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The first-summer Bonaparte's Gull again with c30 Black-headed Gulls off Mudbank at 0630 before moving a short distance to the Duck Pond/Imperial recreation ground area. Still there when I left it at 7am, for work.

In the reeds around the pond were a male Reed Bunting and a number of Reed Warblers,

A couple of Red Kites drifted over Talaton heading south at 1215hrs and 1700hrs. The first was with a couple of Buzzards. 

Red Kite (right) with Buzzard

A first-summer Bonaparte's Gull distantly off Mudbank this evening - dip-feeding with c30/40+ Black-headed Gulls and still present at 810pm at least. Also 10+ Sandwich Terns and at least 1 Mediterranean Gull in with the flock. A pair of redhead Goosanders flew through too. A few more details on www.gobirdingexmouth.blogspot.co.uk.

Cuckoo calling briefly late morning.

Hobby overhead at 1255, circling and heading N

This morning at 11.05 a Turtle Dove landed in my garden, stayed for a 

good 5 minutes.

Just on first light this morning a Barn owl hunting over a field on the outskirts of Paignton, over head a Heron.

I took this photo of a rock pipit on the 14th at Hopes Nose.  Can someone tell my if this bird is the littoralis race.

Eds: petrosus wear to very grey during late spring and summer so almost certainly just that - and not littoralis  

1 Male Siskin.

Brief visit this morning between the showers. Still a few waders using the new scrapes near the canal, c6 curlew, 4 whimbrel (another 5 at the Turf), 8 black-tailed godwit, single bar-tailed godwit and a single avocet. Also on the scrape a pair pf gadwall. A few swifts overhead and swallows at Turf displaying and singing.

18 swifts over Chagford square this evening. The church has 32 swift boxes which might explain the numbers, which should increase.

Three screaming Swifts this evening at 6.45pm over Freedom Fields Park.

A good sighting this afternoon, a Turtle Dove on a bungalow roof in Galmpton, flew into some apple trees, then into another garden where lost sight of it unfortunatly.

Turtle Dove

The Taw and Exmoor branch of the British Naturalists Association had a trip to Field Irish Farm today. They were just finishing their post walk cream tea at 4.00pm at Milton Damerel when they had good views of a red kite

Just on 4pm a low flying Red Kite seen at home at South Brent headed towards Exeter at tree top height.

I wonder if it was the same bird reported at Heathfield a short time later as below post.

At Emsworthy this morning. 2 Cuckoos heard, Redstart, Willow Warbler & Swallows.

Single bird seen at a distance (from Heathfield, Devon) flying West over Stover Country Park at 16.40 today. Furthest South I've ever seen one of these magnificent birds!

One Red Kite over Roundswell this afternoon 15.15

Seawatch this morning: 4 Puffins, 5 Great Northern Divers (photo montage below), 15 Manx Shearwaters, 7 Mediterranean Gulls all but one in 1st S plumage, 30 Common Scoter. Around headland 1 singing Reed Warbler and several swifts.

Red kite seen late morning, near Seale-Hayne, heading west. Couldn't see any detail on tags, as we were driving.

Red Kite low south over Exe estuary at 1217.

An early visit to the scrape showed 2 Little Egrets, 2 Mute Swans, 1 Shelduck and 3 Black-tailed Godwits.

Yesterday morning about 10a.m. in between the Skern and Crow Point a Great Northern Diver still, drifting on an outgoing and quite low tide, but still diving regularly.

Eight Dunlin and two Ringed Plover on the huge pit at the top of the down first thing.

A Roseate Tern lingering off the seafront from 0630-0730 at least, keeping with 3-4 Sandwich Terns. Also 1 Common Tern off there, a handful of Manx Shearwaters and 1 Balearic Shearwater east. Arctic Skua, 2 Great Northern Divers, 50+ Common Scoter, 3 Whimbrel, 5 Guillemot, 17+Black-headed Gulls plus a few auks, Gannets and Kittiwakes.

Late for yesterday.

Lower Tamar Lake.

4 Great Crested Grebe,1 Grey Wagtail.

This evening between Fremington quay and Saltpill Duck pond were a good selection of birds including: Blackcaps; Sedge Warblers; Whitethroats;  Swallows. There were at least two of each of the above except the female Wigeon.

Blackcap

Whitethroat

Nice to eventually catch up with Spotted Flycatcher's this year. Trip to Wistman's Wood  gave us good views of Spotted Flycatchers in the wood and at Crockern Farm.

Lovely to see these Flycatchers in the dappled sunlight that only Wistman's wood could supply.

Swallows, Skylarks, Tree Pipits, Ravens, Stonechats, 

Skylark

Skylark

Around Burrator this morning was 3 Cuckoo's, 3 Tree pipits doing their parachute display, a singing Redstart, a Pied flycatcher, Willow Warblers, a female Great Spotted Woodpecker and a yaffling Green Woodpecker in dense cover.

Redstart

Tree Pipit

A lovely calm morning at Soar produced: Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatears, 5 Sedge & 3 Reed Warblers, Sparrowhawk, & 2 Roe Deer.

Later, the Black Guillemot still present off Drake's Island.

Black Guilllemot Summer plumage,close to pier around Drakes Island.Scope views from opposite shore areas or Mt Batten pier.

Seen from moving car.

Looked good to me ,brief view, but looked brown, (albeit looking into the bright) and smaller than Grey around 8am yesterday

Pink-footed Goose feeding in arable fields with Canada Geese. Common Sandpiper on marsh, Stonechat (pair), Kestrel. 5 Swift, 5 Swallow, 5 Reed Warbler & 1 Sedge Warbler and a Jay. 

Black Guillemot still on north side of Drake’s Island. Closer to island shore near the pier/jerry. Currently favouring the white Jerry can buoys. 

Easily seen from mount batten breakwater with a scope 

Down at Aylsebeare Common yesterday (Friday) afternoon where this Dartford Warbler and Willow Warbler were seen. I saw eight Dartfords and four Willow Warbles spread over a large area of the common. Also saw a number of Linnets, a couple of Stonechats, a Buzzard and a Green Woodpecker.

Dartford Warbler

Willow Warbler

This evening between 7.30 pm and 8 pm a White Stork seen circling over Kingsteignton in company with a Heron, both birds seen at height but the Stork simply kept climbing and was eventually lost from sight simply due to its altitude.

Back home at South Brent the afternoon gave two sightings of passage House Martins initially 6 and later on another 4.

First six Swifts of the year over Houndiscombe Park and Houndiscombe Road.at 7.30pm.

A walk down to the bird hide today past the monkey puzzle trees revealed a small flock of Siskin including this handsome male who was preening not feeding. At the hide were all the usual suspects and nothing unexpected. Nuthatch, marsh tit,

Siskin on monkey puzzle

Nuthatch at the hide

RNP flew over Vicarage Hill, Marldon at 7.40am

Best today were Hobby and first Spotted Flycatcher; looks like another record equalling year for Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats are everywhere - great news when I can remember c.40 years ago there were hardly any! Looks like the wintering grounds are in good shape!

Black Guillemot still off the North side of Drakes island, near the 6 yellow buoys, frequently diving. Distant, scope advised.

A late evening visit. Pink-footed Goose, as report below in field just south of new scrapes. 3 Egyptian Geese too. 12 Dunlin on new scrapes. 7 Barwits on estuary. Hobby sat waiting for supper…..probably one of the 75+ Sand Martin. 20 Swift & 2 Wheatear. 

Lower Tamar Lake this morning.

10 Common Sandpiper, 1 Willow Tit, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Jay, 2 Wren, 1 Grey Wagtail.

A Snow Goose on Powderham Marsh and 2 Black Swan off Turf were perhaps expected but a Pink-footed Goose on Exminster Marsh with Canada Geese was unexpected (presumably the wintering bird reappearing). Sedge and Reed Warblers were vocal and often quite showy and Swifts, Swallows and House Martins were seen overhead. Male Gadwall and Scarce and Broad-bodied Chasers also seen. 

Pink-footed Goose

Black Swan

17 swifts seen around Chagford church. Nest boxes fixed there and swift call recordings in the past may have helped.

A Black Guillemot on the north side of Drake Island this afternoon

A decent number of Swifts over the Marshes this morning (up to 30), Also Swallows, Sand Martins and a few House Martins mostly attending the cattle.4/5 Whimbrel on the Caen with 2/3 Curlew and a single Black-tailed Godwit.

This afternnon, at least 4 Whimbrels (1 grounded & later, 4 SW), Whitethroat & 2 Roe Deer but not much else!

Large numbers of House Martins together with Swifts and Swallows plus a few Sand Martin’s arrived over the woods and were feeding at 11:30.  Left shortly afterwards, flying in a northerly direction. 

Kingsteignton Wednesday 11th.  Swifts heard but not seen over the village.  One day earlier than the average over previous years. Summer has arrived !

While in the County Gate area I spotted this pair of Redstart.

Female Redstart

Male Redstart

Passage House at 1600hrs today on high tide….

2 Little Ringed Plovers,1 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Shelduck,34 Mute Swans and 7 Little Egret

Apologies for quality but this bird was very high and are ID record shots only.

Rather quiet over high tide this afternoon, with c80 Black-tailed Godwits at BGM, plus Little Grebe, 27 Shelduck, Kingfisher, 9 Swifts, 20 Sand and 1 House Martin and a Cetti's Warbler. At Goosemoor, 2 Greenshanks and a Whimbrel.

My first swifts of the year ; 10 circling around Mincinglake .

I was pleased to see that the Long-tailed Tits have fledged successfully this year.   Here they are being fed in the garden in the pouring rain this morning.

Juvenile Long-tailed Tit

Juvenile Long-tailed Tit

Just seen an Alpine Swift over Radford Woods, Plymstock.  Last seen flying In an easterly direction.  Picture to follow.

On a pretty quiet seawatch from 07.10-10.40: 4 Puffins, 57 Manx Shearwaters, 37 Kittiwakes & 3 Common Scoters. Also, in, off the sea: 3 Swifts, 11 House Martins & 3 Swallows. 

Late post - yesterday early evening.

The leucistic Reed Bunting known locally as 'Russell's Bunting' which was first seen on Braunton Great Field during late winter/early spring. It was perched on cauliflowers & feeding on seeds but later moved to the reed beds on Sharpa Marshes.  Now desperately seeking a female companion with a view to mating & rearing a family. Hoping there is a local female who will find his snow white plumage & song irresistible!

Photo taken from the Toll House on the west side of the Caen Estuary.

yesterday morning: 2 pale Pomarine Skuas drifted N in Torbay - appeared to be lingering, 1 Great Northern Diver and 7 Whimbrel on rocks just off shore.