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Good morning concentrating on open country withthe highlight being a Dotterel calling over the fields at Middle Soar. Also 3 Golden Plover (first of autumn), 540 Meadow Pipit moving west & grounded, 430 Linnet, 35 Alba Wagtail (looked like all Pied), 27 Swallow, 34 House Martin, 8 Wheatear, male Sparrowhawk, 8 Chiffchaff & 15 Blackcap.

Lower Tamar Lake this morning.

1 Willow Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, 4 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Coal Tit, 5 Robin, 1 Jay, 6 Moorhen, 1 Cormorant, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Great Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 23 Mallard, 4f Wigeon, 3 Teal, 4 Black-headed Gull, 3 Wren.

1 juvenile Osprey circling the river over Dittisham this morning.

Ridden Ridge, Dartmoor, 1030

65 Golden Plover put up by a female Marsh Harrier. Good views of the Harrier hunting for at least 30 mins in the area it then  gained height on a thermal and headed west towards Princetown. 

Heading out into Lyme Bay on a fairly lumpy sea made viewing a bit tricky but we did enjoy this cracking intermediate phase juvenile Long-tailed Skua about 1 mile off Berry Head (photo from Bill Coulson) also on trip, 12+ Balearic Shearwaters, 8-10 Arctic Skuas, 1 Great Skua, hundreds of Kittiwakes and Gannets, 3 Purple Sandpipers, 1 Mediterranean Gull 26+ Common Dolphins and 6 or more Harbour Porpoises.

                    Long tailed Skua, juvenile, intermediate phase (photos Bill Coulson)

Quick pre dinner visit to the scrape at 1800hrs. 62 Black Tail Godwits, 20 Knot, and the 2 Spotted Redshank diving furiously around feeding. 
Bonus bird, Green Sandpiper made a brief appearance before disappearing into the undergrowth.

Very quiet on the Down except for several Wheatears and 4 f. Teal on one of the small ponds.

Wheatear

Wheatears

A visit this afternoon produced the following. Knot 1, Bar-tailed Godwit 16, Dunlin 14, Redshank 187, Greenshank 7, Curlew 21, Grey Heron 14, Little Egret 13, Kingfisher 1 & Green Woodpecker.

Also in the area, a Red-backed Shrike was seen in a area with no public access.

5 Ruff, 1Lapwing, 1 Little Stint, 2 Yellow Legged Gulls,good numbers of Ringed Plover, Dunlin 3 Curlew Sandpiper.  1 Jay and 1 Kestrel.

16:14-18:18

3 Spoonbill; 3 Grey Plover; 1 Curlew Sandpiper amongst vastly increased numbers of Wigeon, Pintail, Teal etc 

Quick pre dinner visit to the scrape at 1800hrs. 62 Black Tail Godwits, 20 Knot, and the 2 Spotted Redshank diving furiously around feeding. 
Bonus bird, Green Sandpiper made a brief appearance before disappearing into the undergrowth.

Osprey seen fishing on incoming tide at around 3.00 pm.

Still showing well at Bere Ferrers this morning.

Photos of the Spoonbill on Saltpill Duck Pond.

Along the Redlake Track, Bittaford this morning, just above Harford two male Hen Harrier quartering the ground before heading out towards the moors. Female Merlin hunting, eleven Kestrel sightings which I suspect revolved around four birds that kept coming into view and a very vocal young Buzzard.

Two Wheatear, Stonechat, numerous Skylark and Meadow Pipit.

1 Spoonbill on Saltpill Duck Pond this morning. Photos to follow.

Brief visit to fields near Gammon Head to see the 3 Choughs despite harrassment from Crows they returned to the same field and were really confiding.

Chough

Choughs

The European Roller is still showing off on it's favourite perches. Osprey also flew directly over the village at around 1.15pm. Five Curlew Sandpipers on the estuary mudflats in Bere Ferrers.

Late afternoon update.  60 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Spotted Redshank and 5 Knot (although Sue Bruce tells me she saw 17 of the latter earlier on). Nearby in the reserve at least 5 Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap. 2 Gadwall on Wrafton Pond.

Red Kite. Please note Prawle. Point car park closed until 10 Oct.    South Huish ,3 Cattle Egret,1 Reeve,1 Curlew Sandpiper, 10 Dunlin,15 Blk T. Godwits.

Very few migrants in today's tally of 74 Robin, 28 Greenfinch, 80 Goldfinch, 220 Linnet, 25 Chiffchaff, 11 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, Great Spotted Woodpecker flying north, first autumn Goldcrest, 14 Teal, Sparrowhawk & 3 Kestrel.

Non--avian: 2 Clouded Yellow, four male Red-veined Darter & 5 Sika Deer inc.3 stags.

At 1050, just after low water, an Osprey flew downstream from Lopwell carrying a half-eaten fish.  It flew up into Blaxton Wood and was lost from view.

Also seen a Kingfisher, Stock Dove and three Chiffchaffs.

On the way along the Tarka trail towards Barnstaple this morning 2 Spotted Redshank foraging energegetically on the scrape.

Arrived early at the scrape (well, 9.15) to find 2 Spotted Redshank dashing about in feeding mode! 5 Black-tailed Godwits.

Single Golden Plover over Three Barrows yesterday, calling, eventually headed west over Glaze Valley.

Roller put on a spectacular show for us today , swooping down and catching prey right in front of a large crowd of birders.

Just swooped down and hopefully caught some prey.

At times it just sat in the sunshine on that gorgeous spire.

1 Great White Egret this evening, 7 Wigeon, 3 Shoveler.

1 Osprey and juv Black Tern (been present for over a week now). Viewed from Stoke Gabriel yacht club headland this evening.

Great views of the Roller this afternoon near to village Social Club. On the nearby Tavy, Curlew Sandpipers and Dunlin plus 2 Dabchick. A distant Osprey flew downriver carrying a large fish.

Roller

Distant view of Osprey

This afternoon on the incoming tide , 30 Oystercatcher , 14 Bartailed Godwit , 13 Curlew , 10 Little Egret , 13  Carrion Crow , 5 Jackdaw , 4 Grey Heron , 180 C Blackheaded Gull , 92 Herring Gull.  Flying over Sparrow Hawk and Buzzard.

1 Little Stint, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 22 Dunlin, 29 Ringed Plover, 1 Ruff, 1 Barnacle Goose, 410 Canada Goose, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, c100 Herring Gull, c60 Black-headed Gull, 35 Lesser BB Gull.

Yesterday (Tuesday) while working in Broadhembury there were two Nuthatch, two Coal tits, a Robin, a Wren lots of Blue and Great tits, a Jay and a single Chiffchaff (I believe).

Nuthatch

Chiffchaff

A soaring Osprey at EM and 7 Curlew Sandpipers at BGM were the highlights for Paul McEleny and I today. Other salient sightings were c20 Barwits, c30 Grey Plovers, 1 Golden Plover & 8 Ringed Plovers, all from the platform at BGM at high tide. A Clouded Yellow was at EM. 

Quick early evening visit to Horsey and Wrafton Scrape this evening at 1700hrs. Wheatear showing on the jetty by cross banks, little owl, dozen or so Dunlin with a few Redshank.  4 Little Grebes, Heron and Mute Swans. 
2 Marsh Harriers and Sparrowhawk, topped the visit off.

A stop at Wrafton Scrape on the way home to see the Spotted Redshank still there. 

Pair of glossy ibis seen in creek between Fremington Quay and Muddlebridge today at about 3pm

European roller showing well, around the social club area, 11.00am

A distinct lack of passerines this morning so focus turned to movements of 1700 House Martins moving west in 2 hours plus 183 Meadow Pipits also moving west. Plus: 90 Swallows, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 8 Pied Wagtails, 3 Wheatears, Sparrowhawk & 160 Linnets. 

Non-avian: 4 Clouded Yellows.

To the delight of a small gathering of local and not so local birders, the juvenile Roller, that had been presumed gone gave, first of all distant views in fields below the allotments, having swapped places on the telephone pole with a Buzzard, then gave amazing close views on the cross on the church spire and nearby tv aerials.

Roller

Wryneck seen around visitors centre 10 30 am

A cruise out of Brixham on Sunday started well with 7 Mediterranean Gulls and 3 Purple Sandpipers before we left the harbour. Then with some fantastic close sightings of Arctic Skuas - probably around 10 birds seen in total. a brief sighting of probably a Sooty Shearwater. An interesting Skua at the time of seeing it we had reservations over (almost entirely down to the way it flew off - fast and low - but not chasing) was actually a juvenile Long-tailed Skua. A bit of a choppy sea made watching and trying to get detail on slightly distant birds hard - thank goodness for good cameras (Mark Darlaston's in this case)!

   pale juv Arctic Skua and Kittiwake (Bill Coulson)          juvenile Long-tailed Skua (Mark Darlaston)

Only two Godwits on the scrape, but the Spotted Redshank was still charging about, head under water feeding. Only a dozen Black-headed Gulls on Wrafton Pond. Heron and Kingfisher in the reserve plus a Stock Dove exiting the building in there as if it might still be breeding. 

Great White Egret seen flying north over Hulham Road at 1635 from the window of my home.

1 juv Little Stint, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 22 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 4 Snipe, 2 Ruff, 3 ad. Yellow-legged Gull, 70 Black-headed Gull, 80 Herring Gull, 40 Lesser BB Gull, 2 Wheatear, 1 Willow Tit, 1 Garden Warbler, 10 Cormorant, 8 Grey Heron.

On a cycle ride 19-09-22:

Osprey seen well flying upstream passed Gnatham Farm at 1100, then harassed by crows it then flew downstream again passing close. Also seen en- route Cattle Egret (2) in a field with cows near Ashleigh Barton.

07:54-12:53

Eurasian Spoonbill (3); Snipe; and 1 Cattle Egret over were the highlights.

A beautiful morning for a walk around Soar turned out to be quiet. The only migrants were half a dozen Willow Warblers and single Wheatear and Whitethroat, plus c.30 Swallows and c.20 House Martins; also one Peregrine and a couple of Kestrels. The Stonechats seem to have had a very good year, with about 20 at Middle Soar, mostly juveniles.

At 0900 an Osprey passed Maristow going upstream beneath tree-top height. About ten minutes later another Osprey was seen down the estuary heading for Tavy Bridge area.

Also seen one male Peregrine that spent some time in a tree, two Little Grebes, five Little Egrets, Stock Dove calling, three Common Sandpipers, and a Greenshank

The Bar-tailed godwit flock is slowly increasing - now 14 birds; also, Knot, 3+ Common Sandpipers, 8 Greenshanks, 14 Dunlin, 23 Oystercatchers, 2 Teal, 2 Kingfishers, at least 1 Grey Wagtail, Firecrest & Green Woodpecker.

Yesterday, Black-tailed Godwit, Peregrine, 6+ Turnstones, Small Heath, Small Copper & Clouded Yellow. 

A morning walk from Heanton Court where there were a few House Sparrows, a few Redshank and Greenshank seen nearby and on to Wrafton pond where there were a few Black tailed Godwit and a single Spotted Redshank were seen on the Scrape. 

House Sparrow

Redshank

A great joy to see and hear choughs in Devonl. Three seen this afternoon, just east of Gammon Head above Eleander cove.

Very quiet late afternoon on the Down. A GWP and a couple of Spotted Flycatchers seen on the way back along the bridlepath.                              A solitary Dipper seen in the dying light on the Tory Brook near Loughtor Mill.

Spotted Flycatcher

Dipper

Osprey hunting near Starcros and Great and cattle egrets among the many herons and little egrets

Clennon Valley Red ACA showing very well this afternoon, its almost tame.

Been at Clennon Valley each of last 3 days, but not all the time

08:14-11:23

Plenty of Dartford Warbler; Kestrel; Chiffchaff; Nuthatch: Raven; Stonechat; Blackcap (2 female); Goldcrest and Coal Tit amongst other species.

A mid morning visit was rewarded with close views of a juvenile Spotted Redshank (thank you Jon Turner for confirming our suspicion) feeding with three Black Tailed Godwit in the small scrape. A further 20 or so BTG's in the main scrape. Mallard and <50 BHG's on the pond.

Juvenile Spotted Redshank

Even more Black-headed Gulls on Wrafton Pond this morning - 200? Out on the scrape 26 Black-tailed Godwits and the Spotted Redshank still. Probably 3 calling Cetti's Warblers in the reserve, and both Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher in the river.

At Blaxton Meadow yesterday: Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Common Sandpipers, Dunlins, Redshank, Greenshank, Knots, L. Egrets, Herons, Mandarin Ducks, Stock Dove, Jays and a Kingfisher.

Bar-tailed Godwits

Knot

Single swift seen over the village at 08.15 this morning. 

Five Chiffchaff in the garden first thing this morning "hunting" for aphids 

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Lunch time visit to Exminster Marsh and Turf Hotel. Osprey feeding south of Lympstone. 35+ Sandwich Tern on estuary. 2 Cattle Egret south of Lagoon was best of visit. 

The highlights from a late morning walk from Velator to Horsey Island - ringed plover, dunlin, buzzard, kestrel, little owl, mute swan, moorhen, cormorant, Canada geese, little grebe, goldfinch, a lone swallow, linnet, wheatear.

After a few days away took the bike down to check the scrape. About 40 Godwits, and the Spotted Redshank still present. About 140 Black-headed Gulls on Wrafton Pond.

Wryneck still by ponds (re.Ritchie Moore) plus 5 Spotted Flycatcher, 41 Chiffchaff, 14 Blackcap, Green Woodepecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 40 Meadow Pipit, 3 Grey Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, 50 Swallow, 20 House Martin, 20 Stonechat, Sedge Warbler, 3 Whitethroat, Sparrowhawk, 2 Wheatear, 48 Robin and a possible influx of 19 Wren - not sure they move much!

Non-avian: 5 Clouded Yellow, 21 Red Admiral & 3 Hornet Robber Fly.

A good selection of waders on Blaxton Meadow this morning including: 3 Knots (2 juvs + ad), 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, 13 Greenshanks, 2 Common Sandpipers, 11 Dunlins & 23 Oystercatchers.

Also, Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Whinchat, 3+ Stonechats, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk & a Small Heath. 

Osprey causing havoc among the roosting gulls at high tide this morning, before flying east. Also Firecrest along estuary footpath. What3Words: ///along.brightly.nips

Firecrest

Friday 16th Sept. Sat in the garden at 10.30AM, in Brixham, and an Osprey flew over, heading north east.  Later the same day, on the steam train at Staverton, another Osprey, flying down river towards Totnes.

Male sparrowhawk perched on a bird feeder in my garden in Brixham this morning.