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In a short riverside walk south of Ottery Little Egret sat in tree, close to Willow that had characteristic Beaver bite marks on it. Further down Skylark singing well, Grey Wagtail flew over then 1 Swallow along with 4 Sand Martins. Chiff Chaff's a- plenty and more Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron and Pied Wagtail.  Beautiful! 

first swallow at garage roost last night,same date last year.

Little Grebe 1; Redshank 7; Black-tailed Godwit 4; Snipe 1; Goldcrest 1; Chiff Chaff c6; Little Egret 3; Shelduck 41; Red-breasted Merganser 1F; Ringed Plover 11; Dunlin 7; Bar-tailed Godwit 2; Bullfinch 1M; Buzzard 2 over Ashford.

Bradiford Reserve - Mallard 8; Snipe 7; Canada Goose 7; Moorhen 3 and c20 Teal.

1100hrs Whimbrel flew past the platform calling and 3 Sandwich terns were stood on separate buoys in middle of exe estuary off Exton.

Link to video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU1UhcKm5eM

From yesterday the 2 Spotted Redshank showed well on low-tide and stayed close to the platform and are now partway through their black breeding pulmage.

Link to video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L00ZfGD1ukE

Spotted Redshank 6-4-2015

Spotted & Common Redshank together 6-4-2015

Two Swallows just arrived back at nesting site two days later than usual.

Kumlien's Gull seen 7:30 this morning at South Huish and later around 11.15 in fields between South Huish and Hope Cove.  Seems to favour South Huish for batheing.

2 Garganey, Black-tailed Godwit present with c15 Swallow and a few Sand Martin also Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff present.  (Arthur Livett)

A cracking male Redstart on Orcombe Point this morning around 0700. 

The Little Ringed Plover at Bowling Green Marsh showed well on the near bank till 10am when it flew off. Also 5 Greenshank, 1 Avocet, 1 Grey Plover and c20 Dunlin. Whilst in the hide got a text from Matt K saying there was an Osprey heading up the River Exe. Went down to the Viewing Platform and picked up the Osprey circling over the river at 9.15am, after making one unsuccessful dive into the water, it circled up higher and was eventually lost to view at 9.27am heading north up the River Clyst.

On Powderham Marsh - 1 Green Sand and the Barnacle Goose paired with a Canada Goose.

On Exminster- a Little Ringed Plover ( quite possibly the Bowling Green bird) showed exceptionally well on the scrape by the middle car park and was still there at midday. Also 1 Willow Warbler singing by the end car park. A Whimbrel flew through north before I got there. 

One Little Ringed Plover, also 3 Spotted Redshank, single 2cy Med Gull.

A first light visit to Stover Country Park yesterday morning (6^th April) found the lake covered in mist and frost underfoot, it soon cleared to glorious sunny day.

A small duck flew in across the lake, landed and turned out to be a drake Mandarin, a pair of Canadian Geese flew in and were swiftly driven off by a pair of Mute Swans. Great Crested Grebe taking nesting material to the nest where a bird already sitting tight, later seen to catch and eat a Rudd.

Around the feeders, a pair of displaying Siskins, a single Chiffchaff showed very briefly.

Good numbers of both Nuthatch and Long Tailed Tits showing well, Greater Spotted Woodpecker(s) and Green Woodpecker heard calling, Jay seen and others calling very stridently, a female Bullfinch flew over.

Heron hunting along the lake margin to the left of the hide.

Over at Trago around the lakes/ponds another Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest a small but very active Rookerywith several Rooks sitting on nests.

Back home at South Brent 4 Buzzards soaring and a female Sparrow hawk passing over head, one Heron another two Swallows seen passing by in the afternoon.

Morning with Bill Macdonald and John Lusher at the head: one 1w Glaucous Gull circling early on over southern fort with Grt Blk-Backed Gulls. 40 mins seawatching produced: 3 Puffin, 22 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Great Northern Divers (>N), 300+ Razorbills and several hundred local Guillemots. Apart from a few Chiffchaffs the only summer migrants noted were 2 Wheatears.

Two Little Ringed Plovers on the scrape this evening along with 6+ Wheatears

Been all over East Devon today, but not birding (yeah - right!). Still managed a Red Kite west over Jacob's Ladder, Sidmouth just after 09:30, and a Yellow Wagtail north over Mear Park, Exmouth at midday. 

Back at home, no sign today of the two Penduline Tits that were on Stafford Marsh on Sunday evening. Wonder where they are now....

Two quite low flying red kites passing over exeter quay,heading towards cowley area, constantly being mobbed by gulls and crows at 5.30pm

18.10 > 18.40

Another first for me this evening which I have never seen before & will probably never see again.  On arriving at the pond, the large Brown Rat running up the boardwalk towards me with a Toad in it's jaws!

3 Willow Warblers, a single Sparrowhawk, 24 Sand Martins over the pond & 1 Green Sandpiper on the scrape. 

A superb day for raptors was borne out by an excellent 15 minutes this evening as first a Red Kite (at 5.45 to 5.50 p.m.) and then an Osprey (at around 6 p.m.) flew over Watchford farm (ST114230 -just north of the A303 in the Blackdowns) and across the border into Somerset close to Churchinford.

a quick look from 12:30 till 14:30

2 Little ringed plover showed well before flying over to exminster marsh , 1 green sandpiper , 2 kestrel, 10+ golden plover. 

Female Hen Harrier flying south over Ter Hill and single Snipe in same area. SX 643705.

Glorious still day on the cliff tops and good value vis mig: 17 Swallows & a Sand Martin in off the sea, 20 Wheatears, White Wagtail at the farm, 9 Willow Warblers in the willows below the farm and a male Stonechat on Bolt Head showing the characteristics of Continental Stonechat ssp.rubicola.

Several Peacocks, a Small Tortoiseshell and a very early Small Copper at the Starehole ponds.

Beautiful bright and sunny spring morning. Light NE wind. Arrived just before 08:00 and stopped in the road to check the farm. Saw a Red Kite heading towards the point and drove around to the car park for a better view. Surprised to see it join another bird here and with corvids in attendance they disappeared in a south-south westerly direction. In the farm itself around a dozen each of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler with a single Goldcrest. 4 Wheatears on the road near the lighthouse and another singing from a building inside the compound. Only hirundines were 5 Swallows and 2 Sand Martins.

Watched from 07:30 till 10:30

The highlight was a brief Little ringed plover which dropped in about 07:50 but was gone by 08:00 flying of towards goosemoor, also a whimbrel which flew over towards exminster

very hazy conditions made counts awkward but at least 2 spotted redshanks , 1 grey plover, 2 avocet, 12+ knot, 30+ dunlin among good numbers of redshank and black tailed godwits, 2 water rail, 2 Cetti's warblers , 3 blackcap , 8 chiffchaff, 1 nuthatch. 

1 Willow Warbler singing at the bottom of Courtlands Road this morning

Constant stream of sand martin and swallow east over the river mouth. Also along the valley from Abbey to sea, stacks of chiffchaff, plus buzzard, raven, treecreeper, nuthatch, grey heron, great spotted woodpecker, goldcrest.

Midday- 6 Purple sandpiper ( windy corner ) highest number i have seen here. Late evening 20+ Swallow over Ilfracombe all heading west.

A beautiful afternoon on Exmoor. Large numbers of wheatear, swallows, linnet and meadow pipits and a Ring Ouzel.

During a 2 hour seawatch ( in ENE verring SE wind , force 2 ) with JL ,from 7.30am , we saw 47 Manx Shearwaters west and 12 east; a single Sandwich Tern flying  west oddly enough ; a summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver east and 5 Common Scoter west. Steady passage of almost a 1000 auks west (Razorbills to Guillemots 5 to 1 ratio) and about 130 Gannets mainly west. Also 5 Wheatears (3 males) and 3 Swallows. So it starts.

Came across 5 Wheatears today on Dartmoor, 2 stunning Males and 3 Females. Also quite a few displaying Meadow Pipits also around, follow link to find out more http://www.simonthurgoodimages.co.uk/blog.asp

14.10

Single Swallow heading south west.  Vocal Green Woodpecker late morning calling repeatedly from Kitson Park direction. 

1 Siberian Chiffchaff breaking into song from time to time. Click on picture below for video and sound  - very distinctive song a collybita Chiffchaff can be heard sing in background first. 7-8 Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler also present.

Click on picture for video to hear song of Siberian Chiffchaff singing.

A gorgeous walk from Wembury Beach to Wembury Point and back in sunshine this morning before the Easter Sunday crowds descended and it was nice to finally see some summer migrants. A willow warbler quietly and briefly singing in the hedgerow by the road leading down to the beach was a good start. A singing blackcap was less obliging and I couldn't catch a sight of it, a further 4 were heard along my walk and I didn't see them either! A single swallow flew in from the sea and I had a further 2 single birds but all probably the same bird as it had very long and distinctive tail streamers. 2 sand martins flew in off the sea and headed straight up the valley from the main beach and out of sight. 7 Sandwich terns were roosting on the rocks at Wembury Point before flying off along the shoreline to dive for fish. 3 male wheatears were seen with 2 seen together feeding on insects buzzing around piles of horse muck by the horse stables. Plenty of chiffchaffs singing. A female sparrowhawk flew out to The Mewstone where it was mobbed by a raven.

Peacock butterflys, small tortoishells and common lizards added to the Spring air.

No sign of the male Garganey this morning, however, on the lake:

3 Tufted duck, 1 Gadwall, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mandarins (m+f) around the streams. Around the feeders: 3 Siskins (m+f) 1 male Bullfinch, and a pair of mating Nuthatches. 

Also seen and heard around the lake: 1 Treecreeper, 5 Ciffchaffs, 1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Green Woodpeckers. Several Brimstone and Peacock butterflies out of hibernation too.

The morning started well with my first Tree Pipit of the spring flying over calling just after 7am with small movement of Meadow Pipits(23), then an Osprey (rare sighting at Berry Hd!) flew north being mobbed by Herring Gulls just after 7.18am - after a few calls, tweets and text messages the bird was tracked by Lee Collins at Dawlish Warren just before 8am, about 40 mins flight time. then on the lower Exe by Matt Knott at 8.03am and up at Bowling Green after some fishing at about 9.09 (Keith Birchall) before finally flying off high North at 10.46am - it would be great if it were tracked again, perhaps on the Taw/Torridge, but difficult to prove it was the same bird.

Other Berry Head birds included: 6 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Wheatear, Yellowhammer , Stonechat male (new in). Overhead: 22 Chaffinch, 1 Swallow, 4 'alba' Wagtails and 2 Greenfinch. Some seawatching between 07.30 and 08.30: 2 Puffin, 27 Manx Shearwater, 21 Kittiwake, 40+ Gannet, 7 Common Scoter, 3 Common Gull,95 Razorbill among many Guillemots. Also 3 Common Dolphin south at about 8am and minimum of 2 Harbour Porpoise offshore.

   (Above left) Male Stonechat (presumed returning white upper rumped bird as last year and metal ring on right leg)

(Above right) Common Dolphins - click on photo for link to video

Watched from 09:00 till 11:15

The osprey caught a fish on the estuary and returned to the Derrick at 09:09 and was still there at 10:30 before flying of gaining height before heading of North.

3 ringed plover and 4 grey plover were good birds for the marsh and still 3 spotted redshanks among 130+ redshank, 18 knot, 1 avocet, 250+ black tailef godwits, 42+ dunlin, 3 blackcaps, 2 Cetti's warblers, 6+ chiffchaff, 2 water rail in ditch upto the viewing platform.

Good numbers of shelduck and curlew pushed on by the high tide - just one lown sand martin - highlight has to be two whooper swan calling to each other as they flew low through the marshes then gained height as they were lost to view over Exeter 

My first South Brent Swallow sighting of the year just before 3pm today rounded of a good day of birding in the garden, the morning gave me my first garden sighting of a Chiffchaff (last year they didn't arrive until the end of the month) ,a male Siskin came into the feeders along with good numbers of Goldfinch and Greenfinch, a very vibrantly coloured Nuthatch has been in and out throughout the day as has a Jay.

A pair of Starlings came into the feeders and have been seen flying to the same spot in a heavily Ivy covered Holly tree throughout the day so I suspect they are beginning to nest.

Overhead a hen Sparrow hawk, a pair of Buzzards, one of which got mobbed by a passing Raven, a Lesser Black Backed Gull and calling since around day break a cock Pheasant and a Green Woodpecker. (Little owl and Tawny owls calling during the night)

A pair of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers came onto the feeders at the same time and a very brief scuffle ensued with several feathers drifting away on the breeze.

And as I draft this post a shout from my better half as a female Sparrow Hawk came into the garden after the Sparrows, she sat on the top of a bush for a moment before departing.

5 Goosander

Nice to see three Goosander out the water for a change

Swimming

Standing

10+ Chiffchaffs, 2 Wheatear 1 Swallow along the coastal footpath and a Firecrest at Froward Point, at the entrance to the Dart Estuary.

Lopwell dam this afternoon:

2 Marsh tit, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Raven, 22 Shelduck on the mud, 2 ChiffChaff, 1 male Blackcap. Cormorant and Sparrowhawk flew over.

A blustery day with large numbers of skylarks and linnets. A lot of singing wrens, a few chiff chaff but not much in the way migrants. A few wheatear, cirl bunting, a peregrine, raven, pied and white wagtail, buzzards and kestrels and a large slab of cake in the Walkers Cafe. An enjoyable day in a lovely area.

Skylark with quiff

Wheatear

Raven

Clearing skies and a light NE breeze provided excellent conditions for migrants to move at last. Heading out over the channel to Wales in the space of an hour from 11.15 were 67 Swallows (including a single loose flock of 33), 11 Sand Martins and 2 House Martins. Also a steady flow of Meadow Pipits, with a light passage of Goldfinches, Linnets and alba wagtails.

1 Willow Warbler singing powerfullydespite the quite cold conditions, 20+ Sand Martins, 4 Goosanders, 5 Tufted Ducks, 1 Willow Tit with Blue and Great Tits in good numbers. 1 Nuthatch, 1 Jay, 1 Buzzard, 15+ Rooks, 1 Great Crested Grebe and the usual Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Robins.

Harvey Kendall.

1 Large Brown Rat boldly running up & down the boardwalk this morning with young children present. This could pose a serious threat to the nesting waterbirds as it is a very capable swimmer.

The Rat is also a public health hazard & should be eradicated asap.

Went to South Huish this morning looking for the Kumlien's Gull only to be dissapointed by the lack of gulls there. The Ruddy Shelduck still on the marsh and single Great Northern Diver and Common Scoter offshore. Driving back, in the distance saw a farmer ploughing on the north edge of South Milton Village ( c 2.5kms inland from S. Huish ). Headed over and pleased to see the Kumlien's in company with a couple hundred Herring Gulls. Still there when i left around 11:00 am. My advice for anyone looking for this bird is obviously to get on a bit of higher ground in the area and suss out where the ploughings at.

watched from 07:30 till 11:00

5+ house Martin, 50+ swallow and good numbers of sand Martin moving through, 3 spotted redshank, 17 knot, 1 avocet, 250+ black tailef godwits, 100+ redshank, 1 kestrel, 3 buzzard, 1 peregrine, 2 sparrowhawk, the first willow warbler of the spring, 3 little egrets, 4 tufted duck, 1 jay, 2 reed bunting, 2 Cetti's warblers, 5+ chiffchaff, 2 blackcap.

from the viewing platform 14+ ringed plover, 20+ dunlin, 3 grey plover and 14+ red breasted mergansers, 2 water rail in field by path to viewing platform.

A walk from Henry's ford to hound tor across Taw marsh in truly appalling conditions. 2 wheatear, stonechats, 2 x golden plover, 1 snipe and large numbers of pipits and skylarks.

Visited both today.

Yarner - Usual finches, tits & nuthatch. 3 mandarin on pond, a single GS Woodpecker & 2 raven. Most surprising (at 2.30pm) a Tawny owl, that called 4-5 times - looked but couldn't find it.

Stover - The Male Garganey gave great close views. Thanks Steff for the txt.

Garganey

Garganey with mallard for comparision

Raven Yarner Wood

Just to add to Keith's post. Quick look at the viewing platform on high-tide at 1930hrs  2 Sandwich Terns stood on each of the orange & white buoys south of riversmeet house.

Link to video taken in poor conditions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvzMOZzdo5Y

also link to video of the 2 Penduline Tits at Darts Farm taken earlier in week

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROzfJxamJTs

A pleasant early morning walk around Stover revealed 38 different bird species including 2 Swallows and 2 Sand Martins feeding over the lake plus several Chiffchaffs .

Also seen a Kingfisher, Treecreeper, pairs of both Siskin and Bullfinch on feeder and on the lake a pair of Lesser Black Backed Gulls, Gadwall and Mandarin Ducks.

Watched from 15:30 till 19:05

A male sparrowhawk was hunting over the field by the viewing platform, from the hide 3 spotted redshank among 130+ redshank, 8 greenshank, 17 knot, 300+ black tailed godwits , 1 avocet.

4 house Martin were my first of the spring among 30+ swallow and severall hundred sand Martin, 1 buzzard , 4 little egret , 1 jay , 2 Cetti's warblers , 5 chiffchaff.

7 tufted duck , 1 gadwall, 1 little grebe.

Male Garganey on lake at Stover Country Park 3rd April 2015

Adult Kumlien's Gull. In field to left of wetlands this afternoon. Also in ploughed field. Also 2 Water Pipit, 5 Swallow, 1 Sand Martin, 2 Wheatear, Ruddy Shelduck.

i was dog walking this morning at 08.30 in filham park ivybridge

when i was greeted by the sound of a male green woodpecker drumming,shortly afterwards he was joined by the female.

Migrants this afternoon included 4 Wheatears on the Cricket Pitch and 1 Little Ringed Plover on the scrape.

Plenty of wheatears this morning. 7 in the quarry, 1 in the south fort and 2 more reported from the coast path. Only other migrants were a swallow over the bungalow and 2 chiff chaff.

During a walk down Station Road and back I counted c30 sand martins, a few swallows and 3 chiffchaff including one singing on the canal bank. A female peregrine spent almost 5 minutes calling loudly and dive bombing a buzzard that appeared to have stolen her prey. The fields looked almost deserted apart from a few teal, shoveller and mallard. The conditions on the marshes look good for passing migrants but we will have to wait for the wind to change direction. Near the road bridge over the railway were two wheatears, a male and a very dark female (with almost a black head).

100:00 this morning, heavy driving mist. c30 Sand Martins and Swallows, 7 Tufted Duck 4m 3f, 2 Goosander 1m 1f, 2 G.C.Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Chifchaff, 1 Willow Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, 1 Nuthatch, usual suspects on the feeders.

The drake Garganey still 2.25pm at Stover by viewing area left of hide , 30 yards out in the open showing very well but then swam to left hand island and out of view. Also a pair of Mandarin by the bridge. 

12 singing Chiffchaffs and 130 Linnets the best of it. Early indications of a good season for Stonechat & Cirl Bunting - the latter 2015 proposed national survey will probably now go ahead in 2016, funding permitting!

12.10 > 12.40

1 Willow Warbler & 3 Chiffchaff calling, 70 Hirundines consisting of 55 Sand Martins & 15 Swallows give or take a few!  1 pair of Tufted Duck. 4 Sand Martins notHouse Martins over the R.Caen in the village of Braunton.

Male Garganey in front of hide this lunch time

Yesterday evening; 5 Swallows flew through heading north over the southern fort.

watched from 16:30 till 18:35

4 spotted redshank among 130+ redshank, 10 knot, 8 dunlin, 300+ black tailed godwit, 3 greenshank, 4 swallow , 200+ sand Martin , 2 Cetti's warblers, 1 gadwall, 2 little grebe , 7 tufted duck, 4 little egret, 7 chiffchaffs, 1 sparrowhawk, 5 buzzards.

Two Sandwich Terns around Devils Point and this Cormorant which is probably not quite clear cut enough to call sinesis.

100+ fairly even mix of Swallow and Sand Martin over the pond at 17:15.

One Sparrowhawk came over for a look too!  

My first Swallow sighting of the year was today with five birds seen together at Dart Meet, two Yellow Hammers, male and female with the male showing really well.

In the Spitchwick area a reasonable numbers of Skylark both seen and heard and a smaller number of Meadow Pipits.

Grey wagtail seen on the River Dart towards Ashburton

At home in South Brent visiting the garden feeders, three Siskins, two males and one hen, one of the males being very vibrantly coloured, good numbers of both Goldfinch and Greenfinch and two visiting Jays.

4 Wheatear in the Northern Fort this morning but nothing else of note

On the way back from a fairly quiet Bowling Green Marsh this lunchtime I dropped in at Darts Farm to find the 2 Penduline Tits huddled up in the willow tree by the hide. Still there at about 2.40 whn I left.

Late aft

35 Sand Martins, 4 Swallows, 0 House Martins.

1 pair of Tufted Duck

1 Willow Warbler calling & 3 Chiffchaffs.

watched from 16:00 till 18:30

Good movement of sand Martin through with 100+ and also 7+ swallow, 1 spotted redshank among 90+ redshank and 5 knot, 1 kingfisher, 4 little egrets, 5 tufted duck, 4 buzzard, 4 meadow pipit , 2 little grebe, a few curlew and black tailed godwits , 1 avocet, 4 greenshank.

Went for a stroll up the river and a circuit around the marsh, the Brents and Wigeon seem to have gone but still managed to find 38 species.

2-3 Siberian Chiffchaffs still present at the ponds both looking very scruffy in heavy moult (see photo below - one still renewing three central tail feathers), one breaking into brief snatches of song. 1 Yellow Wagtail flew North calling.

After seeing Alan Doidge's photos of the adult Kumlien's Gull nr South Milton/Salcombe from last Saturday, I checked some more of my photos of the Iceland Gull I reported on 14th March at South Huish.

Although faint and despite having a one or more feathers damaged on left wing (P6 & 7) there are grey tips on Primary 8 (P8) on both wings and P7 on right (undamaged wing). Sadly the upper wing shots were all distant but there does appear to be a darker line along the leading edge of P10.  As an adult the primary tips alone make this a  kumlieni rather than glaucoides Iceland Gull.