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.

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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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A flock of 20 Redwing on Godborough this morning. Seen during the weekly work party. Plenty of holly, spindle and hawthorn berries on the reserve for them.

This lunchtime the now semi-regular juv/fem? Marsh Harrier put up two Snipe whilst quartering the reedbed at Goosemoor.  On the rising tide off the Goatwalk the Avocet count was at least 196.

An impressive hour of wood pigeon movement over the Devon hotel in matford Exeter this morning between 07:25 and 08:25 whilst working witnessed a movement that consisted of 28500+ birds moving west with lines of birds stretching from the centre of Exeter out to the Devon hotel and of towards exminster largest group was 8500+ with lots of groups of 500+, at least 150+ stock doves was also interesting also my first redpolls for work when 2 birds dropped in by my office and to cap a good hour a Firecrest moved through with local goldcrests group.

later after work at matford park and ride another Firecrest was very vocal whilst waiting for the bus 

4 field fares in hedgerow behind my garden on Clovelly road bideford just missing out on a tick at 08:00.Lunchtime at westward Ho! Saw 1 red breasted merganser & 2 little egrets heading west

2 suspect Snow Geese with 200+ Canada Geese, these have been reported on Maer earlier in October, if I am around the lake tomorrow I'll try and take some photo's if they are still there,

Eds: possibly the hybrid birds that have been around for several years mostly in N Devon?

Watching the bird feeders at 7.50am and amazed to see a Firecrest appear flitting around in the hawthorne hedge, lovely white stripe over eye. A garden first but didn't hang around for me to get camera!

South Milton Ley this afternoon. Walked past the new extended ditch ( a pond really!) , which looks as though it will have real potential as it matures, towards South Milton. A very mobile Yellow Browed Warbler flitting through the trees was the highlight, 2 Goldcrest nearby. A male Reed Bunting at the head of the "pond". Lots of blackbirds - 20+, feeding on the well berried hawthorn hedge. Plenty of blue & great tits around. 12 Goldfinch. Only saw 3 Chiffchaff by the STW. Later South Huish Marsh was alive with Canada Geese. I counted 421 + 2 White Geese, but Mike P tells me there were even more in the morning! Not much else on show, a few teal and 1 Cattle Egret with 3 Little Egret

3 Ring Ouzel showing in hedgerow of  'top field' nearest to the car park this AM.  Also another possible 3 in Hawthorn trees at south end but these flew off and last seen over Saddle Tor.  Several Redwing and at least 8 Fieldfare also present. 

This was my first visit to this reserve and I walked around the perimeter using the way marked path which is very wet in places, particularly the mire!  For those not familiar with this Devon Wildlife Trust reserve.... park at Saddle Tor car park on right of road from Hay Tor to Widicombe on B3387 at map ref: SX748761 and head downhill in direction of Hound Tor.   To find the site using the grid reference go to:

https://gridreferencefinder.com

Foggintor Quarry 10.30.  A great surprise while leading a walking group to see a pair of Ring Ouzel, among the granite spoil heaps.

A Mistle Thrush was in my garden this morning - perhaps trying to take ownership of the huge Holly tree just over the fence. It was being given a really hard time by a bunch of Jackdaws.

Meanwhile down at the reserve, good numbers of Goldfinch feeding on the Alder cones and a few Siskins heard too. Both Female and Male Sparrowhawks seen hunting in and around the reserve.

So as soon as I say they seem to have gone, 5 Black-tailed Godwits again by the scrape this morning.

flushed 2 (common?) sandpipers in separate areas of moorland in this area yesterday.

Walking to Watersmeet produced c.50 Redwing feeding on hawthorn berries over The Cleeves and 5 Dippers in and around Lynmouth.

Having only seen the very occasional report of one, two or three Avocets on the Exe over the past few weeks it would appear as though we were still awaiting their arrival.  Well they're here now.  I counted 141 from the Goatwalk, over on the Exminster bank on the lunchtime high tide. (I did count 35 on 6th October, but thought that they have moved on elsewhere). 

Ringing again today, among 34 ringed: 3 Redwings, 2 Cetti's Warblers, 4 Goldcrests, 1 Blackcap, 2 Song Thrush, and at last a Firecrest!

Looks like all the Godwits have moved on.

Lower Tamar Lake.
10 Great Crested Grebe, c300 Canada Geese, 6 Wigeon, 8 Moorhen, c32 Coot, 3f Shoveler, 4 Bullfinch, c30 Mallard, 3 Coal Tit, 5 Chaffinch, 2 Great Tit, 1 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Willow Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Robin.

Upper Tamar Lake.
 24 Fieldfare,  3 Grey Heron, c30 Black-headed Gull, 2 Cormorant, 1 Buzzard, 2 Dunnock, 1m Stonechat, 1 Meadow Pipit, 3 Wren, 1 Marsh Tit, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Robin, 1 Bullfinch.

Around the car parks and marsh today, 3 siskins and a redpoll with goldfinches in the alders along the ditch; goldcrests, wren, great spotted woodpecker & usual common birds. A flock of 2-300 starlings were at the top of the stubble field, and flocks of woodpigeon totalling around 150 over. 2 buzzards, 1 sparrowhawk overhead.

Redpoll

1in private garden today lustleigh nr mortonhampstead.

1m Common Scoter at Downend am. 2 fm Goosanders on the Taw Estuary late pm.

4 ring ouzels together in one walled field. Another further off. c. 40 Fieldfare, 1 redpoll and a briefly calling tawney owl.

1 Glossy Ibis , 1 Green Sandpiper , 6 Greenshanks & 1 Red-Breasted Merganser ( female / redhead )

Very quiet, no vis mig. Waited around the farm for Hawfinch but nothing, did see Fieldfare, 10 Redwings, 3 Bramblings, 5 Lesser Redpolls and 3 Reed Buntings.

An estimated 3500 Wood pigeons counted this morning from home at South Brent, mostly between 7am and 8am, the initial flocks were very low and gave the impression of only recently having  taken to the wing and I suspect that they had roosted locally over night.

A few of the flocks headed towards the moors but the vast majority were headed for the direction of the South Hams coast, one low flying flock attracted the attention of a Peregrine falcon.

A small number of Redwing and Mistle Thrush in the area, several Jays, Raven and a singing Wren.

Two firecrests in the trees in the grounds of Reed Hall. Also down the hill at the T junction (Streatham Drive/The Queens Drive), these fungi (ink caps?) were drawing a lot of attention at the side of the road . The tallest being about 20 cm tall

Six fieldfare flying over crediton station sunday afternoon.

There were at least 2 (male) Ring Ouzels at Emsworthy this morning at around 10.00. Also Redwing and Mistle Thrushes.

East Soar, am. Pretty quiet overall. Of note: c300 Skylarks in the airfield area,  4 Firecrests in the willows around the barn pond and 1 Snipe.

The northerly winds must have encouraged most of our migrants to desert the shelter of Starehole, so not many remained by this afternoon.  Best though were two juv. Ring Ouzels with a group of four Song Thrush and my first Redwing of the season, a male Blackcap, a Chiffchaff (but no 'crests seen in the valley, but a Goldcrest in the farm willows), then to top it off a single juv. Swallow looked set to spend the night.

1000-1415 

After the drizzle cleared up:

16 Stonechat (11m, 5f) 5 Goldcrest, 3 Firecrest, 1 Skylark, 7 Cirl bunting (5m, 2 Juv's) 2 Blackcap, c20 Linnet, 50+ Goldfinch feeding on blackberries, 10 Meadow pipit, 15+ Rock pipits on the seaweed, 9 Pied wagtails, 1 Buzzard. Several Red admirals and Speckled woods still around, together with 1 Large white, 2 Clouded yellows, and 2 unidentified dragonflies.

Nice midday walk to the fisherman's Hut and back provided flocks of golden plover and lapwing. Kestral, numerous oystercatchers, cormorants,  2 curlew,  4 whimbrel 3 ruff,  4 shelduck, several little egrets and a pied wagtail.

 
Lapwing                                            Golden Plover (Eds: the larger waders are Ruff and the smaller birds are Dunlin)

Highlights this morning included: Pair of Green & GSW each, Jay, Buzzard, 2 Goldcrest, Nuthatch, small flock of Goldfinches, Bulfinch & a distant 3 thrushes, possibly Redwings.

Very quiet this morning. Only highlights Firecrest ( lighthouse ), Brambling and Leser Redpoll. No vis mig and after yesterdays excess just one woodpigeon in the farm !

whooper swan on estuary off Home Farm Marsh

Two Firecrests amongst Blue and Great Tits working through some buddleia

Over Lipson early morning, c540 Redwings (west), c1,300 Wood Pigeons (south). Two Chiffchaffs & 3 Goldcrests in the bushes.

Budshead Wood produced 2 Firecrests & a Marsh Tit.

Large woodpigeon migration moving SW over village 7000+ between 8.30 and 11.00am also seen a great white egret flying NE. 

Lucky to catch fairly distant views of the Ring Ouzel on the cafe side of the headland but on the bushes towards the lighthouse.  Managed a couple of dodgy record shots with my bridge camera before it flew overhead and back towards the rocks below the cafe, followed shortly afterwards by a Peregrine low under the cliffs. Other than that, a couple of Skylarks overhead, a Firecrest in the hedges above the cow field and a cold-looking Swallow on a telephone wire down near Shoalstone carpark. Sad to have missed the SEO - by a couple of minutes apparently! 

Ring Ouzel

nice wander around the quarry area at Berry head this morn, catching up with the remainder of this years autumn movement.. a sunny start meant vis-migging was pretty decent; highlights included: 6 reed bunt, 1 swallow near brixham, 20+ skylark (in off sea), a total of 42+ bullfinch (mostly males SE) (never seen such numbers moving before), many goldcrest (grounded), 1 brambling, 4 gsw (in off sea), 50+ long-tailed tit (in several large flocks), 40+ robin, 2 siskin, 2 redpoll, 12 linnet, 3 jay... 

15.00

At least two Firecrests in the main clump of scrub adjacent to the main path. Mobile but less vocal today. 

Later, at 17.45, 9 Redwings over the car park at Lidl, Torquay. 

Dartford Warbler's 5 in all were seen, they appear to be the most common bird at the moment, and a shot of a Goldcrest

Dartford Warblers showing very well

Large numbers of Golden Plover with Grey Plover, Lapwing, Redshank, Greenshank, Curlew, Oystercatcher, L Egret, G Heron, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Kestrel, Buzzard, Barwit, Blackwit, Ruff, Teal, Shelduck, Pintail, Wigeon, all the regulars and a Short Eared Owl from the Fishermens Huts over to Chivenor.

Rob and I spent a few hours at Berry Head today, firstly looking for the Ring Ouzel by the cafe, with no luck. We  did find 5 Song Thrush, 5 or 6 Blackbirds and a Sparrowhawk instead. After meeting up with Bob Bailey, Pete Dennis and (briefly) Steve Hopper we proceeded around the Headland in search of Firecrests etc. Not much doing so headed to the quarry, on the way were 5 Bullfinch and a large flock of Long-tailed Tits, complete with the required Firecrest.  Down in the quarry were maybe a different, larger flock of Long-tails with a coiple of Goldcrests thrown in. On into the woods where we discovered 2 more Firecrests with the Long-tails, and interestingly, a Barn Owl leapt out of a bush not more than 6ft away from us and flew down towards the road, while we were all stood looking at a Goldcrest. On the path past the Wardens Cottage Pete shouted Short Eared Owl, and there it was flying in off the sea and over the car park, on down over the woods. A good days birding at Berry Head. Sadly no camera with me today.

Short-eared Owl. Flew in off sea behind car park, over cow field and on towards quarry.

Following Audrey's sighting yesterday, David Turrell and I went up to Emsworthy this morning.  We were rewarded by seeing 4 Ring Ouzels (1 male, 1 female, 2 juvenile), also 3 Fieldfare (my first for the winter) and a couple of Mistle Thrush.

2 photos from different angles showing the extent of the sea water inundation on a spring tide at Horsey Island as a result of a breach in the sea wall between the R.Caen & Horsey Island.

First photo taken by the White House looking towards Braunton in the background & the other from Crossbanks (near the breach) looking in the opposite direction towards the White House.

around 40 ringneck parakeet all flying together on their way somewhere

Big movement of Redwing here at dawn as I took the dogs out on Freedom Fields. Probably over 1000 birds in about 15 minutes flying very low over the houses and park into the north westerly breeze. Lots of Song Thrush, my first 4 Fieldfare of the autumn and about 20 Blackbirds accompanying them.

Blackbirds, Fieldfares, Mistle Thrushes and a male Ring Ouzel early afternoon.

A visit to Staddon Heights for the first hour-and-a-half of light produced a vis mig first for me with 5 Ring-necked Parakeets heading high north! Also c700 Wood Pigeons, 115 Jackdaws, 6 Siskins, 11 Redwings and Brambling over. 

At the Plym Estuary & Saltram, later, a Rock Pipit (scarce here) my first Jack Snipe of the autumn, 5 Little Grebes, 2 Greenshanks, 4 Dunlins, Common Sandpiper, 32 Curlews, 6 Oystercatchers, Kingfisher, 2 Stonechats, 3 Goldcrests and 2 Roe Deer.

Finally, a Great Spotted Woodpecker in Plym Bridge Woods.

3 X cattle egrets in field at Saltram liunch time.

A single Brambling (male) seen with the Chaffinch flocks before I got to look for Hawfinch when I joined Dave Stone.  Calls heard and then 3 Hawfinch seen in flight at tops of beech trees at north end of the area around 10.00am.  They remained elusive until I left and maybe others had more success later. 

Moving on to Budleigh I went in search of Crests along the coastal footpath and within a few hundred yards of the Golf Club had Gt -spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Firecrest, 2 Treecreeper, Long tailed tit flocks and 3 Bullfinch among others.

Having an interest in Woodpigeon movements could I be pedantic and ask observers to state whether they actually saw birds heading out to sea.  Large movements are now taking place along the coast and to me it is important to know not only the direction of flight but more importantly whether they left the coast and were seen flying out over the sea and did any come back? Also are any seen west of the most southerly points (Prawle, Bolt Head etc).Thanks.  

The probable hybrid Snow goose (mainly white with some dark grey feathering) was with 84 Canada geese on the midday high-tide.  Duck numbers increasing with Eurasian wigeon and Teal being joined by a few Pintail. A possible water pipit was too distant to be sure, both godwits were joined by a single knot and a few dunlin plus about 60 redshank and lapwing. A female sparrowhawk hunted overhead but very few passerines seen.

10.00AM - Hawfinch flew over Bowling green marsh road, towards Goosemoor...

13.00PM - Exminster Marshes RSPB - Glossy Ibis showing nicely from Station road (thanks for the tip off Jo King), until flushed by Marsh harrier. Also Peregrine over and plenty of Wigeon, Pintail, Blackwit and Redwing...

Can't compete with the posts from South Devon! In the reserve this morning a Nuthatch - only the third record. Finches beginning to build up now and lots of 4 species of Tit. Goldcrests but as yet no sign of any Firecrests. The Buckthorn berry crop is attracting a few Thrushes too. Little Egret in the field outside, but again no Godwits on the scrape.

Merlin (fem), Marsh harrier (imm) and Peregrine still being seen daily at high tide, from the Canal path.. 6+ Stonechat on the reserve, Cetti's warbler singing by the canal car park, lots of Redwing passing overhead, 8+ Bullfinch along Turf path. Also Green Sand and 30+ Pintail

Spent all day ringing in the reserve today. Every time I walked around, took a look over the scrape: No Godwits at all. One Grey Heron (briefly) one Little Egret. Ringing was very good: 51 birds ringed of 16 species. 35 retraps. Best were 1 Chiffchaff, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Goldcrest, 14 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Song Thrush, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Siskin - first I've ringed for 3 years! 48 Species recorded in over or near the reserve.

Following this mornings post the visible Wood pigeon and Redwing migration continued until around 10.30, the largest single flock of Wood Pigeons being of some 200 plus birds and 46 Redwings, given the abundance of low flying pigeons in the area I suspect that a good number of migrating birds dropped off in the area to feed.

Another afternoon of Firecrest's at home with one seen to fly across the garden, a search soon found two feeding in evergreen cover, checking another area of garden another two Firecrest with possibly another that came in with a small flock of Goldcrest, of this second pair one bird was displaying its crest on a regular basis.

(Click on images to see at full size)

A morning visit to Saltram and a walk around the river side walk way gave several Little Egret, good numbers of Curlew, Greenshank and Redshank, a soaring Buzzard had many of the waders making alarm calls.

Plenty of Goldcrest,s and one brief sighting of a Firecrest a large flock of Long tailed Tits and later another mixed tit flock good numbers of LTT's and several Goldcrest.

Plenty of Jays and on the small pond by the house 11 Mandarin Duck.

On the picnic area in front of the car park, a Ring ouzel feeding with black birds. certainly unlooked for in this location!

At long last, not one but 2 Firecrest in the garden this morning.

09.40

Whilst sifting through an apparent influx of Blackbirds (12+) and Mistle Thrushes (8+) in the trees at Cadewell Park, I was stunned to drop on to a cracking lone Hawfinch.  It was perched out in the open at the top of the beech tree at the top of the hill, calling occasionally.  I watched it for ten minutes before it flew off SW. 

A large mixed tit flock then arrived, followed by a marauding female Sparrowhawk. 

Despite the low cloud and poor visibility there were signs of autumn migration over South Brent this morning, initially a flock of 100 plus Wood pigeons headed west.

Several flocks of Redwing a flock of 31 soon followed by a larger flock of 76 also headed west but several sightings of smaller numbers feeding or perching in tree tops.

Several small flocks of Starling and two flocks of what may have been Fieldfare headed out towards the moors with the poor light unable to make a positive ID other than to say they were a large Thrush sp.

Several Jays seen and heard scalding, Raven overhead, several Mistle Thrush and small flocks of Goldfinch.

Three Hawfinches and a Firecrest between Hexworthy and Dartmeet yesterday.

A very late Common Whitethroat was in scrub near the dune pond this morning. Several large flocks of Woodpigeons went SW in mid-late morning, not counted but must have been well over 1000 in total.  Water Rail seen at the main pond, where there was a Cetti's Warbler calling and singing.

2 Cattle Egrets present on side of estuary, just south of the railway station until 1330hrs at least.

From the reserve this morning only two Godwits (45 yesterday 70+ the day before). In the reserve, the first Greenfinches for several weeks, 4 Bullfinch, Coal Tit, Treecreeper, 6 Long-tailed Tits, Cetti's Warbler and a Water Rail. Red Admiral and Speckled Wood on the wing. By the river a Hummingbird Hawkmoth on the ivy.

12.00-14.30

Working in the garden and at 12.00 overhead,  3 Redwings (one calling as it went) and a Mistle Thrush. Over next couple of hours, a noticeable trickle of Meadow Pipits, Mistle Thrushes and Blackbirds overhead. All birds headed generally south west. 

Last November (bear with me!) we ringed a Chiffchaff - 8th November to be precise - which was very grey and exhibited many of the features of a Siberian type Chiff. Fortunately, it dropped a couple of feathers, and following a conversation with Nik Ward, I sent these off to him to see if we could get them DNA tested. Well, after a long wait confirmation has been received that it was indeed a Tristis Chiffchaff.

Two Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint, Ruff and Avocet, amongst the 100's of usual waders. Also c65 Pintails and female Marsh Harrier.

Later, a Common Sandpiper at Black Hole Marsh.

A Short-eared Owl unintentionally flushed from stubbles this morning. Great birds!

Cirl Buntings showing very well around the reserve at Labrador Bay, counted 15 but probably more.

Cirl Bunting

Still a few Firecrests around 5 today at the head (and 2 in the breakwater car park) also 18 Goldcrest, 5 Chiffchaff and a treecreeper.

Just can't get enough of the run on Firecrests - they are simply gorgeous little birds

Wryneck along SW coastal path c300m east of Bolberry NT car park at around 11am Sunday 22nd October

Ring-billed Gull seen at Broadsands today at 11oclock.  Could you please confirm or put in a correction.

Eds: its actually a 3rd winter Herring gull, among the differences a Ring-billed with brown in the wing coverts would have a pink based bill and dark tertials and of course a lot smaller in size and structure - but difficult to judge size in this picture. 

Took two friends visiting from Aberdeen to see the Cirl Buntings and were delighted to find twelve in a single tree in the shelter of Horseley Cove.  Also there at least seven Firecrests, two Goldcrest and six Chiffchaff, two Blackcap.  A flock of 500+ Woodpigeon was closely followed by two Peregrines whilst a Sparrowhawk chased 50 Goldfinches. Two Kestrels patrolled the cliffs.  Also small flocks of Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit and about 24 Swallows.

15.30-16.45

3 Firecrests.  1 towards the top of the site in the bushes on the right, 50m down the slope from the second gate.  2 together around the main track towards the middle of the site.  All three were mobile and vocal. 

Also, male and female Stonechat, 5+ LT Tits, major Robin influx and 8 Gannets.  No Goldcrests at all.

Quite a few Meadow Pipits now showing at Ford Park Cemetery today 22-10-17

On the lake: Black Headed Gulls (20+), Herring Gull, Tufted Duck (5+), Goosander (1F), along with many Mallard and Coot and a few Mute Swans. Cormorants (3) roosting in a dead tree over the lake.

In the woods: Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch (2M, 1F), lots of Blue, Great and Coal Tits, and 3 Marsh Tits

Female Goosander

Highlights in the reserve this morning: female Blackcap and a Kingfisher. From the reserve on the scrape: 100+ Black-tailed Godwits and a single Ruff.

1000-1310  In high winds:

40+ Oystercatcher, 2 Great crested grebe, 7 Little egret, 1 Black tailed Godwit, 4 Teal (3m, 1f), c30 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 9 very active Jays in the trees.

Berry Head at first light this morning, light but steady passage of small birds moving over the head land and out to sea, only species identified being Goldfinch and Meadow Pips, high light was a Hobby passing low overhead and heading directly out to sea.

Enough Wood pigeons moving west down the coast line to make you consider is it time for their autumn migration to begin.

Gannets feeding with a small pod of Porpoise just off the headland.

At least three Firecrests in scrub and sycamores on the path just south of White Bridge, on the east side of the river, 8am