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Exe Estuary cruise 2nd February
Highlights from today’s Stuart Line Cruise: at least a dozen Great Crested Grebes; Kingfisher on a wreck near Powderham, where an there was an immature Spoonbill and several Grey Herons at their nests; many Pintail between Lympsone and the Clyst mouth; several hundred Avocets and Golden Plover and the wintering Spotted Redshank at Topsham; a leucistic bird among 400+ Brent Geese at Turf; and 33 Sanderlings near Dawlish Warren. Others saw a male Black Redstart on Exmouth marina rooftops. A Grey Seal was hauled out on the back of a boat near Cockwood and two Harbour (Common) Seals were hauled out on a sandbank near Lympstone Camp: one of them was clearly a (locally-bred?) youngster.
Red Kite Exe Valley nr Bickleigh
Single Red Kite crossing the A.396 at Chitterley just south of Bickleigh at 9.30 this morning.
Cornworthy – Eagle
White-tailed Eagle observed gliding east over Charlecombe Woods attended by all the local corvids
Berry Head & Broadsands
Berry Head: 12 noon, discovered a Yellow-browed Warbler in the bushes just behind the Coastguard Station and in scrub by the trig point
Broadsands: 3 Great Northern Divers, 25+ Common Scoter, 1 Black-necked Grebe. 2 Firecrests around car park, also 2 Chiffchaffs and 1 Siberian Chiffchaff in reedy ditch close to the K’ohana cafe.
Teignmouth Quay
09:11-10:24
From Polly Steps -the Hooded Crow (initially on The Salty, then on the Quay, then back to The Salty)
Marsh harrier female River Tavy
Taken from 1km away and cropped.
Male Goosander – Bovey Tracey
Male Goosander spotted on the River Bovey through the centre of Bovey Tracey this lunchtime (1st Feb).
Also single Female Goosander seen at Stover Country Park who flew off to the South around 09:30 .
Barnstaple to Ashford.
15 Curlew,9 Grey Plover, 1 Turnstone ,28 Dunlin, 1 Pintail,3.Male Goosanders,5 Black -tailed Godwit, 2Common Sandpipers, 1 Snipe and large flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover.
Rackerhayes Ponds, Kingsteignton
- 1/2 – 11.30am.
- Bar headed goose with Canada geese flock at Rackerhayes Ponds. Probably an escapee but didn’t have binoculars to confirm any leg rings (I was fishing!).
Cholwichtown Pit, Lee Moor
Female Goldeneye still on the pit this afternoon.
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THREE’S COMPANY, FOUR’S A CROWD
ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY IN TORBAY, LIGHT WIND AND SUN. NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF BIRDLIFE ON THE WATER EXCEPT FOUR GND’S, A PSSIBLE BLACK NECKED DIVER AND A COUPLE OF GREATER BLACK BACKS. SMALL BIRDS APLENTY AND A BLACKBIRD SINGING AS THOUGH IT WERE SPRING.
Hooded Crow Shaldon
Hooded crow great views on shaldon edge of salty viewed from clipper cafe, also 35 shelducks further inland at ringmoor.
Broadsands Torbay
On Sea: 30+ Common Scoter, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 4 Great Northern Divers, 2 Wigeon.
Around car parks: 2 Chiffchaff, 9 Cirl Buntings, 1 Reed Bunting.
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Tory Brook, Plympton
Always nice to see our local Dipper on the brook, waiting for a mate to turn up.
Baggy Point
A dozen Fulmar on and around the cliffs at the point. 2 very close views of a Raven, 2 Shag and looking at the flock of mostly Black-headed Gulls on the rocks by Croyde beach, at least 2 Mediterranean Gulls.
Migrating Lapwings – Denbury to Ashburton
c1300hrs fascinating sight of a migrating flock of over 100 Lapwing flying very high from Torbay, over Denbury and last seen approaching Ashburton towards Dartmoor – a westerly movement.
Gidleigh
Saw this Great Spotted Woodpecker yesterday while working in Gidleigh.
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Saltram
Brief late afternoon walk at Saltram. Dabchick, Redshank, L.Egret, Grey Heron, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail. Low tide, not a lot on Blaxton Meadow just 6 Curlew, 6 Wigeon, 2 L Egret and 5 Grey Heron. 2 Stock doves in their usual position.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
The Grey Plover still around, with 50+ Wigeon. Also, 8 Goosanders (2 drakes), Red-crested Pochard (female), 5 Little Grebes, 4 Snipe, 6 Greenshanks, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 (male) Stonechats, 10+ Siskins, Firecrest, 1+ Grey Wagtail, Chiffchaff & a Raven.
Wembury Point
The male Black Redstart was still present on the sandy cliffs at the sewerage pipe this morning. A Water Pipit was also present along with 30+ Rock Pipits.
