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.

Started the day with 2 singing Whitethroats in gardens at the Rec and finished with 2 Swifts over Exminster Marshes.  During the day on a low high tide highlights were 41 Ringed plover and 1 Sanderling amount a large flock of Dunlin, 2 Ruff on the Clyst before moving to Goosemoor and 10 Whimbrel.

Common Sandpiper on the scrape and another along the Caen not far from the Toll House this evening. Delighted to see a Swift over the reserve too!

A Snipe at the front of the hide at Stover today showed very well for a couple of minutes - that was long enough to get some decent photo's.

At Yarner Woods the Pied Flycatchers were showing all over the place, also heard, but not seen, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Wood Warbler heard, but again not seen.

A lovely male Redstart spotted this afternoon around 4 o'clock on the bottom fringes of Smeardon Down, Peter Tavy.

Redstart

3 singing male Redstarts & 4 Tree Pipits the highlights.

A Red Kite circling high over Peter Tavy this morning around 9.45 for 10 minutes then flew off northwards over the Moors (distant shots only)

Red Kite

While ringing in the reserve this morning an odd-sounding Goose flew around, I did see it later but not sure what it was  - Egyptian? Anyone out there see one, do let me know!

Ringed 40 Swallows and 15 Sand Martins caught last night, along with 3 Blackcaps, 3 Blackbirds, 2 Bullfinch, 4 Chiffs, a Willow Warbler and a half size Dunnock - the first juvenile of the year.

Also caught a Reed Warbler ringed in 2014. and 3 2-year old Blackcaps, (ringed in 2015).

Cuckoo heard from the garden of Littleham Mill near Bideford on Wednesday

Migrants thin on the ground again today despite the cloud cover. Fly-past birds included: 1 Whimbrel, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Great Northern Diver. off the headland there were still 6+ Common Dolphin and 1 Harbour Porpoise.

Solitary cuckoo heard at close proximity on the dartington estate by conservation/ woodland wardens. called on several occasions from fixed point in a tree at a higher level. This added to 2 seperate cuckoo's heard in the woodland valley behind Hound Tor on sat 15th.

At Yarner today - 3 male Redstart and 1 female showing regularly - female gathering nesting material. At least 2 male Pied Flycatchers calling and checking out nestboxes/nestsites.

  
            Pied Flycatcher                                                    Female Common Redstart gathering nesting material

Male and female pied flycatcher together in copse above South Zeal this morning. 

2 Common Sandpipers on the scrape this morning, although one was originally flying around Wrafton Pond and even landed on the viewing platform at one point. A Kingfisher also flew over. Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap singing in the reserve. The light rain seemed to dampen the temperature so not much showing.

This afternoon cycled to Saunton Sands sandy lane car park and along the American road to Crow point. Only 4/5 Whitethroats 3 Blackcaps, 15 Willow Warblers and 6 Chiffs. There may have been hundreds of Grasshopper Warblers, but I can't hear them anymore so I recorded none!

On the flooded area of Horsey, 1 Greenshank, 5 Ringed Plover, 12 Redshank, 24 Grey Plover (all in winter plumage) and about 30 Dunlin (in summer plumage). Finally on the Caen river just by the end of the old Chivenor lighting gantry, 3 Whimbrel.

A smattering of Sand Martins and Swallows, one House Martin.

Hobby over Turf yesterday evening. 

1 Grasshopper Warbler reeling briefly in Soar Mill Valley early am plus at least 10 Whitethroats. The same or another Grasshopper Warbler reeling strongly and showing nicely in a stand of willows in a garden in Higher Soar mid-am.

Sorry its late, but I thought I posted yesterday. 1 male Redstart and 1 male Stonechat.

A disappointing morning in the easterlies but managed 15 Swallow, Sand Martin, 16 Wheatear, 2 Sedge Warbler, 7 Whitethroat & 3 singing Willow Warblers.

A short eared owl this morning flushed from trees at the picnic area along the back path and flying onto the marsh where it looked most disgruntled. It then flew back to the trees before flying off again, this time gaining height and heading over the railway line towards Powderham Marsh.

Also good views of reed warblers and sedge warblers busily singing away.4 house martins with the swallows, blackcap and chiffchaff also seen.

Got of the bus at matford park and ride this morning 06:20 and as I was about to cross the road by the Volkswagen car centre / garage I could hear a reeling Grasshopper warbler it was in a small bush and I watched it for 10 mins showing well and reeling away great way to start the day.

A quick look around Bowling green marsh between 15:00 and 16:30 produced the spotted redshank from the viewing platform , 1 1st winter Mediterranean gull , 15+ knot , 40+ grey plover, 6+ whimbrel, 12+ swallow, 5+ Cetti's warbler, 8+ blackcap, 5+ chiffchaffs, , 6+ buzzards.

Lots of Willow warblers in pairs,fledged Dipper,male Redstart,chiffchaff,2 Ravens,grey wagtails,bullfinch and lots more goldfinch than usual,nice to see good numbers of tree creeper,nuthatch and tits.Beautiful day.

There were 3 Ruff, Common Sandpiper and Greenshank with 30-odd Black-tailed Godwits by Goosemoor cycleway bridge this afternoon. The Spotted Redshank called behind Bowling Green Marsh, but it was invisible behind the railway bridge! A Cetti's Warbler was singing by the bridge.

                              Ruff on R Clyst                                          Black-tailed Godwit in partial breeding plumage

This morning, 5 Whitethroat (4m/1f) and 1 Speckled Yellow Moth

Speckled Yellow Moth

A male Ruff showing signs of summer plumage on the rapldly drying scrape in the southcott valley.   Nearby on Northgate pond a Common sand and Greenshank.

Soar lacked any great numbers of migrants but managed: 14 Wheatears, 9 Whitethroats, 6 Willow warblers, 12 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps and 2 House Martins.

On South Huish Marsh, the juv / 1st-s Iceland Gull, 3 Garganeys (2 drakes and a duck), 7+ Cattle Egrets, Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrels, Sedge Warbler and 2 House Martins; and over the sea, 5 Sandwich Terns.   

Little of note at South Milton Ley.

South end to North end along American Road to Saunton.

Good fall of migrants this morning on the Burrows.

 63 Willow Warblers, 27 Chiffchaffs, 5 Common Whitethroat, 2 Lesser Whitethroat (First ones in, hopefully more later), 23 Blackcap, 2 Sedge Warbler, 1 Grasshopper Warbler.

Two Common Sandpipers on the scrape this morning. Still precious little in the reserve: 1 singing Willow Warbler, 2 Reed Warblers. Good to see a Tawny Owl fly through the trees.

Up on Exmoor (above North Molton) a couple of Tree Pipits.

A flock of c 90 Brent geese were on the Estuary this evening. Too far down river to tell which sub species with bins, but most likely to be Pale-bellied at this time of year. They appeared to be off Starcross as viewed from Topsham.

Male pied flycatcher and a wood warbler in the oak wood above the River Barle just north of Dulverton. Other sightings included 3 pair of marsh tit, two pair of nuthatch, greater spotted woodpecker (2) and tree creeper (2). Three grey wagtail and a dipper on the river.

Three male Mandarins together on the river by Lower Buckland this morning.

Smart Wood warbler calling & showing well this morning

Pair Goosander on river, 5 Pied Flycatcher & male Redstart in song.

Male Pied flycatcher at Powder mills this afternoon, stunning colours..

10 Purple Sandpiper on the old fuel bunkering jetty at the end of Brixham Breakwater. Thought they would have gone but nice to see.

The Night Heron was still on Lundy yesterday afternoon, Monday 17th.

This evening at least 4 Wheatear, lots of Meadow Pipit, 1 male Stonechat, pair of Linnet gathering nesting material, 1 male Reed Bunting and 1 Buzzard and 1 male Kestrel over.

  
Meadow Pipit                             Linnet gathering nest material                     Male Reed Bunting

Started the day at Highfield Farm with Grasshopper warbler, Sedge warbler, 2 Cettis and 4 Cattle egrets. From Clyst viewing platform 6 Little terns distant down river.  3 Ruff on Bowling a Green Marsh. And at least 25 Whimbrel moving up river over course of the morning.

A drive around Dartmoors quieter lanes, produced sightings of, Skylark many Meadow Pipits & Stonechats, Wheatears, Linnets, 1 Whinchat. 1 Whitethroat. The best by far was the sighting of a very smart male Redstart, also saw a Raven & Buzzards, many Swallows heading north

Plenty of Wheatears at Saddle tor today also Meadow pipits and one cuckoo

a female feeding on Mountsland common,  Dartmoor about 12.00 today

Charleton Marsh / Bay, 13:45-14:45

Great Crested Grebe, 3 Teals, 7 Whimbrels, 2 Ruffs ( marsh ), 4 Sandwich Terns, Grasshopper Warbler and Reed Warbler.

Hoping to see a Brimstone Butterfly but no luck so far!

Photo 1 = male Orange Tip  upperwing.

Photo 2 = male Orange Tip  underwing.

Photo 3 = female Orange Tip upperwing.

Now I know what you are thinking, Rob failed to get a photo of the female Orange Tip underwing!

South Huish Marsh, early am: Iceland Gull and Garganey still present, 4 Cattle Egrets, 5 Wheatears, singing Sedge Warbler etc.

East and Middle Soar, mid-am: 7 Wheatears, singing Whitethroat, steady trickle of Swallows passing through etc.

Early morning start on the Exe estuary was not overly busy with bird life on the low tide, from the hide at Bowling Green Marsh ducks included Teal, Wigeon, Shoveller, Gadwall and Tufted.

From the viewing platform Redhank, Curlew, Heron, very mobile Dunlin flock.

On the Exeminster side at least five Sedge Warbler, very vocal Cetti's Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Swallow and Sand Martin, another flock of Dunlin which landed and then seen to include 12 plus Ringed Plover, steady number of Shellduck coming into one specific area 89 birds at one point, fifteen Curlew.

Emsworthy on Dartmoor five Wheatear, Meadow Pipits, Skylark, spent ages listening to a calling "drumming" bird which eventually revealed itself to be a Snipe, Raven over head.

Morning at Bolt Head brought female Merlin heading east & over Prawle then Common Buzzard in off the sea flying strongly north. Also in off the sea: 54 Swallow, 3 House Martin, 2 Sand Martin & 7 Goldfinch. In the area: Whimbrel, 2 soaring Sparrowhawk, 2 Wheatear, 2 Willow Warbler & Nuthatch.

Later at Slapton Ley first Swift, 3 Common Scoter on the sea, 6 Whimbrel briefly on the beach, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 House Martin & 2 singing Reed Warblers.

A thorough look around this morning. A modest passage of hirundines with 38 Swallows, and 4 House Martins heading NW. Also, 3 Swallows hanging around, my first Whimbrel of the year here, Common Sandpiper, 2 pairs of Mallard with (12 and 9) ducklings, Stock Dove (4), Sparrowhawk and  Great Spotted Woodpecker (2).

As I arrived home (Mount Gould) a Ring-necked Parakeet flew over my house. Hot on the heels of Yellow-browed Warbler, this makes 110 species for the garden (in, over or from) since 1990.

Another early morning visit to Dartmoor was rewarded by a stunning flypast of over a 150 Golden Plover which was even better when they landed in front of me. Otherwise usual suspects - Yellowhammer, Linnet, wheatear, m pipit, stonechat, raven and Skylark Inc 2 that were so intent on scrapping with each other in the car park they were oblivious to all the passing cars. 

             Golden Plover formation                                                                   Skylark - the winner

2 Dotterel between Yes tor and High Willhays .Both in breeding plumage.

Watched from 08:00 till 12:45

After doing the hedges first with nothing new in headed to the viewing platform at bowling green marsh , 20+ knot , 45+ bar tailed godwits and 20+ great crested grebes around the estuary , just after 08:30 picked up 3 small terns of starcross but with the light they were to far to confirm ID but size and flight pattern suggested little tern they eventually flew up river so I rushed around to the goatwalk and  they were just of riversmeet house but now there were 4 , they flew down river eventually they came back up river and this time there was 5 they were feeding along the edge of the estuary from turf up towards topsham they were around till just before 12:00, 

At least 60+ whimbrel flew up river in 3 groups whilst watching the little terns , 1 sandwich tern and 1 Avocet was opposite goatwalk, 

A quick look again from the viewing platform produced 45+ grey plover , 1 turnstone, 11 ringed plover.

Arrived at Goosemoor as the tide was coming in, which pushed the Spotted Redshank in towards the viewing area. It was feeding well, with lots of preening in between. Counted 11 Greenshank and around 11 Little Egret. A Whimbrel dropped in briefly, but flew towards Bowling Green Marsh after around 5 minutes. From the Goat Walk 5 Little Terns were feeding just off Turf Lock (thanks to Keith B. for the tip off) and from the Viewing Platform a Sandwich Tern was perched on the buoy. Back at the hide, 3 Ruff were visible and feeding alongside the Godwit flock, which included around 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin (some in Summer plumage), the Whimbrel and 3 Buzzards which were spooking the flock. A very productive morning for me as I went to photograph the Spotted Redshank.

65 Common Scoter, 2 Long-tailed Ducks and 11 Shelducks on the sea with 5 Sandwich Terns flying close to the cliffs. Other birds: Stock Doves, Cirl Buntings, Chiffchaffs, 1 Kestrel, 1 Green Woodpecker...

 
Long-tailed Duck                                    Common Scoter

After a chance meeting with Magnus Robb at a conference, I decided to give nocturnal sound recording a go. It has been pretty quiet thus far but last night produced a surprise with a single Barn Owl call at 3.10 AM over Freedom Fields. Slightly random given the location!

No sign of yesterday's early morning Serin found by Pat M. Seawatch highlights were : 4 Bonxies,  1 Black-Throated Diver, 1 Whimbrel, 9 Sandwich Terns west, 2 East, 7 Common Scoter east, 8 Manx Shearwaters west.

8 Wheatears, 1 Sand Martin , 2 House Martins and (from 12 to 1pm) 70 plus Swallows came in off the sea heading north.2 Willow Warblers singing. (Yesterday Pat M had seen a Whinchat and 3 Whitethroats.)

Of interest still 12 Cattle Egrets in the Chivelstone Cross area near the wind turbine.( 11 captured in the image below)

Took a couple of pics of a Dipper today. Just noticed it had at least 3 rings: Orange over silver (?) left leg & a yellow on the right leg.

Dipper, Two Bridges, Dartmoor

9 Siskins on the feeders in the garden this morning. a record for us. Also a pair of Great Tits checking out the nest boxes. Plus the usual Gold Green & Chaffinches. Dunnock Robins Blackbirds Wren & a Nuthatch a Hen Pheasant and a Sparrowhaek

At Soar this morning, Grasshopper Warbler reeling, 9 Wheatears and 12 Swallows.

2 Reed Warblers singing at South Milton Ley and at South Huish Marsh: Iceland Gull (juv), Garganey (drake), Cattle Egret (2 in attractive summer plumage), Dunlin, Swallow (25+), Sand Martin (4), Sedge Warbler, Wheatear and Shoveler (drake).

 
Cattle Egret                                         Cattle Egret

Not a huge amount out there first thing this morning, or at least not where I went, the Iceland Gull was showing well in the sheep field behind the cafe at South Huish as was a Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Rock Pips and a single Swallow overhead.

Aveton Gifford had Greenshank and Common Sandpiper on the tidal road and the marsh had a reasonable selection of smaller species inc Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Bullfinch, Sand Martins, Dunnock, Long Tailed Tit, Wren. Yellow Hammer on the roadside hedges above the village.

Watched from 07:00 till 12:30

a good day around the marsh a quick look around the hedges produced 7+ blackcaps and 7 Cetti's warblers, from the viewing platform 1 little tern with 6 sandwich terns over at powderham corner, 20+ great crested grebes.

From the hide the highlight was a spoonbill it flew through just after 10:15 but soon returned and over the next hour it spent it's time between bowling green and goosemoor, 1 little ringed plover put in a brief appearance right next to the spoonbill, 75+ bar tailed godwits, 40+ knot, 80+ dunlin, 5 whimbrel, 2 oystercatchers, 40+ black tailed godwits, 2 common sandpipers, 1 kingfisher, 400+ sand martins over the morning included 7+ house martins, 20+ swallows, 4 buzzards, 1 kestrel, 8 tufted duck, 2 gadwall, 8+ little egrets, 3+ reed warblers.

another look from the viewing platform on the dropping tide produced the female long tailed duck just of lympstone , 1 1st winter Mediterranean gull, 60+ grey plover, and along path to viewing platform my first female blackcap of the Spring.

overall a good mornings birding 

Vis mig  in off the sea included 175 Swallows, 3 House Martins, 2 Sand Martins & 5 Goldfinch. Also 12 Wheatears & Whitethroat across the area..

There is a Harris Hawk with jessies/bells in the large yew at Clovelly House gardens seen at 2.30 pm today.No falconer in attendance so suggests it's an escapee

Stunning views of a cuckoo as it silently floated down onto a rock 15 ft away in the dying light of yesterday just below the East Dart Waterfall

1 Grasshopper Warbler briefly reeling this morning on WCM, also Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting on the marsh, at least 1 Whimbrel heard overhead near Geese Quarries.

Bird species at Powderham Marsh today include: chiffchaff, canada geese, barnacle geese (2), greenshank (1), pheasant, lapwing, shelduck robin, buzzard, chaffinch, swallow and blackcap.