Bird Sightings

At least 2 Hawfinches still at West Town Farm Ide this morning.

Difficult to see feeding in the Field Maple but a male did show very nicely for a short period 

Several thousand Wood Pigeon moving West and good numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare 

A fine morning’s birding produced 2 Whinchats, Reed Bunting, Firecrest, 3 Siskins, 2 Stonechats, 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Great Spotted & 2 Green Woodpeckers, 1+ Kingfisher, 13 Snipe, 11 Greenshanks, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Little Egrets, 6 redhead Goosanders, 20 Wigeon, female Red-crested Pochard, a Mallard with a small duckling & 6 Roe Deer. 

At least 2 Hawfinches at West Town Farm Ide this morning feeding on Field Maple seed.From Ide travel to the farm and just past the farm park and scan the field maple at the bottom of the short hill and hedgerows beside 

Levels in both reservoirs still very low; 9 Goosander (1 male) – (last month there were 24 Goosander (2 male); no sign of Great White Egret that was there last month). 40+ Mallard; 5 Cormorant; Grey Wagtails; Pied Wagtails; 2 Jay; 2 Raven

a Great White Egret with a Little Egret were present in reeds beside the road at Torcross.

At Beesands a pair of Pintail were present with Tufted Ducks and Gadwall, plus 1 Kingfisher.

A single Red Kite seen this morning over the A361 just beyond the West Buckland junction.

More Black Redstart action in Plympton late afternoon! Three female-types on rooftops in Compass Drive. At least one new bird – on Monday two female-types and one male. 

Highlights today were a Black Redstart (rare here) and a very late  Whinchat (presumably the same as seen on 4th). Also, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 7+ Snipe, 10 Greenshanks, Common sandpiper, 31 Wigeon, female Red-crested Pochard, 2 redhead Goosanders, 4 Shags, Little Grebe, Kingfisher, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Firecrests, c12 Siskins, 2 Stonechats, 17 Redwings & 5 Roe Deer.  

A cruise up the dart on a rising tide today produced: 1 juvenile Iceland Gull (between Galmpton and Dittisham) 6 Mandarin Ducks, 3 Kingfishers, 20+ Curlew, 6 Redshank, 26 Little Egrets, 400+ Canada Geese(!) 8 Grey Seals and 1 Harbour Seal. 

A lone Egyptian goose was on the slipway at 7am this morning. Also a grey wagtail.

Counts at Slapton Ley (Torcross) today included 290 Coot, four Great-crested Grebes, seven Gadwall and 31 Tufted Ducks. Also Cetti’s Warbler singing.

On a rather grey morning: 2 Black-tailed Godwits new in, 3 Snipe, 11 Greenshanks, 29 Wigeon, female Red-crested Pochard, 2 Little Grebes, 2 Chiffchaffs, Grey wagtail & a Firecrest.

The glaucousgull is still making itself right at home among the resident gulls, geese and swans.

Two very vocal Tawny Owls in the orchard tonight where earlier 30 Fieldfare were feasting on apples with a preference for those still attached to the trees.Also 20 quarrelling Blackbirds ,2 GSWs and a Song Thrush.300 plus Finches in one of the bird mix fields feeding on fodder radish seeds….mainly Chaffinches with a few Linnets.Also 2 hunting female /juvenile Kestrels and unusually for here a striking male Stonechat perched on a  kale stem.In an adjoining field 4 Mistle Thrushes and 16 Pied Wagtails along with 4 Buzzards attracted by myxomatosis infected rabbit carcasses.

First winter farmland bird count and not expecting much in such mild conditions but: 90 Cirl Bunting (4th highest count on record), 77 Yellowhammer, 550 Skylark, 40 Chaffinch, 40 Goldfinch & 6 Golden Plover. Also: male Ring Ouzel (very late), 92 Stock Dove generally moving west, Woodpigeon 40E, 8 Teal & Green Woodpecker.

A Yellow-browed Warbler at the west end of South Farm Road in sycamores above the bend in the road near South Farm Cottages. Showing well opposite the works entrance, until 1055hrs at least.