note on a wet afternoon, but: Mediterranean Gull (ad-s), Wigeon, 4 Goosanders (1 drake), c30 Turnstones & 11 Snipe.
Wrafton Scrape
Early visit this morning in the light rain – no Garganey but 32 Black-tailed Godwits and 20 ish Sand Martins. 6 Gadwall in the reserve. Returned late afternoon (in much heavier rain!) to find more Godwits – up to about 120. Don’t think I’ve seen this many here before. 3 Greenshanks chasing about. Only 6 Sand Martins. Still no sign of the Garganey, nor any Alpine Swifts….
House Martins at Berry Head
In addition to the Alpine Swift today at Berry Head at 12.45pm (not am!) mentioned in the previous post, we had two small groups of 3 House Martins, male and female Cirl Bunting, a fall of Chiffchaff, Guillemot, Razorbill and Fulmar on the breeding ledges, Gannets and Porpoise.
Alpine Swift-Berry Head
Managed to get a quick photo of this Alpine Swift that flew low over our Teignmouth U3A Birdwatching Group on Berry Head at 12.45am today.
Swallows at Fernworthy
2 swallows flying low over the lake feeding on Friday 17th March
Orcombe Point – White Wagtail
I took a wander around the fields at Orcombe Point yesterday morning hoping for a Wheatear, unfortunately, no luck. However, the dung heap revealed a smart male “alba” White Wagtail with a couple of resident “yarellii”. Also, Meadow Pipits and Linnets were about, Skylarks and Chiffchaffs were in song and on nearby Maer Rocks a group of 20 or so Brent Geese moved off with the rising tide.
Willand, River Culm floodplain
2 Cattle Egret, 39 Little Egret on River Culm floodplain between Willand and Bradfield, 2.15pm.
Wrafton
Garganey still on the small scrape this morning, and despite there being a fall of Chiffchaffs at Wrafton Pond, there were only 2 in the reserve. 8 Gadwall flew out. 50/60 Sand Martins over Sherpa Marsh.
Soar.
Male Dartford warbler.South Huish marsh 50+ Teal, 1 Swallow.
+1 Photo
Morte Point
For Mothers Day I invited my wife for a walk out to Morte Point and as luck would have it I had my camera with me when a pair of Shonechats appeared on top of some gorse. There were a few Linnets too (10-12). Also spotted a couple of Rock pipits and a Wheatear (my first one this year).
Valley of Rocks.
Leucistic Linnet, 2 Wheatear, 10 Fulmars,5 Stonechat, 3 Meadow Pipits,and on the sea mixed razorbills and guillemots over40 in number.
+1 Photo
Crownhill Down
SThis morning on Crownhill Down I counted 8 Wheatears, 12 Linnets, several Stonechats and many Skylarks. A Jay, Chaffinches, L.T. tits, Wrens and Dunnocks down the bridlepath’
Wrafton Pond and Scrape
At least 6 Chiffchaff, including 3 in song, Water Rail squealing, 3 Cetti’s Warbler, male Gadwall on pond, 30 Black-tailed Godwit on scrape.
Avon Dam
Fifteen roosting Goosanders at the Avon Dam this morning included a pair on the spillway, plus a separate group of 13 on the water comprising one adult male and 12 redheads, seven of which appeared to be immature males. All flew over the dam and downriver at 06:14.
Plym Estuary/Saltram
A morning walk along the estuary and through Saltram produced: 4 Goosander inc. 2 drakes (estuary near amphitheatre), 5 Mandarin Ducks and the long-staying female R-c Pochard (duck pond), Lapwing (Blaxton Meadow). Also a Siskin at Saltram and Chiffchaffs singing at 5 different widespread sites.
Wheatear, White Works, Dartmoor.
1050 today at White Works, Dartmoor my first Wheatear of the year in the enclosed fields below the houses. A stunning male.
Lower Tamar Lake
Lower Tamar Lake this morning.
1 Willow Tit, 2 Marsh Tit 2 Bullfinch.
3 Whooper Swans were seen yesterday.
Cadover area, Dartmoor
A dawn visit produced a Firecrest, with Goldcrests and tits in trees at Trowlesworthy Farm. Two Wheatear around the paddocks, two singing Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting.
Alpine swift
Newton Ferrers 3pm 18/3/23 above the rear of Peters Field, seen from my garden.
Bold, powerful flight, came from south, then flew in a circle and away in an easterly direction.
