Ilfracombe
Black Redstart on railings at Wildermouth Beach
Emsworthy Mire Ring Ouzels
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.
Berrynarbor
Before and between the showers, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest , 4 Blackcaps, 1 Goldcrest among the usual garden birds this morning.
Berry Head
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.
Powderham Marshes
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.
Plympton
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
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.
+1 Photo
Cadover Bridge
Fairly quiet at Cadover Bridge this morning with a few dozen Fieldfares and Mistle thrushes on the berries and a similar amount of Redwings feeding on the ground in the bracken. 3 Ravens, a Kestrel and c. 40 Wood pigeons flying south
+1 Photo
Slapton Ley / Hallsands
Bittern flew over bridge from Highley Lay landing somewhere behind Graveyard Pool at 06:20 this morning. Also a female / imm Marsh Harrier in the Higher Ley.
A couple of Black Redstarts on the roofs of the holiday appartments at South Hallsands ( below )
Plym Estuary & Saltram
A excellent day on the patch with a juv Spoonbill dropping onto Blaxton Meadow for a short period (thanks John & Liz), a Cattle Egret briefly nearby; and the site’s first ever Cetti’s Warbler (in scrub beside the cycle track south of Blagdon’s Meadow) – thanks Colin & Joyce. Also, the juv Curlew Sandpiper still on Blaxton Meadow with the Redshanks, Dunlins and 12 Greenshanks. Otherwise, 2 Teal, 16 Wigeon, 2 Little Grebes, Kingfisher, 18+ Turnstones, Jack Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Mediterranean Gulls (2 ad-w), Common Sandpiper, 2 Firecrests, Grey Wagtail, 30 Redwings, Siskin, Stonechat, Painted Lady & 2 Roe Deer.
+1 Photo
Tiverton
Fieldfares on the Tiverton Canal this morning.
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.
