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A Whimbrel was feeding on the beach this morning. Also a female Redstart was around the coastguard cottages and a Willow Warbler was by the hide. There are still plenty of Reed Warblers about and the Cetti's is still singing. On the marsh, just afew Mallards and Moorhens and 7 Gadwalls. 

A male Siskin appeared in the garden (Exwick) for around five minutes feeding on the Niger seed. A first for the garden, usually swarmed by Golfdinches and House Sparrows. Have read that Siskins are more likely to be seen in gardens following wet weather perhaps explaining this new visitor.

A good showing of gulls today with a juv Yellow-legged Gull (scarce here - record shots attached) and 5 Mediterranean Gulls (ad-s, 2nd-s, 1st-s and 2 juvs). Also - Shag, 3 Whimbrels, 2 Dunlins, 30 Curlews, Stock Dove, Grey Wagtail and 5 Little Egrets.

Yellow-legged Gull, juv

Yellow-legged Gull, juv

Yellow-legged Gull, juv

2 juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls on the beach at Goodrington. (bird on right - note small white notches on tertial feathers, just above the wing tips, not a common feature on juv Y-lG)

Broadsands:

3 Mediterranean Gulls on beach (2 ad s & 1 juv), off the beach two groups of Common Scoter totaling 35.

Sitting in my garden in Brixham last night about 9.20 to 9.40 I was treated to a formation flying display by 17 Swifts and it was spectacular. They flew in close formation, even better than the red arrows, then in the end flew very high and vanished into the clouds. Sorry no pictures was busy watching them!!!

Ringing in the reserve this morning was productive, especially if you (like me) like Blackcaps!. We ringed 18, all but one were juveniles, plus a retrap and two singing males present still. Also ringed: 3 Treecreepers, 2 Sedge Warblers, 7 Goldcrests, 6 Chiffchaffs, 4 Reed Warblers, and a very recently fledged Song Thrush - this may be from a third brood - they've been singing for months now and the male was still singing today!

This evening I cycled down the Toll Road to the flood, entertainment was provided by some plonker who had managed to get his 4WD stuck in the mud by the scrape! A tractor duly arrived and hauled it out. Sadly this disturbed most of the birds, but present were 9 Little Egrets, 18 Redshank, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Greenshank, 15 or so Dunlin, 5 Curlew, and a Ruff.

At the Plym Estuary & Saltram this morning: 2 Mediterranean Gulls (adults), Kingfisher, Whimbrel, 26 Curlews, 9 juv Black-headed Gulls, 7 Little Egrets and 50+ Swifts. Also lots of Gatekeepers and a Roe Deer (doe).

This afternoon, 4+ White-letter Hairstreaks in Central Park (record shot below). Also a selection of other butterflys including Holly Blues and Commas and a Peregrine over.

Yesterday, a Mediterranean Gull amongst the Black-headeds after flying ants over my house (Mount Gould).

White-letter Hairstreak

6 young Herons on the scrape,near the hide plus 4 little egrets,4 young sedge warblers,little flock of common sandpipers on beach area on the tide,got pics but not good.Goldcrest,greenfinch,linnets, stonechat and a seal feeding on the entrance to the river. Butterflies,red admiral, peacock,comma,burnet,small skipper,gatekeepers and emperor dragonflies.

Thanks to Jonathan for photo of one of the Otter "redheads". The pic looks just like our two birds and I'm happy to accept his identification as Goosanders. 

A few more pics from this mornings trip. You never appreciate how small Storm Petrels are till you see them next to other sea birds. Another great trip.

Storm Petrel between Fulmars

The swallows have fledged a brood from a nest behind a ladder on the harbour wall, on the north side of the Fish Market. The nest is only about a metre above high water mark - the second year they have successfully nested here. Nearby, a brood of house martins look about ready to leave a nest under the eaves of the yacht club (close to the flagstaff) - view from the path behind the fish market..

  
Swallow family party (2nd juv. was on fence above)            House Martin nest

Some of the birds from this morning's trip out of Brixham. For a while we had 2 bonxies both mobbing the gulls.

  
Bonxie (Great Skua)                              Manx Shearwater                         Storm Petrel

Heres some pics from the trip out with Nigel, Iam sure there will be more from others to follow?

 
Great Skua                           Fulmar

bius

This mornings trip out of Brixham, sea state was a bit lumpy, We traveled 8 miles out and had some good birds. 1 Med Gull, 50+ Manx Shearwater, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Storm Petrel, Kittiwake, many Gulls and 2 Bonxies(Great Skua), these passed over the boat and one spent a long time at the rear of the boat chasing Herring Gulls.

I hope somebody will post some pictures for you to see. I missed taking any shots as I had my head down with the chum!!!! Still got some places next week, if interested call 07866202576.  

 Red Throated Diver (juv) off groyne in front of Dawlish station.

I was interested to read Tim's note of Friday 14th regarding two birds (Goosander or Merganser?) on the Otter. 

The previous day I saw what I believed to be 2 juvenile Goosanders fishing opposite the west bank hide.  I believe Red-breasted Merganser would have been out of season although Tyler (Birds of Devon) does say that non-breeding birds do stay beyond April and sometimes into the summer.  I will record mine as juv. Goosander but am open to correction.  The above is the best picture I could get with a bridge camera at 200 yards.

Two juvenile  Yellow-legged Gulls on the exposed rocks in the middle of the beach, one was huge (facing right) the other (facing left and in flight) just a little bigger than the surrounding Herring Gulls

.  

At Bowling Green Marsh around 9.00 two female Goosanders. Flew off north after ten minutes.

At Dawlish Warren, from the railway overbridge, two basking sharks at around 11.15.

Tuesday 11 July. 3 Sandwich Terns calling and flying up river just outside the harbour in pouring rain

2 hour stint in the lower hide, accompanied by Tony Warren, Wednesday evening on the rising tide. Really bright viewing conditions. Total of 9 Little Egrets, 2 Common Sandpiper, and 2 merganser "redheads". The chestnut breast seemed to be sharply defined and made us wonder if they were Goosanders rather than R-b Merganser although we would have thought R-b M probably more likely.Regret no photos this time. 

A Great Egret seen on the river from Tower Hide at 12.15 today. Also 3 Common Sandpiper.

170 Swifts feeding low over oilseed rape by Southdown Farm. Also post-breeding flock of 100 Linnets. 2 Wall Browns first of new generation.

c12 Lesser Redpolls, 10+ Siskins, Common Sandpiper, Little Grebe, 2 Tree Pipits and Green Woodpecker.

The Spotted Redshank was from the view platform this lunchtime. No longer in its summer plumage, it is now quite a grey bird.