Plym Estuary & Saltram
My first Merlin ever, at the site this morning; also, c100 Redwings (also 120+ yesterday) & 10+ Fieldfares going east, Firecrest (also 2 yesterday), 3 Stonechats, Bullfinch, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, 2 Ravens, ad-w Mediterranean Gull, & 2 Roe Deer.
Crownhill Down and Cadover
Crownhill Down: c60 Fieldfare on top of the down first thing and c300
Redwing over in small flocks during an hour or so.
Trowlesworthy: 2,200+ Fieldfare and 1,600+ Redwing over E in a 75min period during late morning. 900+ Golden Plover flying around Legis Tor.
What season is it today in Plymouth?
My first Redwings of the autumn last night but then a Chiffchaff in tentative song this morning. A Hummingbird Hawk moth in Lipson this morning and Horse Chestnut in flower in Freedom Fields. I’m confused!
Redwings
A steady movement of Redwings over Paignton this morning between 8.45am. -10 30am. Some groups of 100 or more all heading S. Probably over 500 birds in total.
+1 Photo
Redwings ~ South Brent
A good passage of Redwing over South Brent this morning despite the murky conditions, at least twelve flocks in excess of 50 birds with three of those flocks containing over 100 birds, numerous smaller batches dropping into the tree tops with that characteristic call. I would estimate well in excess of 850 birds.
One batch of five Mistle Thrush overhead.
Fieldfare and Redwing over Princetown
We’ve just had a1000+. Fieldfare with 30 or so Redwing amongst them flying over Princetown heading towards Plymouth.
Bradwell
On leaving for work at 8.30 this morning, around 50 Fieldfare were seen perched on the trees.
Late for Lower Tamar Lake
Late for Lower Tamar Lake.
1 Great White Egret, 2 Willow Tit, 1 Marsh Tit, 2 Mute Swan, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 3 Coot, 15 Wigeon, c200 Canada Geese.
RSPB Bowling Green Marsh
A good day for Geese and Birds of Prey at RSPB Bowling Green Marsh today.
Approx 550 Canada’s including three leucistic birds and a hybrid which I suspect may be a Canada / Emperor goose cross, singles of Snow Goose, Grey Lag Goose and Barnacle Goose along with a Greylag hybrid and two Egyptian geese.
A Hobby went over the marsh, three visits by hunting Peregrines, the first a female went after the Black Tailed Godwit’s, another hunting female chased some Teal over the marsh and took one before losing its grip and losing the bird which dived into the water, a Tiercel then arrived and again went after the Teal without success.
100’s of Black Tailed Godwit (one colour ringed bird) arriving on the high tide along with 3 Bar Tails, singles of Ruff and Avocet, a small number of Curlew, and not as many Redshank as recently, 3 Heron, 1 Little Egret, 3 Lapwing
Ducks included Shelduck, Shoveler approx 20, large numbers of Pintail arriving over the high tide, Mallard, Teal in good numbers with lots of Wigeon arriving towards high tide and a single Gadwall drake.
Late swallows over Crediton
2 swallows wheeling over Crediton just after sunrise this morning. Travel well.
Wembury
At Wembury Beach this morning, a Water Rail was calling along the stream that flows through the meadow near the beach. Towards Wembury Point, two Lapwings were on the shore but were harassed by a Carrion Crow and flew off high to the west.
Wrafton Pond
Small flock of 10 or so Fieldfares flew over Wrafton Pond and perched in a tree by the houses for 5 minutes at 1630. Nothing much else. Few Shoveler on the pond, some Teal, a Little Egret and a Grey Heron on the scrape.
Redwings and starlings
Driving down Codden Hill about 3.45pm a flock of about 30 redwing flew overhead going south. On Monday morning there were over 300 starlings perched on wires in Windmill Lane, Northam and similar numbers on wires in Broadclose Road, Barnstaple before I left for work on Monday.
Wrafton area
63 Blac-tailed Godwits on the scrape. 6 Shoveler and 3 Gadwall on Wrafton Pond + 2 Snipe. Over the reserve about 20 Redwings flew south. 15 or so Goldfinch.
Exeter
Lots of redwings around Wonford and Whipton this morning.
+1 Photo
Sidmouth
Dipper on ‘The Byes’ at Sidmouth yesterday.
Jenny Cliff
60 Redwings .
Venford Reservoir
1 Hobby early am.
+1 Photo
Knowstone moor
As I was passing by Knowstone Moor I spotted a pair of Stonechats and a pair of Meadow Pipits on some gorse bushes adjacent to the road.
+1 Photo
Avon Dam
Foggy at the dam this morning, but managed to get close to a group of 13 Goosanders resting and preening on the spillway, including the presumed immature male now almost in adult plumage. First seen at 0725, they were still there an hour later, well after sunrise (if it did rise).
