Happy New Year

Many thanks to all observers that have already submitted their records for 2019, both through Birdtrack and Devon Birds. This is much appreciated.

For other records please could observers submit their sightings by 31^st January.

Guidelines and links to recording forms can be found here https://www.devonbirds.org/birdwatching/recording/guide_to_record_submission

Please send your records to Karen Sims data.manager@devonbirds.org and any descriptions to Kevin Rylands recorder@devonbirds.org

Best wishes and good birding for 2020

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Two female  Long-tailed Ducks on the sea this afternoon as well as the regular flock of 380+ Common Scoter, 3 RT Divers, 60+ Auks (mostly Guillemot, some Razorbill) and 1 GC Grebe.

Churston Head, 09:10 - 11:30: 3 Gt N Divers (09:20, Elberry Cove; 2 staying together + 1; by 11:30 2 + 1 off Shell Cove/Salltern Cove); 8 Velvet Scoter (09:40, off Shell Cove, then moving further out); 1 Eider (09:30, Mussel Beds). 1 Brent Goose (10:15, off Saltern Cove/Goodrington); 6 Lssr B-b Gulls (09:10, Broadsands Bay.

Car Park, 11:30 - 12:50: 4 Cirls (2m, 2f) 1 Chiffchaff (collybita) + Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch & Bullfinch; 1 Sparrowhawk; 1 Jay; 1 Gt Sp Woodpecker.

Churston Head, 12:50 - 13:30: 2 Gt N Divers (1 relocated Broadsands Bay moving to off the Pt, 1 relocated Shell Cove); 2 Common Scoters (1m, 1f,  flying S past the point then turning & landing far out in Torbay) 1 B-n Grebe (off Pt, then Broadsands Bay); 6 Brent Geese (flew in towards Goodrington).

Five Blackcaps simultaneously today in my back garden: three males and two females. Very little aggression so far, except sometimes from one of the males. I saw the males together and later the females about a week ago, but this is the first time I have seen all five at the same time.

Just popped down for an hour to see what was about and noted the following; On the meadow 126 Redshank, 83 Dunlin, 5 Greenshank, 5 Wigeon, 31 Curlew, 7 Oystercatcher, 2 Kingfisher & 1 Common Sandpiper. 4 Little Grebe on the estuary.

Marsh Harrier (Female) seen on the Flyover side of the Marsh late morning

Highlight was a Merlin over the airfield. Also: 10 Gannet, 260 Skylark, 140 Linnet, 14 Yellowhammer & 12 Cirl Bunting.

At the feeder - every type of Tit, Bullfinches male & Female - Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch & plenty of Squirrels. By the hide a Female Pochard Duck and 1 water Rail showed well in front of the hide

Here a picture from Andy Swash of the hybrid. Any other suggestions?

Putative Eurasian X Chiloe Wigeon

At Bowling Green Marsh today on falling tide: 10 Greylags, 2 Pintail and a putative hybrid Eurasian X Chiloe Wigeon (black barring on chest, orangey flanks and large white patch on sides of head), but no sign of American Wigeon.

Impressive wader numbers were visible from the Clyst viewpoint and the Goat Walk, including 780 Golden Plover roosting on mud towards Turf (possibly the most I've ever seen on the Exe and surely the most for some years). There were also over 500 Lapwings, c25 Knot and perhaps 500 Avocets and 1000 Black-tailed Godwits, with good numbers of Redshanks and a Greenshank. A Water Rail was along the reed fringe across the estuary.

A Cetti's Warbler gave good views by the viewing platform and 2 Redwings in one of the seeded fields near the Goat Walk included an obvious very dark, heavily-streaked Icelandic bird (coburni). A Spotted Redshank called near Goosemoor, where there was a Greenshank and another Water Rail.

Great Northen Diver just off the pier on Sunday afternoon. Diving over the bar until chased off by jet skis.

Unidentified scoters further out in the mist.

A few photos from this morning's boat trip. Notable mainly for the 6 velvet scoter off Broadsands-Goodrington, and common gulls seen in several places.

  
1st winter Great Northern Diver in the fog.        5 of the Velvet Scoters                 Common Gull north of Berry Head

Just adding to Simon's report the large numbers of Guillemots on the cliffs of the colony at Berry Head, 800+. 5 Common Gull and 20 + Fulmar in Torbay. very atmospheric with the mist in the bay but a good trip. 

Next trip Sunday 8th Jan 2017. if interested call 07866202576.

2 Cattle Egret early afternoon in field by entrance to Barton Farm

Had a great trip out with Nigel around Torbay, saw some great birds the best being 6 Velvet Scoters and 6 Great Northern Divers, 11 Dark-Bellied Brent Geese, 1 Eider and 8 sightings of Harbour Porpoise that came close to the boat.

  
Great Northern Diver                                                                           Velvet Scoter

On Wrafton Pond this morning a male Pochard and a pair of Gadwall.

In the reserve, a Kingfisher flew around the pond and landed briefly on a reed stem. 2 Water Rails (one seen) Chiffchaff, Goldcrest and the usual FInches and Tits. Outside the reserve a pair of Stonechats and a few more Meadow Pipits today and with them, a Water Pipit.

On the  scrape both Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit.

This is a correction to an old post.  On 24 November 2016 I posted that 24 Barnacle Geese landed on Exminster Marshes.  I am at last checking and processing all my photos from that 'flood week' on Exminster and I can now see it was actually 25.  I will submit this on the Devon Record Sheet to correct.

25 Barnacle Geese 24.11.16 Exminster Marshes

Early morning walk around Occombe proved quite fruitful. Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Green Woodpecker, 3 Goldcrest, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, a Chiffchaff, several Wren, 5 Robins, good numbers of Blue Tit & Great Tit. Jackdaws, Rooks & Carrion Crow all feeding in one field, a Song Thrush and a Jay.

Mansands ~ Crabrock point gave a distant view of initially 160 Scoter duck, brief view of the Surf and one Velvet a further 22 flew in giving a total of 182 birds, a Guillemot close to the flock and 2 two Fulmar,

22 Meadow Pipit by the cottages, 4 Stonechat and 2 Pied Wagtails.

A Kestrel perched alongside the track near the car park, duck on the marsh included Mallard, Teal and Gadwall, four Moorhen.

And a very unseasonal sighting of a Red Admiral butterfly.

On the pool at high tide this morning - c95 Redshanks, 6 Dunlins, 29+ Curlews, 18 Shelducks & 5 Wigeon. Nearby, 2 Ring-necked Parakeets (1 blue morph) and at least one heard in a different part of the park. Also Snipe, 5 Goldcrests and Nuthatch. 

2 very active and mobile YBWarblers in Beaumont Park this morning. 1 keeping mostly to the tree tops in the trees near the north gate entrance, 1 mostly in the tree tops in the trees in the centre of the park, but both occasionally moving down to the lower branches. Vocal at times and at one point seen chasing each other and calling noisily.

I did manage to get a rubbish record shot of 1 of them.

Also seen:- a female type black redstart, a jay (a first for the park for me), a coal tit, 4+goldcrest, goldfinch, a nuthatch and B,G and LTTits.

Yellow Browed Warbler

Noting mention of singing Song Thrushes, one has been singing here in a neighbour's garden for about a week now. 

Ringing in  the reserve this morning was slow going, but rewarded with one retrap and 2 new Chiffchaffs.

When I returned home I was moving some firewood when the beautiful sound of a singing Song Thrush put a spring in my stride!

All seven birds present today in solar panel field

A quick look in a Dunsdon feeders, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Great / 4 Blue / 3 Coal Tit, 1 Buzzard, 6 Fieldfare, 1 Willow and 2 Marsh Tit, 2 Robin.

Sightings for this morning, 35 Goosander 17m 18f, 23 Tufted Duck, 28 Mallard, 14 Coot, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Mute Swan, 1 Willow and 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Goldcrest,

 Was in town tonight in Exeter & noticed a huge winter roost of pied wagtails, maybe over 500 +  in 4 trees alongside Next in the High St 

The Common Scoter flock at Chiselbury Bay was the largest I have seen with 380+ birds this morning.
Also 1 RT Diver , but sadly no Velvet or rarer Scoters though. A check of the River Otter Egret roost this evening resulted in 17 Little Egrets, but no Cattle Egrets - Keep trying!

Quick visit this pm 106 black tailed godwits,47redshank and one greenshank,no sign of the ibis.

At 10:00 this morning sighting of a female Black Redstart around Shelley apartments in Exmouth