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Good views from the Tarka trail of this bird fishing on the Taw Estuary this am.

This mornings boat trip out into Lyme Bay from Brixham started well with 2 Grey Seals by Brixham Marina, 1 Purple Sandpiper by the Breakwater old jetty, 3 Rock Pipits, all this before we had left the harbour. Before Berry Head a group of 4/5 Common Dolphin. Traveling out into Lyme Bay 3 more groups of Common Dolphin seen, the last group was very large. Once we reached our chumming area the following birds sighted 10+ Manx Shearwater, 2 Balearic Shearwater, 3 Storm Petrel, 2 Artic Skua and 1 Pomarine Skua, 20+ Kittiwake, 12+ Guillemot, 2 Razorbill, 10 Common Tern, 8 Fulmar, Gannets and the usual assortment of Gulls. Sea was not as rough as thought so an enjoyable trip.

The Hoopoe still present by Maer Farm, in field by plastic bales and showing well- flew over the road briefly but soon returned. Nearby, the juvenile White-Winged Black Tern still on and around Cockle Sands viewable from the Imperial Recreation Ground.

Fairly quiet around Start Farm, Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Chiffchaffs and 3 Whitethroats. Also Sand Martin and 2 Swifts. Called in to Slapton Ley and good numbers of hirundines at Torcross ie c 100 Swallows, c 200 House Martins and c 400 Sand Martins, also a Swift. 15 Sandwich Terns on the beach. Common Scoter off the Memorial Car Park and a Yellow Wagtail overhead.

8 Swifts over garden this evening with 20+ House Martin. 

Watched from 15:30 till 19:20

Just after 16:45 found a nice moulting adult Curlew sandpiper in among 110+ dunlin( mostly juveniles) it showed on and off over the next couple of hours , the adult spotted redshank showed well at times , 5 ringed plover, 2 green sandpipers excellent numbers of juvenile Black tailed godwits, 1 bar tailed godwits, 8+ whimbrel 

earlier on goosemoor 20+ greenshanks

On the incoming tide at Skern there were 9 Mediterranean Gulls (5 adults and 4 juveniles) One of the juveniles was ringed on the left leg below the 'knee'. No colour bands so was unable to get any more details! Also 1 juvenile Little Tern fishing in the bay.

Later there were 30 Little Egret roosting on the marsh below Torridge Bridge.

Two sinensis (ad + imm) amongst the 8 Cormorants, my first Ringed Plover of the autumn (juv), 11 Turnstones (some in nice breeding plumage), Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, 30 Curlews, 10 Grey Herons, 11+ Little Egrets, 10 Oystercatchers, 82 Redshanks, 2 Greenshanks, Pergerine, Swift and Wheatear.

Turnstone

Hoopoe seen at Orcombe Point / Foxholes area at 10:20 this morning. I was viewing from the second gate on the right hand side just north east of Maer Farm. It had been seen from this location late yesterday afternoon distantly in the furthest field (in front of the houses). As I was scanning that field a flock of Starling came up over the hedge of the next field (that has hay bags in it and also a gate to view in to the field) and I noticed a larger bird in amongst them. Got the bins on it and it was the Hoopoe. I tracked it heading towards Orcombe Point where it then veered back towards the houses at Foxholes. If only I had picked the other gate to look from!!

4 Black Swans amongst the many mute swans, on the Avon Estuary, viewable from the tidal road, this morning until 12.30hrs when disturbed by paddle boarders. First seen at this location by Mike Passman and Rodney Bone yesterday morning. Have not been seen here many times before. The birds are not bearing rings and have the characteristic smaller size and red bill of the species, however when they flew off they showed a degree of white in the wings. Their origin is unknown, but to me, do not look like the same birds present on Slapton Ley last year. 2 ringed plover ,1 dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper and a few curlew also present.

4 Black Swan -Avon Estuary - 19.8.2017

Black Swan taking off showing white in wing - Avon-19.8.2017

Common Sandpiper - Avon Estuary

Ed. White primaries and outer secondaries is normal for Black Swan.

Seems obviously a Redstart, but is it a Black Redstart?

Juv (Black?) Redstart in Teignmouth Garden

Ed. it's a Redstart (juv > 1W male); orange-red on breast not shown by Black Redsart.

Hoopoe at 7.30am in small scrubby field, south side, near bottom  of Maer Lane, Exmouth

Charleton Marsh / Bay ( 07:20-08:40, falling tide )

15 Black-tailed Godwits, 77 Dunlins, 76 Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpiper, 3 Mediterranean Gulls ( one adult with darvic rings, too far off to read ).

Today we went to Bowling Green Marsh. The hide was the area of main interest for us today so we stayed there for quite a long time. Here is a list of the species that we saw there today: green sandpiper, canada goose, lapwing, black-headed gull, wood pigeon, black-tailed godwit, magpie, buzzard, pied wagtail, little egret, jackdaw, mallard, grey heron, goldfinch, great black-backed gull, redshank, starling, cormorant, wheatear, swallow and dunlin. Before we went to Goosemoor we had a quick look from the viewing platform. The tide appeared to be coming in so there was not much birdlife to be seen, in fact all there was to be seen was a large group of curlew and a few black-tailed godwits mixed in with them on the opposite side!

Walking from the viewing platform to Goosemoor a subspecies of the canada goose was pointed out to us in the marsh.

A more unusual view this time.

Jersey Tiger

Watched a BBG pinch a fish (Bass?) from a Cormorant yesterday at Yelland. The struggle went on for several minutes before the Gull made off with the catch. Is this common behavior? .  Poor pics as I was a long way away.

15.30 - 1 Osprey flew over the R.Caen in a force 7 to 8 westerly gale,mid aft, caught a fish, flew high with the catch heading several miles east over Chivenor until lost from view.

THE HOBBY IS BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am over the moon to continue the Saga of the young Hobby I hand reared and released on the 2nd September 2014.

She has been back each year since arriving back in September, this year I had hoped to see her back in the spring as a fully mature breeding bird but that did not happen and in truth I thought that she had fallen to natures circle of life and that was that.

A short while ago I was sorting some of my birds when I looked up and there she was sat on a post 10 yards away watching me, not a care in the world.

The Hoopoe is still present on Foxholes. It's in a private garden and adjoining private field. The hawthorns bordering the back garden and the adjoining field can be viewed, albeit distantly, from Gore Lane but please park sensibly and don't obstruct any gateways. The gateway just right of the track that leads down to the Bristol Schools camp is the best viewing position. Also the juvenile White-winged Black Tern was off the Imperial @0740.

My son Clive told me a co-worker of his(postman) had a white stork flying over Higher Clovelly near Hartland and landed in a field near Seckington farm Tuesday

A Hoopoe photographed on Foxholes, Orcombe Point by Marie Wilson this morning. Not seen since.

2 Hobby, huge female Peregrine, 6+ Med Gulls but no sign of Osprey.

2 Yellow wagtail, Exminster marshes nature reserve, 17/08/17

128 Redshank 1 glossy Ibis 1 Greenshank 2 common sandpipers 2 Curlew and 2 Kingfishers plus a Single Turnstone on the beach.Marsh Harrier over Home Farm Marsh

The juvenile White-winged Black Tern was feeding with 2 juvenile Black Terns off the seafront @ 0650 this morning. Viewed from the clock tower.

Tesco car park, Newton Abbot, lunchtime, Raven over high. Teign Street, Teignmouth, early afternoon, two immature Peregrines flying low in close proximity. Our Teignmouth garden, mid afternoon 11+ House Martin, 5 Swallow (all juveniles), one Swift up high, most of these flying due South.

A 50+ Flock of Goldfinch and 55 Canada geese where at Home farm Marsh and just after 12:00 the Osprey was seen from the flower bank hunting the Taw off of Chivenor...A Marsh Harrier appeared over Isley Marsh  in the afternoon and whilst watching 4 Eider drifting past the fisherman's huts from yelland power station site the Osprey was relocated on the shore just up from the huts feeding on a catch..

A juv Yellow-legged Gull at the bottom end of the estuary before flying up river, female Red-crested Pochard, ad Mediterranean Gull, 16 Mandarin Ducks, 2 Kingfishers, Swift, 27 Curlews, 10 Oystercatchers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 12 Little Egrets and Tawny Owl heard.

Starcross old harbour wall - c210 Turnstones having their summer moult;   several still showing good summer plumage

Pleasant walk up the estuary - good veiws of a group of 6 Goosanders diving for small fish just below the road bridge

Goosanders

Goosanders

Goosanders

A nice surprise this morning at the entrance to Prewley Moor (WSW of Okehampton): a Willow Tit heard and seen by the old railway cycleway. I've seen them here before, when visiting to survey dragonflies. Surprised to see a few Southern Damselflies still flying!

 
Willow Tit                                   Southern Damselfly

To start with we went to the pond hide and saw: blue, great and coal tits, a nuthatch, 2 or more chaffinches, a great spotted woodpecker calling, 2 or more siskins, a robin, a grey wagtail and 1 or 2 buzzards calling. After the pond hide we moved on to the heath but there wasn't much about. This is what there was: a possible tree pipit, 2 buzzards and stonechats. Walking back down through the woods to the car park we heard 2 great spotted woodpeckers and I had a definite view of one and a possible view of the other, both were fleeting glimpses.

Nice one  Dave. In answer to your question I found one at Dawlish Warren on this day 15th August 1980 !. Also seen by the warden at the time. They have become scarcer in recent years and sightings out-number Icterines, mid- August to mid-September the best time. Good to get one before Portland.

Here is the Crane picture referred to earlier

Crane

Ed. not a Crane, this is a White Stork

Not a great deal of evidence of migration at Soar but 3 Wheatears, 15+ Swifts (a number of which appeared to be heading out to sea), 6+ Willow Warblers and 100+ Swallows. Also Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, 10+ Whitethroats and a flock of c200 Linnets.

South Efford Marsh produced 5+ Common Sandpipers, 3 each of Ringed Plovers and Greenshanks and a Curlew. 

Found this morning at 9.30 on the far path at Bowling Green Marsh ' it showrd again to around half a dozen birders and it responded to a call ' the 1st Exe Estuary record I think ??

Very Autumnal feel today on a walk along the coast path from Wembury beach to Wembury Point and back.

Highlight was a juvenile yellow legged gull amongst the herring, black headed and great black gulls feeding on the seaweed mass by the sewage pipe.

1 redshank, 1 dunlin, 1 whimbrel and 1 common sandpiper also feeding on the seaweed mass with 15 eclipse male and 2 female mallard. 

On the rocks below the Point at high tide 6 curlew, 48 oystercatcher, 7 little egret and another 2 whimbrel.

2 swifts, swallows and house martins over, chiffchaffs, blackcaps and whitethroats in the bushes and 2 juvenile wheatears in the horse fields.

2pm today, Tuesday....have just seen and photographed a Crane circling above the West Down turning. Will post picture as soon as possible.

1 Osprey on Frogmore Creek, 08:10, just upstream from Geese Quarries opposite "The Secret Garden" for those in the know, sitting on a channel marker post at SX758416. At 08:30 took off to hunt rising tide, passed over Ham Point and into Fleet Head Bay, known by others as Northpool Bay. Seen to dive but lost behind the point and not seen again. Lack of telescope and angle of sun made searching the head of the bay difficult. Virtually 52 years to the day of my first ever on the R. Yealm upstream of Steer Point in 1965!

Fairly quiet this afternoon in the rain, 2 Greenshanks, Redshank, 4 Common Sandpipers and a couple obliging Kingfishers.

My first Spotted Flycatcher of the year here, Also 11 Oystercatchers, 29 Curlews, 13 Little Egrets, Kingfisher, 2 Stonechats, c10 Swifts and 3 Kestrels.

12:00-14:00.

90+ Oystercatcher where laid up beside yelland jetty and 17 Little Egret, 2 Spoonbill 80+ Curlew where on Isley Marsh...Just after 1p.m.the Osprey was fishing the Taw just off of the floodbank between Crow Whitehouse and the fisherman's huts...It hit the water 4 times and on the last time made a catch and carried it low over the flood bank onto Horsey and out of sight.

24 Members of DB (East Devon Branch) met for the fieldtrip led by Bob Olliver this morning, with several smaller splinter groups quickly forming.  The walk took in the Tower Hide, Island Hide and Colyford Common Hide.  The main interest came from waders with Common Sandpiper (2), numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Ringed Plover (8), Curlew, and singles of Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank and Whimbrel.  A juvenile Water Rail with an adult were seen together from the Colyford Common hide and Kingfisher and Sparrow Hawk added to the interest. 

Dave Murray, one of our most respected and well known birders, was remembered.  Dave was a founding member of the East Devon Branch and passed away in hospital recently following a six month illness.  A private funeral attended by Carol and family members was held on Wed 9 August.

One fem/juv type Wheatear seen in the rain on shingle bank at mouth of R. Otter this morning.

I thought this storm petrel looked a bit different to the others. It seemed slightly bigger and less 'attached' to the surface, flying about ten feet above the sea despite calm conditions.

(Appalling) pics seem to show feet sticking out well beyond tip of tail. Could this be a Wilson's?

Seen about 2 miles northeast of Eddystone Lighthouse

 
European Storm/Wilson's Petrel

Eds: Yes it's a Wilsons Petrel and the first genuine Devon record - however in Devon records are counted for the county within 5 miles of the land this was probably considerably further!!

Balearic Shearwater from yesterday.

  
Balearic Shearwater             Manx and Balearic                Balearic Shearwater

A few more photos from this morning's trip.

  
Common terns                                 Fulmar                                        Pomarine skua, 2nd S.

Common terns from the boat this morning (adults + 1 juv), and one Arctic tern among the first flock of 7 birds.

   
Common tern, adult                     Common tern, juvenile                         Arctic tern, adult

23 Swifts almost all heading south, with House Martin's & Swallows this afternoon. Over Exeter House just east of A30, probably following the higher ground. 

Apart from the bonxie, todays skuas presented some interesting id/ageing puzzles.  All three were immatures, the first an arctic skua followed by 2 pomarine skuas, the first of which had spoons. Sadly the pomarine with spoons had something (plastic?) caught on its leg.

  
Bird 1; Arctic Skua, 2nd S.         Bird 2; Pomarine skua, 2nd S.           Bird 3; Pomarine skua, 1st or 2nd S.

Eds -  great photos Chris and captions, the last bird is a 2nd Summer - a 1st summer would be in active wing moult and more like a juv in body plumage.

Kayak trip from Plymouth Sound out around Eddystone lighthouse. 0600-1500.

13 Storm Petrel

8 Balearic Shearwaters

3 Sooty Shearwaters (4, 8 and 9 miles offshore)

1 probable arctic skua

1 possible Great Shearwater- I heard it 'flick' as it passed a few feet behind my kayak but couldn't be bothered to turn round because I had just cricked my neck a few minutes before looking at a Manx. When I saw it it was too far off to be sure.

Plus 8 Common Dolphin

2+1 Harbour Porpoise

a few photos to follow

regards Rupert

This mornings Lyme Bay boat trip out of Brixham was once again rewarding with the following birds seen. 1 Great Skua, 2 Pomarine Skua, I Skua sp which was possible another Pom, 2 Storm Petrel, 16 Common Tern, 8 Manx Shearwater, 4 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Razorbill, Guillemot, Fulmar and the usual Gulls . Sea was calm and hardly any wind. On the way in 2 harbor Porpoise and many Compass Jellyfish. I hope some good pictures will be added to this posting.

Juvenile White-winged Black Tern off Exmouth beach again this morning, at 0605.