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.

The most white buzzard I have ever seen and managed to capture a couple of pictures through the hedgerow before it flew off

2 Firecrest in the garden again this morning.

Scanning from Goodrington this evening while watching the gull roost produced: 3 Great Northern Divers, 1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Great Crested Grebes, 43 Common Scoter, 10 Eider (in two groups) & 1 ad Mediterranean Gull. 

At dusk today on the main lake, viewed from the road: Canada Geese (147), Herring Gull (1,200+), Black Headed Gull (15), Common Gull (7), Lesser Black Backed Gull (3), Great Black Backed Gull (7), Teal (60+), probably more on near shore, Wigeon (at least 5) probably more on near shore, Mallard (20+) and Brazilian Teal (1 - escape). 

Also Tawny Owl (2), Green Woodpecker (1), Redwing (18), Kestrel (1), Raven (15+), and Coot (9) and Tufted Duck (2) on pond near solar farm, again viewed from road. 

Three Purple Sandpipers with the Turnstones on Brixham breakwater and Great Northern Diver offshore there. At Broadsands, Great Northern Diver and 2 Great Crested Grebes.

A seawatch today between 0700-0900hrs produced: 2 Long-tailed Ducks, 1 Little Gull, 4 Common Scoter, 1 Manx Shearwater,2-3 Great Skua, 350+ Auks, 1 Dunlin & 5-7 Harbour Porpoise

10 Cattle egrets flew down river at Topsham Rec this morning at 07:40.  I believe they are roosting in the Countess Wear sewage works or Old Sludge Beds.  One 1st calendar year Marsh harrier was seen over the Rec reed beds.

25 fieldfare plus 2 starling and a redwing feeding on berries near cattle grid just past Emsworthy  on the road towards Bovey Tracey.

Numbers are continuing to increase at Longdown with 74 counted leaving the roost site this morning.This included one group of 53 .

Also 12 were seen at West Town Farm Ide which does have public access.This included a flyover group of 9 with a further 3 feeding on Field Maple .Directions are travel through  Ide village from A 30 until you teach Poachers Inn .Turn right at mini roundabout and  travel approximately 1 mile until you reach West Town Farm on left just pat the farm the road drops downhill and the birds were at the bottom of this short hill.

One Firecrest at lunchtime today.

Brambling with the Chaffinches near the houses at Emsworthy Mire

From Top of Breakheart Hill overlooking Salmonhutch, Crediton: fieldfare numbering c.15 and few redwing seen half way along walk through Cradle Fields towards Tinpot Lane. (behind QECC School).

Sunday 5th November 1:40pm

The Avocets are back on theTamar 70 +. Also good numbers of Curlews 50+, Blackwits 100+, Shelduck 10, Redshanks 100+, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Great White Egrets, 150 + Canada Geese, 1Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher. Unfortunately Avocet photos won't upload.

Seen going in to roost in the Sharper Marsh reedbed on 28th October

  
Marsh Harrier, Velator

A new member, just moved to the area from Yorkshire. Some spectacular sightings that I never really expected here.  A selection below.  Also it's been good to meet some of the regulars here; Rob and Miranda have been very helpful and welcoming.

  
Great white egret. 30th October      Sparrowhawk in pursuit. 30th October     Golden plover, part of a gathering early in the season. 4th November

Firecrest, Merlin, Goldcrest 8, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Clouded Yellow.

Female Snow Bunting at Penhill Point ( Fremington Quay ) this morning.

At last bagged a Firecrest at Streatham Drive in conifers with 1 Goldcrest 11am. No binoculars with me so glad I had a bash at following the calls: the birds turned out to be easily watched without.

07:15 1 adult and 1 juvenile Spoonbill, both unringed, flushed from edge of Isley Marsh to W of the power station's jetty. Here there was a great spring high tide roost of mixed waders.

Blustery early morning walk up to Avon Dam produce 30 Redwing 4 Ring Ouzel a single Fieldfare and  Green Woodpecker 

If you are planning a visit to Emsworthy Mire please take care as there were a group of cows with an extremely young one (about 1 hour old). I don't know if they will stay around this area or not. We were attacked very violently and I was trampled, breaking my tripod but luckily not me!

Late afternoon. 14 Common Scoter, 1 Scaup and 2 Med Gulls on the sea from the Memorial carpark; at least one Firecrest along the leyside trail; 1 Kingfisher by the bridge, thousands of Starlings at Strete Gate and Perry's Glossy Ibis dropping in to roost in the reeds just north of the bridge at 4.50pm.

Around lunchtime today, a small flock of redwing, perhaps 30 strong, flew in from the direction of the sea inland towards Marldon. Possibly new arrivals or just birds on the hunt for food and safety.

Haldon Forrest ~ a walk round the Tree Trail gave Song Thrush, Great Spotted and Lesser Spotted Wood Peckers, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Raven, Jay, two sightings of Crossbill's in flight initially a small flock and later a pair that landed in the top of a pine tree.

Yarner Wood ~ from the new hide overlooking the reservoir, twenty one Mandarin duck and a very active Kingfisher.

4.30 pm Glossy Ibis feeding close to the road to the Quay. 

Early & very windy trip to Emsworthy - alas no Hawfinches! About 15 Fieldfares today - 2 of which chased off the only Ring Ouzel before I could get a shot. Photo opportunity gone I stood up and had my closest ever Peregrine encounter. Skimming over the drystone wall I'd been behind the last thing it expected was me to pop up, changing direction at the last minute and passing a few feet from me. 

Steady movement of woodpigeons over this afternoon, not counted but around 100; also, 2 or 3 stock dove. A mobile pair of green woodpeckers finally gave good views in the orchard late afternoon.

Green woodpecker, male

The White-cheeked Pintail has reappeared on the boating lake at Goodrington after an absence of several weeks.

I went on the RSPB Avocet Cruise yesterday and was really pleased to see good numbers of waders with a good selection of species.

Amongst them was this ringed Avocet and I emailed John Middleton, project coordinator last night. I was thrilled to get a very quick response and to hear this bird was ringed in Snettisham in June 1998  > 19 years ago and this is the first record of it being seen on the Exe Estuary.

Ringed Avocet Exe Estuary

Stood on Slapton Bridge from 06:55-09:45 and the highlight was a Glossy Ibis which flew south down towards Torcross at 07:08. Other highlights were 6800 Woodpigeons heading anywhere between south - southwest, 2 Kingfishers, Firecrest,, 2 Bramblings and 11 Lesser Redpolls. At least 10,000 Starlings flew south down from the Higher Ley, presumably roosting at Strete Gate or in the Gara Valley.

Surprisingly the Ibis may be only the second modern record for Slapton Ley, ( one seen in October 1986 ). there is an old record of 2 shot in 1837. More details here https://charletonbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/scarce-herons.html

Very windy so not much small bird activity today. About 70 Black-tailed Godwits flew off the scrape and circled over the reserve before returning there. Don't know what spooked them, but shortly after, they all flew off south.

Despite the wind and cold, in a quiet corner, a Speckled Wood sunning itself.

A Pale - bellied Brent Goose with the Dark-bellied this morning on the WeBS count. Only  11 gulls present but covering 5 species, including an adult Yellow-legged, the first I have had at this site in nearly 30years.

On 15/10 (Firecrest Sunday) at East Soar I had brief views of a Phylloscopus warbler that I posted here later that day as a Dusky Warbler. I'm not familar with either Radde's or Dusky but on reflection and with reference to various literature, images, sound recordings and converstaions with other birders who do have experience of the two species it's clear to me now that the bird was a Radde's Warbler rather than Dusky. Apologies for the confusion.

A Richard's Pipit out of a field and west over Orcombe Point @0805. For further sightings and photos see www.gobirdingexmouth.blogspot.co.uk later.

The Black Brant was off Mudbank yesterday and c10+ Brambling with c50+ Chaffinch in Woodbury Fort.

Located the hawfinch roost at  Longdown this morning and between 0645 and 0730 46 birds were  counted  leaving the site with a further 9 proable birds.Largest group was 29.Majority of birds wete flying in the Dunsford direction 

6 Cattle egrets flew up river towards Countess Wear sewage works at 16:25 with a further 2 egrets at 16:45 probably also Cattle egrets (distance and low light prevented positive id). 2 Marsh harriers roosted in the Topsham Rec reedbeds, while 1 or 2 Sparrowhawks hunted Pied wagtails. Earlier two Red breasted mergansers on the river. Yesterday I found a Firecrest along the cycle path between Goosemoor and Darts Farm.

Picture (correct size) attached!

Not as good as last night but similar numbers and the Sparrowhawk harassing again.

Short video -

https://youtu.be/DaZMkFG5wAQ

Ringtail Hen Harrier flying low over field of pheasant rearing farm being mobbed by four crows this afternoon.  Large flocks of starlings gatherimg before going to roost in the same area.

The Ruff were present again on Horsey this aft. They may depart for their wintering grounds in Africa at any time.

Went to Emsworthy Mire following a report on DWT of two Hawfinch at the location bit failed to locate them, but the feeding flocks of Fieldfare more than made up for that, an estimated 200 plus birds in the area, with them a small number of Redwing.

Three Ring Ouzel seen 2M & 1F but they were very distant and flying out over the moor once seen.

Other birds included a Kestrel, Buzzard, Raven, Heron, four Goldcrest, two Stonechat and a solitary Meadow Pipit.

6 Purple Sandpipers  on the breakwater rocks at low tide this morning, plus a solitary Chiffchaff in the bushes adjacent to Living Coasts.

After hesitating on whether to get out of the car or not due to the wind,I was rewarded with many small moorland birds. Coal tits, great tits, 2 firecrest,4 meadow pipits 2 buzzards wrens and Robins,  small flocks of starling and I believe 1 reed bunting. ( hopefully in pictures).  Lesson for today always check your lens settings. 

    
Reed Bunting                                       Reed Bunting                                          Reed Bunting

A foraging flock of 70+ Goldfinches in the ash tree in my backyard contained about 8 or 10 Siskins.  Also so far 1 Chiffchaff, Nuthatch & a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

around 40 ringneck parakeet central park all together b4 flying off for the day

12 Hawfinches feeding on Beech and Hornbeam this morning.Several others heard  and will try and locate a roost site for a more accurate total.Sadly this is a private estate but hopefully birds will disperse around the vilaage 

Great White Egret for ten minutes only at around 12:45 this lunchtime. (First I've seen on BGM). Must be the same bird seen by Nick Patel on the Exminster side.  It flew off over Goosemoor, it didn't land there but carried on to gain height to disappear from view well beyond Dart's Farm.

33 Ruff on Horsey again pm.

Photo showing 25 Ruff + 42 Golden Plover. There was a further 8 Ruff  on the far shoreline to the left of the photograph with the Lapwing.

 A telescope was essential to be able to identify them accurately.

Over 12 Fieldfares seen flying around Newton Abbot racecourse this lunchtime. Very pale Common Buzzard present as well.

Maxima of 12 or 14 Godwits on the scrape this morning. Ringing produced 5 Redwing, 8 Bullfinch, 2 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 4 Greenfinch (first of the autumn) 2 Song Thrush, 3 Blackbirds, 3 Goldcrests and a second Firecrest this week. No sign of the Chiffchaff seen yesterday.

Approx 3000 Starling in murmuration over the marsh from about 4.15 - 4.45 also 80-100 Avocet flew in underneath them Harassed, at times, by a pair of Sparrowhawks. In beautiful  light, gorgeous sunset - good day to forget my camera! 

On the sea: 1 Black-necked Grebe, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Common Scoter, 10 Eider and several distant flocks of Auks seemingly mostly Razorbills.

Some pretty good overhead migration today: the highlight was a late Yellow Wagtail > E also, 1300 Wood Pigeons mostly > N, 8 Stock Dove mixed with them, 95 Jackdaw > NE, 1100 Redwing, 15 Fieldfare, 11 Mistle Thrush (in a flock!), 12 Song Thrush, 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Reed Bunting, 5 Redpoll, 5 Siskin, 70 Goldfinch, 82 Chaffinch, 6 Brambling, 16 Bullfinch, 7 Linnet, 11 Skylark, 16 Meadow Pipit, 9 'alba' wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 15 Starling & 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Around the headland: 18 Goldcrest, 5 Firecrest, 7 Chiffchaff, 3x flocks of Long-tailed Tits totalling 39 with two Coal Tits

Approximately 60 to 80 common scoter 300 metres off Sprey Point. Also massive feeding frenzy with gulls, comorants and shags. Appeared to be taking sand eels or something similar. Fantastic sight.

Purple Sandpipers on Brixham breakwater.  3 seen today, all trying to rest but being rousted from time to time by Turnstones

A female Brambling amongst a small finch flock that was dropping from the hedgerow to feed among the crops this lunchtime.

Great white egret briefly on scrapes adjacent to Station road at 12.30. Also female Merlin, Sparrowhawk, Marsh harrier, 5+ Cetti's warbler, 7 Stonechat, Green sandpiper...

Highlight of the morning an unexpected Spoonbill out at sea, high up  heading north at 07:30. No vis mig as such hardly any Goldfinches and Chaffinches ( the latter really scarce for me so far this autumn ). There were at least 10 Bramblings, 2 Bullfinches and 2 Reed Buntings. Couple of thousand Woodpigeons seen, largest flock 700. Do not think they have a clue what they are doing, a couple flocks c200 each, one going north one south, crashed into each other. Work that one out !

Lannacombe , a.m. 12 Goldcrests (4 ringed ) 3 Firecrests (2 ringed) , 1 Blackcap and 1 Chiffchaff. At S. Hallsands 6 Goldcrests (3 ringed), but little else. Unusual not to see Black Redstarts at either location at this time of year.

  
More Firecrest photo's A 1st Yr . male

1w male Black Redstart on site of new build house in Moreleigh , 31/10/17, present for a week at least

7 Hawfinch flew south, calling, over garden at Kingsdown close, Dawlish,at 7.20am,  3/11/17

Also Firecrest in garden for past week

33 Ruff on Horsey again this aft, not all in one tight flock (13 individuals in photo).

Golden Plover present again + 1 juv Spoonbill.

19 Pale bellied Brent's amongst 150 Brent this evening.Also 9bar tailed godwits 6 grey plover 6 f pintail 16:40-17:10

Feeling a bit outdone by the plethora of Hawfinch records around the country in this autumn's unprecedented invasion, I though I would try the spot where I saw a few about 25 years ago near the Haldon Butterfly Trail. I failed to find Hornbeams where I recalled them being, but fortunately 2 Hawfinches calling alerted me to the presence of a single Hornbeam down the Tree Trail. Actually, they called as they flew out of it! At least 7 Crossbills were nearer the car park, and odd Redpolls flew over on several occasions. A lovely afternoon, with 2 Southern Hawkers and a late Speckled Wood adding to the summery feel.

7 Redwings, 3 Mistle Thrush,2 Song Thrush, 2 Great spotted woodpeckers,3 Nuthatches,2 Coal Tits,two flocks of Long tailed Tits,10 + Goldcrests,4 Jays,and good numbers of Blue Tits.

No great news for most of you I'm sure, but I'm excited - having searched around Broadsands car park yesterday am to no avail, a Firecrest turned up in my garden in Paignton this pm.

On the sea: 1 Black-necked Grebe, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 8 Common Scoter, 9 Eider & 2 ad Mediterranean Gulls.

Around the car parks: 1 Brambling  >over, 5 Goldcrest 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Firecrest  & 6 Cirl Buntings (in field hedges not on seed this morning).

Quiet at this morning's ringing session. Around the farm 10+ Goldcrests ( 4 ringed, including 1 " Continental " bird ),3 Chiffchaffs ( 1 ringed ), 1 Firecrest.Also 1 Brambling among 20+ Chaffinches in the sycamores.

" Continental" Goldcrest 1st. Yr. fem.

21 Black-tailed Godwits on the scrape this morning.

A very active morning by the river in Exeter (Exwick, northern limit of the flood relief channel).

2 Kingfisher, 2 Dipper, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Cormorant, 2 Little Grebe, 10+ Mallard, 8+ Moorhen, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 30+ BH Gull, 10+ Herring Gull. 

In the surrounding trees and hedges, 5 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Robin. A large Tit flock (30+) moved through, mostly Long-tailed with some Great and Blue Tits, in addition to 1 Goldcrest and 1 Firecrest.

Flying over were 3 Mute Swans (heading down river) and 1 GS Woodpecker.

Little of note on today’s high tide, but 90+ Redshanks, 6 Dunlins and 29 Curlews using the pool. Also Common Sandpiper, 11 Turnstones, 15 Grey Herons and a Grey Wagtail.

The Wood pigeon migration was in full swing again this morning over South Brent just after 7.15am but only able to spend a short time watching but in that time over 900 pigeons came into view, a flock of some 500 for reasons known to themselves were headed out onto Dartmoor, possibly avoiding some the low lying fog that effected parts of the South Hams.

Broadsand's car parks, three Firecrest, two plus Goldcrest, a pair of Cirl Bunting, one possibly two Chiffchaff and a flock of at least fourteen Long Tailed Tit.

From the sea wall ten Eider and eight Scoter a long way off, one Great Crested Grebe and one Red Necked Grebe.

After the excitement of the last few days just a small easterly movement of 3000 Woodpigeons & 73 Stock Doves between 0720 & 0830hrs. Also moving east 33 Chaffinch & 27 Goldfinch plus 43 Jackdaw north. Around the site: Female Merlin, 3 Peregrine, 130 Skylark, Grey Wagtail, Ring Ouzel, 4 Firecrest, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 5 Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.

Flat, calm sea but haze made viewing difficult at a distance this am:-      1 R-t Diver; 1 B-n Grebe; 4-6 G-c Grebe; 8 Common Scoter (all f/juv types); 10 Eider. Despite a thorough search around both car parks by myself and several others, only bird of note: 1 m Cirl Bunting near the entrance to the overflow car park. Several Red Admirals & a Migrant Hawker around car parks also.

Photo of flock of Golden Plover on Horsey. Is there anyone who would rise to the challenge of counting them one at a time?

33 Ruff on Horsey Island early aft. The highest number I have ever seen in N.Devon!

1250 Golden Plover. Also Lapwing, Black tailed Godwits & a few Barwits present. Not enough time to count the Lapwing, Blackwits & Barwits this time but will do so next time!