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Crownhill Down
This morning on the Down at least 3 Cuckoos,Tree Pipits,Skylarks, Linnets, Goldfinches, Willow Warblers, 3 Wheatears and a Green Woodpecker.
Trendlebere Down & River Bovey
A walk down from the Yarner Wood car park into Bovey Valley today. Cuckoo on the Down, two singing Pied Flycatchers in the valley, one very brown but clearly a male due to song and strength of white wing flashes. Maybe a first year male? Lots of Blackcaps, 3 Willow Warblers singing, along with Dipper and Grey Wagtail.
Exminster Marshes
At lunchtime today, 2 Cattle Egrets were amongst cattle close to Station Road.
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North side of Taw Estuary & Horsey
Just a single Redshank now remaining on the north side of the Taw Estuary
On Horsey at least 5 Whimbrel, 26 Bar-tailed Godwits, several Shelduck, 3 Dunlin & 8 Cormorants. Common Whitethroats now very vocal & showing well. So far have heard 3 Lesser Whitethroats over a distance of 10 miles.
Wembury
At least 11 vocal and mobile Whimbrel along the beach at high tide this morning with 31 Oystercatcher, a Grey Plover and a Bar-tailed Godwit.
At least 6 male Whitethroats back on territory
2 Red-legged Partridge in the wheatfield and 4 Swallow overhead also of note.
Wembury Point 24 April
7 whimbrel feeding at evening high tide; also first whitethroat of the year.
The same group of whimbrel were also present on 21 April, accompanied by 3 summer plumage bar-tailed godwits.
Cuckoo Calling, Eastacombe Covert, just east of Braunton
This morning, 26 April, my first of the year, around 11am – Cuckoo calling repeatedly from woddland alongside Knowl Water, somewhere in woodland strip known as Eastacombe Covert.
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Haytor to Hound Tor Loop
Yesterday (25th) in the Haytor area highlights were Cuckoo (2), Redstarts (3), Tree Pipit and a very black Adder.
South Huish Marsh 25 April
Wood sanpiper showed well on near shore. Also black-tailed godwit, pintail, shoveller, teal, little egret, reed warbler, sand martin, swallow, skylark, stonechat,
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Widworthy and Sidmouth
Willow Warbler in Widworthy and Dipper at The Byes in Sidmouth.
Plymouth Sound
15 Sandwich Terns and a Whimbrel were at Batten Bay Beach this afternoon. Blackcap and Whitethroat were singing at Jennycliff.
Salmon Pool, Riverside County Park
A walk from Alphington into town. Best and only bird of real note was a Common Sandpiper at Salmon Pool on old weir. Otherwise 2 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 22 Mute Swan the best of the rest.
Salmon Pool, Riverside County Park, Exeter
Common Sandpiper on old weir only bird of note as walked up to Exeter Quay.
Cuckoo Manaton
Cuckoo calling below Bowermans Nose. Manaton . East Dartmoor.
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Avon Dam
Whinchat singing on south bank of reservoir (I was on north bank) this morning. Also two common sandpipers, eight roosting goosanders (departed 06.08) and a cuckoo down towards Shipley.
Lower Tamar Lake
Late for yesterday.
Lower Tamar Lake.
1 Greylag Goose, 1 Willow Tit, 1m Reed Bunting, 2 Canada Geese, 2 Great Crested Grebe.
Bridgetown, Totnes
A pair of swifts seen at 18.30 today high in the sky.
Yellowhammer, Cornworthy
One of a large flock over farmland this morning.
Tarka Trail between Yelland and Instow about 13.00
Overhead and heading SE two Great Black-backed Gulls mobbing an Osprey.
Exminster Marshes
Ahead of the first shower of rain there was an impressive movement of sand martins, some high and others close to the ground. Few other birds with them. The resident swallows at Turf appear to be back on territory with at least 3 pairs sitting on the moored boats in the canal.
On the high tide roost 3 spoonbill still. A mixed flock of waders included whimbrel, curlew, black-tailed and bar-tailed godwit. Over 20 little egret spread over the marsh and 2 cattle egret near the Lion’s rest industrial estate.
Singing blackcap, Cettis, sedge warbler and chiffchaff on the canal bank. Alongside Station Road singing sedge, reed and Cettis warblers. A single Egyptian goose with a group of Canada geese. One pair of Canada geese had 7 chicks. the first I have seen this year.
