As noted in the minutes of the Oct 2020 DBRC meeting, Tim Jones is standing down after serving as a member of the Committee for an extended sixth year. Tim has been an active member of the Committee, and his consistently pragmatic approach to assessing records has proved invaluable. The Society would like to thank him for his contribution over the past six years and wish him well in the future.

In the hope of maintaining a geographic spread across the Committee, DBRC approached Dean Jones to fill the vacancy. Dean grew up birding and ringing in Antrim and Lothian, before a tour of various European islands, including Lundy where he has been the Warden now for the past four years.

His experience and knowledge from ringing and birdwatching around Europe will be especially useful to Devon Birds and the Records Committee.

Unless the County Recorder receives any other applications before 15th April 2021, Dean will be formally elected to fill the vacancy for a five year period.

For more information and/or an application form please contact:

Kevin Rylands, County Recorder.   Email: recorder@devonbirds.org 

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Heard my first Chiffchaff of Spring on Diddywell Road in Northam this afternoon, whilst on Exercise walk from home. Only 3 small snatches of song but unmistakeable and only glimpsed the bird in the treetops. Not very good weather for migrating.

Today between jobs I popped in to Wrafton pond, although it was a waste of my time. Just one: Pochard (m); Little Grebe, Gadwall (m) a small number of the usual.  Mange to spot a pair of Dippers in the stream that passes under the main Tarka path.

Dipper

In the bay: 1 Long-tailed Duck (fw drake), 13 Common Scoter, 22 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Red-throated Diver. 2 Great Northern Divers, 22 Great Crested Grebes, 2 ad s Mediterranean Gulls.

Female Marsh Harrier

A camera bag was left in the bird hide at Blaxton Meadow, Saltram, this morning. If it's yours contact me through devonbirds and I will arrange to return it to you

Took a walk around Sherpa Marsh this morning. Pleased to find a Common Sandpiper on the grass by the Pill on a high tide. Finally also found a Reed Bunting! I also think I had a nano-second glimpse of a Cetti's Warbler in thick reed cover after it called.... So went up to the reserve, only to find, for the first time in many years that someone had locked the gate excluding my lock, so unable to get in! SWW not responding to telephone calls yet so still waiting...

On main mica dam large group of Mallards and Teal held a male Shoveler (scarce visitor here, my first, thanks to Chris E for the tip). Very distant shot, just to prove it was there.  On Phase 3 dam, three Tufted Duck still (also scarce here), from recent seven, plus a pair of Swans, a single Canada, 3 Mallards, 4 Coots and a Moorhen.

Shoveler record shot

Tufted Duck

Some miscellaneous observations from an ordinary day:

- on Matford Pond, 9 Tufted, I think the most I've seen here, and 20 Shoveler, but no Teal or Wigeon, a very abrupt departure;

- on Dawlish Road, c20 Rook nests, down from c75 last year. Perhaps the start of housebuilding around the hill behind is having an effect;

- in Lime Kiln Lane, c30 Redwings chattering, or chatting "Is it time to go?". As an aside one was singing near the crematorium on Sunday, only the second time I've heard this. Haven't seen a Fieldfare for 3/4 weeks;

- along the towpath, song from 4/5 Chiff-Chaffs and 8/10 Cetti's, but only one squeal from a Rail;

- on Exminster Marsh, a few Pintail, missing last week, plus 120+ each of Curlew, Godwit (c99:1 Black:Barred) and Shelduck, and 800+ Brents. Missed the White-fronts, and Barnacles if they are still there;

- in Powderham Park, the usual Stock Doves and Egyptian Geese, and 30 more Shelduck, but no Greenshank;

- in the estuary, 4 each of G-c Grebe and Merganser. Ratio would have been 0:30-40, 30-40 years ago.

Supplementary feeding continues but still plenty of seed available on the fodder radish.Todays sightings included 250 Linnet,300 Chaffinch.....2 of which showing severe scaly leg.....155 Stock Dove and on the river a pair of Goosander a Cormorant and several Mallard.2 sparring GSWs Treecreeper and Marsh Tit in the orchard.Meadow pipits and Starling in the kale field.Non avian included 4 Roe Deer and a Red Deer hind .

Took a walk to Wrafton Pond this evening and my attention was drawn to a distant grey Goose with Swans way out in the field to the south. Had to walk over to the reserve to get even this poor picture - sorry! It's a Grey-lag and not a repeat of the White-front seen a while ago. No Sand Martin either. 2 Chiffs in the reserve earlier on today.

Grey-lag Goose

4 sand martin over lagoon at 5.20pm. Also 4 white-fronted geese still.

The female Long-tailed Duck still in The Cattewater this afternoon with 2 Great Northern Divers as viewed from Duttons Cafe. 3 Red-breasted Merganser(1 male) flew down The Cattewater and out into The Sound. A Chiffchaff was quietly singing away as it chased insects in the trees by the National Marine Aquarium. A summer plumaged Little Grebe was on Sutton Harbour with 3 Canada Geese, 12 Mute Swans and 2 male Mallards,

A Reed Bunting was the most unusual sighting today; also, 15+ Stock Doves, c60 Redwings, Green & (2) Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 23 Mandarin Ducks (13 drakes), 3 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 drake), 4 Goosanders (1 drake), 7 Greenshanks, 20+ Turnstones, a summer-plumaged Shag, 3 Mediterranean Gulls (1 in virtually full summer-plumage) & 9 Roe Deer.

5+ Sand Martin this morning over bottom of relief channel below Trews Weir and then just to north of the Incinerator. 12 Teal in relief channel. No sign of LT Duck. 

Checking the beaches in the southern corner of Torbay produced:

Broadsands/Goodrington: 1 long-tailed Duck (fw drake), 16 Common Scoter, 2 Red-throated Divers, 1 Great Northern Diver, 12 Great Crested Grebes plus 2 Mediterranean Gulls (ad w moulting & fw).

Paignton/Preston: 1 Common Scoter, 2 Great Northern Divers, 12 Great Crested Grebes 1 Mediterranean Gull (ad s)

4 drake Pochard on Wrafton Pond with only 2 Gadwall and 3 Wigeon - numbers dwindling as Spring progresses. Out on the scrape 3 Snipe and 2 Black-tailed Godwits. In the reserve 2 Chiffchaffs, feeding well, as if they are new in.... 3 Canada Geese 2 Gadwall and about 7 Mallard on the pond with the Little Grebe and Moorhens.

5 singing individuals in almost as many days - one at Aylesbeare Common on 25th Feb, one at the River Otter at Ottery on 26th, one at Sowton village on 28th, one again at Ottery on 2nd March and another the same day at Rockbeare.

On the Barnstaple end of Penhill Marsh just off Anchor Wood were a good number of Brent geese 50+ I believe. Just beyond those was a single Redshank, about 10 Curlew and Cormorant fishi

Brent Geese

Redshank

In the field adjacent to the lane to Penhill were seven Cattle Egrets. My photo shows just two of them.

Mandarins - 3 males and 2 females on River Ply at SX 517 577 and further up the river at SX 520 604 - 9 males & 3 females afternoon 2 March.  

Single curlew high over, east towards the Dart at about 1700, calling frequently. (First in 11 yrs!)

Black Redstart still present. Also Blackcap singing.

Black Redstart

Highlights:

4 x White-fronted Goose (2 fields down from RSPB car park (from Station Lane)); Ruff on lagoon; many Chiffchaff, 1 possible Siberian Chiffchaff; Peregrine; 1 female Kingfisher (Turf Hotel).

2 Black-tailed Godwits out on the scrape and one Spoonbill, which was showing off it's very smart headgear! 2 Gadwall on the reserve pond, plus both Little Grebes. One Chiffchaff - migrant or over winterer? Looked very fresh.

Highlights during a walk this morning were: 2 Treecreepers, 6 Stock Doves, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 drake), 2 Goosanders (1 drake) & a Common Sandpiper.

Greylag goose in the Southcott valley close to the flooded area holding various gull species including 3 Lesser Black backs.

Black Redstart , female  taking insects from below the weather vane on the Royal hotel , viewed from the old station platform.

Thirteen Cattle Egrets with cows in Warleigh Estate, west of section of very muddy footpath in Horsham Lane. Yesterday during WeBS count at Lopwell Dam a Comma butterfly.

While biking on Silford Rd. I flushed a Snipe out of the muddy road side.

Hard to tell who was most startled - bird or I ! 

2 days ago another Snipe at the edge of the the industrial complex at Daddon Prk/ building site behind Premiere Inn. 

Cold wind this afternoon with little showing .Few stonechat pairing up ,crossbills in pines up hill from 4 pines car park. 

Great Crested Grebe sewage works 16:30

Pair of Little Grebe fishing happily, Egret and Heron

A Bar-tailed Godwit on Blaxton Meadow on this morning's high tide, together with 130 Redshanks, 80 Dunlins, 7 Greenshanks, an adult-summer Mediterranean Gull & a Polish-ringed Black-headed Gull (awaiting details). Also around the site, 15 Mandarin Ducks (8 drakes), Red-crested Pochard (female), 3+ Goosanders (1 drake), 2 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 drake), Shag, Peregrine, 4+ Stock Doves, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Stonechat, 2 Grey Wagtails & 10 Roe deer.

Bar-tailed Godwit

garden tick: Yellowhammer. They seem very scarce here.

Bullfinch singing; Redwing attempting song

A synchronised roost count at dawn on 27 February resulted in a count of 55 Goosanders (including 18 ad males) on Dartmoor sites, slightly down on the 72 counted in December and well down on the 100 or so of a decade ago. The total comprised 29 at Venford, 8 at both Avon Dam and Upper Shaugh Lake, 7 at Fernworthy, 2 at Burrator, 1 at Meldon and none at Hennock. Elsewhere in Devon, there was incomplete coverage, with a max of 11 at Tamar Lakes and single figure counts from the Plym Est, Queens Marsh (Dartington), Shobrooke and Stover, and none at Blue Waters or on the Taw Est. Thanks to all who made the early start - a beautiful morning with or without Goosanders..

Female LTD present most days last week, and here again this morning. Diving to feed, and occasionally preening, in the area between the weir and the Port Royal Pub. 

After my visit to Wrafton Pond I popped out to Braunton Burrows and found the Whooper Swan near the road just past the round barn. A Buzzard landed on the edge of a private road.

Whooper Swan

Mute Swans

Out for a walk around Wrafton pond where there were four male Pochard, one Little Grebe, a couple of Coots and Moorhen.  On the Scrape was a single Godwit and a few Teal. In the hedge along the path beside the pond was a singing Robin.

Pochard

Robin

Seawatching difficult with choppy seas but 42 Turnstones gathered by Hollicombe Head and a White Wagtail feeding amongst the seaweed. Dead Shag washed up on the beach. 

Up at the point at sunrise,  lots of skylarks singing at the top and displaying. Kestrel actively hunting for hours, Buzzard, at least 11 different Cirl bunting encounters along the path. Glaucous gull did a pass below me on the coast path (i think so from the picture, if someone can confirm), lots of oystercatchers, 5 little egrets, plenty of stonechats, linnets, robins, dunnocks, pippits, ravens, wrens, dunnocks, great tits, blue tits, gs woodpecker, 

Early morning walk over Boringdon Golf Course to Plymbridge. A Buzzard, a Pied Wagtail and dozens of Skylarks over the course. At Plymbridge 2 female Goosander, a pair of Mandarins, 2 Grey Wagtail, several Song Thrushes,1 Green and 1 G.S. Woodpecker,1 Nuthatch, 2 Jays,7 Magpies, a Wren and a solitary cock Bullfinch.

Buzzard

Pied Wagtail

This morning, 12 Cattle Egret still in a field off Rowborough lane. Also, 2 Greenfinch and 1 Chiffchaff in Cann Woods LNR.

Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret

The wintering flock of 14 at Colyford Common have started to change into  breeding plumage before their departure in early March.

A Red Kite over Cadover at 1030 28th Feb, drifted off low to the west over Wigford Down.  At least 2 pairs of Stonechat back on territory. Skylarks singing and Meadsow Pipits with one song flight seen

Two Mistle Thrushes in song, and just as a reminder of winter still about 8 Fieldfare in fields

Late for yesterday.

Early morning Goosander count 4m 7f, 3 Willow Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Grey Heron, 6 Tufted Duck, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Jay.

Early morning walk at Boringdon Golf Course, On the small pond a solitary female Goosander was just finishig a large frog, 2 Buzzards, a Green Woodpecker dozens of Skylarks,10 Goldfinches,2 Song thrushes and a Wren,

Goosander

Goosander

Long tailed duck seen trew weir Exeter Key haven banks feb 26th 2021 female 

Overhead Arlington Court today at 13:31 Red Kite drifting from west to east at about 300ft!  Cropped image for record purposes because it won't win any awards. 

Red Kite high over Arlington Court

My first Chiffchaff of the year, singing loudly from Archers’ Walk footpath in Christow at 7.30am. Lots of other birds active; tits, GSW, wren, Robin, dunnock. 

Glaucous Gull flew from Mew Stone and landed on rocks on Plymouth side of Wembury Point. Appears to have suffered considerable wing damage especially on right wing. This could be reason for it still being around if it is the same bird reported on the 23rd Feb 

Glaucous Gull sat on the rocks in the morning sunshine

Wing damage evident as it flew back to the Mew Stone

5 Purple Sandpipers this morning close to the point. 

On the high tide from dawn, 3 Goosanders (1 drake), 2 Common Sandpipers, 153 Redshanks, 7 Greenshanks, adult Mediterranean Gull, 30 Turnstones & a Sparrowhawk. Also, 9+ Roe Deer.

Few Golden Plover noted in the area this winter, the 50 or so on Dockwell Ridge early this morning being the most I've recorded since October. All still in winter plumage, though a few bellies seem to show a little dark smudging. Earlier, eight roosting Goosanders (two males) departed at 0743. 

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Female Black Redstart on the roof tops in Lipson

Watching over the the Gull roost yesterday evening produced 4 Mediterranean Gulls (2 fw, 1 ad w & 1 ad s), a fw drake Long-tailed Duck was with 7 Common Scoter, the wintering Long-tailed Duck in Torbay has been a female so a new arrival. Diver numbers have dropped right off again after the stormy weather last week now down to 8 Great Northern Divers. 2-3 Common Dolphin and 1 Harbour Porpoise.

A pre-dawn check for roosting Goosanders revealed just a pair from 06:15 onwards. the highlight, however, was an Otter that swam across the lake at 06:45 to the North Marsh, flushing lots of waterfowl as it went; after working its way eastwards, I lost it in the mist. Well worth the early rise!  Also at least two pairs of Mandarins, Little Grebe, 10 Tufted, noisy Green and G S Woodpeckers.

Due to the high volume of traffic and the resulting traffic jam I decided to move on and visit Yelland for a while.  Along the roadside leading to old power station site and opposite the new coffee shop a pair of Carrion Crows grabbed my attention, along the Tarka path I spotted a number of Teal, Six Little Egrets, a Kestrel and high up in the sky were a large number of Golden Plovers (at least a hundred possibly more) couldn't get all in one frame. Also there was a group of a least a couple of dozen  of what appeared to be Curlew roosting in the marsh.

Carrion Crow

Golden Plover

Yesterday, I had an early afternoon walk along Fremington Pill. There was very little in the way of bird life other than the usual.  Managed to get some distance shots of a couple of Shelduck and a Redshank. Saw a few Little Egrets, a pair of Wood pigeon nest building, a couple of Teal and one Pied Wagtail.

Redshank

Male Shelduck

3 Chiffchaff singing in Mincinglake Valley Park and a Redpoll on the garden bird table. At eleven the raptors got aerial, including a Red Kite rising over Upton Pyne. Several drumming Greater Spotted & yaffling Green Woodpeckers. Buzzards tumbling and talon grappling. A  brimstone & red admiral, plus mating frogs completed the springy scene.

A Small Tortoiseshell in the garden as I enjoyed lunch outside. Dipper in the river by Caen St School. 2 drake Pochard, some each of Shoveler and Wigeon on Wrafton Pond. Little Grebe trilling in the reserve. Down the Toll road, Little Owl, and the juvenile Whooper Swan right by the road just past the round Linhay.

Little Owl

Juvenile Whooper Swan

Lots of birdsong for this morning's dawn walk. Particularly pleased by the songs and visible ascentsof 2 Skylarks, several Yellowhammers singing and showing well along the hedges and a very early Chiffchaff singing and showing. Plus 2 male and 1 female Bullfinch getting territorial at West Sandford.

Just walking through our village of Taleford near Ottery St Mary, Devon at dusk and was surprised to see a Red Kite fly over at tree top level.

A good spread of birds on a lovely mild day, including: Treecreeper, Sparrowhawk, Stonechat, 2 Grey Wagtails, Siskin, 3 Goosanders (1 drake), 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adults), 4 Common Sandpipers, 5 Greenshanks, 27 Turnstones & a Mute Swan (the latter my 90th species of the year here).

Also, Small Tortoiseshell & 15 Roe Deer.

Another Small Tortoiseshell & a Sparrowhawk at Tothill Park.

Flock of Fieldfare (c50) on eastern side of forest. Elsewhere good numbers of small birds at feeders near Caddihoe including Marsh Tits with 2 drumming Gt Spotted Woodpeckers.  A  Green Woodpecker heard on western woodlands. 

The Long Tailed Duck still present but quite distant. Also, 2 Shag and several Cormorant.

Long Tailed Duck (female)

Cormorant

Plenty of Dartford Warbler.

1 Red Kite over at 11:00.

15 minute cycle ride out to Croyde Sands this morning as part of my daily exercise routine. Hundreds of Gulls on the Sands & scanned every one of them.

Amongst  the BH Gulls, Herring Gulls & Common Gulls were several Med Gulls & 2 Lesser Black backed Gulls. 

Signs of early spring for this loving pair of Carrion Crows!

The Long-tailed Duck still at Mountbatten, but at distance, no sign of the Northern diver

Female Long-tailed Duck

A Sparrowhawk performed a spectacular 700m long dive across the north end of the Down into a tree full of Redwings scattering them wildly.  A single  flock of c.40 Meadow Pipits was notable along with double figures of Stonechat and Skylark.  Four Buzzards, a pair of Ravens and a pair of Yellowhammers also present.

Female Red-crested Pochard on the River ply today just South of the old sewage discharge pipe station with 6 mallards. 

Pretty quiet this afternoon but managed: 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Goosanders, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Stonechat & 10 Roe Deer.

1200 24/02/21  pair of Dippers on the Avon above Shipley Bridge. Never seen 2 together before but followed this pair up the river for 200m before they ducked into small cave..

1 adult winter Little Gull seen for approximately five minutes with the mixed gull roost on the Skern. It then flew across Northam Burrows, dropped in at Sandymere and then appeared to head out to sea. The bird couldn't be relocated. Also at the Skern high tide roost were two adult Mediterranean Gulls approximately 400 Oystercatcher, 100 Dunlin, Knot, Grey Plover and 38 Bar-tailed Godwit.

Female long-tailed duck still there above Weir this morning.

Spring moving right along, but some bits remain the same: 2 Spoonbills out on the scrape this morning, only one Pochard on Wrafton Pond. Shoveler and Wigeon present but the only Gadwall I saw were 2 in the reserve. Also there singing Water Rail and Cetti's Warbler, Goldcrest, and a Collared Dove was notable. As I left a Grey Wagtail in the river and then 2 Kingfishers zoomed off upstream together - a pair?