Exminster Marshes
Walk from Exminster to Turf this morning. Mild and dry. Duck numbers continue to fall on the marsh. A couple of pintail, c30 shoveller and c100 wigeon remain. Teal were reasonably plentiful but hard to count as they are well dispersed across the marsh. A single tufted duck was on the lagoon.
The mild conditions tempted several skylark to sing and a goldcrest in Station Road near the Lion’s rest industrial estate was also singing. A reed bunting near the canal provided a short burst of song and a nearby great tit incorporated snatches of the reed bunting song in to its own.
A great-crested grebe off of Turf and a pair of oystercatchers on the scrapes near the viewing platform ( which is in the process of being revamped by the RSPB) were the only other sightings of note.
Wrafton scrape
Arrived at the scrape at about 9.30 this morning to check what’s about. 60+ Teal is a good count, drake Pochard on Wrafton Pond and 54 Black-tailed Godwits including the colour ringed individual seen last autumn also 2 Curlew. A slightly different Duck attracted my attention and fortunately I had the telescope which revealed an immature drake GARGANEY. I quickly called Sue Bruce and Andy Lansdell who both arrived to admire it. It was still there when I left the reserve at 12.30. Female Marsh Harrier also seen over Sherpa Marsh.
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Exe Reedbeds – Common Sandpiper
Earlier this week in the Exe reedbeds, Countess Wear area came across a Common Sandpiper and Marsh Harrier.
Firecrest. Powderham Castle. grounds
In bushes near where the stream goes under the road and railway tracks into the estuary
Escot Park – Goosanders
3 drake Goosanders and a Cormorant on the lake this morning. Also Dipper on the River Tale.
The Hoe, Plymouth
At 11.40 the Black Guillemot was off the western tip of Drake’s Island. It took flight in the direction of Mt Edgecombe but circled around and disappeared behind the island. There was also a single Purple Sandpiper on the rocks below the walkway near Grand Parade.
Goerge Nympton
Disturbed 18 Snipe (with the tractor) in our cattle grazing Marsh by the River Mole.More than I can recall seeing at any time in the past.
Housemartins East Budleigh
Saw a small flock of four housemartins over East Budleigh at approximately 18:00 hrs on 7th March 2023.
Upper Tamar Lake
Upper Tamar Lake this morning.
17 Goosander 2m 15f, 9 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Tufted Duck 3m 2f, 30 Canada Geese, 1 Greylag, 16 Fieldfare, 1f Stonechat.
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Horsey
Only see Goosander very occasionally on Horsey, 1m+ 2f.
Floated in through the breach right at the start of the incoming tide from the Caen Estuary.
Darwin Crescent, Plymouth.
The female type Black Redstart is still feeding on the rooftops/gardens in the street. I have had sightings of this bird most days since the 1st February.
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Crownhill Down
This morning on the Down. Redwings, Fieldfares, Linnets, Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Green Woodpeckers, Great Spotted Woodpeckers. 2 Shelduck and 18 GBBG’s on Tungsten West Lake (TWL)
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Common Cranes Glaucous Gull Exe Estuary
Stuartline Birdwatching cruises – Final weekend 2022/23 season
The last of this season’s cruises did not disappoint the visitors over the last 4 days. Highlights were a very rare sighting of Two Common Cranes, the one and only Spotted Redshank, the lone Ruff a rare visit from a Juvenile Glaucous Gull and the lone Barnacle Goose in with a flock of 750 DB Brent Geese. Plenty else seen with RB Mergansers Great Crested Grebes Pintail Godwits Golden Plover to name but a few. Great views of Grey Seals and the more rarer in this area the Common Seals were had on all four Days. Dates are already available for next winter’s season 2023/24
Plymouth
BlackGuillemott in winter plumage off West Hoe ,RustyAnchor walk way.
Powderham Castle
Black Redstart fem. on the castle walls
The Hoe, Plymouth
13:00
The Black Guillemot was very close to the shoreline (behind the Rusty Anchor Guest House) giving excellent views.
River Mole Valley
Dippers bringing nesting material to the hollow in the ash tree about 1.5 m above the water level………..the same site they successfully bred last year.Blackbirds nest building in the orchard and 90 Fieldfare in the adjacent field.
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)
