River Otter – upstream from Tipton St John
09:02-12:33
Highlights from a pleasant stroll, Goosander (M & F); Dipper; Grey Wagtail; Sand Martin (1) investigating river bank; Green Woodpecker.
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Otterton and Widworthy
Shelducks at L.O.R.P. yesterday and Marsh Tit (prob.) in Widworthy this morning.
Baggy
Early am – Counted 5 Wheatears in the mist & mizzle including a pair together. Probably a few more present but visibility an issue.
At least 20 Meadow Pipits & 4 pairs of Fulmar on usual nest site. 25 Jackdaws on Baggy Point & Skylark in the field above.
Soar
Female Wheatear below Bolt Head and male Wheatear also on undercliff. Chiffchaff in song & stacks of Rock Pipits on territory. No Alpine Swifts!!!
Bovisand-Heybrook Bay
Two Chiffchaffs singing at Bovisand. A male Wheatear on rocks near Heybrook Bay.
Wheatears Okehampton camp
2 male Wheatear by Moor brook. First of the year for me and the earliest I’ve seen them return here
Crownhill Down
Two Wheatear, two singing Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Reed Bunting the highlights this morning.
Otterton
Single Swallow on wires in Otterton.
Morte Point
1 male Wheatear showing well early evening.
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Wrafton Pond and small scrape
Between Wrafton Pond and the small scrape and on the small scrape were a Robin and the Garganey.
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Wrafton Pond
Around lunch time visit to Wrafton Pond where there were two Gadwall, two Little Grebe and a male Pochard.
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Wrafton Pond
Around lunch time visit to Wrafton Pond where there were two Gadwall, two Little Grebe and a male Pochard.
Wrafton Scrape
Late afternoon visit to the scrape and reserve: Drake Garganey once again on the larger scrape. No hirundines.
Westward Ho! Pebble Ridge
1 Male Wheatear feeding amongst the pebbles on the Pebble Ridge and then bathing in a puddle. Spring has sprung!
Salt Pill Pond/Home Farm Marsh R.Taw
6 Sand Martin along the Taw Bank and then over Salt Pill Pond
2 Glossy Ibis and 1 Spotted Redshank along Fremington Pill
Bull Point
The mild and gusty southerly airflow brought an ALPINE SWIFT (part of a definite UK influx of this species), which treated me to an unforgettable 8 minutes as it flew circuits of the headland and lighthouse from 08:12 to 08:20, before heading off high to the north-east. At times it was at head height or even flying below me! It was busy for migrants in general, with at least 85 Sand Martin & 3 Swallow (both my first of the year here) heading west, 9 Skylark, 6+ Wheatear, 16 Stonechat (a small fall coinciding with the other migrants and by far the highest count since last autumn), 330 Meadow Pipit, 48 Pied/alba Wagtail (all flyovers and all of those I got a decent look at were Pied), 27 Goldfinch, 55 Linnet, 2 Greenfinch and a Reed Bunting. A group of 3 Shelduck flying west over the sea were also migrants and new for the year. Amazing what a change in the weather can do!
Plym Estuary & Saltram
A bit of a change today, with 3 male Wheatears & a Great Crested Grebe new in, plus 8 Mediterranean Gulls (3 ad, 3 2nd cy & 2 3rd cy). Also the Grey Plover & 327 Dunlins still around, & Snipe, 16 Turnstones, 6 Greenshanks, 9 Wigeon, female Red-crested Pochard, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, a pair of Stonechats & 9 Roe Deer.
South Farm Budleigh Salterton
5 Wheatears in field next to coast path this morning
Soar
First Wheatear of season, male at Soar Mill Cove. Also migrant Dartford Warbler on cliff top. At least 3 pairs Kestrel on territory.
Wembury
2 Wheatear, in edge of ploughed field between beach and point.
