Many thanks to all observers that submitted their records for 2019. However there are still a number of records that require descriptions before they can appear in the Bird Report.

If you were fortunate enough to find (or see) any of these birds below please could you submit a description to the County Recorder recorder@devonbirds.org Many thanks, stay safe.

Please be aware that in line with Government guidelines on non-essential travel and social distancing, the Devon Birds hides at Beesands, Fernworthy and Roadford, in addition to hides elsewhere in the County including Bowling Green Marsh, Dawlish Warren and Seaton Wetlands are closed until further notice. Whilst some people may be fortunate enough to be within walking/cycling distance of these sites, others should not be making special journeys to visit these areas at this time. Thank you for your co-operation and stay safe.

Please follow NHS guidelines:  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/staying-at-home-to-avoid-getting-coronavirus/staying-at-home-and-away-from-other-people/

We welcome contributions from Devon Birds members and the general public. Please follow the guidelines on this page if you have something to post on the blog, remembering to use the relevant subject.

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Please note:-

1. That Wood Warbler in probable breeding areas should also not now be published

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Two red kites quartering the rough grassland between Middle Soar Farm,  and Soar Mill cove mid-morning today, near Salcombe.

Tawny owl flushed from the trees at dusk yesterday.

Three female goosanders about a mile upstream of Ottery St Mary. 

Excise with my husband, we saw. Whinchat female. 2 Linnets male, 2 Yellow Hammer male, Stone Chats, singing Song Thrush. 

Flyovers today, Hobby at 09:15, and 2 Red Kites at 10:30, clovelly road Bideford

Superb day for butterflies with a massive record count of 123 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries mainly on the eastern slopes. Also 2 Dark Green Fritillaries ( but 5 on Monday), 42 Common Blues, 3 Large Skippers, 1st Meadow Brown, 5 Green Hairstreaks (but 22 on Monday - site record) & 8 Wall Brown.. Also 2 Cream-Spot Tiger Moths & Common Lizard. Also 500+ flower spikes of Small-flowered Catchfly growing on the newly constructed overflow car park - critically endangered in UK.

Birdwise: 120 Linnet on rape on airfield, Raven pair fledged 2 young, first hatched Great Black-backed Gull, 2 Kestrel getting excited!

2 Red  Kites over Paignton at 2.30p.m.. Circled once and then drifted off North.

Brilliant weather for Butterflies at the moment.

Several Skippers & Green Hairstreaks seen this morning but too hot for me by mid - morning!

Judging from the numbers of people in Surfing at Saunton Sands probably too hot on the beach for them too.

A few of the more colourful, commoner species from last night

Brimstone                  Green Silver-lines                               Green Pug

A really good night for moths with good numbers of some common species and a few really good rarer moths including a notable 2 x  Portland Ribbon Waves coming to the light.

Portland Ribbon Wave                Ruddy carpet                         Poplar Kitten

Very Quite for birds, mainly Stonechats, a Cuckoo hear and seen but in the distance, quite a few Green Hairstreak Butterflies

Green Hairstreak

I have located a swallow nest in the heart of Great Torrington, they are bringing food to the babies. Pleasing to see as I haven't seen evidence of breeding here for a couple of seasons. 4 swifts again.

Cuckoo calling 8-8.30 this morning. 

1 circling over East Charleton at midday slowly drifting west

Male seen on a private site in Plymouth this morning.

Late evening visit gave us a count of 11 individual Nightjars, with 6 seen in flight in really good light.  Also pre-roosting were Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Song Thrush and Jay.  Heard Tawny Owls. Roe and Fallow Deer

A trip to Emsworthy on a day, when the Plymouth Branch would have visited, gave us good views of singing Redstart, Willow Warbler and a family of four Stonechat.  Wheatear took on their erect posture on the stone walls and Meadow Pippit parachuted down, vocalising on descent. About five sightings of Cuckoo occurred with one being the bubbling voice from a female. A Common Snipe was flushed out of the damper heathland.The bluebells, for which the area is well known, appeared to be sparce in the fields, possibly effected by the very dry condition of the Moor.

6 ringneck parakeet  6 am going over to playing fields can woods of aylesbury crescent

On my walk with a friend, having our lunch, we had 3 Cuckoos flying around with the female bubbling, they were chasing around the area for nearly an hour. Love was in the air. 

Re Seagle-Thanks Eds, excellent wit. Completely agree.

am:- Cuckoo calling several times for several minutes at Pine Heights east of Pine Slack but not heard during return journey so probably moved on.

Grass Snake swimming across Flagpole Pond & under the water but only visible for approx.7 seconds & not seen again.

Photos - Flagpole Pond, Early Marsh Orchid & Southern Marsh Orchid.

Red Kite circling and moving south to north over Estover , Plymouth , this afternoon at 3pm.

A pair of Spotted Flycatchers, 16+ drake Mandarin Ducks, 4 Curlews, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

7 Green Hairstreaks & 8 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries this morning but little on the bird front. 

Aylesbeare Common yesterday 

Female Stonechat

Male Stonechat

Dartford Warbler

A chuckling female Cuckoo along with a male upsetting all the smaller birds by visiting each copse of trees and shrubs this morning.

Over Manor Drive Chagford 6.10 pm heading east at about 70 ft great view for a few seconds from my garden

A chance shot of a fox passing some foxglove plants

One Common Eider on the beach with a couple of herring gulls. 

Short walk at dusk around the Harcombe area of Haldon (until the midges became impossible) produced three Nightjars and one Tawny Owl.

Seen high over my garden in Chagford. Possibly the bird reported earlier.

Not a Buzzard in my opinion

Eds: No not a buzzard it's a 'seagle'!  - Herring gull.

Tawny Owl hunting in daylight this morning and Garden Warbler singing this afternoon. Both a couple of hundred meters from Cully Higher Street. Nice.

1 imm Puffin (five miles offshore, at halfway reef)

2 Common Scoter

(only) 12 Manx Shearwater

plus 5 Common Dolphin, 2 Harbour Porpoise

Puffin

For those interetsed, I have now added the sound recording of the now departed Blyth's Reed Warbler on my blog with a little more detail: https://creamteabirding.blogspot.com/2020/05/singing-blyths-reed-warbler.html

Over Manor Drive Chagford 6.10 pm heading east at about 70 ft great view for a few seconds from my garden

Red Kite flying south at 17.30 today.

11 pairs of Stonechat, 4 pairs of Pied Wagtail, 3 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, a dozen or so Meadow Pipits, 2 Chiffchaff, a Willow Warbler and 2 male Reed Bunting halfway along path. 2 Cuckoo still around Headland Warren farmhouse. $ crows and 2 Buzzard. 3 Swallows around farm buildings.

Reed Bunting                                      Reed Bunting                                     Stonechat

Cuckoo heard calling but not seen. Good mix of birds on view including a meadow pipit, 4 tree pipits, 4 greenfinch, 2 yellow hammers, numerous willow warbler, linnet and stonechat the latter visibly with young.

Three swifts over exmouth town this morning.

4 swifts over Great Torrington today, easy to see in the clear sky. 3 house martins too. 

A few moths from last night with two new species for me and another Poplar Hawkmoth - good year for this species it seems.

Least Black Arches                     Homeosana sinuella                           Poplar Hawkmoth

a  golden Eagle gliding high over farmland in Ashwater. Heading South

Eds: Either an escaped bird or if it was indeed an eagle possibly a White-tailed Eagle from the Isle of Wight introduction. 

Wistman's Wood today gave a juv. Pied Wagtail being fed by it's mum.  Probably three Cuckoos, a pair of Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, a pair of Grey Wagtails high in the canopy, Redpoll and Willow Warbler and Gt Spotted Woodpecker.  Several Wheatear and Stonechat on the moor and heard Grasshopper Warbler by the river. Green Hairstreak, Small Heath and a Fritillary sp.

Pied Wagtail juv                            Pied Wagtail fem                                 Redpoll

This morning on a sheep track near Two Bridges I found this clutch of egg shells, presumed to be Mallard (60mm long and duck egg blue) in a neat pile.  They all appeared to have been bitten through, maybe by a fox?  It's clearly not a nest as there's no down.  Could a fox carry four together?  Or why would it make four separate trips to exactly the same spot before eating them?

Late yesterday, I was shocked to find a singing Blyth's Reed Warbler on farmland bordering the East Devon Commons. The bird was in an area with restricted viewing, but I managed to get a sound recording which I will try and share on my blog/here tomorrow. Despite at least 7 hours spent listening for the bird today, sadly it seems to have moved on! Poor photo taken last night at 9pm!

My money was on the Pipit

Meadow Pipit giving a Cuckoo more than he expected

I think that these are reasonably common, but it is the first time that we have recorded one in the garden.

Out at Yelland again today and some more of the Reed Warblers.

 
Reed Warbler

14:15 on 22 May 2020 Flying east, high over Mardon Down, near Moretonhampstead 

Rock Pipits all busy feeding young. 

Rock Pipit

Today and yesterday good numbers of various seabirds were heading up and down channel in the strong SW wind. Lunch time off the Pier nice to watch a dark phase Arctic Skua tagging along with a team of Manx Shearwaters. Not many gulls around but finally since about 2016 I actually managed to get the metal bto number of this Herring Gull, taken through my car windscreen.  

Gotcha !                                      Rock Pipit with beak full of Sea Slaters

No lockdown for the birds of Yarner, parent birds working very hard to feed their expectant young.

Male feeding Female by their nest box. incubating at the moment.      Great Spot feeding young.

07:34 - 10:36

Highlights: Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher, Nuthatch, Wheatear, Whitethroat, Buzzard x 3, Adder

Nuthatch                              Meadow Pipit                                    Adder

Found these feathers on Teignmouth beach. The primary feathers are about 10 inches in length. Could anybody identify them please.

Eds: looks like female pheasant tertial feathers.

First time visit to Yarner Woods this morning. Plenty of Flycatchers and Redstarts, also Tawny Owl, Greater Spotted Woodpecker and managed to startle a Nightjar sat on a fence post at 08:45am, which abruptly flew  off and down into the bracken and disappeared from view.

Pied Flycatcher (male)                Pied Flycatcher (female)                                 Redstart

14:15 on 22 May 2020 Flying east, high over Mardon Down, near Moretonhampstead 

Getting a few hawk moths visiting the garden

Lime hawk moth                              Poplar hawk moth                             Privet hawk moth

A fly by yesterday afternoon of a pair of Canada geese.over my Paignton garden. If they hadn't honked would never have known they were there. Never seen Canada's in Paignton before.

Just a few moths last night before the drizzle set in but a couple of nice species including a new species for me - Sand Dart

    
Small Elephant Hawkmoth            Sand Dart                               Cream-spot Tiger

Poor conditions for moths during the night. But the first Lychnis of the season.

Lychnis.                                       A darker individual.

A single Barnacle Goose at Darts farm this morning sharing the field beyond the hide with a flock of Canada Geese

Several (at least 6) Nightjars churning at various points along the bikepath

Pair of Mute Swans with three cygnets by the dam, numerous Canada Geese in area. 14 Shelduck off Maristow, Raven family very noisy near dam, and singing Blackcap and Chiffchaff

2 Cuckoos chasing each other around Headland Warren and one calling from the hawthorn behind the farmhouse. A few Stonechat and meadow Pipits but the windy conditions, completely different to yesterday. A handsome Whinchat at side of road by path to Grimspound.

Cuckoo                                  Cuckoo                                          Whinchat

I found a zebra finch in my garden on May 20th. I didn't know what it was till I googled it.

Swift spotted today entering nest site which they have used for several years in the St Thomas area of Exeter

A seawatch at this morning 0600-0900: 22 Puffins, 64 Manx Shearwaters >S, 9 Common Scoter, 3 sum plum G N Divers >N, 1 Sandwich Tern, 180 Razorbills, 103 Guillemots, 39 Kittiwakes, 6 Dolphin 2 Harbour Porpoise.Black-h Gulls 3 Swift, 4 Common Dolphin & 2 Harbour Porpoise.

Photos distant Puffins..

Plenty of bird activity this morning..among the many species that you would expect here it was good to see lots of of fledglings including goldfinch,stonechat ,linnet,robin,and a cracking family of 4 chiffchaff being feed by the non stop working parents 

On Tuesday19th, I became aware of an unusual bird song in my suburban garden. Initial thoughts were reed or sedge warbler but surely not in my garden. I was unable to get a sighting in the thick hedge but did record the song. I subsequently sent the audio file to Mike Langman who confirmed it was indeed a sedge warbler Thanks Mike..Just goes to show birds can turn up anywhere !

Nothing much to report in this area, House Martins collecting mud, swans with 3 cygnets and a pair of Canada geese with 14 youngsters

Hen Harrier seen over Old Torrington Road, Barnstaple this afternoon heading east being mobbed by two crows to whom it gave very short shrift. I've not seen a bird of prey have a go at those mobbing it in such a way. Two other birds of prey were also seen very high up circling together before one headed west and vanished and the other flew off in a southerly direction. What they were will unfortunately remain one of life's mysteries.

After a complete failure last year, I'm pleased to report that the Little Grebes have hatched 4 young and are busy chasing Stickleback fry for them.

Skillful display of flight of a Red Kite in the windy valley down from Bennetts Cross to Soussons, where it appeared to caught a snake. Two Whinchat pairs seen and 5 sightings of Cuckoo during walk around to Challacombe Farm.

3 pairs Linnet, several Wheatear, 3 Whinchat and well over a dozen Meadow Pipits.

Linnet                                Linnet                                        Whinchat

20/5/20 pm High tide at Efford Marsh, eight Shelduck in pairs and solitary grey Heron but little else.

Last night (20th May) I heard my first churring nightjars from 21.11 and saw one wingclapping overhead.

While out at Yelland I came face to face with a Reed Warbler.

Reed Warbler

Popped out to Yelland on Wednesday evening for an hour or so and got some lovely photos of a or some  Reed Warblers. Might not be the same bird in all of the images.

Reed Warbler

Additional to the posts from Roger Smaldon and Greg Bradbury today.  I took a 'socially distant' walk with Bob Barrow in the same area with similar outcomes. However at Cadover we had good views of a calling Cuckoo, Whitethroats, a Garden Warbler and a Beautiful Demoiselle.  On Wigford Down a Green Woodpecker and a pair of Stonechats feeding at least four fledglings.  In the wood we heard but never saw any Redstart, but a pair of Pied Flycatchers, a Treecreeper and five Fallow Deer. Back at the car park about 2:00pm a medium size bat sp. circled the car park several times!

Early this evening at Mill farm, Powderham good numbers of House Martin and Swallow around the farm house, Heron and two Buzzards overhead one bird was a distinctly pale / white morph.

Pied Wagtail taking food to a nest in the stables.

Lots of Southern Marsh Orchids in flower in the very crowded Warren today but very disappointing that I found a high number in the reserve had been plucked and discarded. A White-point moth was the highlight of  a quiet Monday night in the moth-trap in the village.

White-point                                              Southern Marsh Orchid

Pretty quiet but I managed: 3 Wheatears, 2 Reed Warblers, 4 Sedge Warblers, 8 Small Pear-bordered Fritillaries & 2 Fox cubs.

unusual record of a Fulmar circling boat cove, Dawlish then flying north inland over house after a strange tremor off shore which rumbled the house slightly. Lot's of military activity today, which maybe connected

Nothing much to talk about in this area, meadow pipits, skylarks, Willow warblers, plenty of stonechats, no cuckoo's heard

Red kite seen over the houses by our neighbour this morning. 2 large red damselflies in tandem in our pond, also a leucistic palmate newt.

sedge warblers,blackcap,whitethroat,linnets,greenfinch,swallows swift and house martins,in good numbers,little grebe, 14 dunlin,and 1 broad bodied chaser.Stunning day.

Linnet.                    House Martin.                          Broad bodied chaser.

Redstart:  8 singing males on edge of oak woods Dewerstone

Tree Pipit: 3 singing males

Pied Flycatcher: 1 singing male Dewerstone (first I have had here since 1998.

Wheatear:  one male on territory.

Green Woodpecker: 2

Reed Bunting:  a singing male in low gorse and grass moor on top of Wigford Down.

Cuckoo: one alling

A fresh Elephant Hawk Moth ,from last night' catch

Elephant Hawk Moth.

Ringed Dartford Warbler photographed yesterday on the East Devon commons left leg pale green over white and right leg yellow over its BTO ring, no doubt someone in DB's will be the ringer.

Four possibly five Dartford Warblers seen, Skylark, Linnet, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Green and Goldfinch and good views of a Green Woodpecker in flight.

An evening walk along the Bala Brook above South Brent gave three Cuckoo, numerous Yellow Hammer, Meadow Pipit and Stonechat. Several Swallow, Four Mistle Thrush and a Song Thrush with a beak of worms.

This morning over Great Torrington town centre I spotted a swallow and 2 swifts.

Parked at Shipley Bridge car park and walked beside the River Avontowards Avon Dam. Had some good  views of a cuckoo flying low over the slope to west of River Avon halfway between the car park and the dam. It flew from tree to tree calling as it landed and eventually flew low over our heads to cross the valley. My photo is awful but just identifiable by profile of bird and length of tail. Bird was perching a mile away at this point.

Distant view of cuckoo