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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
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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.
Dawlish Warren Hooded Crow
A Hooded Crow flew over Greenland Lake at about 9.45am today.
Hoopoe, South Huish, Kingsbridge
Hoopoe this morning scratching around underneath the bird table.
Woolsery & Colscott N.Devon
Late posts from over the weekend – 7 swallows on wires on road into Woolsery.
Stover Lake
18.45
The reported Purple Heron showed well, on and off, for at least five minutes in the field between Liverton Brook and the caravan park. It then flew off low to the north.
A Grey Wagtail was nearby as were two Mandarins. There were 20+ Sand Martins over the main lake and a Willow Warbler in full song there too.
Hope’s Nose
A morning visit produced the first Whimbrel of the year here out on the Lead Stone. It was later seen in flight heading towards the Point.
The immature male and female Eiders remain, and were again south of the Orestone before disappearing as more and more boats passed the area.
Elsewhere, a Common Scotor flew north and a female Wheatear was on the south side. A Siskin flew south over the entrance on arrival.
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Fremington and Roundswell
A morning walk from Barnstaple to Fremington along the Tarka trail and from Fremington back to Roundswell via Fremington Pill. Along the Tarka path there were around 10 Shelduck, a couple of Redshank & Great black backed gulls, half dozen or so Little Egrets, a few Mallard and a single Pheasant. In the trees on the last stretch before the Penhill tunnel there were two singing Chiffchaffs and one Blackcap. In Fremington Pill there were a few Teal, two Greenshanks, a few Shelduck, one Glossy Ibis, one Little Egret and a couple of Black tailed Godwit. Along the foot path between Tews Lane and Sainsburys there were about eight Blackbirds, a few House Sparrows and a Robin.
Skylark at Bench Tor
A lone skylark singing beautifully just below Bench Tor this morning at 11.30
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South Brent and the Exe
A visit to Exminster marshes just after first light gave views of 100’s of Sand Martin, walking along the canal path produced 6 Cetti’s Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 4 Skylark, a fly over by 3 Bar Tailed Godwit, 3 Long Tailed Tit, a Song Thrush in full voice, 108 Curlew, 3 Lapwing including one very territorial pair that drove off everything avian in their domain including any Wood pigeon that came along, a few Teal, 5 Little Egret, 2 Heron
Across the Exe mudflats from Turf, numerous Shelduck, Dunlin, Curlew, 3 Grey Plover, 3 Ringed Plover and numerous Shelduck.
On leaving Peregrine and Kestrel on the pylons.
In the deer park at Powderham a single Egyptian Goose with a flock of Shelduck.
And a Tawny owl has just started to call outside.
Morte Point, Sunday 2 April
Wheatear 3
Wheatear 3
Common Scoter 1
Shag 2
Cormorant 1
Sand Martin 1
Kestrel 3
Rock Pipit 1
Raven 3
Swallow. Princetown
The first Swallow of spring at Princetown this evening flying around our field.
Burrator Reservoir
Around the dam: 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Yellowhammer, 1 Green Woodpecker (m), 4 Buzzards circling overhead, 1 Grey Wagtail in breeding plumage. 2 Siskin and a Great Spotted Woodpecker on a feeder in Sheepstor village.
Lower Tamar Lake
09:03-10:12
1 Willow Tit, 2 Nuthatch, 3 Goosander, 1 GC Grebe, Sand Martin, 2 Willow Warbler
