Please do not post any information about scarce or rare breeding species. They may be vulnerable to persecution or disturbance.
The exception is information on these species at well known sites (e.g. Broadsands for Cirl Bunting and Aylesbeare for Dartford Warbler) or birds which are obvious migrants away from breeding sites.
If in any doubut, please don't post but report your sighting to the county recorder asap. Site editors cannot commit to editing posts which breach these guidelines, and the whole post may be removed or not admitted.
Further details can be found in the link below, but note, Wood Warbler is now also included as a scarce breeder:-
https://www.devonbirds.org/news/bird_news/rare_breeding_species
Posted April 15th at 3:02 pm by Pete Aley in Bird News
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Posted October 10th, 2016 at 9:14 am in Bird News
Monday 30th June 2014
Gull roost continues to improve. Ross's gull appeared at 9.10 pm,feeding actively on shoreline.Spotted redshank and whimbrel mixed with curlew,barwit and redshank.
Posted June 30th, 2014 at 10:38 pm by John Phillips in Bird News
A couple of pics from today

Juv Redstart

Tree Pipit
Posted June 30th, 2014 at 10:31 pm by Josh Marshall in Bird News
Single Red Kite over at 12:40.
Posted June 30th, 2014 at 5:34 pm by Mark Darlaston in Bird News
unseasonal adult little stint,ad+2s med gulls,ad golden plover.unable to post y.day due to damn internet failing..19:30-20:50.
Posted June 30th, 2014 at 4:38 pm by Robert Marshall in Bird News
In Soussons: 1 Redstart and good numbers of Coal Tits but little else apart from a large flock of Jackdaws flying over, c100 birds.Grey Wagtails at Pizwell Bridge. Over at Vitifer: Walk around the the area produced a few pairs of Whinchats and good numbers of Meadow Pipits. Also present, Wheatears, Willow Warblers, Pied Wagtails, Skylark, Kestrel and 4 Ravens.

Whinchat

Grey Wagtail

Wheatear
Posted June 30th, 2014 at 4:09 pm by david cawthraw in Bird News
39 Med Gulls on the sands this morning.
What a cracking bird the adult sum plum!

Posted June 30th, 2014 at 3:38 pm by Rob Jutsum in Bird News
Sunday 29th June 2014
Just to ad to Keith's post.
fs Ross's Gull was elusive all evening and eventually appeared from the far left gulley area on the main pond and continued to feed all along the shoreline to the point at 2103Hrs.

Ross's Gull

Greenshank

2-a + 1-ss Mediterranean Gulls
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 11:15 pm by David Boult in Bird News
watched from the hide 18:15 till 20:55
The Ross's gull showed up just after I had left thanks Dave for the email
10 mediterannean gulls (4 adult, 2 2nd summer and 4 1st summer) among 800+ black headed gulls
The 2 sp spotted redshanks were among 180+ redshank, 7+ greenshank, 7+ bar tailed godwits, 1 sp grey plover, 1 green sandpiper, 70+ black tailed godwits , 4 whimbrel, 110+ curlew, 4 teal 3 wigeon , 5 little egrets , 3 reed warbler, 2 redd buntings , 1 little grebe, 4 sandwich terns

adult mediterranean gull

2nd summer and 2 adult mediterranean gulls
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 11:00 pm by Keith Birchall in Bird News
Looking for the Gyrs falcon in Brixham, which didn't appear, we found an probable glaucous gull sat on Cod rock next to Berry head. Any opinions weather it is or not a glaucous gull?

Glaucous Gull
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 8:44 pm by Martin Rey in Bird News
A single (sum-plum) Black-tailed Godwit on the pool. Other wader numbers creeping up with 19 Curlews, 12 Redshanks; also 8 Little Egrets and 17 Shelducks, of which one pair still also have 4 ducklings.
Two juv Blackcaps and 4 Marbled Whites completed the day's sightings.
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 8:26 pm by Pete Aley in Bird News
Lower Tamar Lake 08:50.
2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Cormorant, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 6:14 pm by ROD MUDGE in Bird News
Morning high tide. From 8.20 -11.00. Ross's Gull 1st Sum, Med Gull 8 (5 1st sum, 2nd sum & 2 Ad sum), Spotted Redshank 2 br pl, Redshank 182, Greenshank 3, Curlew 187, Whimbrel 4, Blkwits 81, Barwit 5, Lapwing 4 Ad, Grey Plover 1 br pl.
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 5:54 pm by Steve Cox in Bird News
Photos from top to bottom
First summer Med Gull
Second summer Med Gull
Adult summer Med Gull
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 3:32 pm by Rob Jutsum in Bird News
41 Mediterranean Gulls on Saunton Sands yesterday morning. 37 not ringed, 4 colour ringed & digiscoped.
26 Med Gulls this morning, 1 colour ringed & digiscoped.
.
.



Posted June 29th, 2014 at 3:28 pm by Rob Jutsum in Bird News
Whimbrel, Curlew, Swift, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Little Egret and Reed Warblers on the Fremington side. Then from Velator Quay a Kingfisher, Swift, Black-headed Gulls, Swallows incl. fledglings, Common Sandpiper and early Goldfinch flocks.
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 1:30 pm by Lowell Mills in Bird News
2 adult Mediterranean Gulls; 3 Juvenile Redshank; 1 Bar-tailed Godwit; 1 Lapwing; 2 Little Egret; 3 Common Sandpipers; 1 Whimbrel; c70 Curlew; 2 Shelduck; 3 Swift plus Herring Gull; Great Black-backed Gulls; Oystercatcher and Black-headed Gulls. 5 Gannet over mouth of estuary.
Posted June 29th, 2014 at 9:51 am by Maurice Clements in Bird News
Saturday 28th June 2014
5 Mediterranean gulls (1 1st summer and 4 adults or 2nd summers) at Topsham Rec 1pm today.

Posted June 28th, 2014 at 10:11 pm by Martin Elcoate in Bird News
Islay Marsh:
Stonechat, Whinchat, female and male Reed Bunting, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch, 17 linnets.
Instow:
I adult med gull near the pear with all of the Black-headed Gulls, also 2 Mute swan's, Oystercatchers, Curlew.
Skern:
Tide was to far out to see any waders 5 white wagtails, 3 Pied Wagtails, 21 Goldfinches, 2 Linnets
Posted June 28th, 2014 at 6:25 pm by Benjamin Rousseau in Bird News
Watched from the hide 09:35 till 10:30
A quick look this morning before the heavy showers arrived produced the 2 sp spotted redshanks among 130+ redshanks, 5 greenshanks, 182+ curlew , 3 whimbrel, 90+ black tailed godwits, 7 bar tailed godwits, 700+ black headed gulls.
later at topsham quay 5 common sandpipers
Posted June 28th, 2014 at 4:31 pm by Keith Birchall in Bird News
6 Med gulls,5ad bp,2s,whimbrel,turnstone,07:00-08:15
Posted June 28th, 2014 at 1:37 pm by Robert Marshall in Bird News
Friday 27th June 2014
Watched from the hide 17:30 till 20:00
The 1st summer Ross's gull still showing well at times, still 2 summer plumage spotted redshanks.
1000+ black headed gulls included 5 Mediterranean gulls ( 1 adult and 4 1st summers) , 6+ common gulls, 2 lesser black backed gulls.
236+ curlew was double recent counts, 3 whimbrel, 7 bar tailed godwits, 180+ redshanks, 7 greenshanks, good numbers of black tailed godwits, 5+ lapwing, 1 oystercatcher.
Posted June 27th, 2014 at 10:32 pm by Keith Birchall in Bird News

A great moment finding this young Tawny Owl for 7 members of DB (East Branch) during their fieldtrip around Challacombe Farm and valley. Good numbers of Redstarts, Spotted Flycatchers, Wheatears and Stonechats but fewer Whinchat than expected. Early heavy rain set in but quickly cleared to make this another memorable day. Thanks to Dave Murray for leading us.
Posted June 27th, 2014 at 6:22 pm by Jonathan Ruscoe in Bird News
From the hide this lunchtime until about 1.15. One of the summer plumaged Spotted Redshanks was showing well at times with a group of about 30 Redshanks and 1 Black-tailed Godwit at the back of the marsh. Otherwise fairly quiet with no small gulls. The female Pintail still present as well as 3 Teal.
Posted June 27th, 2014 at 1:30 pm by Nick Potter in Bird News
0800hrs Adult White Morph bird...Dont get too excited... It has jessies on and seen in the vicinity of St Marys Bay
per Seb Loram
Posted June 27th, 2014 at 11:58 am by Josh Marshall in Bird News
Thursday 26th June 2014
Adult knot bp,whimbrel,16 black headed gull inc 2 juv,barwit.
Posted June 26th, 2014 at 11:10 pm by Robert Marshall in Bird News
Viewed over the evening high-tide 1500-2000Hrs
fs Ross's Gull + c1100 Black Headed Gulls + 4 Common Gulls + 3-fs Mediterranean Gulls + Lesser Blacked Gull (sadly ate 1 of the Coot chicks) + 2-sp Spotted Redshank + c150 Redshank + c170 Curlew + 4 Whimbrel + 1-sp Grey Plover + c90 Black Tailed Godwits + 7 Bar Tailed Godwits + 2 Greenshank + 1 Green Sandpiper + 4 Lapwing + 11 Oystercatchers + 17 Little Egrets.
No sign of the fs Little Gull although seen earlier at mid-day by Nick.

Ross's Gull

sp Grey Plover
Posted June 26th, 2014 at 11:02 pm by David Boult in Bird News
A drake Red Crested Pochard was on the bottom (eastern most) Pond.

Also a brood of 9 downy Tufted Ducks with an ad female. Tufted Ducks failed to breed in the last couple of years at Clennon Valley after a good run of successful broods.

Posted June 26th, 2014 at 9:06 pm by Mike Langman in Bird News
Posted June 26th, 2014 at 5:17 pm by Mark Darlaston in Bird News
Lunchtime visit to the hide until about 1.15 in pouring rain. Only 6 gulls on the marsh, but this included the 1s Little Gull and an adult and 1s Mediterranean Gull. Green Sandpiper on the pool in front of the hide before it flew nearer the road. Male Wigeon and most surprisingly a female Pintail amongst noticably more Mallards than recently.
Posted June 26th, 2014 at 1:42 pm by Nick Potter in Bird News
Wednesday 25th June 2014
Further to Keith's post.
73 Oystercatchers dropped in after the high tide at 1905Hrs. The Ross's Gull really showed well towards the end of the day low down on the grass bank close in to far side of left channel and was still there when i left at 1935Hrs.

Ross's Gull

sp Spotted Redshank

adult Mediterranean Gull
Posted June 25th, 2014 at 10:06 pm by David Boult in Bird News
Watched from the hide 15:50 till 18:35
The 1st summer Ross's gull showed well at times as did the 1st summer little gull and the 2 summer plumage spotted redshanks.
again 1200+ black headed gull with 6+ Mediterranean gulls( 2 adult and 4 1st summers ) 7+ common gull and a greater black backed gull.
Wader numbers were good with 182+ curlew, 4 whimbrel, 7 bar tailed godwits, 95+ black tailed godwits, 150.+ redshanks, 4 greenshanks, 4 lapwing, 1 oystercatcher.
18+ little egrets, 1 buzzards, 3 reed warblers.
Posted June 25th, 2014 at 8:23 pm by Keith Birchall in Bird News
Tuesday 24th June 2014
Just some photos of the smart looking adult and less-so fs Mediterranean Gulls + Green Sandpiper viewed over the afternoon high tide with Keith..

adult Mediterranean Gull

fs Mediterranean Gull (flying)

Green Sandpiper
Posted June 24th, 2014 at 8:56 pm by David Boult in Bird News
Watched from the hide 15:00 till 18:05
With the 1st summer Ross's Gull and 1st summer little gull still showing well and the summer plumage spotted redshanks again being elusive at times
slight dip in black headed gull numbers but still 1200+ now including 6 juv's, 13+ Mediterranean gulls(3 adult, 2 2nd summer and 8+ 1st summers) 7+ common gulls.
redshank numbers continue to increase with 177+, 7 bar tailed godwits , 80+ black tailed godwits, 2 greenshanks, 1 green sandpiper, 4 lapwing, 3 whimbrel, 90+ curlew
29+ little egrets and 2 sandwich terns briefly.
Posted June 24th, 2014 at 8:30 pm by Keith Birchall in Bird News
Some recent images from around Dartmoor

Tree Pipit

Common Crossbill
Posted June 24th, 2014 at 12:09 pm by Josh Marshall in Bird News
Monday 23rd June 2014
Lovely to see a Kittiwake at Hallsands yesterday. I understand that there is usually a good few there but only one found. It was on ledge but no sign of eggs or young.
Posted June 23rd, 2014 at 10:36 pm by Karen Sims in Bird News
Some more photos over the afternoon high tide on the marsh with Keith.
The Ross's Gull has been coming in regular now about 2 hours before the high tide.
3 Days now and still no sign of the Bonaparte's Gull

Ross's Gull

Little Gull

Oystercatchers
Posted June 23rd, 2014 at 9:45 pm by David Boult in Bird News
Watched from the Hide from 15:30 till 17:50
A busy afternoon on the Marsh with the 1st summer ROSS'S GULL still showing well also the Adult SPOONBILL and the 1st summer LITTLE GULL all in front of the hide.
The build up of Black headed gulls continues with at least 1500+ in today with 2 juv's, at least 12+ Mediterranean gulls (3 adults, 2 2nd summer and 7 1st summers), 4+ common gulls.
The number of oystercatchers continues to increase and today at least 138+ came in over the high tide this being my best count by far on the marsh. The 2 summer plumage Spotted redshanks were elusive at times with similar numbers of redshank and Black tailed godwits to the last few days , 7 Bar tailed godwits , 1 whimbrel, 106+ curlew, 1 green sandpiper, nice to see 8 sandwich terns on the marsh one was ringed but unable to read the details.
18+ little egrets, 1 little grebe , 2 shoveler, 3 wigeon, 1 buzzzard
Ringing News on a Black headed Gull seen on 16th of June white ring with 26L2 code was ringed as a chick on 6/7/2013 at Lea Farm Gravel Pit near reading and is the first record of the bird since it left.

Adult Mediterranean Gull

Second summer Mediterranean gull
Posted June 23rd, 2014 at 9:15 pm by Keith Birchall in Bird News
Ian Purchase has just given me a really good description of a white stork that flew in off the sea and continued fairly low up river at around 5pm yesterday afternoon. It may be worth checking the fields north of White's Bridge.
Posted June 23rd, 2014 at 8:36 am by Matt Knott in Bird News
Sunday 22nd June 2014
07:30 - 08:45
1 Spoonbill; 20 Little Egrets and 45 Shelduck on Penhill side of the river. There appears to be 2 creches of Shelduck on the Pottington side. 1 of 2 adults and 18 ducklings and a 2nd of 2 adults and 6 ducklings.
Black-headed Gulls are returning but no Meds as yet.
Posted June 22nd, 2014 at 9:35 pm by Maurice Clements in Bird News
The Woodchat Shrike showing well all day at Swell Tor, apart from flying off for the odd insect spent most of the day on tops of the Hawthorn enjoying the sun!

Posted June 22nd, 2014 at 7:29 pm by simon thurgood in Bird News
Watched from the hide 11:50 til 16:05
the 1st summer Ross's gull showed well at times and has now been here for month, the 1st summer little gull and about 15:45 the adult spoonbill dropped in.
Black headed gull numbers continue to increase with 1200+ including 1 juv, among them were 6+ med gulls ( 2 adult, 2 2nd summer , 2 1st summer), 5 common gull and 2 lesser black backed gulls.
the 2 summer plumage spotted redshanks were in with 80+ redshank, 6 bar tailed godwits, 83+ black tailed godwits, 1 greenshank, 1 green sandpiper, 1 whimbrel, 50+ curlew, 30+ shelduck.
a surprise was 81+ oystercatchers dropping in usually only single figures on the marsh
Posted June 22nd, 2014 at 5:31 pm by Keith Birchall in Bird News
Still showing in same area but can be elusive at times. Just south of the Princetown to Yelverton railway line/cycle track at SX 561 728 near Swelltor Quarry. First time recorded on Dartmoor - see Birds of Dartmoor
Posted June 22nd, 2014 at 10:39 am in Bird News