Red-Throated Diver-Spray Point, Teignmouth
A Red-Throated Diver was feeding fairly close inshore yesterday Tuesday 7th November) late afternoon, between Spray Point, Teignmouth and Smugglers Cove. Although the sea wall is impassable due to storm damage the walk to Smugglers is still passable along the slipway and beach, about 3 hours before and after high tide.
Barnstaple – Isley
Around midday 20 Cattle Egrets were split between Penhill Marsh and the sheep/cattle fields on the inland side of the Tarka Trail, a Great Egret was in the field just West of Saltpill Pond, a Spoonbill was roosting on Isley Marsh, and two Ibises were in Fremington Creek, one of them flying off giving a throaty “grrrcch” call much harsher than the “grrru” in Collins, more like a belch. Also present were 25+ Brent Geese, and, in the thorn trees, a small group of Redwings giving a subdued, sweet “subsong” which I have rarely heard before.
Exminster Marsh
With Station Road impassable, the access was from the cycle path. Huge numbers of birds on the marsh from M5 down to beyond Turf.
700+ Teal, 200+ Wigeon, 115+ Pintail, 12 Shoveler, 35+ Mallard, 3 Gadwall, a Tufted & a Little Grebe. Last two on the lagoon.
660+ Blackwit, 230+ Curlew, 130+ Lapwing, 105+ Redshank, 2 Ruff, single Knot & Dunlin.
700+ Starling (200 of which were on Powderham Corner, south of Turf). Between 500-1000 Black-headed Gull.
39 Mute Swan (4 on estuary), 250+ DB Brent Goose (most on estuary). 2-3 Kestrel, Imm Marsh Harrier, 26+ Little Egret, 13+ Cattle Egret, 5 Grey Heron.
On estuary at hide tide, 28 Barwit, 21 Avocet, 8+ Common Gull & a Great Crested Grebe.
Wheatear south of Turf, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, 10+ Meadow Pipit, 90+ Linnet, 2 Stonechat, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 1cy Peregrine, Reed Bunting amongst commoner birds.
Still one Migrant Hawker & a few Red Admirals.
Crownhill Down
Little Stint and 5+ Ringed Plover in the large pit on the down this afternoon.
+1 Photo
Skern, Northam Burrows
Lesser scaup still here today in amongst Wigeon, Northern Pintails, Shelducks and Brent Geese.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
A good selection of birds, on a fine morning included: Whinchat, 2+ Stonechats, 2 Firecrests, Reed Bunting, 1+ Siskin, c35 Fieldfares (mainly north), c30 Redwings (7 north), Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Great Crested Grebe, Goosander (redhead), 22 Wigeon, 3 Snipe, 8 Greenshanks, 2 Turnstones, 65+ Dunlins, 2 (ad-w) Mediterranean Gulls & 5 Roe Deer.
Dartmoor
At Soussons Forest 39 Crossbill
Otter Estuary
Raven display flying over the pine trees adjacent to river mouth,9 wigeon,4 little egrets,rock pipit,female sparrowhawk also around same area.noonish.
+1 Photo
Brixham, Broadsands and Goodrington
Monday 6th November . Two Great Northern Divers at Goodrington and two around Brixham, one beyond the breakwater and one within the harbour (pictured). Two Mediterranean Gulls amongst the Black Headed Gulls
Little Stint at Exminster Marshes at 1600 on Nov 6th.
Exminster Marshes are very flooded currently. To walk along Station Road to Fisherman’s car park requires either waders or removal of wellies and socks to negotiate the knee deep water. Paul McEleny and I did the latter, and were rewarded with a Little Stint in the flooded field on the left, just past the right angle bend where the water is at its deepest in the road. This point is about 400 metres from Fisherman’s car park.
+1 Photo
Cadover Bridge
A late afternoon brief visit produced 3 Snipe on the Drying Pond. A flock of mixed Fieldfare and Redwing in hedgerows along the Brisworthy Farm fields.
Skern lesser scaup
The lesser scaup still present in skern bay at high tide. Active amongst widgeon and pintails. Everything disappeared when a helicopter flew over.
Riverside Country Park & Exminster Marsh
A morning around Exeter Quay down to Salmon Pool. Only bird of real interest was a Common Sandpiper at Salmon Pool, which has become a regular feature recently.
Exminster Marsh this afternoon was limited to the western half of Station Road, the corner being impassible due to water depths.
12 Cattle Egret spread between several groups of Cattle. 270+ Teal, 24 Pintail, 20 Mallard though only a few Wigeon or Shoveler viewable. 105+ Lapwing, 48+ Redshank, 43+ Curlew & a single Dunlin.
400+ Starling is unusual. Otherwise F Kestrel, F Stonechat & 300+ BH Gull. Along with a Goldcrest & a Chiffchaff.
Fremington
- At the Pill
- 3 Glossy Ibis
- 1 Spotted Redshank
- 13 Blacktailed Godwits
- 3 Greenshanks
- At Saltpill Duck Pond
- 1 Great Egret
- 3 Cetti’s warblers
+1 Photo
Berry Head
First winter Red-breasted Flycatcher up top of track behind the old Berry Head farm buildings this morning showing well.
Exminster Marshes
Station Road still flooded to a depth greater than my tall wellies. To the south of Station Road were c20 cattle egrets, 8 little egrets and 4 grey herons, also 10 redshank and a shelduck with numerous Canada geese and black-headed gulls. To the north of the road c30 curlew, 3 cattle egrets and a few redshank.
Along the railway track (also flooded) were 2 Cettis, a flock of long-tailed tits, a single meadow pipit, one skylark, 3 stonechat and 3 chiffchaff. A green woodpecker called from the trees near the RSPB car park.
Labrador Bay, Sunday 5th
2 Great Northern Divers down in the bay
Brixham Quay, Sunday 5th
Great Northern Diver, 3 Purple Sandpipers, 1 Guillemot
Prawle Point, Sunday 5th
Short-eared Owl on the coastguards cliff, 320+ Woodpigeons migrating west, 3 Stonechats, Chiffchaffs,
Exminster Marsh
A Winter-plumaged adult Little Stint was feeding in the flooded field next to the Fisherman’s carpark approx. 1000 this morning.
