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This page was initially set up to give a concise news summary of birds of interest seen in Devon. Anyone noting interesting species, passage and counts could post the details to inform other birders what was going on around the county. Photos could also be added for interest and to enliven the posts. It was accepted that because other wildlife was of interest, this would also appear especially when included in a birding post.

However, in the last year, more posts have been appearing purely on subjects other than birds. Whilst of interest to some observers, this is detracting from the aim of the pages, i.e. principally bird sightings.

Devon Birds has therefore taken the decision to require contributors of other wildlife to post this in the Other Wildlife subject. However it’s accepted that occasional, exceptional, other wildlife seen during a birding outing justifies inclusion in the bird sightings post. This should, however, be a minor part of the post.

Photos are often appearing as a gallery, or even acting as a personal photo blog, rather than of county-wide sightings of interest. Devon Birds has a Gallery which members and other birders are welcome to submit their often stunning photos to, for others to see. Many of these photos need not then appear on this page. From now on, only two photos per post will be accepted to help keep posts more concise.

Devon Birds very much welcomes posts that already meet these criteria and those that will continue to do so. It would also be great to widen the input from keen birders who currently don’t contribute, including some old friends who have dropped out. Hopefully the changes will encourage wider participation, so if you look at the site but don’t post, please consider doing so.

Our aim is to provide a concise daily news summary of bird sightings around Devon, and these changes should fulfil this goal.

Below is a summary of the changes:

• Bird News (bird sightings of interest, with added occasional other wildlife) will be the default subject when visitors arrive at this page.
• Other Wildlife posts therefore won’t initially be shown unless visitors click Other Wildlife under Subjects on the right-hand side.
• Only two photos can now be submitted per post.
• General bird photos should be posted in our Gallery please.
• Co-authors should now only use the Submit a Blog Post form, to ensure a more consistent format for posts.

The deadline for the 2019 Bird Report is rapidly approaching. If you found (or saw) any of these birds please could you submit a description to recorder@devonbirds.org to ensure your records are published. Many thanks. 

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The Pill , 2 Glossy Ibis ( both in flight ) - 1 Spotted Redshank , 2 Kingfishers & 20 + Dunlins .

Saltpill Duck Pond - 15+ Little Egrets & 7 Cattle Egrets .

Home Farm Marsh - 24+ Greenshanks , 1 Ruff & 2 Spoonbills.

Today's tally inc.Firecrest, Reed Warbler, 21 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, Whitethroat, 150 Skylark, 170 Meadow Pipit, 330 House Martin, 80 Swallow, 3 White Wagtail, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 2 juv Great Spotted Woodpecker in the willows, 7 Wheatear, 22 Stonechat, Bullfinch, 70 Goldfinch & 90 Linnet.

Non-avian: 7 Clouded Yellow & 440 Large White.

Overhead migration 0700-0900hrs: 3 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Crossbills , 1 Redpoll, 41 Siskin, 57 Linnets, 3 Chaffinch, 28 Goldfinch, 43 Meadow Pipits, 12 'alba' Wagtails, 4 Grey Wagtails. Grounded migrants included 8 Chiffchaff, 5 Goldcrest, 3 Blackcap..

Also a pod of 10+ Common Dolphin off the headland.

At Avon Dam this morning 11 red-head Goosanders spent 30 mins preening on the shore before departing at 0733. First double-figure count of autumn. In the photo the second from right bird shows thin white 'eye-stripe' indicative of juv. Also 12 Teal and one Common Sand. Below the dam at Long-a-Traw, two Ring Ouzels (prob ad female and juv) following other September records of four at Emsworthy yesterday and a juv in the Glaze valley on 6th. Spotted Flycatcher below Brent Hill yesterday.

Goosanders at Avon Dam.

3 Cattle Egret in amongst cattle early evening

From my WeBS sector this morning on the Taw Estuary (Chivenor foreshore, Caen mouth, Sherpa Marsh): at least 1 probably 2 Great White Egrets, a Cattle Egret, an Osprey eating a fish on one of the old barns at Horsey Island, 9 Pale-bellied Brent Geese (given the recent NE winds, more likely to be overshoots from the Svalbard population, rather than from the Canadian High Arctic population), 7 Pintail, very good numbers of Wigeon for this early stage of the autumn, and 26 Mediterranean Gulls. Also 3 Whinchats and 4 Stonechats perched in a single hawthorn and steady overhead southbound passage of Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Swallows.

On South Huish 1 little Stint, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Grey Plover. along coastal footpath and beaches 14 Wheatear, 8 Chiffchaffs, 3 Sanderling, 11 Dunlin & 14 Ringed Plover.

Yesterday along short stretch of Dart Estuary footpaths  12+ Firecrest and 7 Chiffchaffs.

A Firecrest in my garden in Dousland, near Yelverton today. Nice party of 18 Crossbills at Burrator Reservoir yesterday and 10 today.

The Firecrest was in a large holly bush. A good number of the Firecrests I’ve seen in Devon have been in holly....they obviously like it in there!

Whilst attemping to  do a very reduced WEBS survey this morning around 10.30 with a very high tide.looked up to Sandridge through the scope from Galmpton mill creek, and on the left hand bare tree there was an osprey sitting. good views through the scope, although camera could not quite catch all the details from that far away. but a very exciting morning.

18:18

1 Grey Wagtail (EX4)

Low-ish tide 16:00. On the beach 10+ Ringed Plover along with 10+ Dunlin and 2 first winter Wheatear. On the rocks 2 Curlew, 3 Bar-Tailed Godwit, 10+ Turnstone, 3 Oystercatcher and the individual Knot still present. On the walk up, strangely quiet for the time of year, probably due to heavy footfall and the time of day, 2 Chiffchaff and a Kestrel. 

Between 10a.m-11.30a.m.this morning a number of Swallows & House  Martins, in small groups, About 80 in total, all heading north.

4 Ring Ouzels seen between Haytor & Houndtor at 1pm today. Settled in rowan tree before being disturbed..

This morning : 

4 Little Grebe, 2 Common Sandpiper, 5 Grey Wagtail, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Raven and 1 Sparrowhawk flew over.

A single Osprey spotted above the river Taw heading towards Isley Marsh at 08:00 this morning. A flock of 160 Redshank were on the high tide line beside Fremington Limekilns and 2 Shoveller and  a flock of 40+ Little Egret where on Fremington Salt pill 

After spotting possibly 2 Ring Ouzels yesterday, returned today early and was rewarded with 4 Birds with another possible 2 further down the valley. More on my Blog http://www.simonthurgoodimages.co.uk/blog.asp

Ring Ouzel

20+ fieldfare in the treetops near Longash garden centre at 10.45

Great Egret on flooded meadows on this mornings high tide during the Webs Count.

Yesterday’s Wigeon, 2 Kingfishers, my first Common Gull of the autumn here (1st-w) & 6 Greenshanks on Blaxton Meadow on this morning’s very high tide. Also, 4 Common Sandpipers,  4 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears, 4 Stonechats, 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Siskins, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, Fox & 2 Roe Deer.

Lunchtime 1 or 2 Great Skuas were loitering close to feeding Porpoise, they then broke up a flock of 100 Black headed gulls and predated one of them. There seems to be a lot of Great BBgulls taken up residence, regularly numbers up to 30, at least 2 with red Davic rings. 2 Black Redstarts have arrived along the Landmark car park seen bickering with Rock Pipits and Robins. 

I checked through the Gulls at Barnstaple Old Bridge, I found 2 ringed Black headed Gulls. One from Hiddensee German western Baltic the other from Meriden west midlands. 

Black-headed Gulls

Flock of 70 Common Sandpiper flying over the lake plus 1 Scaup,  3 Tufted Duck, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Willow Tit. 

Looking towards Saunton sands hotel from The White House al lone Hobby as well as a variety of Egrets,ages Dunlin, a Red shank,4 Shell duck,Sparrow hawk,House Martin, Swallows 2 Curlew 

Heading out around the Great Field this evening hoping to spot some of the Cattle Egret recently reported by Rob & Jon we were rewarded with views of eleven! including this confiding adult which sat calmly for its portrait taken from the car. As their name suggests...they were in a field with grazing cows! 

Cattle Egret

Spotted Redshank amongst Common Redshank, a single Greenshank, Little Egrets and a Glossy ibis this afternoon.

While packing up to go home from R.Caen via the Marshes Phil & Sue

informed me that there were now 11 Cattle Egrets! They were right.

450+ Wigeon, 2 Pale-bellied and 11 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Pintail, 3 Whimbrel, 1 G.C.Grebe & 48 Swans feeding on the eel-grass beds

Focusing on Dragonflies, currently a lot of aerial mating activity going on which from a photographic point of view is particulary challenging!

However, managed at last to pin down a mating pair of Common Darters.

1 Red Kite seen over the village at 12:00 today

Bowling Green Marsh: 5 Curlew Sandpiper, ad Ruff, 2 Avocet, 1 Snipe, c25 Lapwing, 8 Pintail, 4 Shoveler. Viewing platform: redhead Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Goldcrest. 

Seen this morning in the area were 39 Curlew, 6 Greenshank, 187 Redshank, 3 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wigeon with the Mallard, 5 Wheatear, 4 Whinchat, 5 Stonechat, Sparrowhawk, Green & GS Woodpecker.

Friday - late post.TWO Glossy Ibis at the top of Fremington Creek at 3.30 today and both roosting with the Little Egrets at 6.30.The newcomer looks to be brown. A juvenile? No sign of the second Great White Egret on Home Marsh Farm scrape at 5pm but good views of the other from the bird hide. Female Marsh Harrier hunting over the reeds at Salt Pill pond.

Glossy Ibis

Great White Egret

900 Starling left the reedbed roost near the Start Bay Inn this morning.

Not one, but TWO Great White Egret today on the scrape at Home Farm Marsh. Also counted 10 Greenshank on Fremington Pill which is more than we normally see. A flock of about 30 Wigeon flew past us as we walked back from the marsh up the Taw towards Fremington Quay before about turning and flying back down river towards Horsey Island marsh. Kingfisher fishing from the outfall sluice from the Nature Reserve. 

Two Great White Egret on the left with Little Egret on the right

Closer view of the two GW Egrets

6 Cattle Egrets on Braunton Marshes on the way to R.Caen but none on the way back early evening.

On R.Caen 213 Dunlin & amongst them 4 Curlew Sandpipers.

Osprey this morning

Osprey

Forgot to mention that there was a rather noisy pair of Ravens in the reserve this morning, attracting the attention of loads of Jackdaws.

On the ride back from the Marsh I stopped to look in the recently ploughed field across the road from Velator harbour and car park. I counted at least 40 Pied / White Wagtails.

2 Glossy Ibis between 7.45am and 9.15am but only one came down to feed. 18.9.2020

Very little about after the storm conditions of the previous night.  22Turnstones, 2Second year Great black-backed gulls,6Oystercatchers  Several Rock Pipits, 2 Shags passing through, 3 Great black-backed gulls and lone Robin directly above where my wife and I were sitting.

Quick ride out to the round Linhay and found one, then 2 Cattle Egrets. Carried a short way and on my return looked properly at the Egrets to find one was a Cattle Egret and the other a Little Egret!

Forgot to mention there was a single Snipe calling overhead yesterday late aft over the R.Caen & 2 Snipe which flew up from the field with the Cattle Egrets early evening.

fantastic huge moth on kitchen window in longdown tonight.

Cycled down to R.Caen on incoming tide with the scope.

No sign of the Osprey on the metal post but a Cormorant instead. Then a flock of Brent Geese flew in & landed near the flight gantry. Taking advantage of the strong currents associated with the spring tide they swam into Horsey Island, On the way home 7 Cattle Egrets on Braunton Marshes.

2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 9 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plover and 3 Curlew with Oystercatchers along the beach at Wembury Point this morning on the dropping tide. Around 30 Mediterranean Gulls (5 juveniles) amongst the roosting gulls out on the rocks.

4 Wheatear and a Whitethroat noted along with a Chiffchaff and a pair of Blackcap and around 100 Swallow moving east in a steady trickle over a 2 hour period and including 2 Sand Martin.

Plenty of Red Admiral feeding up on ivy Blossom, a Painted Lady (first sighting of one this year in Devon) and a Clouded Yellow also seen. 

Red Kite seen drifting over the church in Marldon about 1.30pm today, closely pursued by a Buzzard. About 15 minutes later a Kestrel flew overhead. 

Highlight of brief visit to the Reserve was a small Grass snake, racing to get away from me! The river this afternoon had 1 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover and 40 or so Dunlin some which were mingling with Black-headed Gull flock, and included a Curlew Sandpiper.

a lovely circular walk up the vally over the rocks up to cadover and around back, during this walk seen g.swoodpecker, 20+nutchatch,  stonechats, linnets, swallows, house martins, ravens, a startled group of pheasants, pair of buzzards, kestrel, grey wagtails, dipper, meadow pips 

Glossy Ibis showing well at Fremington Pill today

Berry Head 0730-1230, NE4-5 cloudy clearing: 28 Balearic Shearwaters (Incl.one group of 11), 11 Arctic Skuas, Great Skua, European Storm-petrel, 22 Common Scoter, juv Common Gull, 6 Sandwich Terns, c150 Kittiwakes, 30 Auks (mostly Razorbill), 2+ Harbour Porpoise, 20+ Common Dolphins (feeding under Gannets). Also a passage of 172 Swallows over the sea in 1st hour.
Common Scoters                                                             Balearic Shearwater

Flock of Starlings social distancing on top of Hawthorn Bush!

Adult & juvenile Cattle Egret.

On the early morning high tide: 180 Redshanks, 7 Greenshanks, 39 Curlews, 22 Little Egrets & a Kingfisher. Also, Whinchat, 3 Stonechats, 6+ Siskins over & 6 Roe Deer.

Caught and ringed another Kingfisher this morning. A juvenile female again. Also of note 3 Blackcaps, 2 Chiffchaffs, a Song Thrush and an adult female Bullfinch - the mother of the juveniles I have been catching lately?

Got a text from Andy Lansdell this evening which had me hurrying to meet him at the mouth of the Caen. I hope he will post a picture of the resulting Osprey later. Smart Wheatear too. Thanks for the heads up on the Curlew Sandpiper Dave - we saw one (a summer plumage bird no less!) in Somerset on 12th July.

Quick look at the Cattle egrets and counted 8 (group of 7 and a single), then on to Horsey Island where Rob Jutsam and my wishes came true as we saw a very distant Osprey. Two ruff, 2 greenshank, 2 dunlin, 2 little owl, 2 Wheatear were the supporting cast.

Distant Osprey

Northern Wheatear

A total of 6 Dunlin were spread around the rocks this afternoon.

Dunlin

A good day's tally inc.Firecrest at Starehole Ponds along with 2 Reed Warbler & Sedge Warbler, 12 Blackcap, 16 Chiffchaff, 5 Whitethroat, 6 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Grey Wagtail, 10 White Wagtail, 21 Wheatear, 180 Swallow, 230 House Martin, 60 Meadow Pipit, 60 Skylark, Sparrowhawk and migrant Buzzard gaining height and moving high to the north.

Non-avian highlights: Hornet Robber Fly, 174 Large White & Clouded Yellow.

This afternoon at the Pill , 1 Glossy Ibis , 1 Spotted Redshank , 2 Kingfishers , 7 Greenshanks , 2 Dunlins & one for Jon Turner a Curlew Sandpiper ( thanks Gordon ) 

Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Very little the reserve at Prawle however, roosting on the Coastguard Cottages roofs, on the power lines/ telephone lines and flying around was well over 500 Hirundinidaes. At least 350 House Martins and 150 Swallows. In the fields to the West of Lookout were 6 Wheatears. Pigs Nose Valley was full of warblers with many Chiffchaff, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and at least 10 Whitethroats. The majority of the martins/swallows had departed by 12:00.

Sorry for late post but thought worth posting. Powderham Park Exe Estuary has become quiet a haunt for Little Egret roost but at midday yesterday while scanning trees for a reported Osprey, 3 Cattle Egret were seen roosting in an Oak Tree there may have been more hidden from view.So if they’re not with the cattle around the Estuary check the trees in Powderham. Kingfisher seen fishing near Turf Lock prey Prawns for lunch.

Prawn Lunch

3 Cattle Egret at Powderham Park

From the Tarka trail this morning , 3 Cattle Egrets feeding around the Black Cattle. The Great Egret flew from Saltpill pond towards Isley.  The marshy area around Saltpill held several Snipe and a calling Water Rail. Glossy Ibis nearby on Fremington Pill.    On both journeys a roosting Male Peregrine on Torridge bridge.

Nice to see 6 cattle Egrets on the Marsh today, including at least one juvenile with dark beak.

Nice to see adult and juveniles together this evening.

Highlight of an afternoon walk was a Yellow Wagtail heard and then seen in flight briefly from Old Way.

An evening visit in the hope of finding an Ortolan was largely thrawted by the largest field no longer being a stubble. Around 15 Cirl Bunting and a vocal Green Woodpecker were to be expected but a Short-eared Owl was definitely not. Presumably disturbed from its roost by mobbing Blackbirds and Magpies it flew south across the valley before perching up in a dead tree.

Some excellent arable plants in the southern most arable field with masses of Field Woundwort and Weasel's-Snout as well as Corn Spurrey and Sharp-leaved Fluellen. Also plenty of Small-flowered Catchfly from the clearly very succesful Back from the Brink reintroduction

Six cattle egrets on Braunton marsh this evening. In the field near the Linhay.

Now 6 Cattle Egrets on Braunton Marshes.

2+ Curlew Sands, 9 Grey Plover and Osprey highlights from Bowling Green viewpoint 

Seawatch 12:45-15:15. Little wind, 100% cloud cover so good for cetaceans in theory, where: c15 Harbour Porpoises and c80 Common Dolphins (in several groups with young, some hassled by 2 jet skis, others by a speed boat). Bird-wise quiet, but an Arctic Skua, 30 Common Scoter, 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 3 distant unidentified mid-sized shearwaters, c40 Kittiwakes, 14 Cormorants (migrating south), but best of all a Black Tern feeding mid-range!

Highlights were an Ortolan Bunting which flew up Stare Hole valley at 10.00, calling (but I couldn’t relocate it) & my first Firecrest of the autumn (in East Soar willows). Also, 80 Siskins over (probably many more), Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Tree Pipits, 3 Grey Wagtails, 18 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, 12 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats, c100 each of House Martins & Swallows, Sand Martin, Great Spotted Woodpecker & a Bullfinch.

This morning at the Lake.

1f Greater Scaup, 5 Tufted Duck, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 7 Canada Geese.

At Moorwell Pond this morning, 14 Chiffchaffs, 12 Blackcaps ,1 Willow  Warbler. 1 Spotted Flycatcher and the Cetti's Warbler. Nearby 2 Yellow Wagtails with the cattle and overhead a lone Swift heading South.

Willow Warbler.

Male and female eider seen at 13.00hrs

ID shot of male eider

Now 3 Cattle Egrets on Braunton Marshes

Quiet late afternoon until a juv/1st winter Caspian Gull dropped in at 17:20 for just ten mins, all the right features for Caspian including very pale underwings seen well in the bright sunshine, flew off toward the estuary.

A relatively short visit this afternoon on the high tide produced: 2 Kingfishers performing well again, adult Mediterranean Gull & 5 Mandarin Ducks.

Also this morning, 4+ Siskins over Bovisand & 2 White Wagtails on the beach there.

2 Cattle Egrets reported seen yesterday. 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Wheatear, 1m Kestrel & a flock of c30 Greenfinches at Crossbanks foraging on the estuarine strandline. 

Several pairs of Dragonflies mating in flight!

Rather poor ringing session this morning - started really well with Song Thrush and Spotted Flycatcher, but then pretty much all locals - and not many of them. Grey Wagtail in the stream as I left.

1 Yellow Wagtail in the second horse paddock along the coastal footpath this evening. 

A smattering of migrants inc.160 House Martin, 80 Swallow, 8 Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, 7 Blackcap, 4 Whitethroat, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Bullfinch & a Clouded Yellow.

Glossy Ibis showing well in the Pill at low tide lunch time feeding in the main stream near the bungalows. 

House Martin feeding chicks. Seems very late if they are going to migrate successfully?

One of 3 nests on our house this year. None last year. 6 in 2018.(Rattery)

A seawatch from 07:45 to 11:00 in almost windless conditions brought 2 Great Skua, 3 Balearic and 38 Manx Shearwaters, 151 Gannets, 6 Kittiwakes, 2 Common Scoter and 2 auk sp.  Migrants over the watchpoint included 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 50+ Swallows, 1 House Martin and 7 LBJ's.  Non-avian were 3 Common Dolphin and a Tuna sp.  Also 100's Cabbage Whites in the cabbage (kale?) fields.