Category: Society News

Author of the book, ‘Bats and Ladders’, George has spent 36 years looking for our British bats and their roosts.  She will talk about the species, their roosts and what is actually involved in bat survey work, and what we’ve learnt (or think we’ve learnt) about the greater horseshoe bats of Berry Head.

The Courtenay Centre, Newton Abbot TQ12 2QA

Suggested donation for entry £3 Members £4 Non-Members, to include refreshments

After endless hot, dry days, the forecast was for rain on the day of our walk! However, after a little light drizzle the rain stopped and all we had to contend with was a fairly strong westerly breeze. A group of 12 met in the car park at Hartland Point, having negotiated the maze of lanes to get here, and began with a bit of sea watching. In the words of the great Bill Oddie and his Little Black Bird Book, sea watching is 90% just that – i.e. watching the sea and not much else! But we were lucky enough to see a few birds and a group of 10 or so seals ‘bottling’ just below us. A lot of Herring Gulls, including juveniles in a variety of plumages, a few Gannets passing by with occasional Manx Shearwater, Fulmar and Kittiwake. A Sparrowhawk flew along the cliff below us, close to the ground hoping undoubtedly to disturb some small birds. Predominantly brown above, rounded wings, strongly barred tail, we put this down as a juvenile bird. We walked west along the coast path, passing the scrub and bramble bushes that often host a variety of small birds including warblers and chats, but today just a few Stonechat. Stopping for a coffee with a view over the lighthouse and out towards Lundy, we put in a bit more sea watching as a single House Martin and a few Swallows hawked above our heads. Most birds were distant, giving some challenge to identification, including a group of seemingly all white gulls passing east to west just above the waves, which we decided must have been Kittiwake. A raft of about 150 Manx Shearwater were also spotted resting on the water, but again too distant to fully appreciate.

Heading back to the cars we drove a little way along the coast to Titchberry, where the National Trust warden, Paul Collom, very kindly gave us a guided walk around the site. Before beginning our walk and while eating our lunch we were entertained by trying to identify a raptor on a telegraph pole, just out of comfortable binocular range. We had all left our scopes in the cars at this point! With a lot of white on the head, and some white underneath we discussed harriers, or possibly even Osprey. Then the bird took off and was very obviously a Buzzard! Apparently there are one or two very pale individuals around here. A Kestrel also hovered nearby, giving us much less of an identification challenge. Paul led us along hedgerows and around the arable and grassland fields with wide margins full of wild flowers (mostly past their prime at this time of year). Plenty of butterflies were around, including some immaculate Painted Ladies and Clouded Yellow (which seem to be having a good year). A male Cirl Bunting sat on the hedge top at one point, but too briefly for all of the group to see. Goldfinches and Linnets were enjoying the plethora of ‘weeds’. Ravens croaked overhead, and then we were back to the cars once more surrounded again by plenty of hawking Swallows. This is a great site at what is generally a quite time of year for birds and we are very grateful for Paul for showing us around and sharing his extensive knowledge.

Sadly not with us this time was Tim Hubbard, who passed away a few weeks ago and will be sorely missed by the mid-Devon birders and all those who knew him. Tim was a bit of a specialist in the group on raptors, and so we dedicate the wonderful sightings we had today of Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and the oddly pale Buzzard in his memory.

We saw a total of 27 species: Woodpigeon, Kittiwake, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Magpie, Crow, Raven, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Robin, Stonechat, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Siskin, Cirl Bunting

Report and photos by Tom Misselbrook

South Devon Branch Walk in the Atlantic Temperate Rainforest of Cabilla Manor, Cornwall 29^th June 2026

See PDF Report here South Devon Branch Walk In The Temperate Atlantic Rainforest Of Cabilla Manor

The group of 12 members, arrived for their guided tour in the heart of the Cornish countryside and were immediately serenaded by a Song Thrush perched in the boughs of an Oak tree whilst Swallows and House Martins swooped down to their nests under the eaves of the Manor House.

The group was then introduced to their leader, Ennia, who enthusiastically extolled the virtues of the habitat we were about to enter. Her knowledge of the flora and fauna inspired the group to focus and re-focus on the total environment that we were experiencing, to the extent that the birds were almost a sideshow to the splendour of the ancient oak rainforest, which had been in existence for over 3000 years. Even the cheeky young Robin, that tried to interrupt the talk, didn’t really get a look in!

As the group continued into the depths of the forest, so the birdsong decreased and the peace and tranquillity of the environment enveloped the walkers, making the occasional burst of song from the Blackcap and Wren even more poignant. With Ravens croaking overhead the views over the valley showed the full extent of the forest, with the occasional squawk from a family of Jays and later on a Buzzard, flying through the dense canopy from its hidden nest site.

Just as the walk was ending, the group was entertained by a real-life drama, when a tiny Wren flew onto a branch, then hid for a while as it was surprised to see so many onlookers. It persevered and eventually returned, struggling to carry a feather as big as itself into its mossy enclosure in the Mother Oak. This was a fitting end to our walk and symbolic of the massive task that Merlin Hanbury Tennison has chosen, when setting up the Thousand Year Trust, to try to safeguard and expand the Atlantic Temperate rainforest for the benefit of future generations.

Nick D’Agorne

Bird List

Sixteen members of the Plymouth Branch took part in an early spring visit to Yarner Wood and Trendlebere Down, aiming to observe woodland birds before the trees came fully into leaf. Despite overcast skies, strong winds, and rain forecast, the group enjoyed a rewarding day in the field.

We began at the Trendlebere Down car park, scanning the hillside for heathland species. A lively duet between a Garden Warbler and a Blackcap greeted us near the start, while a Willow Warbler flitted through the nearby bushes. The windy conditions kept many moorland birds low in the gorse, though we were pleased to catch sight of a Tree Pipit parachuting down in the distance, along with Redpolls passing overhead.

Crossing into Yarner Wood, we continued our search for key species. A Sparrowhawk was seen flying over on several occasions and appeared to quieten bird activity throughout the woodland.

A mid-morning pause at the reservoir hide provided a chance for refreshments, with Mallard and Moorhen noted around the floating islands. We then explored the heathland edge again, keeping an eye out for both birds and early butterflies, before heading down towards the Natural England office.

An early lunch stop proved particularly rewarding, with excellent views of a pair of Redstart repeatedly visiting a nest box. The return walk through the woods highlighted positive habitat management, with areas of dense holly undergrowth having been cleared, creating more open conditions beneficial to both birds and butterflies.

As the weather began to deteriorate with the chance of light rain setting in, the group made a gradual return to the car park. Although some target species eluded us, the visit was thoroughly enjoyed by all and provided a valuable opportunity to experience Yarner Wood at this special time of year.

Report by John O’Connell-Davidson

39 species seen or heard (H)
Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Pheasant (H), Moorhen, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker (H), Swallow, House Martin, Tree Pipit, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Redstart, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush (H), Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff (H), Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Pied Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Coal tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Raven, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Redpoll, Bullfinch.

Butterflies (5)
Holly Blue, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

Nick is Devon Birds Conservation Officer for South Devon, responsible for the Reserves at South Milton, South Huish and Prawle as well as the bird hide at Beesands.  Over the last 50 years, the South Milton and South Huish wetlands have been transformed by Devon Birds into the wonderful wildlife havens we know today.  The flora and fauna list now runs to an astonishing 1800 species at South Milton, including 217 bird species.  Nick will be telling us about how these changes came about and describe some of the more interesting flora and fauna.

The Courtenay Centre, Newton Abbot TQ12 2QA

Suggested donation for entry £3 Members £4 Non-Members, to include refreshments

Both the minutes and slide pack fro the 2026 AGM are now available for members to view in the document archive. The link is below, but you must be logged into your membership account to view it.

View here

The Devon Bird Report has now been published and printed and members who joined in the year and opted for a hard copy should have received it by now in the post.

Any members wishing to see a pdf copy can access this and copies for all previous years on the devonbirds.org website. You will need to log into your account and then go to society documents to do this.

These documents are available to members only. If a member of Devon Birds has difficulty accessing them, then please contact secretary@devonbirds.org for assistance.

Printed versions are available to anybody via the shop on the website and can be purchased for the sum of £12

Roy Leigh has been monitoring owls for over 30 years. His talk will cover the introduction of the Little Owl into the UK, its ecology, the current status and the monitoring network he has established to champion the owls’ cause and understand its decline. Roy will share the latest updates in Little Owl conservation and his work with NGOs to establish a conservation plan.

The Courtenay Centre, Newton Abbot TQ12 2QA

Suggested donation for entry £3 Members £4 Non-Members, to include refreshments

Devon Birds AGM 2026

We have a number of vacancies, including Chair, vice chair, Communications Officer, WebSite manager and Member Trustee roles.

If you might be interested in any of these roles please contact Secretary@devonbirds.org for more information

As holiday companies typically launch their advertising campaigns at the beginning of January with promises of island adventures and the opportunity to get away for it all, why not take advantage of what is on your doorstep by joining the Devon Birds annual trip to Lundy on Sunday 3 May 2026?

The early start, boarding M V Oldenburgh at Bideford from 7.30am ready to sail at 8.00am, will mean that you have over 6 hours to enjoy this beautiful, peaceful island with only the local fauna and flora for company. One of the highlights is that, weather permitting, the boat will tour round the island before you disembark allowing spectacular views of rafts of Guillemot, Razorbill and everybody’s favourite, Puffin.

Whether you to choose to take a picnic or buy some supplies on the island, you will have time to explore the cliffs and scan the coves below. This island offers so much more than the 35 species of bird that breed there. It is a hot spot for rarities and the thrill of a visit is that you never know what you may see. Added to this is the chance to see seal, dolphin, basking shark and Sika Deer.

The journey from the mainland takes about 2 hours with the chance to catch up with old friends, make new ones, share news of what you have seen and lament on the one that eluded you, all the while scanning the sea for shearwater, dolphin and one last surprise.

The day will end all to soon, returning to Bideford at approximately 6.30pm.

Tickets, priced £42 for adults and £19 for children (under 16) are available to buy from the Shop on the Devon Birds website (www.devonbirds.org.uk). click here for the shop

Please note that when you make your booking the Lundy Steamship Company require you to provide the full name and gender of all passengers.

The trip is open to everyone, not just Devon Birds members, providing the opportunity to share this very special place with friends and family and make it a day to remember. It’s a great way to start using your new 2026 diary – make your booking and save the date.