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17 Cirl Buntings on seed with 3 Reed Bunting in 2nd car park. 1 collybita Chiffchaff in marsh with 1 Goldcrest, the Firecrest showed well along the hedge between the first ca rpark and road.

On the sea just 6 Common Scoter and 8 Great Crested Grebes. 

Brixham Breakwater and Shoalstone 1 Purple Sandpiper just 10m along seward side of Breakwater from beach it was toowet and rough to walk any further! 1 Great Norther n Diver off shoalstone and good numbers of Razorbill and Guillemots.

Before the heavy rain a quick seawatch although pretty quiet for seabird passage. Of note 8+ Harbour Porpoises, 2 Great Northern Divers (in close to the headland), c200 Guillemots sat on sea (presumed local) and a few Razorbills.

Working in the reserve at Bradiford this morning, before the rain! 2 pairs of cronking Ravens flew south later followed by a group of 8 Grey Herons. High tide so plenty of water in the river, and only a few Teal to speak of. Little Egret as I left.

Wrafton had only 5 Gadwall. All the Redwings seem to have moved off too.

Great Northern Diver this morning in the viscinity of the lifeboat berth. Otherwise good numbers of the usual waders:- Oystercatcher, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit and Redshank. The tide was on the retreat and no Brent Geese were on view.

6 x Male Yellowhammers feeding under bird tables at Dartmeet on Sunday afternoon. Lots of other small birds feeding on the tables, chaffinches, nuthatches, coal, marsh, blue and great tits, robins.

Red Kite today 12.30hrs flying roughly N.E. to S.W. over Brent village centre, being mobbed by about 12 jackdaws! Never seen one around here before.

John Cranch

A few mammal pictures from this morning's boat trip. The porpoises put on a superb show, coming within 15-20m of the boat and showing none of their typical shyness.

Grey seal, Fishcombe Cove.

Porpoise, Berry Head. (Durl Head in background).

Porpoise, Berry Head.

Sunny with strong westerly wind. 5 great northern divers (scattered across bay), 1 black throated diver (7 quarries), 1 black necked grebe (Paignton), 20 great crested grebe, 1 adult sinensis cormorant (7 quarries), 11+ common scoter, 16 purple sandpiper (Brixham Harbour), 5 turnsrtone, 3 oystercatcher, 3 razorbill, many gannets, guillemots, scattered fulmars and kittiwake, 1 raven. Mammals included 2 grey seals, and 5 porpoises off Berry Head.

Great northern diver

Gannet, winter plumage adult

Black necked grebe

Eight Waxwings as per postings below and in the country park plenty of activity around the feeders including 2 Siskins, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Marsh Tit, 2 Nuthatches and 4 Bullfinches.  

Waxwing, A38 near Heathfield

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stover

8 Waxwing still this afternoon, on both sides of A38 near Candy Tiles.

The pair of Goosanders were present on Stover lake until 9.20am when they flew off having been constantly disturbed by an uncontrolled dog !! Small pockets of Snipe in the reed margins but the same dog flushed them as well !! Pair of Great Crested Grebe showing interest in each other, other than that usual lake residents in view.

Greenwoodpecker could be heard calling but not seen.

On the A38 opposite Candy Tiles initially 8 Waxwings feeding on the berry bushes in the central reservation of the A38, they in turn were joined by another 4 then another 2, but as the wind picked up they seem loath to remain exposed and dropped away on the Heathfield side of the A38

Female Peregrine drifted over when I first arrived at location

 A Red Kite flew from the marshes, over my garden and on towards the village at 10.18. Upset the local gulls.Also one brambling during the Big Garden Birdwatch today.

Was official spotter for my old man on the Stuart Line boat trip on the Exe yesterday afternoon.

It was great, with the highlights being; 14 Goldeneye (decent count), 3 Gadwall (apparently unusual on this trip), 2 Slavonian Grebes, Long-tailed Duck and Spotted Redshank.

Very few Brents on the river, but huge flock (300+) seen briefly in flight over Exminster Marshes, also few Golden Plover with Lapwing over here too.

Long-tailed Duck

Shag

Common Seal

watched on the falling tide. A drake Pintail seen on the estuary (opposite the railway sidings) though I couldn't find it later from the road side. Still one Jack Snipe and 10 Snipe present; also Green Woodpecker, Marsh Tit (2), Little Grebe (2), Common Sandpiper and Greenshank (4).  

Thrashed around the marsh this morning whilst battling the onslaught of Manflu. Pleased to see that the two female Reed Buntings have been joined by a male.

Not a lot else around though  a Firecrest brightened the morning.

Elsewhere just a handful of Snipe and three Redwing.

On the estuary highlights were one hundred and twenty Avocet and thirty Black tailed Godwits.

Seawatching in far from ideal conditions (sunny and slight WNW breeze) from 8.30 to 10am immediately produced a spectacle of 100's of Gannets diving off the point in feeding frenzy with at least 16 Bottle-Nosed Dolphins in feeding formation and acrocbatics.Lovely . Min 1000 auks west plus 2 x Balearic Shearwaters , I x wp Black Throated Diver close west and I x Med Gull adult wp. 

At Langerstone 2 Purple Sandpipers ( advice-wear wellies along front ) At Horsley Cove the 2 x Water Pipits showed well plus possible Littoralis sp  with Rock and Meadow pipits, grey wags and 3 Chiffchaffs ( 1 x possible Siberian). A good start to the year.

Watched from the hide 08:15 till 10:00

the curlew sandpiper was very elusive but showed briefly before leaving with a group dunlin, a good count of 276+ lapwing, 2 water rail, 1 grey plover, 12+ snipe, 2 Cetti's warblers, 300+ avocet, 250+ bar tailed godwit, 450+ black tailed godwit, 500+ wigeon, 10 pintail(8m,2f), 3 pochard(2m,1f), 2 tufted duck(1m,1f),46+ shoveler, 150+ teal, 150+ redshank, 20+ moorhen, 30+ redwing, 2 song thrush, mistle thrush, 100+ dunlin. On walk down to the hide 2 nuthatch and a treecreeper.

4 turnstone showed very well along the goatwalk but were constantly disturbed by dogs charging around on the mud 

A Barnacle Goose was feeding with Canada Geese in flooded fields c.1km SE of Teigngrace this afternoon until 15:55 when all the geese flew towards Newton Abbot

8+ Waxwing still early afternoon, on the southbound side of the A38, about 400 yards before the Teigngrace turn-off, and making daring visits to the berries on the central reservation. Others on site report that the flock has been present all week, despite no reports to any of the bird news services? with a maximum of 14 present at some point this week.

Early morning visit, 5 Spoonbill in estuary, Teal 120, Curlew 100, low numbers of Grey Plover. Good views of single Kingfisher. 

At Instow, male and female Blackcap in shrubs near Cricket Club, and single Little Owl.

Morning vist to the Plym Estuary at Saltram on a low tide, Little Grebe feeding in the faster flowing water, plenty of Redshank, Pair of Red Breasted Merganser, good numbers of Black Headed and Greater Black Backed Gulls, reasonable numbers of Curlew, Oyster Catcher & Little Egrets, several individual Greenshanks, 1 Heron, Shell ducks being the most prominant duck seen, one birder reported seeing a male Pintail but I failed to locate it.

Charleton Marsh / Bay , 10:15-12:30, low tide.

Marsh looking good after the overnight rain, lots of wildfowl present namely Shelduck, 164 Teal, 194 Wigeon, 11 Pintail & 5 Shoveler. Water Rails calling from 3 different areas and 1 showing well below the hide. Out in the bay 66 Brent Geese and good numbers of Grey Plover and Dunlin. At least 3 Chiffchaffs in the sewage works.

Juvenile blackcap feeding on sunflower hearts in the garden today and brambling back for another visit.

2hr sea watch this morning before the rain set in (again )- 75 Gannet, 21 Kittiwake, 5 Fulmar, 4 Guillemot

21 Razorbill, 15 Auksp, 2 Red T Diver, 1 Great N Diver.

On the rocks - the imm male Black REdstart, 4 Sanderling, 10 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plover.

Quick look at South Huish Marsh at 12.15- 1 Grey Plover and a Ruff - first winter record for a few years.

The Waxwings were still present on the A38 near Teigngrace turn off this afternoon.
Also on Stover Lake: 2 pairs of goosander, 100+ snipe, 40 crossbill, siskin, 3 marsh tit, 1 kingfisher, 2 Great crested grebe, 10 pochard 6 tufted, 1brambling 2 Buzzard, 2 water rail.

(Jon Avon)

Mudbank - long-tailed duck (presumably the Topsham female) with a small group of pintail late this afternoon. Also ad mediterranean gull in fields near West Lodge.

This lovely Brambling visited our garden in Braunton this afternoon

Early morning stroll before rain!

9 Purple Sandpiper by old fuel bunkering jetty, 1 Great Northern Diver straight out from lighthouse at end of Breakwater, light bad but 20+ scoter of mussel farm and other birds amongst blue bouys.

Going out on wildlife trip in bay sunday and some places available!!!

Following on from reports of Wagtail roosts at Newton Abbott and Teignmouth would just like to add a flock of just over 200 wagtails were watched descending onto the roof of Torquay Hospital at 17.00 hours tonight. 

The Black Redstart that was present at the North Devon Hospital is still active.

Had to visit Tavistock today, so had a few looks at the River Tavy in town. A female Goosander was still present on the river behind the Pannier Market, showing extremely well. (Oh for a camera.........). A Grey Wagtail was also present here. Below the road bridge near the town centre were a pair of Dippers alongside the path leading to the park.

21 persons attended the East Devon Branch (Devon Birds) fieldtrip to the Axe Estuary, (leader Bob Olliver). With the help of Ian Mc.Lean a Black Redstart was quickly found on Seaton seafront with Red Throated Diver and 70+ Wigeon off shore.  A Kingfisher flew under the road bridge as we made our way back up the estuary where a single Bar Tailed Godwit was present before we reached Coronation Corner (admiring the new interpretation board and art of Mike Langman at the viewing platform).  c23 Dunlin aand 29 Bl. Tailed Godwit were seen together with a single Ringed Plover.  On the return walk a pair of Tree Creeper were present in a garden, plus 3 Song Thrush in fields. 

 After lunch at Black Hole Marsh car park we moved off to view the estuary from the tower hide where a Med. Gull, 5 Little Grebe and approx 7 Common Gull were present.  The group continued on to Colyford Marsh via the Field Studies Centre, to view the impressive Sand Martin 'wall' being constructed by East Devon DC together with other improvements to the reserve.  Good numbers of Redwing and a few Fieldfare were seen in distant fields together with large numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover. A single Green Sandpiper was found in the corner of Black Hole Marsh on the return.  Arriving back at the car park a large flock of Golden Plover was seen over the marsh at a distance and from a photo taken it was estimated that these numbered 1000.  In spite of cold conditions this was another great day out.

Numbers of Common Scoter now down to 14 individuals.

Female Eider & 3 Red throated Divers still present but no

sign of the Black Redstart this afternoon.

First day for ages without any rain produced a very good mornings birding.

On T'stone Marsh -40 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 16 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler.

South Huish Marsh held - 85 Teal, 25 Wigeon, 3 Shoveler, 125 + Lapwing, 25 Snipe, 2 Grey Plover, 2 Dunlin, Peregrine over.

On the rocks an imm male Black Redsart ( viewed down to 10 feet ), also 4 Sanderling, 5 Turnstone, 3 Ringed Plover.

In fields between Upton X and Huxton X  largest flocks this winter of - 300+ Golden Plover and 175 + Lapwing, also 20 Redwing and 15 Skylark.

Stopped off at the bridge in West Buckland to find 6 Siskin, 1 Nuthatch and 3 Goldcrest

30 Golden Plover flew over Capton ( couple miles northwest of Dartmouth ) this morning.

Wrafton Pond had 12 Wigeon, 2 Shoveler and 4 Gadwall + a Common Gull this morning, and in the reserve a couple of Goldcrests and a Cetti's Warbler.

Later across the great field fabulous close views of a Barn Owl perched by the road and then hunting round the fields.

Imm Great Northern Diver at entrance to outer harbour and 1 Black-necked Grebe in bay at lunchtime.

Bitterly cold day , frequent rain showers , little wind, poor viz but at least still a snow and ice free zone.

On South Huish Marsh 125 Teal, 25 Wigeon, 12 Shoveler, 10 Lapwing, 2 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover and now 3 Grey Plover.

On the rocks 17 Turnstone ( highest count this winter ).

On the sea 2 Black T Diver and 1 Red T Diver, male Common Scoter with 15 east, a few Auks flying east.

In the copse area 6 Redwing, 6 Song Thrush, 20 Mipit

Quick visit in poor conditions this morning produced one Spoonbill and lots of Teal. A few Wigeon and several Snipe.

Sadly no sign of the Smew so far but thought I'd post the pics for all to see.

Come on everyone have a go.  Rob Jutsum's Bird Picture Challenge has been moved to the Forum http://forum.devonbirds.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=137  Don't forget you need to Log-in, and if you are not registered you need to register using your real name.  Look under Bird ID / Picture Challenge

Also a tricky skua to try http://forum.devonbirds.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=136

After a fruitless look at Down End late this afternoon I came home across the Marsh/Great Field and saw  a HUGE flock of Starlings heading south west (towards Rob's roost?) I estimated several 10's of 1,000s.

Flock of Siskins in trees around car park for Devon Records Office, can be heard more easily than seen