Bird Sightings

2 GlossyIbis, 2 Greenshank, 5 Godwits (distant) 1 Little Grebe and good numbers of Redshank. 

Purple Sandpipers feeding along rocks at the base of Capstone, along with three cormorants, Greater Black-backed Gull, Rock Pipits and Oyster Catchers

Adult female Marsh Harrier quartering Saltpill pond and banks of the river Taw before flying off across the river….2 Spoonbill roosting on Isley Marsh, a Common Sandpiper at Tapely , plenty of passerine activity along the trail from Bideford including my first singing Song Thrush of the season at Instow…..

On The sea: 8 Great Northern, 1 Black-throated,1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Long-tailed Duck with 26/27 Common Scoter, also 1 Harbour Porpoise and a pod of 12+ Common Dolphins.

Around the car parks 5 Cirl Buntings, 1 Reed Bunting and a Cetti’s Warbler in the 2nd car park. 2 Siskin overhead, 2 Firecrests, 3 Goldcrests and 5 Chiffchaffs.

Late for Lower Tamar Lake yesterday.

6 Goosander 2m 4f (One male seen in the River Tamar between the Upper and Lower Lake, 13 Cormorant, 2 Willow Tit, 5 Marsh Tit, 6 Coot, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Nut Hatch.

This morning, in the wind and rain, about a hundred Gannets heading South, many hundreds of Kittiwake also South, some flocks very close in, quite a spectacle. Two Great Northern Divers near the pier. Later in the afternoon, bit quieter weather wise, single Great Northern Diver off the Ness, two unidentified divers further out.

On Sea: 1 Black-throated Diver, 3 Great Northern Divers, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 26 Common Scoter.

Around the car parks: 3 Firecrests, 2 Goldcrests, 3 Chiffchaffs & 9 Cirl Buntings on seed in 2nd car park. 

4 Goldcrest, 1 male Blackcap, 3 Dippers and large amounts of Chaffinches including 2Siskin.

No Godwits on the scrape again today – probably due to the shooters being around the Marsh on Monday. Dipper in the river on the way to the reserve, where there were several Chiffchaffs calling, including one very loud and persistent one.(or maybe it’s my new hearing aids!) Later on in a burst of sunshine, it started singing! Very lovely. Grey Wagtail and a couple of Water Rails also present, along with good numbers of Greenfinch.

Red-throated Diver briefly off West Hoe at 12:40 before flying towards Mount Batten where it landed on the sheltered side of the breakwater.

At least 106 Skylark feeding out on the salt marsh. Some Linnet and a few Goldfinch mixed in with the main flock.

Seawatch 07.30 – 10.30: 1 Balearic Shearwater, 12 Manx Shearwaters, 27 Fulmar, 6 Little Gulls, 6 Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Adult full-tailed Pomarine Skua,  326 Auks, 1700+ Kittiwakes, 200+ Gannets, 4 Brent Geese, 2 Common Scoter, 1 Dunlin. 11 Porpoise, 6+ Common Dolphin, 2 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.

A early morning walk at Riverside Country Park above Countess Weir. Common Sandpiper, F Goosander, Kingfisher, 26 Teal, 32 Mallard, 27 Wigeon, Ad M Kestrel, 60+ Goldfinch, 3 Bullfinch, Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, Stonechat. 

Around woods south of Berry Head Hotel: 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Firecrests, 7 Goldcrests.

                                                                  Yellow-browed Warbler