Bowling Green Marsh
Lunchtime visit at low tide with daughter. So just hide & ducks. 75+ Wigeon, 45+ Teal, 18+ Shoveler, 6 Tufted, 3 Pochard (2M, F), M Pintail & Juv Spoonbill. No hirundines. Green Woodpecker, M Blackcap & singing Chiffchaff.
Tawstock Court estate
Single Red Kite
Meeth quarry
mid Devon branch met here today,. Excellent weather and 48 birds seen. Good day after the rain we’ve had.
Red Kite, Bigbury
A Red kite was over fields with two Buzzards north of Bigbury along the B3392 at around 14.oo hrs.
Hoopoe near Brownsham woods
Spotted a Hoopoe in the middle of the road just outside National Trust Brownsham Woods car park
South Molton, Tue, 4th April
- Humming-bird Hawkmoth feeding strongly on narcissi in garden this morning
- Siskins flying over, calling
- Goldcrest, repeated singing
- Raven fly-over
Instow and r. Taw off Instow.
Whitethroat Singing from Scrub on Instow sand dunes , Several Willow Warblers in Song , a Swallow flew over . Out on the river a Great Crested Grebe 2 or 3 Eider and 9 Grey Plovers along the shoreline.
13 Grey Herons counted sitting out on the rocks at low tide but none showing any interest in the new nesting platforms installed when the old Heronry was destroyed……..
+1 Photo
Plym Estuary & Saltram
Five Garganeys (4 drakes & a duck) early morning on the lower estuary; eventually lost near Point Cottage. Also, my first Swallow of the year here, and at least 2 Green Woodpeckers.
+1 Photo
Yarner Wood
Yesterday afternoon: Chiffchaffs, Willow warblers, Blackcaps, Song thrush, GSW and a Tawny Owl
Powderham Church area
In fields near main gate were 10+ Egrets with st least four Cattle Egret & 4 Little Egrets. Also 120+ Linnet in the same field with sheep.
Earlier at Dawlish Warren (beach day) not too much bird wise, but nice to see a few Sand Crocus out.
Hope’s Nose
A lunchtime scan of the sea started well when an adult drake and two female Eiders flew in from the north at about 12.20 and settled on the sea north of the Orestone. Just before they drifted behind the Orestone, the wintering immature male and female flew in from the south and joined them, but separately and to the south of the Orestone. 5 off the headland probably equates to the biggest group there in recent years.
In addition, a lone male Common Scoter flew south as did a single Sandwich Tern.
+1 Photo
Wrafton pond area
More from my morning around Wrafton area. There were six Swallows, a dozen or more Sand Martins, a Sparrowhawk, at least two Cetti’s Warbler, a Reed Bunting, a few Willow Warblers and a Male Pochard. The male Garganey was still there on the large Scrape.
+1 Photo
Wrafton pond area
This morning around Wrafton area proved productive. There were six Swallows, a dozen or more Sand Martins, a Sparrowhawk, at least two Cetti’s Warbler, a Reed Bunting, a few Willow Warblers and a Male Pochard. The male Garganey was still there on the large Scrape.
Red Kite, Harberton
Red Kite over the northern edge of Harberton, Totnes. Slowly moving east towards Totnes.
Horsey Island Velator
Red kite over Horsey mid afternoon. Flew around for a while then headed off towards Braunton. Not much else around.
clawton devon
clawton this afternoon at 15.00pm 4 swallow 6 sand martin 2 chiffchaff
until peace broken by male sparrowhawk on the hunt.
Soar
First Hobby of the year over Soar Mill Valley plus Red Kite over east, 3 Swallow, Sand Martin, 2 White Wagtail & 25 Chiffchaff.
Non-avian: Speckled Bee Fly
+1 Photo
South Hams
Lean pickings first thing, at Soar in a cool & brisk easterly; but managed single of Firecrest & Willow Warbler, c10 Chiffchaffs & a Hare.
At South Huish Marsh, 5 Garganeys (3 drakes & 2 ducks) & 2 Swallows.
Finally, a Hoopoe flew east over a field by Bantham Cross roundabout (near Churchstow), at c14.40, perched on a hedge briefly & disappeared.
Hemerdon and Trowlesworthy
Trowlesworthy first thing: Willow Warbler, Goosander (m), 7 Wheatear, 5 Chiffchaff.
Lunchtime walk around Hemerdon: Swallow flying low over the centre of the village, 8 Chiffchaff, Dipper, Green Woodpecker.
Wembury
Rather quiet at Wembury this morning, although the area did turn up a sprinkling of spring birds. I came across a Swallow and a Willow Warbler, and had two Sandwich Terns flying east close to the beach.
