Bird Sightings

Mixed wader flock still in the big pit on Crownhill Down this eve. 2 Little Stint, 2 Sanderling, 8 Ringed Plover and 3 Dunlin. Flighty but often on near shore. Wheatear on slope.

A walk along Fremington Pill down to the Quay produced 3 Greenshank, 70+ Redshank, 3 Glossy Ibis, 10 Teal, 4 little Egret, 1 Ruff. Then over towards Chivenor 4 Great White Egret on the far bank.

An evening visit to the fishing pools by the Double Locks. Chiffchaff 6+, House Martin 50+ & Swallow 15+.

Two Firecrests this afternoon, together with Treecreeper, 2 Whinchats, Stonechat, 2 Green Woodpeckers, Grey Wagtail, 4 Sandwich Terns, 13 Greenshanks, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Dunlins, Common Sandpiper & a Clouded Yellow.

2 Curlew Sandpipers, 54 Dunlin & 4 Ringed Plover this morning.

Two Ospreys on the Dart today during a guided cruise including one performing over the estuary for 30 mins eventually taking a fish (on it’s second dive) as we watched.

A morning spent on Powderham Marsh provided 8 Cattle Egret, 4+ Yellow Wagtail, and a small number of Chiffchaff. 6 Teal, 5 Stonechat, 40+ Swallow, 15 Blackwit & 2 Egyptian Goose were the only other birds of note.

A short visit to VP on Exminster Marsh, with 2 Ruff, 2 Hobby (Ad & 1cy) feeding over the lagoon, 30 Coot on the lagoon, with a single Little Grebe. At least 340 Curlew sat together on the estuary.

Only 3 Cattle Egrets with the cows this morning, but they have moved around South of the reserve and a deal further away, so probably more…

Two Curlew Sandpipers seen from Kayak on rising tide at 1pm

An Ortolan Bunting at Middle Soar around 12.30pm the outstanding highlight of a morning that also brough a smattering of common migrants including 6 Wheatears, 2 Whinchats, 20 Yellow Wagtails, 7 Tree Pipits, 20 Siskins, 7 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps several Chiffchaffs and good numbers of Swallows. Also 2 Peregrines, a Sparrowhawk & a nice range of butterflies.

Late visit this afternoon: 10 or 11 Cattle Egret, They kept hiding in the long grass and behind cows so difficult to get an accurate count, especially as one of them morphed into a Little Egret by the scrape later. A singing Chiffchaff in the reserve.

The patch’s first ever Wryneck today, showing intermittently in trees beside the lower end of Dell Walk. Also, 3 Great White Egrets, 2 Swifts, 3+ Whinchats, Siskin, Green Woodpecker, Sandwich Tern, 16 Turnstones & Great Crested Grebe.

A Spotted Flycatcher was in Radford Park this morning. Also seen there were 2 Little Grebes, a Sparrowhawk, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Kingfisher, a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff.

A brief visit to my field this morning and autumn is definitely on its way with the trees beginning to turn. Lots of birdsong, mostly robins and various tits and a view of a green woodpecker flying down the field. Often heard but rarely seen.

3 Great White Egret on blaxton meadow this morning feeding with little Egret

Osprey hunting over the estuary off Galmpton Creek this evening.

A ‘low’ high tide visit, on a hot afternoon, wasn’t that productive, which wasn’t that surprising. 9 Cattle Egret flew north at Turf. On lagoon was a Shoveler, a Little Grebe & 15+ Coot. On the flooded area were 10 Teal, 7 Blackwit, 2 Ruff & a Snipe. Otherwise a Wheatear in the discovery area, was about it.