Devon Birds would like to thank the many members and other birdwatchers who complied with the restrictions during the recent Lockdown and stayed in their local area (village, town or part of city) to birdwatch while exercising (and later) taking recreation. We hope that, despite the obvious frustrations, you found some respite in watching wildlife in your local area and perhaps discovered some birds close to home, that you might otherwise not have seen! As always, please submit sightings to the County recorder and / or BirdTrack. 

 

Please continue to follow the Covid related requirements (currently "rule of six outside, social distancing etc) while enjoying the new freedoms to extend your birdwatching. Some hides will remain closed for the time being and where you find one open, please follow Government guidelines on keeping yourself & others safe: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/social-distancing/what-you-need-to-do/

 

Thank you from

Devon Birds News site editors & members of the Records Committee

Please think very carefully before posting any information on scarce or rare breeding species both here and elsewhere online.

A list of ‘at risk’ species in the county can be found here. Please note that Wood Warbler should now also be treated as on the list. All species included need to be protected - many receive full legal protection under Schedule 1 and/or are rare in the county and may be vulnerable to persecution/disturbance. It is an offence to intentionally disturb any of the Schedule 1 species during the breeding season without a valid licence. This also applies to anyone taking photographs of these species at or near the nest or whilst feeding dependant young.

Some species may be found breeding at numerous locations however please keep information on these species limited to well-known sites (e.g. Labrador Bay for Cirl Bunting, Aylesbeare Common for Dartford Warbler). Others may be found as obvious migrants and as such can also be posted eg coastal Ring Ouzel and passage waders, or raptors eg Little Ringed Plover, Red Kite or Marsh Harrier.

If you have any doubts and think there is a chance there may be breeding, either because of the habitat or behaviour of the bird(s) then do not post, but please submit your records to the County Recorder and the RSPB.

Please be aware that egg collecting and other forms of persecution remain very real hazards for some of Devon’s birds.

Posts which breach these guidelines are likely to be not admitted / removed althogether, rather than edited.  

As noted in the minutes of the Oct 2020 DBRC meeting, Tim Jones is standing down after serving as a member of the Committee for an extended sixth year. Tim has been an active member of the Committee, and his consistently pragmatic approach to assessing records has proved invaluable. The Society would like to thank him for his contribution over the past six years and wish him well in the future.

In the hope of maintaining a geographic spread across the Committee, DBRC approached Dean Jones to fill the vacancy. Dean grew up birding and ringing in Antrim and Lothian, before a tour of various European islands, including Lundy where he has been the Warden now for the past four years.

His experience and knowledge from ringing and birdwatching around Europe will be especially useful to Devon Birds and the Records Committee.

Unless the County Recorder receives any other applications before 15th April 2021, Dean will be formally elected to fill the vacancy for a five year period.

For more information and/or an application form please contact:

Kevin Rylands, County Recorder.   Email: recorder@devonbirds.org 

If you follow our Blog but are not currently a member of Devon Birds please consider joining Devon Birds to help with the upkeep of running the website and this service as well as our valuable conservation work.

I visited to see the Ross's Gull and got more reward than expected! Ross's showing well but distantly, 6 Sandwich Tern and also a Whiskered Tern dropped in.

There will be a lot of pics of these on my blog tomorrow... www.timwhitewildlife.blogspot.com

Whiskered Tern

Ross's Gull

Sandwich Tern

As per Keith Birchall post earlier a Whiskered Tern (a first for BGM) came into hide after 6 Sandwich Terns which had already landed and settled flew around and landed on post righhand side of water level height marker post in middle of channel before taken off and mixing with the other Black Headed Gulls. Also Ross's Gull + Little Gull still present at the time. A Kite was seen by someone in the hide at the same time drifting down over the trees behind the red brick bungalow on the hill but no one else saw it sadly before it disappeared. Just a another brilliant day at the hide !!.

Whiskered Tern

Maybe of interest?.Two little egrets this evening interacting as if a pair both with pink colouration between eyes and bill.One also had bright orange feet and patches of same colour behind knees,just a colour oddity?.Bird with normal coloured feet had legs twice as thick as other individual,old boy maybe?.

After doing every evening high tide this week decided to have an evening at home till I got a txt of Whiskered tern another first for bowling green marsh luckily I managed to get to the marsh in time to watch it flying around giving great views unfortunately 2 micro lights flew low over the marsh and the bird flew out to the estuary at 20:45 

Also on the marsh the 1st summer Ross's gull still present as we left at 21:35, the 1st summer little gull 

Joyfull when planning to be in the right place at the right time pays off! With 2 Bee-eaters in Devon last week and 4 on Portland I figured that this weekend would be the best chance for a long time of finding this species in South Devon. With high pressure and rain on the coast I went down to Prawle and decided looking around the high ground around the village (with lots of wires) would be a good start. Arrived at 1.15pm and within a few minutes remarkably I heard a Bee-eater close by but only had brief views as it dissapeared behind the duck pond trees. I thankfully relocated it perched on a nearby hedge where it settled for ten minutes. I bumped into Pat Mayer who connected with the bird and we watched it until it flew off high to the west at 1.40pm.

Yesterday, in the river Dart between Totnes and Dartington we spotted a female mandarin duck with two chicks at about 6 o´clock in the evening. However, the surprise came when at about 8:15 we discovered a goosander with 4 ducklings very close (2-3 meters).

If you want to watch some great videos of the GOOSANDERS click here and enter in our blog.

http://konicoleando.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/crias-de-mandarines-y-serretas-en-el.html

Along the river, there were also 2 kingfishers, 1 dipper, canada geese, 2 great spotted woodpecker and 3 herons.

Just adding that today the ROSS´S GULL was showing well from the hide at the bowling green marsh with about 90 black-tailed godwits, 1 whimbrel, 2 mediterranean gulls, 1 common gull, 5 wigeon, 2 gadwalls, 4-5 tufted ducks, 1 family of coots, canada geese and little egrets.

At Stover the pair of great-crested grebes have already laid their eggs. Apart from that, 2 lesser black-backed gulls and 2 bullfinch  were the only interesting birds.

Mandarin Duck

Ross's Gull

Watched from 07:40 till 11:45 from the hide 

The 1st summer ROSS'S GULL showed well at times among the black headed gulls, 2 1st summer Mediterranean gulls and 2 common gulls, 95+ black tailed godwits, 1 whimbrel, 5 wigeon, 2 gadwall, 3 tufted ducks.

Watched from the hide 18:30 till 20:30

the Ross's gull showed well coming in on its own all be it in torrential rain it did become elusive and at the time of leaving was feeding on the scrape to the left of the hide. The 1st summer Little gull was also back in with good numbers of black headed gulls and 3 1st summer Mediterranean gulls , 2 common gulls, 31+ bar tailed godwits, 4+ whimbrel, 110+ black tailed godwits, 65+ curlew, 2 reed buntings, 8+ reed warblers.

Osprey sat up in treetop in usual area, seen from roadside 3.30pm

This morning at about 10.20am heard a Bee-eater calling at Scabbacombe Head flying west to east towards Berry Head, unfortunately didn't see it because of the mist.

Kite sp flew across A380 from Occombe Farm towards Marldon at 19.00 hours yesterday (Thursday). Unable to identify but fork in tail suggested Black Kite. Checked area again this morning for an hour or so in unfavourable conditions for raptor watching without any success. Hobby also seen over Scadson Woods (Preston) on Thursday evening.

A Bee-eater was heard several times by Paul Baker just before 2pm today as it flew over Landscore Road, Teigmouth.

Watched from 17:30 till. 20:15

The Ross's Gull showed well in flight unlike last night, but also spent alot of time hidden it was still showining when we left but on the scrape to the left of the hide.  this brings the bowling green marsh list upto 232 not bad for 2 fields, Gary deserves great credit so thanks again. 

Also around the marsh this evening 2 1st summer Mediterranean gulls in with the black headed gulls, 2 common gulls, 27 bar tailed godwits, 80+ black tailed godwits, 2 reed buntings a few curlew and 5+ whimbrel and a kestrel. 

17.15-18.15

After having good views of the Ross's Gull at lunchtime and spending the day in the Exeter area, dropped in at Exminster on the way home.  Generally quiet but Lesser Whitethroat calling and showing well next to the railway line and three Cetti's Warblers calling explosively from deep cover. 20+ Swifts over the marsh. Kestrel over Powderham.  A lone Hobby put in a late appearance on my return, close to the main car park. 

The Osprey showed distantly from Riversmeet House over the southern end of the Exe at 12.20 today. 

Ross's Gull south of Exton Station this afternoon. To reiterate what has already been said,  fair play to Gary for sticking with Ross's I met him this morning at BGM. He agreed with my thoughts on Ross's this morning too. Although I didn't even know the bird was there in the first place as I was visiting from Bristol.

Whilst doing my biannual bird survey of the base this morning a small flock of waders attracted my attention over the estuary and bizarrely they flew towards me, rather than the usual fly away types! Turned into 11 Bar-tailed Godwits.

Ross's Gull which has been coming in on the hide tides since 21-5-2014 and ID as Little Gull at first. thanks Gary for asking the qustion to take a closer look.

Ross's Gull (middle)

Ross's Gull

Ross's Gull

In case any confirmation needed here's a flight shot of the 1st S Ross's Gull from this morning at BGM. Wish we'd had views like this yesterday evening but no excuses, we should have clinched it at the time and I accept my fair share of any blame/embarassment! Not sure who first suggested Ross's but full credit due to them.

Ross's Gull - Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham 29/5/2014

Photo sent in of the 1st sum Ross's Gull from Rob Laughton, taken this morning:

With new views of the gull this morning it has now been identified as Ross gull a great bird for bowling green marsh . Will be a busy day at the hide now 

Late post for yesterday 28th for bowling green marsh 17:20 till 20:40

one of the 1st summer little gulls that has been around for the last week showed well its identy had been queried but with a few local birders in and eventually a photo from Dave stone it was confirmed as a little gull this bird has a very white head and stage of moult made it an interesting bird for all thanks to Tim and Martin  who confirmed id and all others present. 

Most time spent on little gull but also 2 1st summer med gulls, 5 ringed plover and usual numbers of black tailed godwits and bar tailed godwits with a few whimbrel. 

An enjoyable evening 

Osprey on the usual tree near Powderham Castle this evening.

5-6 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Wood Warbler seen and another 2 heard, 2 Marsh Tits and a Cuckoo that flew over the car park. All the common regulars were present including about 10 Mandarin Duck.

A walk around the water meadows north of Clyst St Mary this morning found:  4-5 singing Common Whitethroat, 3 Reed Bunting, Grey Heron and a Buzzard with a rabbit.

At Honiton Clyst, north of the sewage plant and as far as the Waterloo railway line were: Grey Heron, Reed Warbler, C.Whitethroat, 3 Swift and a Hobby flying south.

(For your information.  Tomorrow, Thursday 29 May  is Wildlife Day at N.T. Killerton House/ gardens when Devon Birds (East Branch) will be in attendance with a promotional display from 11am - 4pm. Note also that Mid-Devon Branch fieldtrip to Bramford Speke has been cancelled ... see Society News).

Watched from the hide 17:00 till 19:10

the 2 1st summer little gulls were both showing well from the hide, 2 1st summer Mediterranean gulls amongst 200+ black headed gulls, 27+ bar tailed godwits, 6+ whimbrel, 100+ black tailed godwits, 1 common gull

12.00-14.20

Good views of obliging Dipper along the River Bovey. Also a mobile family of Grey Wagtails.  9 Mistle Thrushes in estate grounds.

Later at Higher Trendlebere Down Car Park, a Cuckoo calling in the distance to the north of Black Hill. 

Yesterday (26/05/14). Rob Dart reported 3 Balearic Shearwaters (all pale birds) and Bonxie around Dartangler while fishing 30nm SSE of Start Point, also lots of Common Dolphins 2 mile off Dartmouth.

Orcombe Point - 1 black tern lingering from 0750 at least, plus 1 common tern, 14 'commic' tern, 17+ sandwich tern and 2 roseate tern. Also 14 common scoter, 3 dunlin and 3 sanderling. Off Mudbank the fs little gull again and 1 turnstone.

26/5 - mistle thrush and 5 stock dove - Orcombe Point and 1 osprey, 1 grey plover and 27+ sandwich tern off Mudbank.

Watched from the hide 16:05 till 18:40

1 1st summer little gull, 3 Mediterranean gulls ( all 1st summers), 30+ bar tailed godwits, 11+ whimbrel, 1 summer plumage knot briefley before it flew of north, 100+ black tailed godwits, 5 little egrets, 4 oystercatchers. 

The morning started very slowly with no noticeable migrants - just breeding birds now. A quick scan of the sea found 3 Harbour Porpoise close, almost under the headland, then a large fast moving pod of Dolphins further out - Common Dolphin. After about 1hr I believe there were approx. 800 animals in the superpod, some gradually moving south. During the watch the following seabirds were noted: 1 Great Skua, 1 Arctic Skua, 2 Sandwich Tern, 3 Common Scoter and 3 Great Northern Divers (2 ad Sum plum, 1 presumed 1st summer) sat in Torbay.

Video of one of the closer groups of the superpod of Common Dolphins -  click on picture to watch:   

Unidentified warbler.Seen in top of tree all to briefly.Size maybe between willow&blackcap,slim with upright stance.Head had steepish peak to crown with thin dark eyestripe and pale supercillium nt reaching much behind eye.Upperparts pale sandy brown with contrastingly pale/white underparts.Long tail was also noticeable.What with distance from bird&brief view these are only features unfourtunately i could obtain,grrrrrrr.Species that sprang to mind was Booted?.Also cuckoo in flight there,14:00.

Very good day there was the usual coal, marsh, blue and great tits. There was also a treecreeper, nuthatch, long-tailed tit, 1 jay and 2 greater spotted woodpecker.

1st summer Little Gull in amongst other gulls off the beach at Exmouth 6-7am this morning. 

Last minute decision to go. 5 mandarins on the pond with the usual Finches & Tits on the feeders. No Redstarts this time but chiiffchaff, willow & wood warbler present. At least 6 Pied Flycatchers, but best bird for me - as not seen one for a while - was a very active & acrobatic spotted flycatcher.

Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

A few late passage waders in the form of 4 grey plover inc one superb bp,2 turnstone&74 dunlin,17:10-18:00.

08.00-14.00

Blustery, cold and rainy conditions throughout. 6 Skylarks, 10+ Meadow Pipits, 12+ Willow Warblers, 2 Ravens, 3 Cuckoos, 3 Redpoll, 2 Whinchats, 3 Stonechats, 3 Tree Pipits, 3 Redstarts, 2 Blackcaps, Garden Warbler, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Stock Doves (1 very vocal at a wet Challacombe), Siskin, Green Woodpecker, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush, Buzzard, Nuthatch. Goldcrest calling. Large family group of Pied Wagtails at Challacombe.  Healthy looking Fox on path between Soussons and Challacombe with a not so healthy looking rabbit in its jaws. 

A good afternoon watched from the hide 14:30 till 16:35

The 2 1st summer little gulls that have been around the estuary both came in with 270+ black headed gulls , 3 Mediterranean gulls(2 2nd summer, 1 1st summer), 4+ common gulls.

a nice find was 1 summer plumage sanderling, 24+ bar tailed godwits, 110+ black tailed godwits, 6+ whimbrel, 2 oystercatchers, 42+ curlew.

a hobby flew through , 4 buzzards.

on walk round to topsham from the goatwalk an osprey was flying over powderham being chased by a group of gulls. 

A wet pre-lunch walk around the ponds revealed a splendid summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit, and 4 Tufted Duck (3 drakes). Most of the hirundines were House Martins. At least 2 families of Pied Wagtails.

Very quiet at the Rec lately so pleased to see an apparently perfectly acceptable adult Yellow-legged Gull at low tide this morning. I say 'apparently' only because I'm suspicious of hybrids and I didn't get confirmation of seeing the spread wing, everything else looks fine.

Yellow-legged Gull ad. Topsham Rec 25/5/2014

Yellow-legged Gull ad. Topsham Rec 25/5/2014

On the edge of the moors between Dockwell and Yarner late yesterday afternoon (24th) just hoping that the rain would stay away.

Goldfinch, Bullfinch inc several youngsters, Chaffinch, numerous Meadow Pipits & Skylarks, one unidentified Warbler species with very dark distinctive markings, juvenile Robin, Cuckoo, Magpie, Yellow Hammer, Linnet, Raven, Carrion Crow, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Mistle Thrush, flock of about 12 Starlings most of which were juveniles, one Shrew and a couple of Rabbits.............. and the rain held off

And at home in South Brent last night Tawny owls calling for most of the night at one point up to six could be heard calling from various locations.

Brief.late seawatch from 10 to 11.30 am produced 2 Storm Petrels ( my first this year) and 1 Bonxie. Rather quiet elsewhere at Prawle . 

Not much but there was a flock of 30+ linnets, a male and female bullfinch and one adult Whitethroat also loads of Shelduck and a Grey Heron.

Early evening seawatch - notable species: 1 pale phase Pomarine Skua > N, all other birds > S 111 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Razorbills, 4 House Martins and 1 Swift.

Watched from the hide 13:15 till 16:40

a 1st summer little gull put in a brief appearance between 13:30 and 14:00, 2 Mediterranean gulls( 1 1st summer and 1 2nd summer) among 250+ black headed gulls, 5 common gulls, 18 bar tailed godwits, 110+ black tailed godwits, 13 oystercatchers was a good count for the marsh , 7+ reed warblers, 3 reed buntings, 1 chiffchaff, 8+ whimbrel, 4+ little egrets. 

During the last week or so a pair of adult Dippers have been feeding well-grown young along the stream through our garden. This fledgling, photographed through a 'window' in the dense growth of bankside ferns, froze motionless for a couple of minutes before calling and zipping off upstream.

Devon/Somerset border 2 stonechats and 1 linnet seen near Kinsford Gate

I had a short walk around just part of Meeth Nature Reserve yesterday and what a diverse and rich habitat there is there despite it being still quite new.

Some of the birds I saw were Mallard, Canada Goose, Little Grebe, Moorhen with chick, Coot, Green Woodpecker, Magpie, many Jackdaws, Carrion Crow, Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tit, Linnet,Blackbird, Song Thrush, Tree Pipit, Blackcap, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon. Swift, House Martin and Swallow were overhead.

This was a recce for the Mid Devon Group Field Trip to take place on Friday, 20th June and is a taster for what is there to be seen.  The area is developing fast and will be a haven for dragonflies and wildlife generally.  Certainly worth a visit.

Sue Clark

Three Cuckoo's heard calling on the moors above Dockwell Nr South Brent this afternoon, on occasion two in view and the third calling. Male Kestrel also seen hovering on the stiff winds. The Cuckoos were being mobbed constantly when out in the open by any number of small birds

Good numbers of Black-headed Gulls from the hide this lunchtime, with 1 juvenile / 1st year Little Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gulls and 4+ Common Gulls. Also one of the local Barnacle Geese had paid a visit to the marsh.

Yesterday, we watched a male Cuckoo at close range near Cold East Cross, telescope views revealed no tag, so not 'Whortle' who also frequents this area http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking/whortle. Also another male calling on Trendlebere Down.

Hoopoe seen (within 5 meters of me) flying while in playing fields at Forches Cross.  Also several Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

7.45pm to 8.45pm  two cuckoos near Widecombe both being mobbed by meadow pipits .Also two  skylarks and a stonechat.       9.15pm to 10pm. Chudleigh Knighton heath Two nightjars 

A bit of a windy and showery morning, but over 150+ House Martins feeding over the main marsh with 20+ Swallows. The 2 Tufted Ducks still around and 3 Gadwalls as well. A female Shelduck was feeding on the small pool below the hide and a pair of Canada Geese that came here acouple of weeks ago, have now got 6 goslings feeding around the main marsh. As I walked back up the track, saw this Hummingbird Hawkmoth.

Wonderful to see these juvenile birds at this time of year.

A Balearic Shearwater flew south late morning. Also two Manx Shearwater, a Great Skua, three Common Scoter, c50 Kittiwake and c15 Sandwich Tern, with five Swift and four Swallow north over the sea.

Red Kite flying over Burrington, near Chulmleigh.