Dawlish Warren, Starcross and Ide
A scan from the dunes with bins. only produced a Red-throated Diver, eight Common Scoters and double-figures of Great Crested Grebes. Two Little Grebes were trilling from the pond, and Cirl Bunting song came from all directions.
At Starcross, the two Spoonbills were initially in the damp field at the N. end of the village, then flew into the estuary to feed close inshore. They each appeared to be swallowing something every 45-60 seconds. As on the Taw, low tide and sand seem to be favoured.
In Powderham Park were two each of Greylag and Egyptian Geese, plus a few Pintails. No Turnstones in the estuary or Wigeon in the Park.
From the lanes inland of Starcross, the Cofton dairy herd was distantly visible with its accompanying Cattle Egrets, twenty-seven being my maximum count.
Belatedly from yesterday, at least five hundred Linnets were in the Ide valley near West Town Farm.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
A (2nd cal year) Yellow-legged Gull on the lower estuary at low tide this morning. Also today, Grey Plover, 6 Greenshanks, 1+ Common Sandpiper, 26+ Turnstones, 5+ Snipe, c460 Dunlins, 3 Goosanders (1 drake), 42 Wigeon, Red-crested Pochard (female), Little Grebe, Mediterranean Gull (ad-summer), 26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Firecrest, Treecreeper, 2 Grey Wagtails, 3+ Siskins, 2 Bullfinches (1 male) & 9 Roe Deer.
Exeter (Trewsweir)
House Martins (2)
+1 Photo
Plymbridge
This morning 6 Mandarin Ducks on the river. Sparrowhawk 1, GSW 1, Chaffinches, Nuthatches, Redwings, A Goosander redhead on nearby Boringdon Pond.
Stover CP
4 Goosander and 2 Mandarin Ducks on the lake today
Blackcaps in north Exmouth
We have had a daily visit by a female Blackcap since Christmas. It is fairly aggressive towards any other visitors to the table. Last weekend both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers announcing their presence in the local area + a Tawny Owl in the predawn gloom.
Lopwell
Visit to lopwell before the rain. Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper. Red Shank, 6 Buzzard on the thermals together.
Lopwell
Visit to lopwell before the rain. Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper. Red Shank, 6 Buzzard on the thermals together.
Plymouth
ford park cemetery, mutley, black redstart showing well, 75yards behind the chaple at 09. 30.
also a black guilliemot off maderia road next to the Hoe, between the yellow and green bouys 150 meters out .
Stoke, Plymouth
Male sparrowhawk visited our garden about 5pm yesterday
+1 Photo
Yarner Wood – Long-tailed Tits
The Long-tailed Tits at Yarner Wood were demonstrating their wonderfully acrobatic method of holding and eating a sunflower seed in one foot whilst dangling from a twig by the other.
Also around the feeding station Marsh, Coal, Blue and Great Tits, Siskin, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Robin and Great Spotted Woodpecker. Several Goldcrests in the hollies.
Still at least six Cattle Egrets in with bullocks at Blackpool Farm, near Yealmpton.
River Otter Firecrest
Single firecrest feeding amongst willow at SY075839 (south of Otterton near to where the old aqueduct once discharged into the river).
Ringed Black headed gull at tidal Road Averton Gifford
Photographed this bird on the 6th January at the above location, ring number J0012, submitted info to Euring via the website, unfortunately I never heard back from them. Wondering if anyone else has seen sight or sound of it?
Gordon Flower
Elberry cove area
4th march:
4 redwing still around
Haytor area
on 2nd march (pm):
large flock (100+ ?) of i think were golden plover, flying locally in the haytor area and twice settling for some time.
Cornwood, Red Kite
Red Kite rising from field close to Cornwood this afternoon at 1440.
2 GSW, a Treecreeper and large flock of mixed Coal and Long Tail Tits flying through woods at Quick Bridge
Velator reserve
After ringing a female Sparrowhawk on Friday morning (handle very carefully)! I later caught a Blue Tit which looked in adult plumage, so I checked the ring number to see it started with an ‘S’ ; I know that these rings were quite a while ago so checked when I got home to see it was ringed in May 2016. So approaching 7 years. Good going. Today, while talking with Sue Bruce on the Tarka Trail we saw lots of small birds on a telegraph wire which on closer inspection were all Meadow Pipits. All 20 of them! Must keep looking for a Water Pipit….
Lopwell Dam
At the dam this morning were 4 Little Grebes, just downstream, a Common Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper feeding on worms. Also, a Greenshank, Marsh Tit, Woodpeckers drumming, and Mallards mating.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
The first Godwits of the year here, this morning, with 2 sum-plum Black-tailed on the lower estuary at low tide. Also, Dipper, 2 Kingfishers, 3+ Siskins, 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Goosanders (1 drake), 48 Wigeon & 2 Little Grebes.
Taw Estuary, Heanton Court
A couple of hours with Andy Leat around high tide yesterday afternoon produced a dozen or so bar tailed godwits and 20ish common gulls on Bassetts Ridge viewed from Heanton Court. Also present were a few dunlin, a sanderling, some black headed gulls and two greater black backed gulls. On the water, a great crested grebe and a pair of goosander accompanied by a red breasted merganser. Interesting to see the two side by side for comparison. I notice that neither Collins nor BTO comparison video mention the lack of a hooked bill on the merganser, a pretty useful ID detail I would have thought. Any ideas why that would be? Is it not definitive?
