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Very large group (hundreds) of Dark-bellied Brent Geese with possibly a stray Pale-bellied amongst them. Can someone confirm this please?

Pale-bellied Brent Goose?

The Leucistic Blackbird, which has been been reported at the headland a number of times, was showing well this morning.

Leucistic Blackbird

Leucistic Blackbird

Up to twenty Pintail on the Skern as the tide retreated late afternoon. Seen not far from the bridge. Thanks to ?? who gave me the tip off yesterday. 

Further to yesterday's post went back on beach this morning and took more photos as Mike Langman is sure the bird is an Auk.

Eds - Yes, a Guillemot

Four Mediterranean Gulls on this afternoon's high tide (3 ads + 2nd-w); also, 4 Little Grenes, 3 Goosanders (1 drake), 31 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 52 Curlews, 56 Shelducks (including Axe-ringed A06), Shag & 9 Stock Doves.

Walked from Countesswear to Powderham Park and back this morning. Highlight was the GW-f Goose family close to the canal between Swan's Nest Road and Topsham lock.

Of lesser note were two singing Treecreepers, my first of the year, opposite the sewage works. Also:

- on the storage lagoon, 4 Pochards, a good number nowadays, and 3 Tufteds;

- in the estuary, 800+ Blackwits in a single flock, with 25+ Barwits in smaller groups nearby, 50+ Grey Plovers scattered around and the usual Golden flock huddled together;

- near Turf, a Cirl Bunting in one of their less regular spots;

- West of the railway below Turf, the Snow Goose was still with the Canadas. There is so much dead ground when one looks from the seawall that the Barnacles could still be there too;

- in the Park, 30+ Stock Doves, the most there yet;

- in the Park and around the Kenn outfall, 10+ Greenshanks.

Missing today were Pintail and the Egyptian Geese.

A 1st winter Glaucous Gull resting alone on the rocks along the beach at Wembury this morning before being disturbed by dog walkers and flying off towards Plymouth.

Eds - pale eye, pale bill-tip & generally (appears to have) very pale plumage; so perhaps 2nd or 3rd-winter?

Glaucous Gull

Well after a bonanza of birds in the warm calm sunshine yesterday, it was back to earth with a bump today: not much at all in the reserve, but now 2 drake Pochard on Wrafton Pond. Little Egret out on the scrape.

Spotted yesterday (22/2/21). Small number of cattle egrets at the top of the village.

cattle egrets

A female Brambling joined the Cirl Bunting flock (22 today) on seed in the 2nd car park, also a single male Yellowhammer, its odd they are not more regular at the site although the winter of 2019/20 saw up to 7 coming to the seed here. In the marsh behind the beach 1 Siberian Chiffchaff and a single collybita chiffchaff.

   Yellowhammer

Doing her bit to control the local Feral Pigeon infestation!

Afternoon mtb ride gave a Dipper and Grey Wagtail on the Tory Brook. On the remnant of Crownhill Down three Yellowhammers, my first this year, with three Meadow Pipit in a hawthorn. Ten Stonechats were notable. A Sparrowhawk. Over Whitehill china clay tip four Buzzards caused a stir among the Skylarks.

In clovelly bay this pm 1GNDiver and  the LT Duck was still present.

Six stonechats (three pairs) on Brent Hill, and four (first winter?) loosely together on farmland below, represents an increase on the two-three wintering birds. Perhaps an arrival of migrants en route to breeding areas on the moor or beyond?

Also today, 11 roosting goosanders at the Avon Dam (one pair mated) and six teal including two displaying males.

Stonechat (first winter?)

Old churchyard mid-pm, a male Firecrest, crown blazing, chasing a Goldcrest. Inter-specific aggression or courtship?

Afternoon walk from Plympton to Hemerdon and Crownhill Down produced my first Wheatear of the year in fact it's the earliest I've ever seen one. Lots of Skylarks Pipits and Stonechats. Several Buzzards, a Kestrel and a Sparrow Hawk .In Furzeacre Wood a GSW 8 Greenfinches, a solitary Fieldfare with a flock of Redwing and a singing Dipper on the Tory Brook.

Wheatear

Dipper

Soryy that my first post is of a dead bird on Budleigh Salterton beach tthsi morning. I am almost certain it is a  GND.

Check around the Torbay beaches today: 1 Long-tailed Duck, 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Red-throated Diver, 14 Great Norther Divers, 46 Great Crested Grebes. 

In glorious sunshine, a female/imm Tufted Duck on the narrow river, 4 adult Mediterranean Gulls, 5 Goosanders (3 drakes), 2 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 drake), 4 Snipe, 6 Greenshanks, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, 2 Stonechats, 5+ Stock Doves & 8 Roe Deer, 

Three adult Mediterranean Gulls (all s/p = one with full black head, two with partial black heads).  Seven Goosanders (3 males), two Bar=tailed Godwits, two Common Sandpipers, one Common Gull.

Saltpill pond , 4 Glossy Ibis , a pair of Shoveler and singing Cetti’s warbler.

2 Spoonbill at Isley and 1 at Fremington quay.    The rough fields across 

the trail from Penhill point towards Anchor Bank held 8 Cattle Egrets.

adult Male Peregrine on Torridge bridge.

Robins displaying

Pair Great Sp Woodecker mating. Nuthatch, Redwings.

Single Red kite flying over Cullompton town centre, heading north-east at 09.37 this morning. 

A Tawny owl very active and vocal around the house this evening.

A pair of Siskin on the feeders this morning.

Tawny Owl

Tawny Owl

Wintering Whimbrel seen in Charleton Bay this morning

15.45

Juv Glaucous Gull at the point.  38 Great Northern Divers between the Orestone and Anstey's Cove.  1 Red-throated Diver beyond the Lead Stone. 

Female Black Redstart showed very well on the south side.

5 Shelducks in flight, heading south.    

Further to David Cope's post, walking on the front towards the Yacht club picked up a group of six Great Northern Divers in a loose but close group, not really diving and reasonably static, a couple more further in feeding on shore crabs. Walking back to the Ness saw another group of nine close together and in a line swimming towards Bundle Head, again not diving much and another two further out. Pretty calm sea after the last few days, maybe just resting? Any thoughts? Also a Harbour Porpoise breaching slightly behind the group of nine.

EDS: These groups of Great Northern Divers typically 'raft' while resting and particularly when going to roost in the evening sometimes in quite large groups - see earlier posts on Torbay Divers.

On the sea: 18 Great Northern Divers, 1 Black-throated and 1 Red-throated Diver, 39 Great Crested Grebes. Looks like the Great Northern Divers might have started to disperse already now the winds have subsided.

A skylark displaying over Chelson Meadow was a welcome sign of spring this afternoon

Two Tufted Ducks (1 drake) on the lower estuary; also, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers (3 drakes), 5 Goosanders (4 drakes), 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, Shag & Mediterranean Gull (adult winter).

At Weare Giffard this afternoon 2 Cattle Egret in fields by bridge at Annery Kiln. 
On the Skern the male  Black Redstart present on rocks near Appledore Bridge

Think we have just seen an albino magpie by Beaumont road church today - no chance for a pic as we were driving - Never knew these existed but see a reference to it in 2017 on this blog. Very interesting.

Eds - yes; this is a leucistic bird which frequents that area of Plymouth.

Drake Pochard on the pond this morning, with Wigeon and Shoveler but no Gadwall. Water Rail, Goldcrest and Cetti's Warbler in the reserve, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher in the river.

Went for a walk along the Ashford side of the Tarka trail this morning. Dull and overcast with a milky sun trying to shine through the cloud. Lots to see. On the river side lots of Redshank, Oystercatchers and Curlew. Some Sheduck, Cormorants and Gulls on the sandbanks. Of interest was a pair of Goosander, the male displaying at times whilst they floated up and down the river fishing, coming close to shore several times. A Spoonbill and Great White Egret stood close together. On the land side where Bradiford Water comes to join the river were up to 40 Teal, some Canada Geese and more Oystercatchers.

A single Goshawk circling over Kingsteignton for 10 - 15 minutes this morning about 1125

Eds: A rare record of a migrant Goshawk away from known breeding areas. The breeding season is already here for some species, including Goshawk, so please refer to the guidelines if unsure.

Off the seafront this morning 8 Great northern Divers, 1 Red throated Diver, 2 Common Scotor and a Great Crested Grebe. A female Black Redstart around the Den last week.

Great views of 2 Purple Sandpipers, with 9 Turnstones, feeding on rocks below Maritimos.  All moved round to Rusty Anchor rocks as the tide rose.  Also 3 Great Northern Divers close in to sea wall.

Alongside the regular coal tits, blue tits, marsh tits, long tailed tits, chaffinches, house sparrows, woodpecker and great tits we have been visited by a brambling. A lock down treat.

270+ Chaffinch along with one female Brambling. 10+ Reed Bunting, 62 Lapwing, 120+ Teal and as is often the case, a Kestrel. 

Checking  roost last night with Simon Tonge: minimum of 55 Great N Divers (max raft size 10 also 7,7 6) but many still feeding so could easily have missed some, 2 Black-t Divers,  24 Great C Grebes, 1 ad w Mediterranean Gull, 67 Common Gulls and just 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Frog spawning continues, at least 3 more frogs showing in pond. Pair of Blackbirds chasing. Three robins displaying to each other and two more in another part of wood.

This afternoon up to 16.30

The Juv Glaucous Gull showed very well around the site in flight, on the rocks at the point and on the sea. 

1 Red-throated Diver off the point.  27 Great Northern Divers between the Orestone and Hope Cove.  One of the GNDs called in Hope Cove - very evocative!

Also, an adult Mediterranean Gull in near summer plumage, 40 Common Gulls, 3 Great Crested Grebes and a LBBG. 

Two Harbour Porpoises and 3 Grey Seals.

Took advantage of my jab trip to Westward Ho! (very efficient) to take a short walk down Fremington Pill. At least 2 Greenshank, a very smart Spotted Redshank and then at about 3.20, all four Glossy Ibis flew in from the west, struggling in the gale force winds, and flew towards Bickington.

The field behind nut bush lane and others nearby are attracting flocks of 50 plus chaffinch and linnet. There were at least two brambling in with the chaffinch. Also 3 buzzard, 2 raven.

1300hrs 200221. Wonderful murmeration of 300+ Golden Plover giving us a display for 20 minutes near the top of Penn Beacon.

Glaucous gull, prob 2nd winter, offshore, flew towards Jennycliff. Great northern diver offshore and ad Med gull with partial hood.

Wet and windy again on a walk around Plymouth Hoe this lunchtime - a Purple Sandpiper on the rocks at Rusty Anchor, 5 Turnstone on the rocks below the Pier One Cafe, the female Long-tailed Duck still in The Cattewater (distant, mobile and spending very little time at the surface as viewed from Duttons Cafe/Fishermans Nose) and 2 Great Northern Divers much closer in off Queen Annes Battery and showing very well.

Purple Sandpiper

Great Northern Diver

Not as many birds on Blaxton meadow as yesterday, 408 Dunlin is a good count. Another good count was 62 Siskin near the water works. Also seen were 2 each of GS & G Woodpecker.

Roost tonight: 54 Great N Divers (max raft size 10 - but I left early), 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Red-throated Diver, 24 Great C Grebes, 68 Common Gulls, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Only a howling gale, but (like Art in s Molton), only occasional light rain. Several each of Shoveler, Gadwall and Wigeon on Wrafton Pond again, and more of the latter out on the scrape, with again good numbers of Teal. The Gull flock there was enhanced today: along with several hundred Black-headed Gulls, a few Herring, the LBB Gull again and one or two Common Gulls. All head-on into the wind. 2 Swans, and after some searching, the Redshank. In the reserve, birds hard to come by as usual in a gale. 1 Redwing, 1 GSW and a 20+ flock of Goldfinch. Yesterday a Kestrel flew in as I was leaving landing on the wall by the pumping station. It had some lunch which could have been a small mammal.

Well over 1,000 birds on Blaxton Meadow during this morning's high tide including: a winter peak of 380+ Dunlins, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plover, 6 Greenshanks, 12 Wigeon, female Goosander (3 others including 2 drakes, on the estuary), 58 Shelducks, 31 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls & 2 unringed adult Mediterranean Gulls (Polish-ringed PHAU also on the estuary), Several Dunlins had a close encounter with a hunting adult male Peregrine.

Also, around the site, 3 Little Grebes, Siskin & adult Shag.

Surprisingly dry. 2 Bullfinches, 2 marsh tits, 20+Redwing, 30+ chaffinch,  nuthatch. Frenzy of frog activity yesterday and Tuesday (at least 10 pairs) subsided.

Female winter Long-tailed Duck showing again this morning on city side of weir. 

Yesterday pm saw approx 20 Crossbill just above car park, plus a Dartford Warbler on the common.

12.00

A female Long-Tailed Duck south of the point.  A Red-throated Diver off the point.  21 Great Northern Divers between the Lead Stone and Long Quarry Point.  At least six Great Crested Grebes between the Lead Stone and Hope Cove  Also, 2 Harbour Porpoises and 2 Grey Seals.

Later, between 16.20-17.35, the Juv Glaucous Gull in flight and sat on the sea near the Lead Stone.  

Eight Great Northern Divers off the sea front today 10.30 am .

Our flutter of garden House Sparrows enjoying the sunshine this aft after a good meal on the seed feeder.

A high soaring Peregrine over home this morning, it spent a few minutes mobbing one of a pair of soaring Buzzards. A male Sparrow hawk came in and landed on one of my feed station stands in the afternoon.

While watching 12 Green finch on the feeders another 30 plus flew in and landed in the top of a tree at the end of the garden, most I have seen here for some time.

Siskin's showing well over the last few days with two females and two males in together yesterday, with a pair seen today.

Approx 40 Redwing's around the field hedgerows.

Green Woodpecker, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail and Starling showing well.

Peregrine mobbing a Buzzard

Female Siskin

An afternoon's walk revealed: 2 Fieldfares, Treecreeper, Green Woodpecker, Bullfinch, 2 Common Sandpipers, 13 Wigeon & a female Goosander.

Fairly distant views of the Great Northern Diver and the Long Tailed Duck off the Mountbatten ferry pontoon.  A solitary Purple Sandpiper on the rocks inside the west end of the breakwater

Long Tailed Duck

Purple Sandpiper

Another evening watch off Broadsands tonight: 49 Great Northern Divers (inc rafts of 15, 11, 7 and 5), 1 Black-throated Diver, 12 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 140+ Common Gulls, 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Black-throated Diver - Broadsands

The Grey Plover, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, c300 Dunlins, 2 Snipe, 6 Greenshanks, adult Mediterranean Gull (unringed), 16 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls (including 1 showing characteristics of intermedius) all on Blaxton Meadow at high tide. Also, around the patch, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers (3 drakes), female Goosander, 24 Mandarin Ducks (14 drakes), Green Woodpecker & 2 Stonechats.

11.45

From the clifftop section of the SWCP - Red-throated Diver, 4 Great Northern Divers, 2 Great Crested Grebes, many Cirl Buntings (several singing) and a Skylark in full song aloft.  2 species of raptor.  Harbour Porpoise.  

Cycle ride from the Rusty Anchor to Marsh Mills, I saw 46 species.

Rusty Anchor-purple sandpiper roosting on rocks between HMS York and HMS Vanguard models.

Hoe-Great Northern Diver

SW coast path-distant views of the Long-tailed duck

Laira bridge- little grebe but no BN grebe

Along the Plym Estuary- redshank, greenshank, dunlins, curlews, a pair of goosanders, a pair of red-breasted mergansers, shelducks and wigeons.

Marsh Mills-on the bridge over the river-a pair of grey wagtails, common sandpiper and a single dipper.

Wrafton Pond devoid of all the 'interesting' Ducks today - too much disturbance from nearby machinery? Scrape had Teal Wigeon Redshank Swans and unusual here: LBB Gull. In the reserve, a very vocal Green Woodpecker, GSW, about 40 Redwings, A few each of Green Gold Chaff and 1 Bullfinch. plus most of the other usual suspects. A Grey Heron in the field to the south.

North end of Braunton: 2 Dippers from the bridge over the river Caen at Caen St School.

LTD and GND off Slipways and pontoon. Iron Bridge only saw a Little Grebe.

Please note with regret that the East Bank Hide above the Otter Estuary is now closed for safety reasons. The hide has been vandalised on a number of occasions and is regarded as no longer fit for purpose. It is planned to remove the hide and to return the site to its natural state.