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Blaxton Meadow being well used at low tide with 25 Wigeon joined by a dark-bellied Brent Goose. Also on site, 3 Goosanders (1 drake), Jack Snipe, Snipe, Great Northern Diver, c20 Turnstones, 3 Chiffchaffs, Stonechat, Green Woodpecker & 11 Roe Deer.

Farmland bird count priorities were 500 Skylark, 53 Cirl Bunting & 60 Yellowhammer. Still on the low side but may increase as the weather gets colder. Also: Whinchat in fracas with male Stonechat, female Merlin hunting Skylarks, 3 Lapwing (first this year), 4 Redwing, 17 Dunnock, 15 Greenfinch, 100 Jackdaw, 120 Carrion Crow & 400 Starling.

In the valley this morning. 3 Firecrests and 11 Goldcrests. Overhead 5 Redwings.  8/10 Firecrests regularly overwinter in the entire length of the valley from Lannacombe Beach to Lannacombe Green ( 3/4 mile )This morning's birds were at approx. mid point in the valley.

1st. Yr. f. Goldcrest.

1st. Yr. m. Firecrest.

09:44 - 11:54

Yellow-browed Warbler, Grey Wagtail and Jay were the highlights.

Early am - No Scoters at Downend.

At Baggy Pt one flock of exactly 20 female Common Scoters,2 Red throated Divers flying past Baggy point towards Morte Pt. 4 Shags, one pair of Ravens, 8 Fulmars & 35 Jackdaws.

Very large flocks of Lapwing around the breech area, 3 curlew sandpiper, 1common Sandpiper, 2Thrush,4 Stonechat, 6LittleEgret,flock of chaffinches, 6 little grebes,and more waders further out that we could not identify. 

Just a few Redwing feasting on a berried Hawthorn tree on Braunton Marshes.

 Photo of Horsey at low tide looking towards Braunton in the distance.

The first winter drake scaup still present on the back of the boating lake early this afternoon, with tufted ducks. 

Scaup. 1st winter drake

Tufted duck, female

A sweep of the Torbay beaches today produced : 1 Long-tailed Duck, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Great Crested Grebe (Paignton). From Broadsands 5 Red-throated Divers, 4 Great Northern Divers, 1 Red-necked Grebe, 60+ auks. 2 pods (total of 16-18 )of Common Dolphins.

At least 18 Cirl Buntings and a female Yellowhammer on seed in the 2nd car park.

At 15:40 today a pre-roost gathering of c.2 dozen Pied Wagtails, joined by about a dozen Goldfinches, in the 'parakeet tree' at the cycle track 27 junction above Blaxton Meadow.

Very Distant Red Kite over Cadover Bridge area this morning, Redwings and Fieldfares, Green Woodpecker heard

Low tide this morning produced: Great Northern Diver (juv), Little Grebe, 22 Wigeon, 3 Common Sandpipers, 2 Kingfishers, Shag & Grey Wagtail.

Kingfisher

Single birds seen on the 17th and 24th November at Perridge Estate. Unfortunately the estate is private but birds traditionally disperse around the estate 

Counted two rafts of 16 Common Scoter about a hundred metres off Baggy Point this morning.  In company with them were 2 adult winter Red Throated Loons and one 1st winter Guillimot. Heavily cropped Images, due to distance from subjects, attached for record purposes. 

Adult winter Red Throated Loon (Diver)

Common Scoter (probably juvenile)

Close views of Great Northern Diver off South side of Breakwater, as reported yesterday.  Unfortunately the bird had a length of what looked like nylon fishing line hanging out of the end of its bill.  Such a shame!

Female Black Redstart still around East Charleton, likely to be seen from time to time around the garage, it disappears that way when it leaves Home Farm where I see it from time to time.

A single Great Northern Diver close in to the northern side of the Mount Batten breakwater at 2 p.m.

C Scoter: 16, Stonechat 1,  Raven 3

To begin with, caught up with the Goodrington Scaup. Later, at Broadsands, missed the L-t Ducks reported by Mike Langman, but managed to see the Dolphins, R-n Grebe, GN and R-t Divers.

From the Dawlish seawall after lunch, a similar selection: at least three GN and seven R-t Divers, plus others too far out to specifically identify, double figures of Guillemot, and, substituting for the R-n, fifty+ G-c Grebes and two Common Scoters. As a bonus, a Cirl Bunting "tseeeep"-ed from the cliffside.

Finally, from Cofton Steps and Starcross, Little and Slavonian made for a rare four-Grebe day, with six R-b Mergansers busy feeding, 100+ Shelducks, uncounted Brents, and the usual waders dispersed across the mud. As the light faded, 120+ Turnstones came to roost on the Starcross pontoon.   

The Lower Lake this morning.

18 Goosander 10m 8f, 1 Green Sandpiper, 5 Willow Tit, 4 Marsh Tit, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Grey Heron, 3 Tufted Duck 2m 1f. 2 Wigeon, 2 Great Black-backed Gull.

No sign of the four Glossy Ibis in the pill this morning and it was asked a few days ago where do they go? We found them in the field adjacent to Saltpill Pond on Home Farm Marsh. We were treated to a flyover by at least 2,000 Golden Plover between Chivenor and the south bank of the Taw. A distant small flock of about 20 small waders were identified as Dunlin. There were also Lapwing, Widgeon, Little Egret andTeal present in small numbers in the Taw and on the tide mark. Spotted Redshank was present in the Pill along with at least two Greenshank. and, of course, all the usual Redshank, Curlew and Oystercatcher. 

Four Glossy Ibis at Saltpill Pond, Home Farm Marsh

Curlew and Oystercatcher disputing feeding territory. Curlew won.

Great Northern Diver again, on the lower estuaruy this afternoon; also, 22 Wigeon, Kingfisher & 7 Greenshanks.

Earlier, a 1st-w Mediterranean Gull on Tothill Playing Fields.

A good morning covering the local beaches with totals of:

2 Long- tailed Ducks (found by REB, 1 Paignton 1 flew out toward Brixham), 3 Common Scoter, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 Shelduck, 5 Great Northern Divers, 3 Red-throated Divers, 1 Red-necked Grebe (Elberry Cove), 1 Black-necked Grebe (Preston), 50 + auks, 1 Curlew flew in and then out of the bay! Plus a pod of 15+ Common Dolphins.

The 1st w drake Scaup still at Goodrington boating lakes too!

Posting for a friend. Picture taken Friday.

Little Bunting 

About a dozen Redwing in the trees on the approach to Fremington and just off the quay a Little Egret with some sort of growth on its foot. At Yelland no sign of the Short eared owl in fact not a great deal there to report.

Redwing

Little Egret

On the mud bank just off Anchor Wood area were two or three Lapwing and at Penhill area there were a number of Fieldfare (30 +)

Lapwing

Fieldfare

I was just finishing a morning walk on my patch and reflecting on autumn migration coming to an end - just a handful of Chaffinches & Meadow Pipits, 3 Siskins, 3 Goldfinches and a single Linnet on the move - when TWO Swallows whipped past me along the cliff-tops, heading SE. My latest ever at this exposed, north-facing site by about a month! Surely another sign of our changing climate. A male Blackcap in the scrub wasn’t quite so exceptional but still very unusual for this site at the end of Nov.

Good views of male Stonechat. Siskin, bullfinch, fieldfares, 5 meadow pipit

Excuse my lack of numbers, I'm not a counter! 

I spent about an hour watching a Kingfisher whizzing up and down at Longbridge, then ambled up to Blaxton Meadow.

Caught a Cormorant struggling to get a decent size catch down it's neck on the way.

At BM, Dunlin, Greenshank, Redshank, Kingfisher, Various Gulls, Shelduck, Wigeon, Curlew. Green Woodpecker in the woods and Buzzard overhead

Kingfisher

Cormorant

Early start for a ringing session. Started well with a selection of Thrushes and Finches, another Cetti's Warbler, and then a dramatic first year female Sparrowhawk. The next two rounds of the nets were empty! Ended up with 30 birds ringed. Redshank reappeared on the scrape early afternoon. Water Rails and Tawny Owl calling from within.

3 Goosander (2 Drakes), 2 Dabchicks, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Common Sandpipers,on the river near the sewage outlet. Redshank, Curlew, Wigeon, Shelduck, Mallards 1 Heron, 2 Little Egrets on Blaxton Meadow. 1 Buzzard, 12 R.N. Parakeets, 2 Nuthatches, 5 Blue tits, 3 Great tits, 1 Goldcrest

Common Sandpiper

R.N. Parakeet

Up at the crack of dawn up to cadover, didn't disappoint, the trees are. still full of fieldfares and redwings, a few stonechats, what appeared to bee a reed bunting male in some of the hedges. A few skylarks, and meadow pipits. Plenty of ravens, chasing a pair of buzzards. 

By midday back to longbridge, female kingfisher as active as she always is, dipper singing it's heart out again, 3 redshanks, 2 little egrets, grey/pied wagtails. Possible greenshank, but it didn't get closer to get a better look.

Both male and female Brambling showing around the feed station at Haldon Forrest this morning.

M&F GSWP, Nuthatch, numerous Siskin, a flock of calling Crossbill and a single female seen passing over.

Brambling

Brambling

Up to 12.45

Female Black Redstart, 2 Chiffchaffs, 2 Pied Wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, Rock Pipit and a pair of Stonechats around the cottages. 2-3 Firecrests in Woodhuish Lane. 

On the way home, the first winter Scaup showed incredibly well down to a few feet at Young's Park, Paignton at 14.45.

About 10 male Mandarin duck with 3 females on the river.  Males chased off several Mallard that were close by.  Not fazed by a few boats going past.  Looked as though they may have been going to roost in a tree overhanging the river on the far bank.

Redstart (Jubilee Gardens); gannets(flying east to west off Capstone Parade and a lone Purple Sandpiper on rocks below Capstone.

In glorious mild conditions, a flock of c200 Fieldfares, Redwings & a few Starlings (at Cadover), Marsh Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker & a Brimstone.

2 Black redstarts near the lighthouse, lots of Gannets diving in and several Guillemots and Razorbills on the water.

Gannets and Auks

Black Redstart

At Longbridge, around 12:00 midday, the now regular Dipper was singing his heart out from a low branch in the water seemingly oblivious to a metal detectorist working up and down the opposite beach.

On the estuary as the tide came in, Great Northern Diver, 5 Goosanders (2 drakes), 18 Wigeon, Little Grebe & 23 Turnstones. Then at Blaxton Meadow (to dusk): 53 Curlews, 102 Dunlins, 124 Redshanks & 7 Greenshanks. Unfortunately, 3 separate groups of people ignoring the signs and going out on the estuary wall.

28.11.20

Hackney marsh 

Firecrest (1 pair and at least 1 other)

Goldcrest

Redwing

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Long tailed Tit

Blackbird

Song thrush singing

Robin

Sparrow hawk

Passage house

Avocet 1

Sandpiper 6

Water rail 1 seen and heard

Curlew 7

Poss wimbrel

Dunlin 5

Redshank 12

Lapwing 8

Grey plover 4

Plover sp (golden)but light was failing)

Numerous cormorant

Great wagtail

Pied wagtail

On a low tide: 50+ Wigeon, 39 Teal, 65 Avocet feeding just off Warleigh point, 10 Black tailed Godwit, 7 Great crested Grebe, 1 Common gull, 1 Chiffchaff in the bushes.  36 Snipe and 2 Greenshank on Ernesettle creek.

Good numbers of birds around the estuary this morning including Goldcrest(1), Blackcap(1), Wigeon (120), Water Rail (7 calling), Curlew (1), Redwing (c10), Fieldfare (c10), Ling tailed Tit (8), and Little Grebe (3) amongst others.

NOTE:  In response to several messages about the state of the DB hide on the east bank I visited this today and took away various rubbish.  A side screen has been damaged beyond repair and a window board is missing.  The hide is functional but deteriorating due to its age, weathering and vandalism.  It is receiving our attention but we do not have the manpower to inspect the hide as regularly as we would wish.  Thank you.

On arrival (about 09.30) at the gate by the river near the reserve (Velator) a Grey Wagtail. Quick look on the scrape showed an Egret, which on closer inspection turned out to be a Cattle Egret! No sign of the regular Little Egret. Tawny Owl called again, 3 Water Rails, Treecreeper, Sparrowhawk over, Good numbers of Finches, a few Redwings and as I left,  a Kestrel on wires just outside, a few Bullfinches and lots of Goldfinch around the gate. 3 Meadow Pipits flew over. Finally, a Redshank out on the scrape as I was leaving.

Back home opened the garden nets and ended up with a host of Tits, plus singles of Goldcrest, Treecreeper and GSWoodpecker. Ended up ringing 49 birds. Jay heard in nearby trees and 2 Buzzards calling above.

A couple of days ago 2 Dippers under the Tesco bridge.

Lots and lots of people around today, but still some sightings, 2 buzzards, 5 redwings, plenty of goldcrests and nuthatches, some angry song thrushes, the two fields near the carpark had 5 little egrets and 25 curlews. Must be high tide. 

Female Black Redstart in grounds of Imperial Hotel by the Clock Tower.

09:15 - 11:58

Ringed Rock Pipit (AVP)(believed to be from Norway) and female Kingfisher the highlights. On the river, Brent Goose, Avocet, Pintail, Wigeon, Shelduck, Black-tailed Godwit, GBBG, Herring Gull, Oystercatcher, Little Egret amongst others.

3 Great Northern Divers near breakwater in Brixham harbour.

17 fieldfares, 1 Redding, 4 L egret

This morning at the lake

18 Goosander 7m 11f, 3 Tufted Duck 2m 1f, 3m Wigeon, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Great Crested Grebe, c50 Fieldfare, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, 1 Green Sandpiper.

The female Red-crested Pochard (on at least her 12th annual visit) on Portworthy Mica Dam Ph3. At Brisworthy Plantation a Cormorant was unexpected.

Female Black Redstart on roof tops and in gardens in Compass Drive and Highglen Drive 

Black Redstart

Quite a few birds on the rising tide this afternoon including: 2 Teal, 11 Wigeon, 6 Goosanders (redheads), Kingfisher, 7 Greenshanks, Common Sandpiper, 12 Common Gulls & c20 Siskins.

A Water Pipit still along the beach at Wembury this morning, feeding on the big mass of seaweed near the sewage pipe with Rock Pipits and Meadow Pipits. 2 Purple Sandpipers on the rocks nearby were my first here for a few years now.

A Merlin flying high and out to sea before dropping down low over the water and heading east towards Stoke Point was a surprise. 

Water Pipit

Purple Sandpipers

10:35 - 12:57

Dartford Warbler; Stonechat; 21 Fieldfare; Goldcrest; GSW; Treecreeper; 2+ Nuthatch.

08:39 - 10:07

1 female Marsh Harrier mobbed by 2 Buzzard; Kestrel; 22+ Pheasant; 70+ Woodpigeon; 100+ Chaffinch were the highlights.

A walk from Woolacombe to Ilfracombe on the coast path in yesterday's glorious sunshine, with pin-sharp visibility and a light E breeze, yielded high counts of 39 Stonechats and 57 Robins. Other notable records included 2 Red-throated Divers (off Morte Point), 2 Purple Sandpipers (off the Capstone at Ilfracombe) and 2 Black Redstarts (feeding together on a roof-top near Lee). Also a distant 'feeding frenzy' of gulls, a few Gannets and at least 30 Common Dolphins between Morte Point and Lundy, with 2 Grey Seals and 2 Harbour Porpoise inshore elsewhere. On Wednesday 25th, the Fulmar breeding ledges near Ilfracombe were bustling with activity, birds having returned from their annual moult out at sea earlier this month, but we didn't see a single one yesterday! They'll be coming and going en masse like that all the way through to egg laying next May.

Watched from Bideford station catching insects on the roof of the Royal hotel around the weather vane a first winter female Black Redstart along with a Grey Wagtail , 2 Pied Wagtails And Starlings.

I saw my first of season redwing yesterday, flying from a big cedar tree toward the middle of Great Torrington. It may've been roosting in the tree

High -, and low, - lights were:

- at Matford, a Cattle Egret with its carrier sp. in the field behind the petrol station;

- on the main Exminster pond, 10+ newly arrived Tufted Ducks;

- in the hedges near Turf, 3/400 Winter Thrushes, perhaps 4:1 Fieldfare:Redwing;

- six Cirl Buntings "inland";

- in the estuary, 100+ Avocet in several groups, 250+ Golden Plover, 10+ G-c Grebes, the Slav. Grebe, a distant Diver which I believe, without 'scope, was GN, but only two Mergansers (red-listing definitely seems right), and no Turnstones at Starcross over the high tide;

- no Coots, although there are plenty at Stover (something wrong with our water?), and only one Snipe.

Despite my gloom, c75spp. for the day.

On Dartmoor today so popped into Soussons to look for the Great Grey Shrike.  It was not around but a Kestrel and a Stonechat posed for a photo.

Kestrel

Stonechat

1 Firecrest in the trees at the back of Morrison's car wash in Totnes late am; 1 Kingfisher over the Dart at Staverton bridge early pm and a male Brambling with Chaffinches on the Dartington Estate, late afternoon.

09:45 - 11:41

Pair of GSW; Coal, Blue and Great Tit; Siskin; Greenfinch; Chaffinch; Robin; Nuthatch; Dunnock; a male Brambling on the feeders.

At around 10:30am, the briefest of views of the Great Grey Shrike in the northern clearfell but it couldn't be relocated.  On Water Hill above Warren House Inn put up a pair of Snipe.

Mediterranean Gull among large flock of B. H. Gulls on the lake at lunchtime today 

A small flock (10-12) feeding high in the coniferous trees. Excellent views of them detaching cones and extracting seeds. 

Today's farmland bird count produced: 586 Skylark, 55 Cirl Bunting, 40 Yellowhammer, 3 Reed Bunting, 300 Starling, Snipe, 30 Stock Dove, 750 Woodpigeon moving east, Black Redstart, 13 Stonechat, 4 Redwing, 10 Song Thrush, 25 Meadow Pipit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 20 Chaffinch, 170 Carrion Crow, mf Sparrowhawk & 62 Goldfinch,  

In this morning's sunshine, 2 Marsh Tits & 4 Bullfinches.

Third visit in three days with common generally bird-less until today. A Red Kite flew over south at a height at 10.50.  The valley produced Green Woodpecker, Jay and small flocks of Redwing. Fieldfare and Blackbirds feeding on the Holly Trees.  Elsewhere there were 3 Dartford Warblers, 3 Stonechat, and 1 Raven.  

Steps down from the west side of Grenville Avenue to Sherwell Valley Road, 1.30-2.30pm. Firecrest, goldcrest, blackcap (M+F), blue tit, gt tit, coal tit, wren, blackbird, robin, & goldfinch flying over. Long tailed tits here yesterday.

Firecrest again in Compass Drive/Highglen Drive gardens 

Firecrest

Firecrest

This morning at the lake

6 Goosander 3m 3f, 9 Willow Tit, 3 Marsh Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Tufted Duck 2m 1f, 18 Fieldfare, 6 Redwing, 2 Long-tailed Tit.

On this afternoon's high tide: drake Goosander, 6 Little Grebes, Shag, female Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper, 3 Mandarin Ducks, Snipe & Siskin.

A female seen at times during the day around Home Farm, probably the same bird has been in the area since earlier in the month

Black Redstart

2 M,1 F. Blackcaps on feeders in garden.

3 possibly 4 Green Sandpipers feeding on flooded fields beside r.Yeo about a mile west of Landcross on the Bradworthy road.

The dead Short-eared Owl was found last Thursday morning (19.11.20) by one of the Gaia Trusts volunteer wardens. Apparently the body was being sent off for analysis as there was no obvious sign of injury. It would be valuable to know what the cause of death was.