Lee Moor
Around the Big Pond area 2 male Wheatears – one taking exception to a male Stonechat. Looking down from on high into the flooded quarry 5 distant ducks diving – presume Tufted from black and white colouration of 3 .
The Skern
Sunday Morning. Tide still still very high with no mud exposed. Large flock of Oystercatchers on the salt marsh with 4 Ringed Plover. 3 Turnstones by the Appledore Bridge and a Snipe flew up as I walked along the embankment. The extremely high tides during the week had overtopped the banked up pebbles near the 9th Green but 2 Wheatears flitting about the stones. 3 more Wheatears with Stonechats, fiches and skylarks on the grassed tip and rushes. Greysand Mere had 20 Shelduck
Pork Hill/Cox Tor, West Dartmoor
14.05
A Red Kite flew west between the B3357 at Pork Hill and Cox Tor.
Lone housemartin
Single housemartin Plymouth Hoe late afternoon
first day of the hols at Seaton Wetlands.
CLOSE BY THE DISCOVERY HUT A CETTIS SHOWING WELL, A FIRST FOR ME. SEVERAL REED BUNTINGS,MOSTLY MALES AND ONE WHEATEAR. ON BLACK HOLE MARSH NOTHING OF NOTE BUT THE OYSTER CTCHERS VERY VOCAL IN THEIR MATING AND PAIRING. AT THE WETLANDS HUT NOTHING OF NOTE EXCEPT SEVERAL TEAL AND GODWIT IN BREEDING PLUMAGE. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
Ilfracombe
Rock Pipit
Sighting Sunday 26th 10:30
Feeding on crumbs dropped by fishermen around the Damien Hurst statue area at the entrance to the harbour.
Soar
13 migrant Buzzards moving generally eastwards in a north-westerly breeze mid-morning over Southdown Farm. 23 Chiffchaffs in Soar Mill Valley.
+1 Photo
Caen Estuary, Horsey, Braunton Marshes
Cycled along the Toll Rd to the White House hoping to see an Osprey over the Caen Estuary, Horsey & the Taw Estuary but instead had a Chiffchaff in full song in the garden of the White House & 2 Roe Deer in one of the grazing marsh fields on Braunton Marshes to the west of the Toll.
Also a Tractor Rally along the Toll Road while I was photographing the Roe Deer. At least 34 tractors but could have been a few more!
Powderham
Pair of Egyptian Geese with four young goslings.
Twenty plus Cattle Egret.
Wrafton
Garganey still present (on the smaller scrape this morning). Only one Black-tailed Godwit. Good numbers of Chiffchaff around, and drake Pochard on Wrafton Pond. A few Sand Martins over. Went back to the scrape later on and while looking over Sherpa for a Marsh Harrier, saw a female Hen Harrier instead.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
On this morning’s excursion, my first Willow Warbler of the year, 2 wheatears (male & female), Stonechat (male), Green Woodpecker, Kingfisher (male), 3 Snipe, Common Sandpiper, 8 Greenshanks, 36 Turnstones, Wigeon, 3 Goosanders (1 drake) & 9 Roe deer.
+1 Photo
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. 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.
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.
+1 Photo
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.
