Bird Sightings

A rather unseasonal feel to the birds this afternoon with Whimbrel & Whinchat new in and the juv Curlew Sandpiper still around. Also, Cetti’s Warbler heard again, 2 Reed Buntings, Bullfinch, Stonechat, Green & 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Snipe, Common Sandpiper, 7 Greenshanks, 52 Dunlins, 9 Wigeon & 4 Roe Deer.

Still some movement inc.Woodpigeon 1100 (760E 340W), Stock Dove 48W, Meadow Pipit 60 (40W & 20 grounded), Mistle Thrush 5 (4N & one grounded), starling 105 (65W 20E 20 grounded), Chaffinch 112W & Siskin 21W. Also: 2 Pintail, 8 Teal, Green & Great Spotted Woodpecker, 370 Skylark, Grey Wagtail, 18 Song Thrush, 31 Blackbird, 6 Fieldfare, 105 goldfinch, 6 Bullfinch, 44 Yellowhammer, 41 Cirl Bunting & 2 Reed Bunting.

Spent a large part of the day at our field having a bonfire. Lots of jackdaws and rooks and a couple of ravens. Two buzzards floating over us, but the biggest surprise was the number of butterflies, red admirals and peacocks, singly and in pairs. Must have been over a dozen of each. Little other birdlife or calls save for a resident robin and two male pheasants.

A new garden tick in the shape of a Black Redstart on my roof in Darwin Crescent. Picking off insects around the chimney. Also a Raven overhead.

A single late Swallow flying low over the burnt ground at Baggy earlier this morning. Skylark autumn song in the fields above.

A Chiffchaff calling from vegetation surrounding the pond.

No sighting of any Scoters yet.

A  substantial amount of lost habitat as a result of the gorse fire during the summer.

High tide visit of two hours,

1 Purple Heron, 1 drake Mandarin, 1 Spotted Redshank and a very busy hide.

A Yellow-browed Warbler in willows at the edge of the Maer long-stay carpark this afternoon. Still present 3pm at least. Also Firecrest and 3+ Chiffchaffs. On Orcombe Point – still 2 Dartford Warblers in the turnip field, and at Shelly beach – a male Black Redstart. Off Orcombe – 1 Red-throated Diver and 7 Common Scoters.

On Blaxton Meadow during this afternoon’s high tide: Curlew Sandpiper (juv) still, Turnstone, 8 Greenshanks, Snipe, Kingfisher, 2 Mediterranean Gulls (ad-w & 2nd-w) & 17 Wigeon. Great Spotted Woodpecker nearby.

Looks like the bulk of Woodpigeons went through yesterday (65,000 over Purbeck) with just 400E this morning at Soar. Also: 41 Stock Dove (20W 21E), 2 Pintail, 4 Teal, Fieldfare, Cetti’s Warbler, 250 Skylark grounded, Starling 83E, Jackdaw 3W, Chaffinch 33W & Goldfinch 7W. Siskins heard.

One of the Spoonbills was on the scrape again this morning, along with a Little Egret and a Grey Heron. About 50 Black-tailed Godwits – difficult to count as they have taken to feeding out on the grass and keep disappearing!

Walking around this morning, there were two ring ouzels feeding on hawthorn berries, then a sparrowhawk, flying close by, a jay feeding in a oak tree, four ravens and a buzzard calling,

Black Redstart on railings at Wildermouth Beach

Off to Dartmoor at last with Alan Craddock, hoping to catch any remaining Ring Ouzels.

Stopped off at Stover on the way and was amazed to see 30 or more Mandarin Ducks.

On the moor after frustrating glimpses we eventually had great views of 4 Ring Ouzels. Also 100 plus Golden Plover.

Before and between the showers, 1 Chiffchaff,  1 Firecrest , 4 Blackcaps, 1 Goldcrest among the usual garden birds this morning.

During a seawatch this morning, a Short-eared Owl which lingered over the sea for more than an hour before heading inland, 10 Little Gulls (7 adults & 3 1st cy), 4 Pomarine & 3 Arctic Skuas, Manx Shearwater, 3 Brent Geese (dark-bellied), 5 Mediterranean Gulls & hundreds of Kittiwakes. Also, 3 Black Redstarts on the rocks, 2 Fieldfares & c500 Woodpigeons over, 5 Common Dolphins, Harbour Porpoise & Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. 

Unusual combination for 1 November of male Brambling in 200+ mixed finch flock and a very late Whinchat on the dead sunflower heads. Latter hanging around with 4/5 Stonechat.

Female-type Black Redstart at base of Highglen Drive, Plympton. Initially on a wall metres away, then few onto roof tops in Bridle Close. Still present. 

Late for Lower Tamar Lake 31/10/22

1 Great White Egret, 3 Goosander 1m 2f, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Shoveler 1m 1f, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Moorhen, 8 Cormorant.