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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Acting on comments to Devon Birds some changes have been made to this page. To the right of this header post you'll see there are now several subjects for you to choose to read and post on. Just click your chosen subject and use as previously.

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Yellow-browed Warbler showing well at Bowling Green this morning. Also 900+ Blackwit, 25 Barwit, 200 Dunlin, 100 Avocet, 38 Lapwing, 35+ Snipe, 500+ Golden Plover overhead, 230 Wigeon, 180 Teal, 54 Shoveler, 9 Gadwall, 9 Tufted, 7 Pintail & a Water Rail. 

4 Water Pipit, 103 Wigeon, 70 Fieldfare, 40 Linnet, 30 Chaffinch & 3 Reed Bunting at Darts Farm this morning too. 

30+ Cirl Buntings on seed in 2nd car park this morning, also 3 Reed Bunting and a pair of Yellowhammers (a male noted a couple of days ago) only the 3rd time Yellowhammer I have recorded at Broadsands station in over 24 years of regular almost daily winter visits and the first time for more than one. 8.30 -9am is the very best time to see numbers of buntings at the car park feeding station,to guarantee close views  bring some budgie seed, a great seed mix, perfect for the buntings and finches. 

Please do not drop cheap 'wild bird mixes'  it contains a lot of whole wheat and often maize to bulk the mix up, attracting rats, crows, pheasants and lots of pigeons - which put the buntings off coming to feed. 

From the seawall, the Velvet Scoter and c80 Great Crested Grebes.

From Starcross, two Great Northern Divers.

From Turf, many hundreds each of Golden Plover, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin, with a sprinkling of Avocet.

On Exminster Marsh, the Snow and four Barnacle Geese.

For the day, c75spp, for the year c115.

Superb views of the Yellow-browed Warbler (in fog!) this morning, feeding at ground level around nettles etc in the roadside ditch near the hide at Bowling Green Marsh. Its right eye was half closed all the time, giving it a squint.

This afternoon's Stuart Line cruise was another good one, with the Slavonian Grebe and 3 Eiders still off Cockwood/Starcross, but we had to wait until near Powderham to see the Great Northern Diver – and then there were two! Again, over 300 Pintail were around the Clyst mouth and the northern mudbanks were covered in large numbers of waders. Around 500 Golden Plovers, 2000 Lapwings, 400 Avocets, 1000 Black-tailed Godwits, 100 Bar-tailed Godwits and the usual hundreds of Curlews, Redshanks and Dunlin, together with large numbers of gulls, including 100+ Common. Among the scarcer waders were about 65 Grey Plover, 30 Knot and 2 Sanderlings. About 500 Brent Geese flew in from the Clyst Valley and about 10 Great Crested Grebes and 30 Mergansers were scattered around the estuary. Finally, after everyone had left the boat, a Great Northern Diver flew out of the estuary to sea. Two Grey Seals were on a 'pontoon' off Dawlish Warren hide.

Driving home from Slapton towards Moreleigh saw a large flock of Lapwing coming in to land in a grass field at approx. (SX8047). I estimated there were 800 - 1000 birds in the flock. Several smaller >50 flocks of starling in the area.

small part of lapwing flock on Slapton Rd. - 21-01-2019

1,000+ Starlings performing well yesterday, Sunday 20th, between 4:40 - 5:15pm gradually dropping down in noisy groups from 5pm.

A Moorhen within about 100 metres of Plymbridge.  I spotted it yesterday but didn't have the camera so went back today on the off chance it would still be around.  I've never seen one there before so not sure if it's a first for Plymbridge.

Highlight has to be 2 Short-eared Owls together then peak counts of 1040 Skylark, 26 Meadow Pipit, 23 Blackbird, 13 Song Thrush, 17 Blue Tit, Goldcrest, 20 Magpie, 75 Linnet, 3 Bullfinch, 117 Yellowhammer, 54 Cirl Bunting & 4 Reed Bunting.

Interesting behaviour in that about 24 Crossbill's were taking the cones off one tree and carrying them to the next tand fitting them into a fork in the branch to remove the seeds more efficiently. Shame about the bad lighting conditions, but it was ovely to see them.

Crossbill's removing cones       Flew with cone to next tree for seed removal                Preening

Quite hazy and cool at the Point this morning, but the sea was flat..

c.6 Red throated Divers, 2 Stonechats, 9 Fulmars, 2 Great black backed Gulls, 1 Gannet, 1 Raven, 1 Kestrel, c.10 Linnets.

A Stonechat at Bursdon Moor.

Harvey Kendall & Barry Bryne.

Yellow-browed Warbler and at least 1 Firecrest in back of 1st car park.

An afternoon visit. In addition to the Y-b Warbler and Firecrest mentioned earlier by George and Les Carr, 2 Chiffchaffs in the same area. On the sea 3+ Great Northern Divers (2 in Elberry Cove), 2 Black-necked Grebes (1 just off Broadsands beach, the other in Elberry Cove), Red-necked Grebe and 2 Razorbills. Also a Kestrel and a Raven over. Too much disturbance in the second car park, so nothing on the seed except five Dunnocks, the only bunting seen being a Cirl high in a nearby tree.

This afternoon's Stuart Line cruise highlights included the Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe and 3 Eiders (immature drakes) off Cockwood, an amazing c320 Pintail around the mouth of the Clyst, c30 Mergansers and 3 Goldeneye. The mudbanks towards Topsham looked spectacular, with many Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin, and about 500 Golden Plovers with large numbers of Lapwings. Also c60 Knot and 2 Sanderlings, and 2 Grey Seals, one of which was hauled out onto a pontoon off Dawlish Warren, the other near Turf .

Ring-Necked Duck, Scaup, Black-Necked Grebe and 2 Goldeneye all seen from the Stokeley Bay Hide.  Good numbers of Tufted Duck and Pochard also present. 

Nearby, the Yellow-Browed Warbler dropped in at the usual site close to the Chapel at 13.05.  It was calling, mobile and showed well for 2-3 minutes before flying off back down the road and into gardens towards Torcross.   

At Torcross, 2 Razorbills close in.

Later at 15.00, a showy Firecrest at the Quarry.  A further Goldeneye and 10+ Wigeon and 10+ Gadwall in Ireland Bay.  Calling Song Thrush (and a further skulking individual), mixed tit flock, Goldcrest and GSW also noted.   

Arrived at the reserve at about 08.45 this morning to find the two Spoonbills asleep out on the scrape - they had gone by 09.30. We ringed a few Finches plus the obligatory Great Tits (2) and Blue Tits (5) Best was a Reed Bunting. Also caught a retrap Chiffchaff from last month, and two smart male Blackbirds which were ringed back in 2010. Kingfisher in the river on my way out.

Should have mentioned we saw 3 Siskins in the reserve, but not in a net!

Y-B warbler and Firecrest seen well at back of carpark. 

single guillemot, RT diver and black-necked grebe off Torcross at noon, with small number of gannets diving far out on the Skerries.  Single black-necked grebe close in at Strete Gate mid afternoon.

A pod of c20 Common Dolphins lingering in the Sound this morning. I last saw them just beyond the west end of the Breakwater just after midday. Also Great Northern Diver off West Hoe.

Boat trip out from Brixham, the first this winter. Went out to Berry Head, 600+ Guillemots on the cliffs many more on the sea, 5 Common Dolphin, 1 Porpoise, 13 Fulmar on the cliffs of the Quarry, 8 Kittiwake and Gannets. Returned to the inner part of Torbay with 1 Black-Necked Grebe, 15+ Great Crested Grebe, 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Red-Throated Diver flying out of Bay, 3 Razorbill, small rafts of Guillemots, 15 Fulmar on the cliffs at Roundham Head, 2 Purple Sandpiper and a Grey Seal in Brixham Harbour. So a good trip, still places for 27th, 3rd and 17th Feb.

A male Black redstart showing well again in Ford Park Cemetery, Plymouth in the usual area above the tow Chapels, another birding photographer got images of a female in the same area.

See near Yelland Jetty.

Grey Plover?                        Turnstone                                          Dunlin and Plover

Eds - yes, the left and right photos show Grey Plover 

Today saw the first Stuart Line birdwatching cruise of 2019 in lovely calm, sunny conditions. Highlights included Great Northern Diver and the usual Slavonian Grebe off Cockwood, c20 Great Crested Grebes, c250 Pintail around the mouth of the Clyst, 3 Eiders (immature drakes) between Exmouth and Cockwood, c30 Mergansers, 2 Sanderlings, c100 Bar-tailed Godwits (many more Black-tailed), 2 Kingfishers and maybe 400 Golden Plovers with large numbers of Lapwings on the mud towards Topsham, maybe 2000 in total.

Yellow-browed Warbler showing well just up from the hide.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Beautiful day at Slapton, saw at least 2 firecrests in the quarry, 2 mistle thrushes chasing each other about and a chiffchaff. From the bridge caught a glimpse of a  Cettis warbler

  
Firecrest                                      Chiffchaff                                   Mistle Thrush

3 Black-necked Grebes, 42 Great Crestred Grebes, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Eider (female), 4 Common Scoter. In car parks, 17 Cirl Buntings, 1 Yellowhammer (male), 4 Reed Bunting, 2 Firecrest, 3 Chiffchaff - no sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler today.  

Ring-necked Duck still present at Torcross but only one of last weeks Scaup remaining. Also 6 Goldeneyes and 11 Pochards. Yellow-browed Warbler showing well at Torcross, usual spot near the Chapel opposite 'Windfalls'. Black-necked Grebe on the ley viewable from the Stokeley hide. Red-necked Grebe off Torcross and 11 Common Scoters off the monument.

Exminster marsh not an over abundance of bird life apart from the hundreds of Wigeon and Canada Geese, high light was a Snow Goose in with a flock of Canada Geese, duck species included Pintail, Tufted and Shoveler. A GSWP, a flock of 8 plus Reed Bunting and two Chiffchaff near the canal. Snipe, Curlew, Heron, Little Egret, and Common Gull.

A Fox hunting across the marsh was interesting to watch with most of the birds ignoring it.

Overlooking the Exe estuary from the Powderham side huge numbers of birds on the mud flats, with Raven overhead, Heron 9, Common Gull, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Oystercatcher, 100 plus Pintail duck, Red Breasted Merganser 5+, Great Crested Grebe 2, Great Black Backed Gull, Shellduck, Grey Plover, Golden Plover in their 100's, Dunlin, Sanderling, Lapwing, Avocet and a Seal.

Highlights this morning were 12 Roe Deer (by far my best ever count here) and a Treecreeper (scarce but a few recent records). Also: Jack Snipe, 2 Snipe, 7 Goosanders (2 drakes), Green Woodpecker, 2 Stock Doves, 8 Redwings & a Shag. 

At FCP Cemetery this morning a male Black Redstart showing very well and quite friendly, in it's normal place just East of the chapels.

    
Black Redstart

19 Goosander on the reservoir at dawn. 3 Crossbills over Bench Tor a little later.

No Goosanders today for the coordinated count in Devon. However, a new Stover bird for me: a drake Wigeon whistling away in the gloom. Excellent views of Water Rail right in front of the hide, and Cetti's Warbler nearby (called when it roused at 7:40). Also 2 pairs of Mandarins, 8 Tufted, 2 Snipe calling, Stock Dove singing and Tawny Owl hooting near the visitor centre - still going at 7:35!).

Yesterday spotted a grey wagtail trotting down Eden Vale Rd in Paignton. Methinks he was lost.

I have checked the reserve and can confirm that we will be going ahead with the reed cut on the seaward side of the boardwalk, about halfway down the reserve.  We will be meeting at the sewage works at 9:30 on Sunday morning, please see the Harrier posting on 5 January for details.

If you have any queries, please email me at gillnickt@yahoo.co.uk or call me on 01548 560243 or 07989717383

Nick Townsend

There was a Little Egret feeding in the river Caen next to Caen Street School this morning. I saw one further downstream near Tesco recently and it or another was in the river by the Car Park last week too. Becoming quite bold!

Bowling Green Marsh - AM - usual wildfowl and waders until a Peregrine spooked all the waders including a couple of Barwits. Along the lane two, at least, drab looking but perky Chiff Chaffs, feeding well, and the Yellow Browed Warbler, amazing how the quality of light changes the experience from last week. Teignmouth Sea Front - PM - hundreds of Gannets way out, a group of sevenish (conditions challenging) Common Scoter - could have been more or less, and at least one Great Northern Diver.

This was the first field meeting for Plymouth branch members and a full report will appear in Society news section forthwith. Highlights of yesterday's meeting included Cirl Bunting, Red Necked Grebe, Great Northern diver, Yellow Browed Warbler a pod of circa 15 Common Dolphin at Broadsands. At Brixham breakwater Purple Sandpiper, Turnstone, Rock Pipit, Great Northern Diver and Kittiwake at sea  plus 5 Grey Seal.

4 Barnacle Geese third field along path which leads out of the RSPB car park at Exminster Marsh .In with hundreds of Canada Geese and a few Greylag Geese, some of the Canada had very dark backs !!!!!!!!!!

    
Four Barnacle Geese                             Gerylag Goose                  Long-tailed Tit Dawlish

Two Firecrests in the Quarry area by Irelands Bay, go to my blog for more info http://www.simonthurgoodimages.co.uk/blog.asp

Firecrest

Of note - 

Red-legged partridge nr Kenton also Bullfinch (fem). Turnstone - Cockwood harbour (no sign of Slav Grebe or reported Eider), GND, RB Merganser. Hundreds of Brents and Oyks all along the estuary. Avocet , Curlew and Dunlin - Turf Lock. Powderham Marsh -  Linnet and Chaffinch Flocks GSW but still work being done on the marsh so significant disturbance.

Red -legged Partridge video -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN047m9ZjZ8

Avocet and Dunlin video - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm1UWG8ShVU

Red-legged Partridge - nr Kenton                Avocet - Turf Lock               Linnet Powderham Marsh

Eds: the Linnet is actually a female Chaffinch.

The Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Firecrest, 2 Blackcaps and 3 Chiffchaffs were again in the back corner of the 1st car park. 23 Cirl and 4 Reed Bunting in the 2nd car park on seed first thing this morning.

6 Water Pipits today from the viewing screen at Darts Farm. 5 fairly distant, but one a little closer.

Just a few novelty shots from my Paignton garden:

Just a single male Blackcap coming to the fat so far this winter. He's been around since Christmas but I have only just managed these dodgy record shots (1 & 2).

Not to be out done one of my resident Robins attempted to match the Blackcap's agility on the feeder but, as you can see, it could not quite compete (3 & 4).

1                                                                                 2

3                                                                                4

Bittern seen flying low over Sherpa Marsh at 10am. I imagine it was frightened by a party of shooters who were regrettably there. It circled above the reserve a couple of times, gaining height, and flew in a south-easterly direction towards the R Taw.

Another successful event at Blaxton Meadow today with volunteers and a National Trust ranger showing birds to 64 interested visitors. Twenty-three species were recorded on the Meadow including an adult Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 54 Curlews, 10 Oystercatchers & 7 Wigeon (2 drakes). Thanks, again, to the NT for organising and for the on-going measures to improve the site for birds.

Later around the estuary, 26 Siskins, Common Sandpiper, 5 Greenshanks, 9+ Goosanders (1 drake), Red-breasted Merganser, 24 Common Gulls (1st-w & 23 adults), Shag, 4 Little Grebes & Grey Wagtail. 

Pity the military are scaring the birds off. Regular gun firing sounds as birds returning to roost last night.

Today off the Pier, the Porpoise, 4 groups of 3 seem to have become a permanent fixture, and a small pod of Common Dolphins were feeding off Capstone.

Seabird wise 3+ Red-throated Divers, a Great Crested Grebe, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 6 Common Gulls and a Kingfisher. On Lantern Hill, still 2 Black Redstarts and a Mistle Thrush. 

Porpoise

Seven Purple Sandpiper on end of pier this lunchtime 

Aveton Gifford tidal road only species of note were three Greenshank and Black Tailed Godwit

South Huish Marsh / South Milton ~ good numbers of both Rock and Meadow Pipit, Common gull with a flock of Black Headed Gull, Black Swan at the back of the marsh, Turnstone on the beach.

Southdown Farm, Marlborough ~ well worth a visit huge numbers of Skylark and Meadow Pipit, roving mixed flocks of Cirl Bunting, Reed Bunting and Yellow Hammer, a solitary Stock Dove, two Red Legged Partridge, four Roe deer, a buck with three does. Near one of the buildings a moulted out Barn owl wing feather.

Preston: 1 Black-necked Grebe

Goodrington: 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver, 8 Great Crested Grebes

Broadsands: 2 Black-necked Grebes, 1 Red-necked Grebe (around Mussel Farm buoys), 3 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Great Northern Divers, 2 Common Scoter (drakes) and 10+ Common Dolphins. Also the Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Firecrest and 1 Chiffchaff in the back corner of the 1st car park, 10+ Cirl and 1 Reed Bunting on seed in 2nd car car park.