Northam Burrows and Skern
A walk on the tip road and back via the middle road highlights were <270 Brent Geese on the falling tide line, <2,000 Golden Plover murmurating overhead, two Snow Buntings one each M & F, on the short grass behind the pebble ridge in the far northwest of the Burrows where a single late staying Northern Wheatear was loitering on the pebbles. Also seen; many curlew, Oystercatcher and a single male Peregrine Falcon which caused havoc amongst the roosting waders!
East Soar
Very good vis mig this morning with 10,000 Woodpigeon moving east, Stock Dove 305 (230E 75W), Jackdaw 235 (191E 44W), Starling 150E, Alba Wagtail 10E, Fieldfare 80NW, Swallow 6E, Chaffinch 62E & Goldfinch 85 (77E 8W). Also 500 Herring Gull, 7 Lesser Black-backed Gull & 25 Great Black-backed Gull.
+1 Photo
Slapton village
Black redstarts in garden now expanded to 5, moving between our log shed and the eaves and gutters next door. 2 obvious adult males, 1 female and 2 first winters, I think. Not great pics- taken through bathroom window! Part of this SW migration route they take. Is it known if they are Dutch/German/Scandi birds or home grown?
Ring necked parakeet, Kingserswell
A single bird first seen flying over the Nelson Pub, Kingskerswell, 23 October, but seen and heard several times since then, favouring the tree lined corridor behind Broadgate Road and Rosehill Gardens. GB, 31.10.22
Slapton Ley
Bittern flew south over bridge this morning at 06:35. Late Common Tern ( below ) on beach.
West Sandford
15 fieldfares arrived in the hamlet. Their alarming calls mixed with a calling chiffchaff and the call of a male yellowhammer. No sign of the 50+ flock of linnets which were present last weekend. None-Avian 2 Roe deer- down 2 from the 4 seen in the same field last week.
Hartland/Blackpool Mill
1 CHOUGH, unringed, feeding on short grass at cliff edge. Quite confiding and approachable to withing 10m or so. Seemed settled, but maybe moving gradually N towards Hartland Point. Seen at about 1400.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
Highlight on this morning’s very high tide was a juv Curlew Sandpiper in with 237 Redshanks and some Dunlins on Blaxton Meadow. Also, Snipe, 12 Greenshanks, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, Teal, Goosander (redhead), 18 Wigeon, male Bullfinch, 2+ Grey Wagtails & a sinensis Cormorant.
Ilfracombe
Solitary Purple Sandpiper working the rocks below Capstone along with several Rock Pipits. Sparrowhawk flying along cliff edge overlooking Tunnel Beaches.
Teignmouth
Seawatching 07:00 – 08:30: 1 Pomarine Skua, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 5 Great Northern Divers, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 Common Scoter, 430 Gannets, c.300 Kittiwakes and c.100 auks.
South Brent
A grey bird on a grey early morning, but my first Black Redstart of autumn – on cue, a rouge-queue noir female or juv in the village centre.
Isley Marsh on this mornings high tide .
2 Spoonbill , one adult + one 1st. Winter roosting among Lapwings and Curlews , one Whimbrel heard……
Bowling Green Marsh
08:54 – 11:04
Highlights: 50+ Golden Plover touching down for all of 30 seconds but leaving a lone bird still present when they left; 22 Greenshank; 2 Avocet; 4 Greylag Goose; 2 Egyptian Goose; 15+ Bar-tailed Godwit; 45+ Lapwing; 2 Kingfisher; 3 Snipe.
Mount Batten Plymouth Sound
Storm Petrel spotted from the far end of Mount Batten Breakwater this afternoon, being bombed by a Herring Gull. Strong southerly wind and white topped waves. Petrel typical flight dipping and dancing between the waves.
Eds: from description – most likely Leach’s Storm Petrel
Wrafton Area
One each of Snipe, Shoveler and Gadwall on Wrafton Pond. 93 Black-tailed Godwits out on the scrape with a Little Egret. One or two Redwings in the reserve, plus a Kingfisher. Small flock (perhaps 25) of Fieldfares flew over. A couple of energetic Goldcrests feeding.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
A walk this morning produced: a late Sandwich Tern, Little Grebe, Reed Bunting, 2 Firecrests, 2 Siskins, Green Woodpecker & 9 Roe Deer.
Yesterday’s sightings included: 70 Redwings over, Firecrest, Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper, 11 Greenshanks, 16 Wigeon & a Mediterranean Gull (1st cy).
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Emsworthy
The whole world was at Emsworthy today. I counted 31 Ring Ouzel after they took flight when a Buzzard came over. However they were all over the site and I suspect there were more elsewhere. Also, Song thrush, a few Fieldfare and about 20 Starling.
Start Point
Short-eared Owl on track near farm at dusk. Several sightings of Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna near the lighthouse.
Wembury
This afternoon, 1 Cirl Bunting (m), 3 Skylark, 20+ Rock Pipit, 22 Mediterranean gull (15 Ad Winter, 4 2nd Wint, 3 1st Wint) Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine over.
Wrafton area
Saw the 2 Spoonbills at about 09.45 and they (unlike the Godwits) were still around at about 11.30 while I was ringing in the reserve. A good morning for ringing this morning with enough cover for the nets not to be blown around too much. 14 Greenfinch taking advantage of the Black Sunflower seeds, 6 each of Chaffinch and Goldfinch. 2 GSW, (that’s 7 this autumn) 1 Chiffchaff (another porker – over 10 grams). 1 Blackcap (juv male), 2 Cetti’s Warblers, 7 LTT, 3 Blue and 4 Great Tit, yet another (unusually an adult) Kingfisher, bird of the day was a very late juvenile Reed Warbler. Last one I ringed was at the end of August.
