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A multi-stop outing this morning produced:

1. In Belle Isle Park a Ring-necked Parakeet;

2. At Matford ponds singles of Green Sandpiper and Snipe, three Stock Doves and good numbers of newly-returned Wigeon, Teal and Shoveler, encouraged no doubt by the rising water level;

3.  At Exminster Marshes/Turf a Sparrowhawk, a Wheatear, six Swallows, twenty newly-arrived Golden Plovers, and in the ditches, several Water Rails squealing and Cetti's Warblers singing, plus a few Song Thrushes which I assume are migrants;

4.  In the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, two Black Swans, three Sandwich Terns, and the usual 250+ Turnstones on the Starcross breakwater. 

In total, 70+ species on a Summer/Winter transition day.

Seawatch between 07.00 and 14.00 hours. Calmer conditions than expected produced 51 Balearic Shearwater, 7 Arctic Skua, 4 Great Skua, 10 Common Scoter, 6 Sandwich Tern and I Med. Gull. Perhaps the best birds were 5 Goosander heading south at 08.50 ! Largest flock of Kittiwake noted totalled 220. Noticeable steady flow of incoming Meadow Pipits between 09.45 up to 13.00 when the rain started.

08.30 this morning the long billed dowitcher was showing well, as the morning went on, it went in with the godwits and redshanks making it harder to see, also there was a curlew sandpiper showing on the point.

Highlight this morning was the first  Ring Ouzel of the autumn, a male in Starehole Valley - plenty of berries here! Also Water Rail, 8 Stock Dove, 7 Swallow, 80 Skylark, 560 Meadow Pipit (200 West & rest grounded), 11 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap, 21 Magpie on Bolt Head & 350 Linnet.

Quiet on the common this afternoon apart from numerous Wheatear on the paths. At least a dozen on the major path going downhill from the car park.

Mid morning/ early afternoon more Skuas passing, heading down channel, 8 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas by about 1 every 10 minutes. Best bird today looked like a Drake Long-tailed Duck. 

A good number of Swallows and House Martins we’re flying along the coast near Teignmouth today and I returned home to find a Female Redstart flitting from bush to bush in the back garden! Keep an eye out for this one if you live in the Teignmouth area!

Whatched a couple of Wheatear this afternoon on the rocks in front of the pitch and putt between Elberry and Broadsands. took pictures, when got home saw that one of them had something nasty sticking out of its chest. what does others think this is, it looks like some type of broken line.

Wheatear with line in chest

Berryhead 7am-13.30

Sabines Gull juvenile south at 11.18   Pom skua , Arctic skua 49, Bonxie 23 , Storm Petrel 2, Balearic shearwater 21, Manx 3, Com Scoter 6, Sandwich Tern 29

The Long-billed Dowitcher and a Curlew Sandpiper showing well at RSPB Bowling Green Marsh this morning.

Good numbers of Curlew, Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit, 46 Greenshank, small number of Bar Tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Ruff, Heron, a short passage of Swallows.

Today and yesterday there's been some very good seabird activity in fairly close all heading down channel. Along with lots of Gannets and Kittiwakes I've never seen so many Arctic Skuas together, c12, I had four groups of 3 in view with more passing further out. About a third of them dark phase the rest light. Not a single Bonxie to be seen thou. 40+ Common Scoters in 3 flocks of about 15 passed west all at the same time as well. 

One-eyed sparrowhawk caught a house sparrow at mid-day in my tiny, walled back yard in centre of Exmouth. Late report for 26h Sept.

08:15-15:00

Thousands of seabirds distant across Start Bay on arrival, mostly Kittiwakes and Gannets. At least 7 Arctic Skuas among them. They had dispersed by mid morning. Highlights on the beach before the dog walkers were a first calendar year Little Gull, 12 Common Terns, 4 Sandwich Terns and 3 Mediterranean Gulls. On the ley itself at Torcross a surprising healthy late number of around 30 Sand Martins and a hard to see first calendar year male Scaup amongst the Tufted Ducks out from the tank. 2 Little Grebes in Stokeley Bay. Along the line 2 Wheatears and a flock of 80 Linnets. Early afternoon the Gannets and Kittiwakes starting coming back in the bay and a watch from the Memorial Car Park between 13:30-15:00 produced one Great Skua and 12 more Arctic Skuas heading south. Also one Harbour Porpoise around.

100+ ringneck parakeet 730 am near barn park entrance 

Sea watch from 8.15 to 11.15 am produced c175 Balearic Shearwaters, c30 Manx Shearwaters and one Sooty Shearwater, all west. Not much else. Pat Mayer reports an additional 85 Balearic in the hour before I arrived - in all, approaching a record day count for Prawle.

The Long-billed Dowitcher was off the Goatwalk this morning at around 10.30, in with the Godwit & Redshank feeding flock. Earlier from the viewing platform was the Curlew Sandpiper. 1 Common Sandpiper at BGM. 

In front of a packed hide, the Long-billed Dowitcher understandably stole the show, but also worthy of mention were an eclipse Garganey, a Ruff and a Curlew Sandpiper amidst the huge Black-tailed Godwit/Redshank flocks. Pintails now number 100+ and on the Exe a single Avocet.

Long-billed Dowitcher

mid am at Start Point, hundreds of Meadow Pipits, a couple of Wheatears, over 100 Swallows and a Peregine plus during a short sea watch, hundreds of Gannets fishing offshore, 1 Bonxie, about 15 Balearic and a few Manx Shearwaters and one Sandwich Tern. At Beesands, late am, 55 Gadwall, c10 Sand Martins and another two Wheatears and at Slapton, early pm, a juv Hobby taking dragonflies in front of the Torcross hide, a few Common Terns offshore and a dark ad Arctic Skua close in off the memorial carpark harassing Kittiwakes. Finally, another Hobby low over the road a little inland of Strete.

After sneaking off to Davidstowe for the White-rumped Sandpiper, Andy Lansdell and I stopped off at the Skern as the tide came in. Glad we did:

c150 Oystercatchers. c30 Curlew, around 400 Ringed Plover, maybe 100 Dunlin, 3 Curlew Sandpiper, 3 Golden Plover, 3 Grey Plover, 2 Turnstone, a Sanderling, 3 Knot (one with a  damaged wing), 13 Pintail, 100+ Linnet, 6 Skylark, 3 Grey Heron, a Little Egret, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Merlin and a Female Sparrowhawk, and best of all a Black Tern.

Had some good views of an adult Arctic Skua pursuing a Black-headed Gull until it dropped its fish at 4pm today off Groyne 19 on Dawlish Warren. Also saw a flock of 6 Sandwich Tern and 22 Sanderlings, trying not to get their feet wet!

Arctic Skua searching for a victim

Arctic Skua chasing a Black-headed Gull with fish

Sanderling flock at high tide

A late morning walk along Fremington Pill on a low tide showed the glossy ibis is still present. Also loads of redshank and black-headed gulls, a dozen dunlin, 8 teal, several curlew, 2 little egrets, and 2 buzzards flew over.

3 Swallows over late morning. The river is full of run-off from the recently ploughed fields so not much chance of Kingfisher or Dipper at present, but a Grey Wagtail was there when I left. Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Kestrel all close by or over the reserve.

A Firecrest and 2 Goldcrests in the reserve. Late seawatch saw 3 Arctic Skuas chasing Kittiwakes going east at 11amish.

Good number of c 500 Great Black-backed Gulls around Slapton Sands yesterday. Managed to read a ring on one and it was ringed as a pulli at Plougoulm, Finistere in May 2014. Earlier this month it was on Alderney, Channel Islands. As there was another present with a similar type of ring I guess a lot of the gulls had arrived from the same area.

Seawatching 0700-0900hrs in reality the counting was up until 0830 then many of the seabirds started to mill around and linger so counting stopped: 24 Arctic Skua, 13 Great Skua, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 1 Common Tern, 3 Sandwich Terns, 650 Kittiwake, 1 Common Gull and 5 Harbour Porpoise.

Around the quarry and woods: 3 Firecrest, 6 Goldcrest, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap and 7 Swallows over head. , 

Seawatch 1525-1755Hrs: 43 Arctic Skua, 31 Great Skua, 2 Sooty Shearwater, 6 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Storm Petrel, 2 Arctic Tern, 2 Sandwich Tern, 4 Common Tern, 550 Gannet, 39 Auks,  3 Mediterranean Gull. 

In the quarry: 2 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap. 

Good numbers of waders over the high tide. Highlights were 1 Ruff, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Avocet.

Arrived 0630 but no early vis mig though did have first Merlin of the autumn plus Wheatear, 10 Stock Dove, 150 Meadow Pipit & 440 Linnet.

A lone Swallow briefly over the reserve this morning, before I chickened out in front of the arriving rain.

Had a walk down the line before the rain set in. Lots of Kittiwakes off Torcross attracting the attention of 2 Arctic and 2 Great Skuas. Shedloads of Gannets in the distance feeding on the Skerries. Otherwise fairly quiet. A few Chiffchaffs noticeable around Slapton Bridge, elsewhere Sandwich Tern, Sand Martin and a Wheatear.

Afternoon visit in the hope that overnight rain might have dropped-in some migrants but very quiet with most passerine migrants cleared out, just a single Blackcap! The sea more productive: 1 juv Little Gull off the monument, 3 Common Terns and 3 Arctic Skua going south.

The only bird of interest showing was a couple of Ring-neck Parakeets 1 blue and 1 green, Great spotted woodpecker heard but not seen

In amongst the Curlew this morning was a immature Common Tern. 

Two Bar-tailed Godwits with 33 Curlews on Blaxton Meadow, which also hosted 5 Greenshanks, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Teal; the latter being my 100th species on this patch this year. Also on the narrow river, Dipper & GreyWagtail & 3 Ringed Plovers at Blagdon's Meadow. 

In the very warm sunshine early this morning  - well, 09.30 - a veritable storm of Dragonflies and Darters for about 15 minutes. Never seen such numbers in the UK before.

Ringed another Kingfisher on Thursday: that's 15 this year.

mear valley 7 ringneck parakeet including blue one

Flock of 20+ over short-term car park 19.30. Presumably gathering for a roost nearby.

At Bowling Green Marsh and Goosemoor this morning were one each of Water Rail, Ruff, Curlew Sandpiper and Mediterranean Gull, three Avocets, five Greenshanks and at least thirty Pintail (within a total of several hundred ducks, a big increase on last week). Today's bonus bird was an Osprey, seen at around 1045 flying S. over the M5 as I went back up Topsham Road.

Single Chiffchaff in good voice 0820 this morning with c50 House Martins and a few Swallows overhead. 2 Southern Hawker Dragonfly in a small patch of sunlight with Red Admiral, Peacock and Speckled Wood Butterfly also present. No Painted Lady this visit.

Two hobbies, one vocal, circled over the Avon Dam early this morning, while below them eight goosanders sat on the beach getting ready for the day's fishing trip..

Lundy today. 

Spotted Flycatcher

Beautiful Lesser yellow legs at South Efford marsh, Well done Eric for finding it.

Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs

I have been contacted by the White Stork release team. They informed me that over 20 juvenile White Storks were released in August at a West Sussex location in the hope that they would migrate and later return to the West Sussex/Surrey area to breed. They believe that the Devon sightings recently are from this release scheme. 

Hadn't intended to viz mig when I arrived at Prawle at 7.15am but soon engaged with the spectacle of thousands of hirundines flying into the ESE brisk breeze. Watched intensely until 8.45 and estimated at least 10,000 stretching out from over the sea to the airfields (fields just beyond Prawle village). Mostly swallows and house martins but also at least 800 Sand Martins. Also large movement of Meadow Pipits (6-700); Linnets (4-500), Skylarks (150+). And Alba Wagtails (40+) Also of note passage of Jackdaws and Magpies.

In field with Black Cattle there were 5 Yellow Wagtails. Later 6 Wheatear and 8 Chiffchaffs and a few Blackcaps. I White Wagtail at Horsley Cove and a Goldcrest at Stallions Bite.

I left at 1pm and popped into Aveton Gifford to see the Lesser Yellowlegs. Later Pat texted me to say he'd seen a White Stork fly in off into Pig's Nose Valley at 1.15pm and later seen high over Bolt Head !

2 white storks flyong north ,midday.

900 Swallows moving east in one hour - 0840 to 0940  final total 1010. Also 45 House Martin, 55 Skylark, Sand Martin, 130 Meadow Pipit, 3 Wheatear, 55 Goldfinch, 8 Greenfinch & 360 Linnet.

This morning, 20 Yellow Wagtail (in two cattle fields), Golden Plover over, 4 Wheatear, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 500+ Linnet, Peregrine, 2 Yellowhammers and 1m Cirl Bunting. Hundreds of Swallow, House Martin and a few Sand Martin over between 0800 and 0900.

Yellow Wagtail

Spoonbill flew down river 7pm, Osprey or two fishing 

4 cattle egret in flight over towpath car park at end of station road at 12.30pm. Came down into cattle field to the NW. Also 1 juv hobby over. 

Hobby, Tree Pipit, 10 Wheatears, 11 Yellow Wagtails, 300 House Martins, Sand Martin, 27 Chiffchaffs, 7 Blackcaps, 2 Whitethroats, Goldcrest, Willow Warbler, 8 Stock Doves, 2 Clouded Yellows & 2 Roe Deer.  

White stork perched on buildings at Teignmouth community school yesterday lunchtime!

 Crossbills on the cones of Spruce trees at Wistlandpound Reservoir today. Extremely difficult to find because of the location and bright sun  however two definitely seen.

A good tally included 200 Gannet fishing off West Soar, 2 Sparrowhawk, Hobby, migrant Great Spotted Woodpecker, 150 Swallow, 170 House Martin, Sand Martin, 300 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 5 Wheatear, 14 Stonechat, 4 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff & 520 Linnet.

Non-avian: 4 Red Deer (first ever record & not the usual Sika), mature female Red-veined Darter, 6 Common Darter, Clouded Yellow, 158 Red Admiral, 41 Painted Lady, Comma & 9 Wall Brown.

Later back at Harleston: Hobby overhead, male Emperor over pond and Wall Brown - quite a day!

At least 12 Great Crested Grebes showing well on the Ernesettle side of the estuary. Osprey seen at a distance on the river Tavy by the railway bridge. Other wildlife was mainly butterflies, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Common Blue, Small Tortoise Shell.

Good selection this morning - Hobby, 3 Whinchat, 7+ Yellow Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, 17 Wheatear, Peregrine, Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, Blackcap and flock of 500+ Linnet. 

Yellow Wagtail

Wheatear

Eight brown-head Goosanders on res this morning, the first roosters since Jun, apart from one record in Aug. Initially on the water, they then spent about 30 minutes preening on shore before flying out over dam at 0735, 40 minutes after sunrise which is later than usual.

   
        Goosanders at Avon Dam 18 Sep @ 0645h                 Goosanders at Avon Dam 18 Sep @ 0730h

A visit to the Avon dam yesterday, below the dam was the scene of most bird activity with Stonechat, Linnet, Goldfinch, a lone Swallow, two very pale alba type Wagtails, Chiffchaff, Dipper, Raven and Buzzard.

A Dotterel over Woodbury Common @1910 this evening, before heading very high west.

Yesterday evening off Mudbank - 360+ Wigeon, 40+ Pintail, 14 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 1 Tufted Duck and a Garganey.

Mid-afternoon found the curlew sandpiper that was reported by JT yesterday. Luckily it posed with the dunlin for a comparison. Later witnessed it again with Alan Denzey. Also there were a couple of wheatears near the ramp leading to the Horsey Island “breech”. A great white egret was also present on Horsey Island mud flats.

curlew sandpiper in the middle

curlew sandpiper again

One of two very photogenic Wheatears....

Wheatear

A juvenile Little Stint feeding with 11 Dunlin this evening on Budleigh Beach.

Curlew Sandpiper, as seen by JT yesterday, thanks to Colin Draycott finding it today....!

Curlew Sandpiper

A visit by the E Devon group today was very productive for the 11 members who came - varying from some very experienced birders to a couple who are very new to it all.  About 2 dozen species were seen, including a Sparrowhawk hunting through the myriad Meadow Pipits (several 100) in front of us, 2 Peregrine overhead, a Kestrel and several Buzzards.  A flock of  Yellow Wagtail, numbering at least 20, were with the pipits in a clover field, not with cattle, and in the same field were at least 1 Tree Pipit and several Skylarks.  An excellent close view of a perched Raven, 50+ Swallows, c 10 House Martins, several Wheatear and Chiffchaff wee also of interest.  (We missed a Redstart, seen earlier in the day.)  Several of us saw an unidentified seabird, possibly an Arctic Skua, but distance and bright sun behind prevented confirmation.

Blk t godwit 26 . 600+ swallows .5. Stock doves. 8 Cl.yellows.

Blk t godwit 26 . 600+ swallows .5. Stock doves. 8 Cl.yellows.

Just returned from a few days camping in South Devon.

On Saturday aft at 15.00 an Osprey flew south over the Otter Estuary spooking all the gulls (including the ones on the Cricket field) then heading west over the pebble ridge along the coast towards the mouth of the Exe Estuary. Yesterday aft there were 2 very vocal Avocets on the Otter Estuary.

Seen this morning. Med Gull 26 mostly adults, Whimbrel 1, Wheatear 2,   Whitethroat 3 and 16 Cirl Bunting 

Nice to have a Barn owl back in the house field this evening just on 8pm, looks as if it had just bathed, no idea where but it was sat on a post drying itself, Tawny owl calling loudly close by and a sizable bat flying around as well.

Not birding today but a Kingfisher Old Pinn Lane (Pinn Brook) Pinhoe and a Raven over Beacon Heath Exeter about 3 pm.

My first Firecrest of the autumn along the west cliffs at Budleigh this morning and two Avocets on the River Otter this afternoon.

At the Bere Ferrers end of the railway bridge, 1 Osprey perched in a tree eating a fish, at 1700.

At about 2p.m. amongst about 30 Dunlin a 100 yards past the Toll House, was a smart Curlew Sandpiper. It was still there when I returned at about 3.45p.m. but then everything was flushed by an unseen bird of prey.

A curious dearth of scrub migrants (just one Chiffchaff) but 210 House Martin, 80 Swallow, 3 Wheatear, 550 Linnet, 13 Jackdaw east & Carrion Crow with white primaries.

2 Great White Egrets at Wistlandpound 0830 today

Five Redwings flew into the berry laden hedge of my house field just before 11am this morning

Just back from a late afternoon visit to Black Hole Marsh with the Exeter & district RSPB local group. There was a good mix of waders on the marsh, including a couple of Green Sandpipers, Snipe, Ruff and Little Stint. We stayed late to look for the Barn Owl, and were surprised to see a couple of Cattle Egrets on the marsh in amongst the gulls.  Then a Great White Egret flew over! And, finally the Barn Owl did make an appearance.

Sorry for the incorrect location on my post (thick fingers). So Cattle Egret, Osprey, Knot 3, Sandwich Tern 3 & 2 Black Swans.

Seen this morning. Western Cattle Egret & Osprey.

3 oystercatchers and 1 common sandpiper on the rocks early afternoon.

4 ringneck parakeet mear valley including the blue one

2500+ Swallows in to roost reedbed at tank car park

Osprey at Warleigh Point this morning.

Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, 11 Yellow Wagtails, Tree Pipit, 5 White Wagtails, 14 Wheatears, 15 Chiffchaffs, 13 Blackcaps, 6 Whitethroats, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Goldcrests, 2 Grey Wagtails, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Snipe, 30 House Martins 3 Roe Deer & 4 Clouded Yellows.

Spotted Redshank 

Brisk NE wind. Great to see around 500 Kittiwakes ( 90% adults ), 2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls, 18 Common Terns, 8 Ringed Plovers and 3 Dunlins.

Vocal male Ring Ouzel in small hawthorn above res at sunrise this morning. My previous earliest for area was 20 Sep 2015, but earlier records elsewhere on Dartmoor, e.g, 7 Sep last year. Two Wheatears and 7 Pied/White Wags (probably White) on dam wall, and a Whinchat on Brent Hill yesterday.

well over 100 ringneck parakeet came from no where in central park at 720 am quite something to watch these birds performing acrobatics in the sky.stayed for about half hour before splitting up

11am Cattle Egret still with cattle in field by cycle track 2 mins walk to the SE of Turf Lock. 

Black Swan Stokeley Bay today

 102 Common Terns ,Ad.and1st.yr's. 68 on the beach and 34 close offshore.

A single wheatear on the telegraph wires near Lyneham House.

A good range of migrants this morning: Swallow 115, House Martin 50, Tree Pipit 2, Meadow Pipit 325, White Wagtail 4, Grey Wagtail 1, Stonechat 17, Whinchat 1, Wheatear 13, Whitethroat 9, Blackcap 16, Chiffchaff 13, Willow Warbler 2, Spotted Flycatcher 1 & Linnet 300.

Back at Harleston in garden, Palmate Newt, Southern Hawker, Common Darter, Clouded Yellow & 9 Painted Lady.

Wryneck found in fruit cage this morning. Released unharmed

8+ skittish and mobile Yellow Wagtails amongst the cattle this afternoon at South Huish Marsh. A Ruff also flew in to join the 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 21 Dunlin and 3 Ringed Plover.

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Ruff with Black-tailed Godwits

Spent an hour this afternoon at Slapton. Large numbers of what i think were juvenile Kittiwake. Not much to see in the time i was there on the Ley, mostly Tufted Duck and Great Crested Grebe. A few Rock Pipit on the beach. 

Juvenile Kittiwake

Rock Pipit

Two Tawny owls tucked away at the bottom of the garden today.... South Brent

Autumn's here - the Brents are back.  A flock of 35 on mid-estuary sandbank, mixed Pale-bellied and Dark-bellied.    60 Wigeon, 10 Pintail & 50 Mute Swans coming to the southern end of the estuary to get their share of the Exmouth LNR eel-grass.

Redshank 8; Black-tailed Godwit 9; Bar-tailed Godwit 9; Greenshank 3; Knot 5.

Little Egret 14 and Grey Heron 11.

walking from powderham church to turf locks, in the field next to the lock gate, the cattle egret was feeding with the cows, it then flew up into the dead tree,  sat there for a while,  it then dropped down to the small pond behind the tree and stayed there with a grey heron. 

Sept 8th, three curlew sandpipers at Seaton Black Hole Marsh. Sept 10th reed warbler at Seaton discovery hut and at Colyford Common hide, 5 curlew sandpipers. At Black Hole Marsh greenshank and several different sandpipers. Sorry no photos possible. Two disappointments this year: Not so many birds as normal nor the variety but no one has control of that. Disappointed that the hides whiteboards have not been updated on each day's sightings since June! Anyone any answers or suggestions please. Otherwise great to be here as always.

Hobby behind Holmleigh Road

70 Linnets on wild bird crop near top of the hill

Wigeon 12, Gadwall 37, Tufted Duck 4, Pochard 1, Stonechat 1.

70 Linnets on wild bird cop top of hill towards Torcross

Usual bids on the rising tide. Dunlin, Turnstone Etc. highlights Wheatear (2 poss 3) on sea wall near Turf. Cattle Egret with cattle in field behind (SW of) the pub.

Cattle Egret

Wheatear

Wheatear

Lots of Wheatears today; I counted 64 but there were probably more. Also: Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, 2 Yellow & 13 White Wagtails, 14 Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs, 8 Whitethroats, Goldcrest, Ringed Plover, 50+ House Martins, 150 Swallows & 2 Roe Deer.

Usual waders at BGM on high tide - Common Sandpiper (also one on Goosemoor - same one?) two Greenshank (approx 20 on Goosemoor mostly obscured), 3 Pintail,. Darts Farm during a heavy shower at around 17.10 - Buzzard, small flock of Linnet (40-50), Swallow, lots of Pied Wag with the Devon Red herd and two Yellow Wags and one Wheatear - never close enough to photo.

Common Sandpiper

Someone on the Facebook group - A place in North Devon group has photographed a wryneck in their garden today, as attached.

Wryneck at Fremmington

Sunday 8th 7-8 pm c5000 Swallows and House Martins gathering over the Ley, Torcross end pre-roost.

swift over the house with swallows and house martins just outside okehampton this morning,will it be the last?

10 ringneck parakeet mear valley including the blue one 

A mid afternoon drive from Challacombe to sandyway cross saw a few flocks of wheatear with around 6-11 birds in each, a flock of meadow pipits and a few r l partridge and pheasant. 

R l Partridge

Wheatear

Meadow Pipit

Pics from the morning's boat trip. See Nigel's post for numbers seen.

Great skua

Arctic skua, dark phase adult

Manx shearwater

3 Sand Martins, 2 Wheatears, 2 Chiffchaffs, Green Woodpecker, Stock Dove, 5 Greenshanks, Common Sandpiper, 2 Turnstones & Kingfisher.

Little Grebe, 21 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Teals, 7 Gadwalls, 52 Tufted Ducks, Pochard, 187 Coots, Greenshank, Kingfisher, 30 Swallows, Rock Pipit and 2 Wheatears. Offshore 4 lingering Sandwich Terns. 12 Common Scoters and a Common Tern flew south.

31 Curlew, 5 Oystercatcher and 5 Greenshank on Blaxton Meadow on the incoming tide.

RNParakeets heard, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Wheatear, 1 Whinchat, 3 Stonechat, 1 Kestrel, 1 House Martin, 30+Swallow in a feeding flock with adults feeding young mid-air, Stock Doves,1 Firecrest,  2 Roe Deer, 1 Toad, 2 Clouded Yellows and 1 Comma around Saltram Park

Whinchat

Clouded Yellow

Today's trip out into Lyme Bay from Brixham was a good one. We had good numbers of Skua and Gannet and I think all enjoyed, so some numbers of sightings for you.

3 Arctic Skua (dark phase), 2 Arctic Skua (pale phase), 5 Great Skua, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Skua mostly chasing the Terns. Big Numbers of Gannets diving on fish and sitting on the water, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Med Gull, Kittiwake, Fulmar, rafts of Guillemots and some Razorbill but only 1 Manx Shearwater. 8+ Porpoise, 2 Common Dolphin, 4 Grey Seals in Brixham Harbour but most unusual was a large Grey Seal 12 Kilometres out into Lyme Bay, probably enjoying big shoals of fish out in Lyme Bay.  Hope some pictures put up on the Blog soon as this is the second to last trip I will be doing. Last trip 22nd and fully booked!!

At least 10 yellow wagtails in amongst the cattle at South Huish marsh. Also a couple of wheatears and the usual waders, both species of Godwit and dunlin.

Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Counted 15 wheatears in the field near middle Soar and several more along the stone wall. Lots of whitethroats and watched a buzzard catch a snake and eat it.

Buzzard

Buzzard

Goosemoor ~ 2 Greenshank.

BGM ~ Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Sandpiper.

From the viewing platform Kestrel, good numbers of Redshank.

Goat walk ~ Osprey sat on the mud in the far distance towards Powderham, Black Tailed Godwits and Curlew in good numbers and a very mobile flock of Dunlin.

Countess Weir WTW 14+ Little Egret, Common Sandpiper and a Kingfisher.

15 ringneck parakeet  quite lively flying around saltrum cafe and house

Over 30 Gannets over a pod of Dolphins around Bull Point on the tide,large amount of fish,so a good feed for all.Amazing to watch so close to the cliffs.

Gannet.

10:45 - Spent 2 minutes on the neighbours chimney stack, then flew off inland.

A range of common migrants today: 3 Yellow Wagtails, 8 White Wagtails, 2+ Tree Pipits, Reed & Sedge Warblers, 32 Chiffchaffs, 6 Willow Warblers, 14 Whitethroats, 13 Blackcaps, 10 Wheatears, 7 Sand Martins & 100+ House Martins. Also, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Hare & Fox.

Cattle egret briefly with the cattle and osprey on post in river this morning. 

Red kite circling over 18.45

Firecrest in my garden (Mount Gould) this morning.

Large raptor reported killed on the Kingsteignton bypass flyover, hope it isn't the Osprey that has been seen on the estuary the last few days.

Whinchat, 2 Stonechats, Chiffchaff, 4 Stock Doves, 3 Common Sandpipers, 6 Greenshanks, 145 Redshanks, Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull (2nd-s), Shag, 14 Grey Herons & 9 Roe Deer.

Small flock of sleeping Knot.

late aft - 18 Black tailed Godwit on the scrape, a small flock of sleeping Knot & 2 Bar - tailed Godwits on the Taw Estuary at Pottington. On the outward journey, a charm of Goldfinces feeding on seeds on the side of the Tarka trail.

Good views of a Peregrine flying into a flock of Curlew at low level, and putting up the flock of resting Black Headed gulls at about 11am.

Peregrine over briefly this morning. Kingfisher fishing in the pond. Otherwise quiet, (apart from a black cat!)

3+ spotted flycatcher and a raven at Killerton National Trust NE of Ellerhayes Bridge 4pm.

Swift over central Plymouth (uni) at 9am.

19 Black-tailed godwits,1 Bar-tailed godwit,34 Dunlin, 4 Yellow wagtail, 1 Grey Phalarope, 1 Wheatear and one ringed plover. Lovely evening.

                                 
   Black-tailed godwits, Br-t Godwit & Dunlin       Grey Phalarope                         Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin

4 Med gulls in the rock pools,5 Wheatear,3 pair Stonechats,fulmars,shags and cormorants in good numbers plus4 Willow Warblers.Lots of Dragon and Damzel flies around the ponds

Mediterranean Gull                                            Willow Warbler                                  Wheatear

Mixed roost of Black-backed Gulls and c100 Oystercatchers together with 45 Knot, 2 Curlew, 1 Redshank and 21 Black-tailed Godwits. 50% of the Oystercatchers were juveniles. Approximately 35 Little Egret dotted about and roosting in trees from Penhill Marsh to Chivenor during high tide (11.09 - 3mtrs at Bple)

12 noon to 1pm of note: Grey Phalarope still present, plus 25 Dunlin, 20 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Sand Martins.

Nice mix of common migrants again this morning: 1 Common Swift, c10 Sand Martins, c25 House Martins, c100 Swallows, 2 Tree Pipits, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Whinchats, 1 Sedge Warbler, c25 Whitethroats, c10 Blackcaps, c5 Willow Warblers and c5 Chiffchaffs.

Flock of about 30 Turnstones

This morning, an Osprey was on a post mid river from the viewing platform. Also 1 Kingfisher and 3 Common Sandpipers. From the hide, large number of Curlew with at least 2 Whimbrel, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and 1 Mediterranean Gull.

Walked around area before high tide and saw the following.

Curlew 28, Greenshank 6, Redshank 156, Oystercatcher 8, Kingfisher 1, Little Egret 16, Grey Heron 17, Little Grebe 2, Common Sandpiper 5, Grey Wagtail 1, Willow Warbler 1, Chiffchaff 5, Spotted Flycatcher 2, Whinchat 3, Stonechat 3, Kestrel 1, Sparrowhawk 1, Stock Dove 8 & Mistle Thrush 11.

The grey phalarope showing well this afternoon, Along with 30+dunlin, 21 black tailed godwits, 1 bar tailed godwit and 7 yellow wagtails.

Sparrow hawk flyover scattered the waders twice while i was there,

In the woods along the the Holne Moor Least NW of Venford Reservoir this pm c70 Siskin feeding on birch seeds and a roaming flock of 42 Mistle Thrushes.

Wryneck in garden 11.00 a.m. 

Hobby, Pied Flycatcher, 2 Yellow Wagtails, Sedge Warbler, 2 Wheatears, 10 Chiffchaffs, 8 Blackcaps, 6 Whitethroats, Grey Wagtail & 2 Roe Deer.

Lovely evening at South Huish marsh, 17 Black-tailed godwits, 1 Bar-tailed godwit, 1 Grey phalarope,18 Dunlin, 5 yellow wagtails, 2 Sparrow hawks and a swift.

Black-tailed Godwits, Bar-tailed godwit and Dunlin

Yellow Wagtails

Grey Phalarope

1 Curlew Sandpiper amongst the Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Dunlin roosting along The Bight on the high tide at Dawlish Warren this morning. Also a Wheatear, 2 Raven and very mobile Sandwich Terns.

Offshore Gannets., 2 Common Scoter and more Sandwich Terns. 

Autumn Lady's Tresses showing well

5 ringneck parakeet including one blue in colour mear valley

Osprey at Flow Point 3.30 today, attempting to fish with no luck watched for several minutes as it slowly drifted up river.

Mid/late am. Some common migrants around: at least 20 Whitethroats, several Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, a few Willow Warblers, 2 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails and a Pied Flycatcher. 

Grey Phalarope still present and showing very well early am and then again when I returned at lunchtime. Also 17 Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Dunlin, 1 Greenshank and a Snipe early am and then 15 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover and 2 Yellow Wagtails at lunchtime.

At Blaxton Meadow, Saltram a single and hard to see Snipe, Greenshank, Redshank, Curlews, Oystercatchers, Dunlin, little Egrets and Herons.

Highlight was 2 Ortolan Buntings, in the stubble field just west of East Soar Farm (12.05 to c14.30 but not since). Otherwise: 17 Chiffchaffs, 13 Blackcaps, 10 Whitethroats, 6 Willow Warblers, Ringed Plover, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers & a Clouded Yellow.

Later at South Huish Marsh, the Grey Phalarope showing well on the front pool & also 6 Dunlins & 3 Black-tailed Godwits.

1 juv Black Tern dip feeding with a juv Common Tern at Stokely Bay also 2 male Pochard with 40+ Tufted Ducks.

At lunch time (1 pm) osprey over to north of Turf flying west. Two sandwich terns (adults) feeding close to jetty and little tern (1w) shortly after.The little tern has been present for a few days and appears to follow the tide line from Turf to Topsham..

A smattering of migrants: Ringed Plover, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker in willows, 14 (very clean) White Wagtails, 3 Wheatear, Redstart, 20 Whitethroat, 9 Blackcap, 4 Willow Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher, 150 Linnet. Well Done to PA finding the Ortolan!

Black Hole Marsh is in excellent condition for waders, with Little Stint, 3 Curlew Sandpipers, Knot, Ruff and 2 Green Sandpipers among Dunlin, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits yesterday, with the Osprey over the Axe nearby.

Insects ruled the day though, with Roesel's Bush-crickets (and lots of Long-winged Coneheads) in the long grass near the Seaton Marshes dipping pond, thanks my daughter's much better hearing (I've lost the range to hear bush-crickets). The NBN Atlas map shows nothing for Devon, I think it was recorded at Dawlish Warren last year. And as we were so close, a visit to see Long-tailed Blue egg-laying on a patch Everlasting Pea below the undercliff at Axmouth was unavoidable. Two Devon insect ticks for me!

Male Roesel's Bush-cricket, Seaton Marshes    Female Long-tailed Blue on Everlasting Pea, Axmouth

A modest increase in migrants with two Whinchats and a Redstart on Brent Hill this morning, two Wheatears there yesterday, a Spotted Fly at nearby Overbrent and a Yellow Wag there on Saturday.

From this morning's Lyme Bay Boat Trip from Brixham, some of the birds seen as already reported by Nigel Smallbones. A great morning.

Manx Shearwater

Bonxie

Guillemot

Highlight was a Wood Sandpiper which flew over my garden calling, and headed south over the lower estuary. Also: Tree Pipit, 8 Greenshanks, 4 Common Sandpipers, Dunlin, Kingfisher, Shag, Roe Deer & over 100 spikes of Autumn Ladies Tresses. 

Second day running with a Hobby seen from home at South brent, yesterday's visit with the bird  hunting Swallows was impressive, today's visit demonstrated the Hobby's incredible speed and agility and this time it took a Swallow clean out of the air after a lightning quick turn.

Tawny owl heard calling at 10am, steady trickle of House Martins overhead throughout the day.

This mornings boat trip from Brixham was rewarded with a Wheatear before we had left the Harbour, the bird  was on the old fuel jetty but flew away very quickly. Sea conditions good and we had a good trip with freshing wind as we returned.  Good numbers of Kittiwake off Berry Head, 200+. Other birds seen 550+ Manx Shearwater but further study of pictures might give a Balearic Shearwater, 5 small waders flying through when going out and a further  2 when coming back in. 3 Great Skua, 1 Young Artic Skua, 1 Ringed Plover!! 10 Fulmar, 1 Black-headed Gull, many Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and a fine assortment  of different aged Gannets. On returning back into Torbay joined by 8 Common Dolphin. I think all enjoyed the trip.

1 heard flying over Kingsdown cl, Dawlish this morning at 8am

15 ringneck parakeet