Please take extra care when visiting Dawlish Warren. We have been informed that due to the recent bad weather there has been significant erosion from Groyne 10 eastwards. This means that access along the site, to and from Warren Point (and the bird hide) will be via the beach only, with a risk of being cut off for a period either side of high water! Signs have been put up to alert people to the hazards, but people need to be aware that access routes that they have become used to may not be available and they need to exercise extreme caution,  with the possibility of being cut off by the tide, and people are strongly urged not to try climbing the sand cliffs. Further information is available on the Teignbridge District Council website.

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On the sea: 2 Red-necked Grebes, 6 Great Crested Grebes - otherwise very quiet.

Nice views of a Woodcock and a vocal Green Woodpecker, late afternoon.

Late aft - 1 smart male Wheatear briefly on the top of the inner Great Bank by the Toll Road + 63 Black tailed Godwits foraging with a few in smart summer plumage..

Very quiet on the Northbrook today - council still working along the path. Kingfisher (pictured) just down from Salmon Pool. Another Kingfisher flew through the back pond at Matford Marshes, also there a Water Rail and Gadwall. No sign of any Cattle Egret behind the storage units today.

  
Kingfisher                      Kingfisher                                              Gadwall

c20 Sand Martin this morning.

First Wheatear, on edge of the airfield at East Soar and a migrant flock of 30 Meadow Pipits above Soar Mill Cove.

Lots (maybe 20) of Sand Martins hawking insects over the reserve this morning, and with them a few (4/5?) Swallows. A few Chiffchaffs were also taking insects at lower level and two were singing. The two Grey Wagtails were back for more, and also of note were 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Gadwall, still 2 Swans. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was again drumming. Tawny Owl called, once! As did a Cetti's Warbler.

A large Dragonfly yesterday afternoon whizzed past the car on Mannamead Road near the Hyde Park. Wouldn't mind betting it was a Vagrant Emperor from the very brief view that I got.

Some signs of real movement for the first time in a couple of weeks, with 170 Meadow Pipits battling W into a still blustery headwind along the clifftops and just offshore at Rillage Point between 06.15 & 08.15. Other passerine migrants included small numbers of Linnets and alba wagtails. Both at Rillage and at Bull Point later in the morning, there was an almost continuous westbound passage of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, following the shoreline.

Pink Footed Goose with Canada Geese from viaduct today.17th March.

3 Swallow + 1 Sand Martin above the pond.

This morning between the showers:-

7 Mandarin, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Bullfinch (f), 1 Marsh tit, 1 Ring necked Parakeet,   1 Great spotted Woodpecker (m) drumming, Magpies and Crows nest building.

11:30 - 12:30 low water.
31x Cormorant on the mid channel sand bank. 1x Greeshank in shallow water right close to the trail (this bird has been around this spot at low water for a month now). 14 Shelduck in Anchor wood field. The usual sprinkling of Curlew and Little egret. Strangely very few Redshank.
Very little on Penhill marsh just 4 Little Egret and 3 Shelduck.

Roadford this am:

at least 14 Brambling with Chaffinch flock on shore of Lake

2 Barnacle Geese

Barnacle Goose

Quick look mid-afternoon, Male Ring-necked Duck ( presumed Slapton bird ), male Scaup, 32 Tufted Ducks, male Pochard, Great Crested Grebe and a Sand Martin.

Nice views of a greenshank and a Great black backed gull with a flounder on the tidal road. At Slapton the odd gannet really close to shore and a raft of about 20 common scoter far out.

Gannet

Greenshank

Great Black-backed Gull

Nice to see an otter this morning outside the Stokeley hide at Slapton. I had a felling it saw me as well

Otter

2 Sandwich Tern flew S this morning

Two Red-necked Grebes at Elbury Cove, Torbay today, with 1 GND. One beginning to develop red neck. 

Wheater on rocks by the Turf. Red legged Partridge by Powderham Church.

At least seven Purple Sandpipers on the rocks at Haldon Pier this morning at high tide. 

Distant views of the female Marsh Harrier at around 3:45pm this afternoon, Also a male Kestrel hunting in the field in front of Swans nest. 

2 Cattle Egrets were with a small group of Little Egrets in the field the other side of the roundabout from Matford Pool this lunchtime.

A violent battle as I drove down the road to South Sands at Salcombe around 1345hrs today. A sparrowhawk was wrestling what I believe to be a jay in the middle of the road, forcing me to stop. I quickly took a photo through the car window but both birds flew off into a neighbouring garden when I got out! I did not hold out much hope for the jay though!

Earlier at South Milton Ley, where I filled the feeders, 6 Snipe and 4 Mallard on the now water covered area where the reed cut took place earlier this year. Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Water rail, Pheasant with many assorted Tits at the feeders. Sparrowhawk, 2 Buzzard, several Chiffchaff , 4 Yellowhammer and a couple of Cirls  elsewhere on the marsh.

At South Huish, little change. Mike P pointed out a Mediterranean Gull,  earlier had seen 2 Water Pipit on the meadow. Good numbers of LBB Gulls in with the flock.

Sparrowhawk v Jay at Salcombe - 13.3.2019

Beesands Ley 13/3/19 Drake Ring-Necked Duck Drake Pochard 46 Tufties 2 Teal 4 GC Grebe 2 Gadwall 7 Sand Martin female Stonechat on the beach

2 Cattle Egrets on the large scrape at Matford  late morning, plus 1 Little Egret, and at least 25 Shoveler, mainly males.   Just a bit windy

Leucistic Blackbird by the side of the Tarka trail near Chivenor roundabout.

 2 Pink-footed Geese with some Canada Geese sheltering & foraging on Bradiford Reserve in 50 > 60 mph westerly gale force winds this morning.

lower tamar ,  from the carpark by the bird feeders, and down to the hide a good selection of birds were seen,  32 birds altogether with good views of the willow tit.

moved on to roadford, and from the viaduct looking north we had 3 golden eye, two barnacle geese and a pinkfoot goose feeding with the canada.  

Among other birds seen were Sand martin, Peregrine that put up the gulls and Curlew on Powderham Park, Snipe and Green Sandpiper.  Plus a flock of 110 Pintail on the Exe.

07.40

Very surprised to find a Red-Legged Partridge strutting up and down on my back lawn this morning!  An unlikely, enclosed and suburban location for the species.  Although it seemed happy nosing about on the adjacent patio and through the daffodils, I thought that I'd check that it was OK.  As soon as I stepped outside, it lifted off and flew powerfully in the direction of Torbay Hospital. 

An interesting start to the day.    

Pleasantly surprised in the reserve this afternoon, when I found several Chaffinches hawking insects over the pond, along with a Chiffchaff in the reeds. Then another bird flew towards me and landed on the other side of the pond: very smart male Grey Wagtail, which was then joined by a female. Never seen a pair in the reserve before. One of the Swans then flew in but it's mate didn't quite make it over the trees, so landed outside. first Swan called for it, had a look round, then left.

Found a Spotted Redshank on the marsh with Redshank at around 10am and then flushed somewhere by a brazen Sparrowhawk which then sat on a post in the middle of the reserve. Not seen again. 

Just a tip of the hat to Bill Coulson's stunning photo Tweeted a couple of weeks ago.

NB Bottom left m&f; bottom right, with m Cirl Bunting

Sorry, can't help myself! This is really infectious plus, with the limitations of the camera (& the user!) where else can you get this close?

NB Last pic, m & f together.

More recent picks from Broadsands comparing female Cirl Buntings & Yellowhammers. Never been anywhere where I've had to think about this before. I'm no expert, thanks go to, Mike Langman, Collins Bird Guide & Birds ID Insights, by Couzens & Nurney.

• Top Row: Female Yellowhammer - showning, thick, diffuse, smudged breast streaking; yellow primary edges; yellow in crown; " blobby" face markings; yellow tinged belly; diagnostic rufous rump partially visible.
• Bottom Row: Female Cirl Bunting - showing, thin, fine breast streaking; pale primary edges; no yellow in crown; sharper, clearer face markings; no yellow in belly; diagnostic olive/grey rump.

12.00 Red kite seen a mile east of Barnstaple on the A361

Exminster Marsh

A quick look this morning for yesterday’s reported female Red-crested Pochard was unsuccessful but the Snow Goose was still in the feild next to the Swans Nest inn. I also saw my first Sand Martin of the year with 4 birds around the viewing platform. 

Cockwood 

This afternoon around 4:15pm were 2 Cattle Egret (possibly 4 but didnt have my scope) in a tree with Little Egrets behind Cofton garage. More details if interested on http://dixiesbirding.blogspot.com

A stunning female Hen Harrier in flight, light and buoyant hunting over the moorland and scattered trees.  Clear views of the white rump.  Also Kestrel, approx. 200 Golden Plover, 3 Buzzards, Ravens, Crows, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Stonechat, 30 Fieldfares and a large flock of Starlings.

Glossy ibis sighted in Budleigh Salterton in fields on the left of white bridge on the river otter

The two Peregrine Falcons by Plym-wood Quarry, were showing well today, and managed a distant shot of the pair mating, a new female this year, but not sure if the male is the same one or new. A shot through the holly bush of a Female Kingfisher, and a friendly Dipper by the weir.

Peregrines mating                       Female Kingfisher                                    Dipper

The 2 Red-necked Grebes were together off Churston Point & Elberry Cove (c.12:45); 2 Great Northern Divers near the Mussel Beds; 3 Great Crested Grebes off Three Beaches.

At least, 10 Cirl Buntings (7m, 3f); 5 Yellowhammers (3m, 2f); 2 Reed Buntings (fs), coming to the seed behind beach huts.

Also a Grey Seal in Broadsands Bay & c.10 - 15 Common Dolphins in Torbay, off Churston Point.

7 or 8 Green Sandpiper between Ludwell Lane and Woodwater Lane. Nothing much on the Northbrook otherwise (council adding new paths and clearing away undergrowth, so no Dipper, no Grey Wags, no Water Rail bur brief glimpse of Kingfisher). Nothing unusual on Matford Marshes but in the fields behind the Storage Unit depot on Sannerville Way between the railway and the canal a Cattle Egret with 18 mute swans. Quite flighty but did not fly far. Approx grid ref SX946887

Video    https://youtu.be/AmPTGkbO7Qc

Cattle Egret