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Posted January 6th at 10:52 am by Mike Langman in Bird News
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Posted August 25th, 2020 at 9:58 am by Mike Daniels in Bird News
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Posted October 10th, 2016 at 9:14 am in Bird News
Sunday 21st May 2017
We have a small colony of Starlings living nearby and they seem all to have fledged at the same time - I counted 36 on the feeders this afternoon!

Posted May 21st, 2017 at 10:11 pm by Martin Overy in Bird News
We had a very good walk from Bennett's Cross to Challacombe Farm, and back again via Headland Warren, today with the Exeter RSPB group. We had good views of the Great Grey Shrike, which this morning was in the valley before we reached Sousson's plantation. Some members of the group also had brief views of a Hobby and later, four Crossbills. At Challacombe Farm, the Swallows and House Martins were busy both feeding and collecting mud from the pond. There were also at least a couple of Spotted Flycatchers, Redstart, Nuthatch and a Treecreeper carrying material to its nest. We saw several Whinchats in both valleys, but only one Wheatear (near Headland Warren).
Posted May 21st, 2017 at 5:45 pm by Richard Swinbank in Bird News
Saturday 20th May 2017
15 pluss ringneck parakeets central park
Posted May 20th, 2017 at 8:52 pm by barry in Bird News
16.45
Further to the earlier post, the Great Grey Shrike showing well on the clearfell close to Golden Dagger Mine on the edge of Soussons. Although mobile, the bird was perching prominently and showing well.
Also between Bennett's Cross and Challacombe Farm (and in spite of the cold, windy and showery weather):
Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Stonechat, Whinchat, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Raven, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Spotted Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Redpoll, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Redstart. 2 Garden Warbler calling. Cuckoo calling in the distance towards Warren House.
Posted May 20th, 2017 at 7:53 pm by Paul Darlington in Bird News
No sign of the woodchat shrike this morning in less than ideal conditions - cold, breezy and misty although it did brighten up over the morning.
However some stunning scenery, prehistoric ruins, the pleasant company of fellow birders and a good range of Moor birds - wheatears, yellowhammers, linnets, skylarks, stonechats, meadow pipits, 2 kestrel, 2 raven, 3 swift, swallows, house martins, a male reed bunting and a cuckoo with willow warbler, blackcap, chiffchaff and great spotted woodpecker heard - gave a very enjoyable morning.
Posted May 20th, 2017 at 7:19 pm by Stuart Green in Bird News
Still near Challacombe farm. Also 3 cuckoos, whinchat, green woodpecker, jay and spotted flycatcher
Posted May 20th, 2017 at 5:58 pm by Jeff Hacon in Bird News
Friday 19th May 2017
Bellever Plantation, evening: 2 Cuckoos, 2m and 1f Nightjar, 2 Green Woodpeckers and 1 Tawny Owl.
Posted May 19th, 2017 at 10:51 pm by Andy Smith in Bird News
2 today at 13:00 over umberleigh north devon briefly heading n seen from private garden chittlehamholt
Posted May 19th, 2017 at 10:03 pm by Robert Marshall in Bird News
Woodchat Shrike still showing well at Cuckoo Ball it has moved location it is nearer the entrance to the moor from the lane by the old factory building in the gorse bushes.
Plenty of Yellowhammers Linnets Wheatears Skylarks and Cuckoos.

Woodchat Shrike Woodchat Shrike Yellowhammer
Posted May 19th, 2017 at 9:49 pm by Roger Backway in Bird News
Whitethroat 12, sedge warbler 5, cettis,reed warbler andreed bunting,both in pairs,common sandpiper, larks,bullfinch,chiffchaff, willow warbler,numerous swifts swallows and martins,.Butterflies,small copper,small blue and I believe a four spot broad chaser dark brown and the first large chaser we have seen, appologies to the Gaia trust warden if I got this wrong.
Posted May 19th, 2017 at 5:50 pm by john elvin in Bird News
A male Serin this morning (08.30) feeding for several minutes near East Soar Farm before disappearing. Then seen again briefly half an hour later flying and perched, but not since. Also a Turtle Dove in the area all morning, and nearby, Spotted Flycatcher, Sparrowhawk and Sedge Warbler.
Later at South Huish: White Wagtail, Sand Martin, Whimbrel and 6 adult Dunlins.
Posted May 19th, 2017 at 5:47 pm by Pete Aley in Bird News
2 Juvenile Ravens with adult pair this morning. 1 Lesser Whitethroat calling near the Cemetery and 1 Whimbrel on the Point.

Eds: all three of these are juveniles - dull body with glossy wings and small pale gape.
Posted May 19th, 2017 at 2:22 pm by Derek Stacey in Bird News
Turtle Dove flew into Ash Tree above the farm allowing excellent views before speeding off along the hedge- patch tick! Also male Sparrowhawk, singing Reed Warbler.
Roe Deer male, female Broad-bodied Chaser, 2 Green Hairstreak, 3 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.
Posted May 19th, 2017 at 12:25 pm by Rob Macklin in Bird News
Thursday 18th May 2017
The female Woodchat Shrike still this morning at Cuckoo Ball on the east side of Western Beacon, on the moor at the top of the valley, 200 yards west of the burial chamber. Also 2 Cuckoo. Closest access from the Bittaford to Ivybridge road, turn right by old machinery farm and park at the end of the lane by the gate to the moor.
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 11:23 pm by Mark Bailey in Bird News
A brief walk along Marine Parade this morning, before start of a working day, produced: 2 Oystercatchers, plenty of Herring Gulls, Shag, Goldfinches, Starlings, House Sparrows, my 1st sight of House Martins of the year - 4, Wren and star of the day was a female Mallard with 8 ducklings.
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 9:49 pm by Stephen Huggins in Bird News
First this year Hummingbird Hawk Moth on Rhododendrons next to shop.
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 8:32 pm by John Elvin in Bird News
Great-spotted woodpecker taking nectar from the red hot poker in the garden this afternoon.

Posted May 18th, 2017 at 8:07 pm by Margaret Phillips in Bird News
Little on the water bird front this morning, but a pair of Nuthatches feeding 2 young, 2 Whitethroats and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 7:42 pm by Pete Aley in Bird News
On a walk today from Headland Warren around Challacombe Down thro' Golden Dagger Tin Mine. Whinchats 8(m), 2(f), Spotted Flycatchers 3, Common Redstarts 3, Garden Warblers (h), Lesser Redpolls, Cuckoos 3, Bullfinch. Best of all Great Grey Shrike still around position SX 682 805. Plus many of the commoner species.
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 7:41 pm by Colin & Joyce Hannaford in Bird News
1Pied flycatcher 2pairs spotted flycatcher 4 Gs woodpecker,siskin ,bullfinch,black cap,kingfisher,chiffchaff,swallows,martins and 4 swift,willow warbler and good numbers of woodland birds especially blackbirds and thrush. Cover all really thick so spotting gets harder,lovely day though.
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 6:55 pm by John Elvin in Bird News
One pair of Cuckoo seen flying low over the golf course,numbers of Willow Warblers,1 f Redstart,4 Greenfinches,2 Garden Warblers,8 Pairs of Stonechates,3 Meadow Pipits,1 Skylark,1 m Kestrel,2 Common Buzzards,8 Linnets,1 m Redpoll,1m Yellowhammer,Corvoids,3 Swallows,the odd Chiffchaff calling.
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 5:04 pm by chris buckland in Bird News
3 Lesser Whitethroat near Cemetery this morning

Posted May 18th, 2017 at 3:11 pm by Derek Stacey in Bird News
(Late Post for yesterday) After the rain and thick mist cleared late yesterday evening I went up to Cuckoo Ball, Bittaford to see if Mike Daniel's Woodchat shrike was still there. Passing a posing yellowhammer in gorse on the side of Western Beacon the Shrike's past location came into view and on a dead tree about 600m distant I saw what could have been the profile of a shrike. Subsequent examination of distant photos shows that it was indeed the shrike. It had moved on as I got closer and started to walk up Cuckoo Ball towards the burial chamber. Plenty of meadow pipits, skylarks and two wheatear present. I was joined by Patrick Hawkins, who had walked up through the field containing the trees on which the shrike normally perches without seeing or moving it. However on my way down I again saw the shrike firstly on a barbed wire fence and then on the same dead tree where I had seen it earlier. It gave Patrick and I a quick good, distant view, before moving off as we approached. A cuckoo was seen and heard nearby on the slopes of Western Beacon.

Woodchat Shrike Yellowhammer Skylark
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 8:37 am by David Pakes in Bird News
25+ swifts buzzing around over the St Leonards Road area of Newton Abbot this morning.
Posted May 18th, 2017 at 12:02 am by Kevin Johns in Bird News
Wednesday 17th May 2017
A male Golden Oriole was reported in Millcombe yesterday afternoon. Click here for further info.
Please note that the "possible Bonelli's Warbler species" seen during the Devon Birds day-trip on Sunday has now been identified, from a series of very good photos, as a Garden Warbler.
Posted May 17th, 2017 at 2:34 pm by Tim Jones in Bird News
Good numbers of Swifts over house North Plymouth first of the year from here,
Posted May 17th, 2017 at 2:24 pm by chris buckland in Bird News
On the pool at high tide, 5 Little Egrets and 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (2 ads and a 3rd-s) but little else apart from plenty of rain!
Posted May 17th, 2017 at 1:28 pm by Pete Aley in Bird News
Seawatch from 6.40 until 11.20am in SSW 4-5, overcast,some mist and showers, perfect conditions yet no skuas!
Totals seen : 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 2 Storm Petrels, 1027 Manx Shearwaters ( with feeding parties of 100 plus groups seen as leaving) , 9 Puffins, 5 Great Northern Divers and 104 Kittiwakes all west. Oddities being a female Mallard that came in off the sea and a Swift tracking westwards.
Of interest still 4 Cattle Egrets at Chivelstone Cross.
Posted May 17th, 2017 at 12:20 pm in Bird News
Tuesday 16th May 2017
Photo of juvenile long-tailed tits.

Posted May 16th, 2017 at 10:40 pm by Margaret Phillips in Bird News
Apologies for the terrible photo taken in the rain this evening but 9 or 10 juvenile long -tailed tits being fed by the adults in the garden.. A spotted flycatcher still present also.
Posted May 16th, 2017 at 8:13 pm by Margaret Phillips in Bird News
Seawatch between 0600-0900: 3 Pomarine Skuas (2x ads and a 3cy), 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Storm Petrel, 30 Puffin, 293 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Great Northern Diver, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 'commic' Tern, 14 Common Scoter.
Posted May 16th, 2017 at 1:40 pm by Mike Langman in Bird News
Hobby quartering the Northern slopes at dusk last night
Posted May 16th, 2017 at 11:12 am by Timothy Clyburn in Bird News
Monday 15th May 2017
Two spotted flycatchers here in the garden late this afternoon and early evening.
Posted May 15th, 2017 at 7:36 pm by Margaret Phillips in Bird News
Sorry for late post from yesterday evening's male Eastern Subalpine Warbler seen around the trees from the back path between main pond and golf course at Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve but not seen today.
Also 4K video where it can be heard singing and best watched in the higher resolution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4516qM1RWg



Eastern Subalpine Warbler
Posted May 15th, 2017 at 7:02 pm by David Boult in Bird News
Seawatching with MD 0600-1445hrs final totals: 2 Sooty Shearwaters south at 1020 & 1405hrs (good for May!), 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 1854 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Bonxies, 5 Great Northern Divers >s & 2 > north, 37 Puffins, 20 Common Scoter, 1 Common Gull, 100+ Kittiwakes, 13 Black-headed Gulls, 13 Sandwich Terns, 1 Whimbrel, 10+ Common Dolphins, & 3 Harbour Porpoise.
link to some close views of some of the Common Dolphins moving South: https://youtu.be/PxjjwbGZ5Ec
Posted May 15th, 2017 at 11:57 am by Mike Langman in Bird News
A few more pictures from the Lundy Trip

Guillemot Grey Seal Fulmar
Posted May 15th, 2017 at 11:27 am by Duncan Leitch in Bird News
A great day at the fantastically organised Lundy trip yesterday. Very lucky with the beauitful weather. Lots of birds to see, even if a little bit distant to get some really good photos. As expected lots of Guillemot, Puffin, Razorbill, Fulmer, Kittiwake, Manx Shearwater, Pipits, Wheatear. Glimpse sightings of a possible Bonelli's Warbler and Red Rumped Swallow. Also a couple of Spotted Flycatcher. Plenty of Grey/Atlantic Seals and Sika Deer.

Manx Shearwater Puffins Kittiwake
Posted May 15th, 2017 at 11:25 am by Duncan Leitch in Bird News