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Thursday 09:30

Wheatear on the roof of the main building of Brixham College. 

A Swift again this evening. Time for it to head south surely.....

An evening walk around Arlington court woods tonight rewarded us with 4 tawny owls, one as close as 20ft not sure who was more surprised us or the owl. Plenty of Robins, baby wood pigeon plenty of wrens and blackbirds. Heron took off from roost above lake with mallards and teal on the lake.

One of the seven on show today.

Glossy Ibis

At about 10am, 2 No juvenile Spotted Redshank feeding close to footpath, approx 1km north of Snapes Point.

At stone bridge over stream at Starehole Bay, 1 No Yellow-browed Warbler. Approx 6 Yellow Wagtails at East Soar Farm feeding with Donkeys!  Numerous Pied and White Wagtails here and on grass runway of airfield.

Back on September 23rd 2014, I ringed a juvenile male Blackcap. News today that it was controlled (Recaptured by a ringer) on 23rd January 2017 at the Estacion Medioambientale San Roque in Southern Spain. That's 860 days after ringing and 1659 kms almost due south.

I haven't seen it back here in the interim but it looks like a seasoned traveller!

Oddly, we have a house about 25 miles from San Roque in a village called Jimena de la Frontera.

This Water Rail put on a good show today for some 20 minutes (otherwise quiet).  @BobLonghorn2

Migrants included Sand Martin, Tree Pipit, 21 Yellow Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, 13 White Wagtail, Whinchat, 7 Wheatear, 18 Whitethroat, 11 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler & 13 Chiffchaff.

Also: 500 Herring Gull, 25 Stonechat, 70 Carrion Crow, 340 Linnet & 4 Bullfinch.

8 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Greenshank on the scrape this morning.

In the reserve dozens of small birds - mostly in a big Tit flock - Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Bullfinches, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. 2 little Egrets over.

There is a huge flock of Canada Geese at Sherpa Marsh in the evenings - most of which seem to move over onto the Great Field Area late evening, On Monday night they were all spooked and flew off towards the estuary. I estimated 400+.

All(?!) seven Glossy Ibis feeding downstream of the sewage outflow at 11.30

Out early before work and rewarded with: 3 Great Tits, 7 Blue Tits, 5 Robins, 5 Stock Doves, 3 Bullfinches, 3 Dunnocks, 2 Buzzards (juvenile & adult), Pheasant, 4 Wrens, 2 Jays, 2 Swallows, 4 Chiffchaffs, a small flock of Greenfinches & a Green Woodpecker. 

On an earlier visit to Occombe I viewed a flock of at least 30 Greenfinches at the lower end, gathering around the tops of several mature trees. It was quite a sight. I did post at the time but for some reason never updated to the site.

4 Yellow wag on Southern fields (from viewing screens), 6 Stonechat (4 juv), Marsh harrier again, 2 Hobby and Tree pipit over

Another attempt at the Swallows tonight - caught one again! However the Swift was around too.

Osprey flying up river at 17:21 this evening, seen from Seaton Marshes (cropped images)

   
Osprey at Seaton                      Osprey at Seaton

Eds: It's actually a pale Common Buzzard - a regularly mistaken species for all sorts of other birds of prey see this article by Mike Langman and Mark Darlaston..  https://www.devonbirds.org/birdwatching/articles/common_buzzard 

Seaton Wetlands full of birds today-Green and Common Sandpipers, Greenshanks, Redshanks, Godwits, Curlew, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Snipe, Oystercatchers, Lapwings, Yellow Wagtails and many electric blue flashes of the Kingfishers. Gulls of all ages, Little Egrets, Grey Herons, Little Grebes, Coots and Moorhens just to name a few!

Also death visited in the shape of a Peregrine Falcon which swooped down and took a Common Sandpiper, the other birds moved but it just froze at that was curtains!

 
Greenshank                    Green Sandpiper

On the 'permissive footpath' between The Green, Fremington and the Tarka Trail, at least three Spotted Flycatcher in the dead tree at northeast corner of last field before gate onto trail. 17:00. Hawking for insects and allowed wonderful scope views.

Common Scoter (1st-s drake) present on lower estuary; also Whinchat, Wheatear, 2 Green Woodpeckers, Kingfisher, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, 25 Curlews, 8 Oystercatchers, 11 Grey Herons and 13 Little Egrets.

7 Black-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and a Snipe on the scrape by the Tarka Trail at lunchtime today.

Osprey drifting downriver, viewed from Mudbank, @ 1220. Also there - first returning Pintail, 3 Wigeon, 5 Knot and 2 Yellow Wagtail. Further details and this morning's Orcombe sightings on www.gobirdingexmouth.blogspot.co.uk later.

Yesterday evening the gull roost contained: 5 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, 1 moulting juvenile Yellow-legged Gull.

        Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull - right                                              Juvenile Yellow-legged Gul - flying   

Photo re previous post....

Out again this evening trying to tape lure Swallows. Only caught one. But also caught this beauty: juvenile female Sparrowhawk. When I turned on the tapes, the first bird to respond was a Swift! Bit late for up here.

4 Whinchats, c20 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Tree Pipits, Redstart, 6 White Wagtails, Grey Wagtail, c15 Pied Wagtails, 28 Chiffchaffs, 7 Willow Warblers, 5 Blackcaps, Wheatear, 2 Bullfinches, 2 Sparrowhawks and a buck Roe Deer.

Later a Whimbrel by the tidal road at Averton Gifford.

The following report yesterday from Peter Reay ~ 14 Yellow Wagtails this morning on wires running between Whinfield and Underhill and they were then on that manicured lawn and fence above Hilldene, South Brent.

I checked early this morning and saw six Yellow Wagtails above Hilldene and on the garden of that property on the "manicured lawn".

Later in the morning visited again and counted nine birds at one time, most appear to be juveniles.

Green Woodpecker calling, two Stock doves and Raven overhead.

This morn: Green sandpiper, 1, knot, 1, little grebe, 3, teal, 32, coot, 8, raven, 3, green woodpecker, 2, great spotted woodpecker, 1 and 6 Canada geese. 

Juvenile plumage spotted flycatcher in private land in a village up the Teign Valley.

Migrants included 100 House Martin, 14 Yellow Wagtail, 4 Whinchat, Wheatear, Sedge Warbler, 19 Whitethroat, Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler, 5 Chiffchaff & 2 Spotted Flycatcher.

Also: 48 Shag in Starehole Bay, 220 Herring Gull, 29 Stonechat, 100 Goldfinch & 110 Linnet.

On way home c.1000 Herring Gull & 150+ Lesser Black-backed Gull following the plough at Harleston.

Bar-headed Goose in with the Otter Estuary Canada Geese flock last couple of mornings. 

A Redwing on Bundle Head yesterday morning was somewhat unexpected. Also a Spotted Flycatcher and 5 Tree Pipits.

The highlights were a good number of Stonechats and Whitethroats in the bushes above the point - didn't count, but probably around 12 and 8 respectively. Also a Chiffchaff there and a Yellow Wagtail on the grass. Buzzard and Sparrowhawk over. 5 Little Egrets on the rocks, plus two Curlew and the usual sprinkling of Oystercatchers. I was surprised to see a Jersey tiger moth around the little clump of reeds at the back of the beach.

    
Whitethroat                                  Yellow Wagtail                                       Stonechat

Bowling Green Marsh: little egret, shoveler, grey heron, whimbrel, curlew, starling, black-tailed godwit, black-headed gull, herring gull, redshank, mute swan, mallard, swallow, cormorant, moorhen, barnacle goose, canada goose, pied wagtail, goldfinch, lapwing, house martin and wood pigeon.

Viewing Platform: oystercatcher, black-headed gull, sandwich tern, curlew and either golden or grey plover (very distant views).

Goosemoor: black-headed gull, herring gull, dunlin, redshank, shelduck and moorhen.

19.20

Swift over Cadewell Park.  Earlier in the day, at least 2 Chiffchaffs on the park with one in nearly full song around 15.00.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth visiting buddleia in our back garden today and yesterday.  Red Admirals, Painted Lady,  Small Whites and Small Tortoiseshells too. 

Birding can be so stressful... thanks to a dog walker! 

I had just started counting (from outside the perimeter fence) c300 Canada Geese, 2 Grey Lags and a white goose, when a female dog walker climbed through a padlocked gate clearly marked 'keep out' and encouraged her dog to fetch a stick from the lake covered in birds!  I protested angrily and was told that other dogs exercise in the water and that she was not disturbing the birds!.  She didn't appear to understand that these were wild birds or the meaning of barbed wire and locked gates. I despair!

The birds had flown in from the Otter valley and were settling happily when I arrived.  No signs of the Little Grebes that have bred here.

Mid/late am. High tide. 5 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers, 9 Common Sandpipers, 1 Whimbrel, 32 Curlew, 8 Dunlin, 13 Little Egrets, 12 Teal, 2 Kingfishers, 1 Yellow Wagtail h, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Common Lizard. etc.

A brief look this morning produced 2 Whinchats, 2 Common Sandpipers, 16 Little Egrets, juv Shelduck, 23 Curlews and 7 Oystercatchers.

3 Tree Pipit, 3 Grey Wagtails, 10 Yellow Wagtails, Redstart, 11 Whitethroats, 12 Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs and 2 Spotted Flycatchers

This morning - 5 Glossy Ibis , 2 Dunlin , 6 Greenshanks , 4 Common sandpipers , 1 Spotted Redshank.

Possibly the Budleigh bird flew south down the Exe estuary past Powderham at 6.45 p.m. this evening.

A surprise flyover Cattle Egret this morning heading west over Budleigh Golf Course at around 07.50hrs and a flock of 30+ Yellow Wagtail feeding in cattle field immediately west of Ladram Bay Caravan Park. Thanks to Doug C for the Yellow Wags - Been present last couple of days. More on http://creamteabirding.blogspot.co.uk

In addition to birds seen by Perry Sanders today at Start Point, I had an unexpected sighting of a  kingfisher whilst on Start Point Beach, 1300 today

Some photos of the Pomarine Skua and one of the two Great Skuas this morning. An odd trip, there were nearly as many skuas as gulls at the chum slick!

  
Pomarine skua, 2nd summer             Pomarine skua, 2nd summer                                      Great skua

Additional to the species already noted by Nigel, close inspection of photos shows that the first 3 shearwaters we encountered (2 at 09.31, 1 at 09.33) were all Balearic Shearwater. Very hard to distinguish by eye when they are crossing the bow at some distance, and in the sun's glare! Shearwaters further out appear to have all been Manx. The first (distant) skua was definitely an Arctic skua - a dark phase bird. Terrible record shots below - decent photos of the closer birds will follow.

 
Balearic shearwater                     Arctic skua

A family mid-morning jaunt turned up: Golden Plover, Sand Martin, 130 House Martin, Tree Pipit, 65 Yellow Wagtail, 20 Wheatear, Garden Warbler, 8 Whitethroat, 5 Willow Warbler & 7 Spotted Flycatcher.

Non-avian: Clouded Yellow, 4 Painted Lady.

Spotted redshank and Glossy Ibis still at the Pill plus Kingfisher .Peregrine and five buzzards overhead

A calm sea this morning from Brixham with our first group of Common Dolphins before we reached Berry Head, the second followed very quickly just beyond BH. In all we had 5 groups of Common Dolphin during the trip. A few Manx Shearwater as we move out to about 6 miles. Once again a very successful trip with Skua. 1 Pomarine Skua, 2 Great Skua and 1Skua sp and I hope Chris Procter can shed more light on this one when he has studied his pictures. 1 Storm Petrel, Fulmar, small groups of Guillemot all sitting on the water and the usual assortment of gulls.

Swallowtail butterfly in private garden. 

Greenshank at Seaton this morning  @BobLonghorn2

Two Swift flying high and heading West.

The Kingfishers were "doing their thing" at Seaton this morning  @BobLonghorn2

06:15-11:00. Beautiful, sunny morning.

Swift, 150+ Swallows, 4 Sand Martins, 10 Tree Pipits, 2 Grey Wagtails, 23 Yellow Wagtails, 6 White Wagtails, 5 Wheatears, 20 Blackcaps, Lesser Whitethroat, 7 Whitethroats, 23 Chiffchaffs, 2 Willow Warblers and 2 Spotted Flycatchers.

Common Scoter(m) Laira Bridge end at 11:50, Common Sandpiper, King fisher (near Sainsbury's), Swallows, Housemartins.

Curlew Sandpiper ad, Wood Sandpiper, Whimbrel 2, Greenshank 7, Bar-tailed Godwit 2, Common Sandpiper, Sand Martin 2, Reed Warbler 3, Sedge Warbler, Tree Pipit.

Goatwalk: Arctic Tern Juv, Sandwich Tern 2.

Three Willow Warblers.

Slavonian Grebe still off Cockwood Steps & 4/5 Green Sandpiper at Matford Pond yesterday. 

Several Spotted Flycatchers opposite the hide at Mansand.

Brimstone butterfly this morning possibly feeding on Bergenia. Also large hornet-like covertly, possibly Volucella zonaria. Anyone able to confirm this, or suggest alternative. Sending photo separately

64 Grey Herons on the Taw Estuary at lunchtime today between Ashford & Pottington - viewed from the Tarka trail.

Peaceful & quiet until 2 women walked their dogs across the sand bank at low tide. One of the dogs went bananas & targeted the Grey Herons resting on the sand bank & in the tidal channels.

The time is long overdue for the introduction of dog free zones & dog control measures on SSSI's.

Two Glossy Ibis present on the pill. Numerous redshanks with a single spotted redshank and three greenshank..

At Yelland there were three spoonbills present, two Kingfishers using the jetty and the previously mentioned Eiders by the fishermans huts. 

     
Eider                                                        Greenshank

Good numbers of migrants this morning but a little different to Perry's post: Swift, 4 Sand Martin, 250 Swallow, 240 House Martin, Tree Pipit, 16 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Whinchat, 9 Wheatear, Grasshopper Warbler, 29 Whitethroat, 2 Blackcap, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Willow Warbler & 6 Spotted Flycatcher. Also: 310 Herring Gull & 100 Linnet.

Non avian: 4 Small pearl-bordered Fritillary, one of which was taken by a Spotted Fly!

Clear with L-M NE wind

06:40-11:30, ,Warren/East Soar

Greenshank ( flyover Warren ), Great Spotted Woodpecker, 25 Tree Pipits, 16 Yellow Wagtails, Wheatear, Sedge Warbler, 6 Whitethroats, 5 Blackcaps, 20 Chiffchaffs, 4 Willow Warblers and 4 Spotted Flycatchers.

0830-1100  High tide:

127 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 2 Common sandpiper, 26 Curlew, 16 Little egret, 1 juvenile Shelduck. 2 juvenile Bullfinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Great spotted woodpecker around the estate. Swallows and House martins fledging, 2 Swift overhead.

At least 7 through the marsh this morning (7am) 5 while still foggy and two more 9am ish. Curlew Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper also present.

Yellow Wagtail

This obliging juvenile Sparrowhawk visited Peter Woods Garden nr Cullompton

An afternoon at Bowling Green Marsh, highlight was the Cattle Egtret, which spent a long time hidden by a snoozing Canada.

  
Cattle Egret

7 Eider including 4 in eclipse plumage where laid up on the foreshore on the point by the fisherman's  huts at Horsey around 2pm today.

My latest ever Swift since I have been in Plymouth a few minutes ago over Freedom Fields. I am getting the idea that they are tardy this year everywhere.

A few migrants around the headland this morning: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Wheatear, 9 Willow Warblers, 7 Chiffchaffs, 1 Sand Martin, 1 Greenshank around pools in inner quarry (my first at Bhead!), 1 Kingfisher. At sea 4 Balearic Shearwaters and 3 pods of Common Dolphin with a combined count of around 60 - no sign of any Harbour Porpoise today.

White Stork approached over trees to South of Bowling Green Marsh at 10am, circled twice then headed North over hide. Put all birds up

To add to Nick Potter's post... There was a White Stork flying over Bowling Green Marsh before I reached to the hide at about 10 am this morning.  It circled around, and I am not sure where it went next.  But around 1pm from the viewing platform there was also a Curlew Sandpiper, a Grey Plover still in summer plumage and a Kingfisher. Missed the Cattle Egret, though.

On arrival at the hide this lunchtime, a Cattle Egret was on the 'island' towards the back of the marsh. Still there when I left at around 2.20. Otherwise fairly quiet over a low tide.

1 Dunlin , 2 Glossy Ibis & 1 Spotted Redshank in the pill this afternoon..

06:00-11:30. Some cloud cover, light WNW.

Hobby, Green Sandpiper ( flyover ), 6 Tree Pipits, 2 Grey Wagtails, 12 Yellow Wagtails, 11 Sand Martins, 70 Swallows, Whinchat, 8 Wheatears, Grasshopper Warbler ( in bracken on the way down to the light ), 7 Whitethroats, 4 Blackcaps and a Sedge Warbler. Little Grebes look to have bred on a private pond for the third year in a row.

White Stork over Dawlish Warren this afternoon heading east.

Photo in email to birdnews address

Steve

Little egret, 51 between Bideford and Fremington pill. Spoonbill, 3 adults roosting on Isley marsh, Glossy Ibis one feeding,Fremington pill.  Spotted redshank, Tew-it call heard on Isley. Med.gull , 4 ads. Off Bideford quay. Kingfisher, Fremington quay.  Plus Blackcap,Whitethroats, Long tailed tit flock and Grey wagtail.

1 Wood Sandpiper

3 Green sandpipers

18 Common Sandpipers

1 Greenshank

1 Otter

Otter

The Great White Egret was searching for food again on the flood late yesterday aft in a fresh SE wind.

Female, I suspect 2nd cy Marsh Harrier on Marshes this afternoon. In wing moult. 50+ Swallows with 2-3 Sand Martin's. Suspect birds moving south. 100+ Goldfinch & Kingfisher the best of the rest.

Also 5 Migrant & 2 Southern Hawkers along railway line FP.

we still have swifts nesting under the eaves of our house near okehampton today,never had them this late in august before

Watched from 17:30 till 19:50

Continued increase in wader numbers this evening with an excellent count of 534+ redshank , 2  Spotted redshank , 1 adult moulting curlew sandpiper for its  4th day , a new in knot and 263+ dunlin nearly all juveniles , 480+ black tailed godwits, 12+ whimbrel, 1 green sandpiper, 2 ringed plover, 1 bar tailed godwit, 1 juvenile ruff , 200+ curlew, 1 male sparrowhawk a steady passage of swallows south , 6+ little egrets, 12+ gadwall, 50+ mallard, 40+ teal, 12+ wigeon, 3 tufted duck.

Just been out looking for a ' Crane type bird ' a farming friend was kind enough to get a message to me about near West Alvington in fields at SX725433. Gone when I looked but spoke to him and it has to be a White Stork, no doubt yesterdays Charleton bird seen by Barrie.

No sign of the hoopoe at Maer Farm this morning but compensation this afternoon with distant views of the juvenile white winged black tern with Sandwich terns and common terns roosting on the sand banks in the Exe estuary as viewed from Exmouth marina. Despite its smaller size it was quite feisty and regularly jostled with any Sandwich tern that came too close to it before it flew upriver on the incoming tide.

Modest signs of migration today with 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchat, 4 Wheatears, 11 Chiffchaffs, 4 Willow Warblers, 50+ Swallows and a Blackcap. Also 4 Whitethrosts, Sparrowhawk and a pair of Roe Deer.

3 Yellow wagtail on the marshes today. Also fem Marsh harrier.

A few migrants around the headland this morning: 1 Redstart, 8 Willow Warblers, 7 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, 1 Tree Pipit, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 30+ Swallows >NE. a very brief seawatch produced,4 Common Tern,  2 Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua.  

Walking late morning NE  from the White House (SS470330) along the bank between the estuary and the flood I saw a great white egret in the flooded area of Horsey Island along with 2 spoonbills and several little egrets. Watched it for 5 minutes then it disappeared while my back was turned. Also, on a sand bank between the fisherman's huts and Isley Marsh 3 large duck too distant to ID but very dark with a horizontal white stripe along the flank. Eclipse Eider? Did anyone else see them?

One Glossy Ibis at the top of the creek near the reedbed at 10.00.

The Kingsbridge bird photographed today looks to have the same moult pattern as the individual photographed over Mullacott Cross, N Devon last Tuesday.

A couple more pics from kayak trip today

  
Balearic Shearwater                   Balearic Shearwater                      Common Dolphin

pics from kayak trip today

 
Sooty Shearwater                                  juvenile Puffin                                Common Dolphin

Wood sand 1 juv, black-tailed godwit 9 (1 adult), dunlin - 95 (mostly juvs), ringed plover 23, cattle egret 1, little egret 4.

The Great White Egret (approx.400 to 500 metres away) was busy jabbing at fish (probably Grey Mullet) on the flood late aft.

Kayak trip Plymouth Sound to Eddystone 0900-1715

1 Sooty Shearwater

8 Balearic Shearwaters

13 Storm Petrel

1 Puffin

!6 (1+15) Common Dolphin

4 (2+2) Harbour porpoise

photos to follow

Hoopoe eventually found this afternoon, after 45 minutes search, in small field immediately opposite Maer Farm - visible from road gate.  Even showed its crest a couple of times for me.  A lifer - and even better than the field-guide illustrations - glorious!  

After a call from John Bronze (thanks John!)I tootled off down the Toll road late afternoon, - lots of Gulls after flying ants - and there were quite a few Gulls on the mud by the flood. Just as I started looking through they all went up and  - away! Bird of Prey I thought. Couldn't find one until scanning the mobile flock of 60+ Dunlin I found a feeding Peregrine. Then I saw Rob further down the toll road so went down to join him - it was an Osprey that put up all the Gulls! I missed it completely. However 2 Spoonbills and the Great White Egret were in place and unspooked by these avian predators.

A day with my son, visiting play parks & the beach. However still saw Swift over the garden and Hobby over Alphington, probably feeding on flying ants with all the gulls. 

(Please do not reply or forward this email directly; please use the Reply, Share buttons at the bottom of this message)
Message sent by
Linzi Berryman (Police, Community Messaging Officer, Devon and Cornwall)

https://alerts.dc.police.uk/images/site_images/31021_Peregrine_falcon.png
Officers are investigating an incident after being contacted by staff at Glendinning Quarry in Ashburton, on Tuesday 15 August, following reports of an injured Peregrine falcon.
The falcon had been located on the floor of the quarry which is home to a breeding pair of Peregrine falcons.
Devon and Cornwall Police Wildlife Crime Officer, PC Josh Marshall, sought that the juvenile Peregrine falcon was given the immediate care it required. However, the bird died the next day.
PC Marshall said: “The initial inspection and condition of the bird strongly suggests that this bird had been poisoned. The bird has now been placed into the Wildlife Investigation scheme administered by Natural England where it will be forensically examined to establish the cause of death and a police investigation has now begun into the incident.
“Members of the public are warned that poisons commonly used to commit a crime like this are incredibly toxic to humans and pets. Should any person locate any dead or injured birds they are strongly advised not to touch them or let pets come into contact with them.
“Ingestion of these poisons can lead to death. It is incredibly concerning that individuals are using these types of chemicals within public areas that not only kill our wildlife but could also place members of the public, children and their animals into harm’s way.
“The area of Ashburton and neighbouring Buckfastleigh is unfortunately a hot spot for poisoning of these birds of prey. Previous incidents at the site are as follows;
2011 – 1 poisoned Peregrine falcon at White Cleaves (Buckfastleigh) Quarry – substance used - Aldicarb and Carbofuran.
2005 – Poisoned bait (racing pigeon) Glendinnings Quarry– substance used Aldicarb. A live bird with clipped wings. Adults missing presumed dead, chicks rescued. Police fitted telemetry device to see if pigeon would relocate but this failed. In Legal Eagle 47, page 5 - https://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/legaleagle47_tcm9-132970.pdf
2005 – 1 poisoned peregrine and 1 poisoned bait (pigeon) – substance used - Aldicarb, peregrine found on dead pigeon which had wings clipped.
2003 – Two men with a pigeon on a length of string appearing to try and lure peregrines from the top of White Cleaves (Buckfastleigh) Quarry. Police visited site but men had gone.
2000 – 1 poisoned Peregrine, substance used Aldicarb at Glendinnings quarry
2000 – 1 shot Sparrowhawk near Buckfastleigh (it lived).
1992 – 2 dead peregrines at White Cleaves (Buckfastleigh), with pigeon flesh in crop – tested positive for Malathion.
“As can been seen from this data, the use of illegal banned poisons are evident and put the public at significant risk. In the 2005 incident, a number of children could have been harmed or potentially worse when the poisoned bait (a racing pigeon) was located wondering around near to a childminders address.
“Significantly racing pigeons have been used as the bait for a number incidents both here and nationally and the answer to solving and preventing these poisonings could lie somewhere within a rogue minority of the racing pigeon community.
“Peregrine falcons do not differentiate between prey items such as wild pigeons and racing pigeons, this obviously causes conflict with some prize racing pigeons being taken by these birds of prey.
“Generally the method used will be to smear the bait with a vasaline type substance containing the poison onto either a live or dead bird. When the Peregrine plucks and eats the bait item the poison is then ingested and kills the bird. The bird dies then endures an excruciating few hours whilst waiting to die.
“South West Peregrines, a volunteer group who monitor these birds and others within the South West, have described the incident as ‘abhorrent’.
“We are urging members of the local community to come forward with any information they may have that can assist in bringing these offenders to justice."
Information is handled in the strictest of confidence and can be passed directly to PC Marshall at Joshua.marshall2@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk or by email 101@dc.police.uk or calling 101 quoting log number 0223 180817.
Information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers via 0800 555111 or the charity’s website at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Tony Whitehead speaking for RSPB in the South West said: "Peregrines are magnificent and much-loved birds, whose comeback over the past twenty years is a conservation success. However, once again, it appears the peregrines at this site have been deliberately targeted and, it is suspected, poisoned.
“Should this prove to be the case, this is outrageous and the criminals must be brought to justice. We are also concerned that, should this again prove to be a poisoning, someone is wantonly placing toxic chemicals in the countryside which can be a danger to both humans and pets.
“Someone in the local community must have information about who's doing this and we urge people to come forward and contact the police. A £1,000 reward has been offered by the RSPB for information that directly leads to the prosecution of the offender.”

14:20-15:50

134 Canada Geese, at least 1 Whimbrel ( prob flock of Curlew /Whimbrel near sluice with the sun behind them ), 8 Ringed Plovers, 3 Dunlins, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Kingfisher. Finally joined the 21st century https://twitter.com/CharletonBirder

One White Stork circling over stubble fields to the east of Geese Quarries and north of Frogmore Creek at 15:05 for about 10 minutes (SX760420), thought to have drifted off east. Heavily in moult in left wing.

Eds: wear and tear matches perfectly the Ilfracombe bird on 15th August.

One Great White Egret feeding in Sharpa Marsh lagoon close to toll road footpath. 13:00 -14:00 still present when I left.

The Hobby coming in for food first thing yesterday morning

A few pics of the tubenoses on today's trip.

  
Manx shearwater                            Storm petrel and fulmar               Storm petrel feeding

One juvenile Arctic Tern today among the common terns, hanging around the early part of our chumming stop.

    
Arctic tern, juvenile                           Arctic tern, juvenile                      Common tern, juvenile

Watched from 16:15 till 18:50

highlight was a juvenile Ruff , 140+ dunlin, 1 green sandpiper, 2 ringed plover, 12+ whimbrel, 1 spotted redshank, 25+ greenshank, good numbers of redshank , black tailed godwits and curlew ,  1 bar tailed godwit, 4 Mediterranean gulls( 1 adult, 1 2nd summer, 1 1st summer and 1 juvenile) 12+ gadwall, 1 little grebe, 20+ lapwing.

Skuas from today's trip and more identification/aging puzzles. The first bird to approach the boat was a Pomarine Skua, followed 2 minutes later by an Arctic Skua which circled the boat at very close range. A third bird later on was seen and photographed only very distantly, a pale phase bird, probably arctic. Interesting that there are so many immature skuas out there both last week and this.

     
Pomarine skua, 2nd summer           Arctic skua, 1st or 2nd summer           Arctic skua, 1st or 2nd summer

https://youtu.be/BgWzV2LhDJs

Hoopoe

Took myself off to Crow point,  where again I got my tide timing wrongish but nevertheless saw some. Egrets, young herons,2 wheatears,  2 kingfisher.number of smaller tide line birds that I have yet to be sure of plover, sparrowhawk chasing with out success swallows,  and house Martins. Curlew and a couple of whimbrel, little grebes Moor hens and multitude of gulls. When driving towards Wrafton area a flock of 14 black coloured geese were heading towards Crow point.

Sparrow hawk.

A promising start (c. 07:00 - 07:30) with 5 - 6 Arctic Skuas & a Long-tailed Skua (noticeably smaller with markedly paler grey inner and sharply contrasting dark outer on upper wings) chasing Kittiwake's around the mouth of Torbay. After that nothing except, 5 Manx Shearwater; 2 Balearic Shearwater. This left the Common Dolphins to brighten the rest of the morning, being split into 4 smaller groups, 1 of which passed close to the head, just beyond the pink buoys.

Good views from the Tarka trail of this bird fishing on the Taw Estuary this am.

This mornings boat trip out into Lyme Bay from Brixham started well with 2 Grey Seals by Brixham Marina, 1 Purple Sandpiper by the Breakwater old jetty, 3 Rock Pipits, all this before we had left the harbour. Before Berry Head a group of 4/5 Common Dolphin. Traveling out into Lyme Bay 3 more groups of Common Dolphin seen, the last group was very large. Once we reached our chumming area the following birds sighted 10+ Manx Shearwater, 2 Balearic Shearwater, 3 Storm Petrel, 2 Artic Skua and 1 Pomarine Skua, 20+ Kittiwake, 12+ Guillemot, 2 Razorbill, 10 Common Tern, 8 Fulmar, Gannets and the usual assortment of Gulls. Sea was not as rough as thought so an enjoyable trip.

The Hoopoe still present by Maer Farm, in field by plastic bales and showing well- flew over the road briefly but soon returned. Nearby, the juvenile White-Winged Black Tern still on and around Cockle Sands viewable from the Imperial Recreation Ground.

Fairly quiet around Start Farm, Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Chiffchaffs and 3 Whitethroats. Also Sand Martin and 2 Swifts. Called in to Slapton Ley and good numbers of hirundines at Torcross ie c 100 Swallows, c 200 House Martins and c 400 Sand Martins, also a Swift. 15 Sandwich Terns on the beach. Common Scoter off the Memorial Car Park and a Yellow Wagtail overhead.

8 Swifts over garden this evening with 20+ House Martin. 

Watched from 15:30 till 19:20

Just after 16:45 found a nice moulting adult Curlew sandpiper in among 110+ dunlin( mostly juveniles) it showed on and off over the next couple of hours , the adult spotted redshank showed well at times , 5 ringed plover, 2 green sandpipers excellent numbers of juvenile Black tailed godwits, 1 bar tailed godwits, 8+ whimbrel 

earlier on goosemoor 20+ greenshanks

On the incoming tide at Skern there were 9 Mediterranean Gulls (5 adults and 4 juveniles) One of the juveniles was ringed on the left leg below the 'knee'. No colour bands so was unable to get any more details! Also 1 juvenile Little Tern fishing in the bay.

Later there were 30 Little Egret roosting on the marsh below Torridge Bridge.

Two sinensis (ad + imm) amongst the 8 Cormorants, my first Ringed Plover of the autumn (juv), 11 Turnstones (some in nice breeding plumage), Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, 30 Curlews, 10 Grey Herons, 11+ Little Egrets, 10 Oystercatchers, 82 Redshanks, 2 Greenshanks, Pergerine, Swift and Wheatear.

Turnstone

Hoopoe seen at Orcombe Point / Foxholes area at 10:20 this morning. I was viewing from the second gate on the right hand side just north east of Maer Farm. It had been seen from this location late yesterday afternoon distantly in the furthest field (in front of the houses). As I was scanning that field a flock of Starling came up over the hedge of the next field (that has hay bags in it and also a gate to view in to the field) and I noticed a larger bird in amongst them. Got the bins on it and it was the Hoopoe. I tracked it heading towards Orcombe Point where it then veered back towards the houses at Foxholes. If only I had picked the other gate to look from!!

4 Black Swans amongst the many mute swans, on the Avon Estuary, viewable from the tidal road, this morning until 12.30hrs when disturbed by paddle boarders. First seen at this location by Mike Passman and Rodney Bone yesterday morning. Have not been seen here many times before. The birds are not bearing rings and have the characteristic smaller size and red bill of the species, however when they flew off they showed a degree of white in the wings. Their origin is unknown, but to me, do not look like the same birds present on Slapton Ley last year. 2 ringed plover ,1 dunlin, 2 Common Sandpiper and a few curlew also present.

  
4 Black Swan -Avon Estuary - 19.8.2017   Black Swan taking off showing white in wing - Avon-19.8.2017

Common Sandpiper - Avon Estuary

Ed. White primaries and outer secondaries is normal for Black Swan.

Seems obviously a Redstart, but is it a Black Redstart?

Juv (Black?) Redstart in Teignmouth Garden

Ed. it's a Redstart (juv > 1W male); orange-red on breast not shown by Black Redsart.

Hoopoe at 7.30am in small scrubby field, south side, near bottom  of Maer Lane, Exmouth

Charleton Marsh / Bay ( 07:20-08:40, falling tide )

15 Black-tailed Godwits, 77 Dunlins, 76 Ringed Plovers, Common Sandpiper, 3 Mediterranean Gulls ( one adult with darvic rings, too far off to read ).

Today we went to Bowling Green Marsh. The hide was the area of main interest for us today so we stayed there for quite a long time. Here is a list of the species that we saw there today: green sandpiper, canada goose, lapwing, black-headed gull, wood pigeon, black-tailed godwit, magpie, buzzard, pied wagtail, little egret, jackdaw, mallard, grey heron, goldfinch, great black-backed gull, redshank, starling, cormorant, wheatear, swallow and dunlin. Before we went to Goosemoor we had a quick look from the viewing platform. The tide appeared to be coming in so there was not much birdlife to be seen, in fact all there was to be seen was a large group of curlew and a few black-tailed godwits mixed in with them on the opposite side!

Walking from the viewing platform to Goosemoor a subspecies of the canada goose was pointed out to us in the marsh.

Watched a BBG pinch a fish (Bass?) from a Cormorant yesterday at Yelland. The struggle went on for several minutes before the Gull made off with the catch. Is this common behavior? .  Poor pics as I was a long way away.

15.30 - 1 Osprey flew over the R.Caen in a force 7 to 8 westerly gale,mid aft, caught a fish, flew high with the catch heading several miles east over Chivenor until lost from view.

THE HOBBY IS BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am over the moon to continue the Saga of the young Hobby I hand reared and released on the 2nd September 2014.

She has been back each year since arriving back in September, this year I had hoped to see her back in the spring as a fully mature breeding bird but that did not happen and in truth I thought that she had fallen to natures circle of life and that was that.

A short while ago I was sorting some of my birds when I looked up and there she was sat on a post 10 yards away watching me, not a care in the world.

The Hoopoe is still present on Foxholes. It's in a private garden and adjoining private field. The hawthorns bordering the back garden and the adjoining field can be viewed, albeit distantly, from Gore Lane but please park sensibly and don't obstruct any gateways. The gateway just right of the track that leads down to the Bristol Schools camp is the best viewing position. Also the juvenile White-winged Black Tern was off the Imperial @0740.

My son Clive told me a co-worker of his(postman) had a white stork flying over Higher Clovelly near Hartland and landed in a field near Seckington farm Tuesday

A Hoopoe photographed on Foxholes, Orcombe Point by Marie Wilson this morning. Not seen since.

2 Hobby, huge female Peregrine, 6+ Med Gulls but no sign of Osprey.

2 Yellow wagtail, Exminster marshes nature reserve, 17/08/17

128 Redshank 1 glossy Ibis 1 Greenshank 2 common sandpipers 2 Curlew and 2 Kingfishers plus a Single Turnstone on the beach.Marsh Harrier over Home Farm Marsh

The juvenile White-winged Black Tern was feeding with 2 juvenile Black Terns off the seafront @ 0650 this morning. Viewed from the clock tower.

Tesco car park, Newton Abbot, lunchtime, Raven over high. Teign Street, Teignmouth, early afternoon, two immature Peregrines flying low in close proximity. Our Teignmouth garden, mid afternoon 11+ House Martin, 5 Swallow (all juveniles), one Swift up high, most of these flying due South.

A 50+ Flock of Goldfinch and 55 Canada geese where at Home farm Marsh and just after 12:00 the Osprey was seen from the flower bank hunting the Taw off of Chivenor...A Marsh Harrier appeared over Isley Marsh  in the afternoon and whilst watching 4 Eider drifting past the fisherman's huts from yelland power station site the Osprey was relocated on the shore just up from the huts feeding on a catch..

A juv Yellow-legged Gull at the bottom end of the estuary before flying up river, female Red-crested Pochard, ad Mediterranean Gull, 16 Mandarin Ducks, 2 Kingfishers, Swift, 27 Curlews, 10 Oystercatchers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 12 Little Egrets and Tawny Owl heard.

Starcross old harbour wall - c210 Turnstones having their summer moult;   several still showing good summer plumage

Pleasant walk up the estuary - good veiws of a group of 6 Goosanders diving for small fish just below the road bridge

  
Goosanders

A nice surprise this morning at the entrance to Prewley Moor (WSW of Okehampton): a Willow Tit heard and seen by the old railway cycleway. I've seen them here before, when visiting to survey dragonflies. Surprised to see a few Southern Damselflies still flying!

 
Willow Tit                                   Southern Damselfly

To start with we went to the pond hide and saw: blue, great and coal tits, a nuthatch, 2 or more chaffinches, a great spotted woodpecker calling, 2 or more siskins, a robin, a grey wagtail and 1 or 2 buzzards calling. After the pond hide we moved on to the heath but there wasn't much about. This is what there was: a possible tree pipit, 2 buzzards and stonechats. Walking back down through the woods to the car park we heard 2 great spotted woodpeckers and I had a definite view of one and a possible view of the other, both were fleeting glimpses.

Nice one  Dave. In answer to your question I found one at Dawlish Warren on this day 15th August 1980 !. Also seen by the warden at the time. They have become scarcer in recent years and sightings out-number Icterines, mid- August to mid-September the best time. Good to get one before Portland.

Here is the Crane picture referred to earlier

Crane

Ed. not a Crane, this is a White Stork

Not a great deal of evidence of migration at Soar but 3 Wheatears, 15+ Swifts (a number of which appeared to be heading out to sea), 6+ Willow Warblers and 100+ Swallows. Also Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, 10+ Whitethroats and a flock of c200 Linnets.

South Efford Marsh produced 5+ Common Sandpipers, 3 each of Ringed Plovers and Greenshanks and a Curlew. 

Found this morning at 9.30 on the far path at Bowling Green Marsh ' it showrd again to around half a dozen birders and it responded to a call ' the 1st Exe Estuary record I think ??

Very Autumnal feel today on a walk along the coast path from Wembury beach to Wembury Point and back.

Highlight was a juvenile yellow legged gull amongst the herring, black headed and great black gulls feeding on the seaweed mass by the sewage pipe.

1 redshank, 1 dunlin, 1 whimbrel and 1 common sandpiper also feeding on the seaweed mass with 15 eclipse male and 2 female mallard. 

On the rocks below the Point at high tide 6 curlew, 48 oystercatcher, 7 little egret and another 2 whimbrel.

2 swifts, swallows and house martins over, chiffchaffs, blackcaps and whitethroats in the bushes and 2 juvenile wheatears in the horse fields.

2pm today, Tuesday....have just seen and photographed a Crane circling above the West Down turning. Will post picture as soon as possible.

1 Osprey on Frogmore Creek, 08:10, just upstream from Geese Quarries opposite "The Secret Garden" for those in the know, sitting on a channel marker post at SX758416. At 08:30 took off to hunt rising tide, passed over Ham Point and into Fleet Head Bay, known by others as Northpool Bay. Seen to dive but lost behind the point and not seen again. Lack of telescope and angle of sun made searching the head of the bay difficult. Virtually 52 years to the day of my first ever on the R. Yealm upstream of Steer Point in 1965!

Fairly quiet this afternoon in the rain, 2 Greenshanks, Redshank, 4 Common Sandpipers and a couple obliging Kingfishers.

My first Spotted Flycatcher of the year here, Also 11 Oystercatchers, 29 Curlews, 13 Little Egrets, Kingfisher, 2 Stonechats, c10 Swifts and 3 Kestrels.

12:00-14:00.

90+ Oystercatcher where laid up beside yelland jetty and 17 Little Egret, 2 Spoonbill 80+ Curlew where on Isley Marsh...Just after 1p.m.the Osprey was fishing the Taw just off of the floodbank between Crow Whitehouse and the fisherman's huts...It hit the water 4 times and on the last time made a catch and carried it low over the flood bank onto Horsey and out of sight.

24 Members of DB (East Devon Branch) met for the fieldtrip led by Bob Olliver this morning, with several smaller splinter groups quickly forming.  The walk took in the Tower Hide, Island Hide and Colyford Common Hide.  The main interest came from waders with Common Sandpiper (2), numbers of Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Ringed Plover (8), Curlew, and singles of Snipe, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank and Whimbrel.  A juvenile Water Rail with an adult were seen together from the Colyford Common hide and Kingfisher and Sparrow Hawk added to the interest. 

Dave Murray, one of our most respected and well known birders, was remembered.  Dave was a founding member of the East Devon Branch and passed away in hospital recently following a six month illness.  A private funeral attended by Carol and family members was held on Wed 9 August.

One fem/juv type Wheatear seen in the rain on shingle bank at mouth of R. Otter this morning.

I thought this storm petrel looked a bit different to the others. It seemed slightly bigger and less 'attached' to the surface, flying about ten feet above the sea despite calm conditions.

(Appalling) pics seem to show feet sticking out well beyond tip of tail. Could this be a Wilson's?

Seen about 2 miles northeast of Eddystone Lighthouse

 
European Storm/Wilson's Petrel

Eds: Yes it's a Wilsons Petrel and the first genuine Devon record - however in Devon records are counted for the county within 5 miles of the land this was probably considerably further!!

Balearic Shearwater from yesterday.

  
Balearic Shearwater             Manx and Balearic                Balearic Shearwater

A few more photos from this morning's trip.

  
Common terns                                 Fulmar                                        Pomarine skua, 2nd S.

Common terns from the boat this morning (adults + 1 juv), and one Arctic tern among the first flock of 7 birds.

   
Common tern, adult                     Common tern, juvenile                         Arctic tern, adult

23 Swifts almost all heading south, with House Martin's & Swallows this afternoon. Over Exeter House just east of A30, probably following the higher ground. 

Apart from the bonxie, todays skuas presented some interesting id/ageing puzzles.  All three were immatures, the first an arctic skua followed by 2 pomarine skuas, the first of which had spoons. Sadly the pomarine with spoons had something (plastic?) caught on its leg.

  
Bird 1; Arctic Skua, 2nd S.         Bird 2; Pomarine skua, 2nd S.           Bird 3; Pomarine skua, 1st or 2nd S.

Eds -  great photos Chris and captions, the last bird is a 2nd Summer - a 1st summer would be in active wing moult and more like a juv in body plumage.

Kayak trip from Plymouth Sound out around Eddystone lighthouse. 0600-1500.

13 Storm Petrel

8 Balearic Shearwaters

3 Sooty Shearwaters (4, 8 and 9 miles offshore)

1 probable arctic skua

1 possible Great Shearwater- I heard it 'flick' as it passed a few feet behind my kayak but couldn't be bothered to turn round because I had just cricked my neck a few minutes before looking at a Manx. When I saw it it was too far off to be sure.

Plus 8 Common Dolphin

2+1 Harbour Porpoise

a few photos to follow

regards Rupert

This mornings Lyme Bay boat trip out of Brixham was once again rewarding with the following birds seen. 1 Great Skua, 2 Pomarine Skua, I Skua sp which was possible another Pom, 2 Storm Petrel, 16 Common Tern, 8 Manx Shearwater, 4 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Razorbill, Guillemot, Fulmar and the usual Gulls . Sea was calm and hardly any wind. On the way in 2 harbor Porpoise and many Compass Jellyfish. I hope some good pictures will be added to this posting.

Juvenile White-winged Black Tern off Exmouth beach again this morning, at 0605.

A Black Tern was showing very well as it went around the marsh hunting for food.

Eds Guessing this is Bowling Green Marsh?? It's always good to use the Post Title as a location not anything else.

Got 2 Kingfisher, Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, 2 Spoonbill, 7 Eider, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin/Ringed Plover flock, Yellowhammer. Bags of butterflies including Wall Brown and Common Blue. Dipped the Osprey and Ibis. 12.00-14.15

Sorry about the late post (from Thursday!):

First of all we went to Man Sands. The following is what I saw today: a possible male and female eider (distant views so could have been a species of scoter), 4 or 5 shags/cormorants (three of these were flying overhead), 1 or more great black-backed gulls, 2 or more wood pigeons, 6 mallards (4 adults and 2 young), some swallows, 2 or more herring gulls, some linnets, 2 stonechats, some house martins and 1 or more kestrels (only one was seen at a time but there could have been more). Then on to Berry Head where we saw: a kestrel, gulls, some linnets, 1 or more possible cormorants/shags, some magpies, 1 or more crows/rooks and some feral pigeons. 

12 - 13 Arctic Skuas (all chasing Kittiwakes & occasionally larger gulls); 1 Yellow-legged Gull (juv loitering off  the head - white tail & black tail band clearly visible when bathing+ paler head); 5 Balearic Shearwater; 3 Common Scoter (> N c. 06:50). Also, 20 - 30 Common Dolphin; several Harbour Porpoise; 3 Painted Ladies; 1 Red Admiral; and a pile of feathers implied a Peregrine had taken out one of the Feral Pigeons.

Oops, forgot to include that we also saw 3 Common Scoter. 

Find some more pictures from the trip - apologies for the poor picture of the Arctic but this was for ID purposes and it was a long way away

  
Balearic Shearwater                                 Storm Petrel                 Arctic & Pomarine Skua harassing Kittiwake

Eds. Nice photo comparison - just for clarity the bird grabbing the Kittiwake from below is an immature Pomarine Skua, with the Arctic Skua above.

The juvenile White-winged Black Tern was off Exmouth beach @ 0635 and seen again from Mudbank, feeding off Starcross, @ 0805.

Good trip out from Brixham into Lyme Bay on Thursday.  Birds seen included 3 Arctic Skua, 2 Pomarine Skuas, 4 Bonxies, 10 Storm Petrels, 3 Ringed Plover, 50+ Manx Shearwater, 5 Balearic Shearwaters, Sooty Shearwater, Sandwich Tern, 100+ Kittiwake, 2 Razorbills.  Usual Gannets, Guillemots, Lesser BB Gulls, etc. Lots of pods of Common Dolphin.

 
Pomarine Skua                                             Storm Petrel

10.45

15+ Swifts straight out to sea and into the distance heading SE.  2 Ravens overhead and a lone Gannet past Thatcher Rock.    

Early this morning in the warm sun recorded: 4/5 Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, 10/12 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Bullfinches, 4/5 Goldfinches, Jay, Green Woodpecker, 5 Great Tits, 6 Wrens, Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, 2 Swallows, 2 Robins & Blackbirds and a Buzzard.

2 juv Yellow-legged Gulls and 5 Mediterranean Gulls on Broadsands Beach this evening. 

2 YLG's left side                                            1 YLG(top) moulting scapulars into fw           Flight shot of YLG

Good to see waders in this sort of numbers at South Huish Marsh this morning! Not quite BGM, but very welcome nonetheless! Counts of 160+ Dunlin, 40+ Ringed Plover and 1 Black Tailed Godwit. They all flew off at 12.50hrs and I did not wait to see if they returned. Earlier in the morning local guru, Mike Passman, also had 4 Greenshank and a woodlark on site! On the way there, I had seen 3 Green Sandpiper on North Marsh at South Efford. A later visit to the reserve gave only 1 greenshank in with 20 curlew by the sluice.

South Huish Marsh - 11.8.2017

The White-winged Tern was showing well on the receding tide at lunchtime. Viewed from Shelly Beach looking up river towards Powderham sat at times on a sandbank in front of green bouy number 21. Supporting cast of several Common Tern, numerous Sandwich Tern a Little Tern and a Wood Sandpiper. 

Flock of 60 swifts heading west over bay view road at 10:00

The juvenile White-winged Black Tern viewable distantly, from Mudbank,, feeding between Powderham and Starcross from 0755 onwards. Also Little tern and 15 Black-tailed Godwit.

26 swifts this morning 9 to 9.20 am, some screaming.

On a late season visit to Cann Wood, pleased to find four Nightjars. One bird attempted some half-hearted churring but the others not very vocal at all, so there may be more that haven't as yet left, but they are just harder to detect.

10 swift this morning, 9 am, 4 this evening, 8 pm

Viewing from Cockwood this evening, eventually picked up the juv White-winged Tern, though at a distance where we struggled to get all the features. Also Slavonian Grebe in summer plumage, 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, c25 Common and hundreds of Sandwich Terns.

Great session at Seaton today, plenty of waders about with Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover adding a bit of quality.

  
LRP with Ringed Plovers and Dunlin.         Green Sandpiper                   Two fighting Common Sandpiper

Tree Pipit flew over the village this morning

Ringing in the reserve today: another early flush of Blackcaps with 7 ringed and 8 retraps - all from the last few weeks - odd that I hardly ever see them on my daily visits. Also 4 juvenile Bullfinches 8 Chiffchaffs, 1 tiny just fledged Reed Warbler. New to the reserve ringing list were two Stock Dove pulli - from the Owl box :( .

Excellent views of the Osprey hunting over the pool and perched on a post the opposite side feeding on a catch this morning although  I didnt actually witness the bird taking the fish...The bird was seen regularly around horsey in flight and perched up until about 2pm....2 Spoonbill flew in at about 1pm and 1 Glossy Ibis flew in beside the drainage ditch beside the toll road...A marsh Harrier was heading towards the great field as I left...

The first significant passerine passage today in the shape of 25 Wheatears on Bolt Head. Local scrub held 10 Whitethroat & 7 Willow Warbler. Pair of Sparrowhawk soaring. At nearby Frogmore Creek 12 Greenshank & Clouded Yellow.

Soar butterfly highlights: Clouded Yellow, 3 Painted Lady & 45 Red Admiral.

A single swift over Kingsteignton this morning  Interestingly 7 were still present over Kingsteignton last evening and another 30 over Newton Abbot about 8pm

A nice surprise at Mansands with a Water Rail making an appearance and a Little Grebe in summer plumage. Also loads Swallows, House and Sand Martins passing through. Some Reed Warblers still around, a Cetti’s singing and a Sedge Warbler below the hide with some Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs.

Juvenile little ringed plover 8 med gulls 5 ads, 1ss,1fs juv 25 redshank 19:15-20:30.

LRP - 1 juv, dunlin 46 (4 adults), 10 ringed plover (2 juvs).

The juvenile White-winged Black Tern still at the south end of the River Exe on and off mid evening viewable distantly from Cockwood Steps ( Also being watched from Shelly Beach and Dawlish Warren )- loosely associating with large number of Sandwich and Common Terns.

Sorry about the late post - from yesterday:

Today must have been the day of the 'small birds' as the only 'big birds' were a buzzard and a raven (both heard). On the way up the first part of the slope to Bell Tor there were... great tit/s, a whitethroat, a stonechat and 2 or more meadow pipits. When we reached Bell Tor, I found a nice vantage point quite high up with a great view of all the birds below me. From here I saw... a whitethroat, 1 or 2 stonechats, a juvenile robin, the calling buzzard I mentioned earlier and 1 or 2 dunnocks. There was not much walking up the second part of the slope to Chinkwell Tor apart from this is where I think I heard the raven calling. When we reached Chinkwell I spent most of the time 'chasing' wheatears about. The most I saw together was 3 but there could have been more, there were also somewhere between 5 and 10 linnets flying about. On our way back down to the car I was able to add chaffinch to my overall list of today's bird sightings.

No sign of Marsh harriers , Ibis or Spoonbills but a fine Osprey over Horsey mere.

A male Kingfisher putting on a good performance this morning and a good count of 16 Mandarin Ducks (all imm/fems). Also 3 Common Sandpipers, Oystercatcher, 2 Greenshanks, 56 Redshanks, 23 Curlews, 11 each of Grey Herons and Little Egrets and a juv Great Black-backed Gull.

Arriving at the reserve this morning, I was disappointed there were no Egrets in the field (up to three most days recently) but no sooner had I thought this, than 2 sprung up from some long grass and headed towards the reserve. They were followed by a Glossy Ibis! It circled and returned to land a few yards from  me!

When I left it again flew up and followed a Little Egret to perch in one of the conifers in  the reserve - so it officially goes on the reserve list!

A flock of over 50 Goldfinch were buzzing around the reserve too.

Late post for yesterday watched from 17:30: till 20:45

1 wood sandpiper very vocal then flew towards exminster, 3 green sandpipers, 1 spotted redshank, 22 whimbrel, 294+ curlew, 320+ black tailed godwits ( included 35+ juv's ) 4 bar tailed godwits, 240+ recdshank , 21+ greenshank, 1 pochard, 7 gadwall, 10+ tufted duck. 50+ dunlin.

late evening 6 juv  goosanders dropped in from the north east, also a juv yellow wagtail

Warbler sp seen in the garden this morning I thought a Chiffchaff but others express the view that it is a Willow Warbler the bird was showing well until a female Sparrow hawk arrived on the scene.

Two Swifts over the house for most of the mid evening period.

Of a flock of 6 terns past the boat on Sunday (6th), I photographed and have positively identified 3: an adult and a juvenile common tern, and an arctic tern. The white forehead and dark bill suggests the latter is a 2nd summer bird.

  
Adult Common tern             2nd summer Arctic tern            2nd sum Arctic tern with juv Common tern

A juvenile White-winged Black Tern present for its second day off Shelly Beach, Exmouth. Details on www.gobirdingexmouth.blogspot.co.uk later. News not released yesterday as it was only a 'possible'. Much better views today.

August 6th - Osprey seen hunting close to the rocks below the coast path

At Bowling Green Marsh (enjoying closer views of waders thanks to the new work): Wood & Green Sandpipers, Spotted Redshank, c200 Black-tailed Godwits, c6 Greenshanks, 4 each of Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrels, Sand Martin and 2nd-s Mediterranean Gull.

Exmouth produced 100+ Sandwich and c12 Common Terns, 3 juv and 2 ad Mediterranean Gulls and a juv Yellow-legged Gull plus 2 Swifts. 

Sparrowhawk, 10+ Swifts and another Sand Martin at Exminster Marsh and the summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe off Cockwood.

Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper from the hide this lunchtime.

From the viewing platform, Spotted Redshank and Common Sandpiper.

Busy with pruning duties in the reserve, so I missed both of Rob's Harriers! :(

There were at least 7 Swifts hawking over the reserve, and both Grey Heron and Little Egret by the reserve pond.

An early start this morning produced the first of 2 Marsh Harriers.

An immature flying SW over the R.Caen searching for prey over Braunton Marshes, the second seen later on (viewed from the Taka trail) was a dark brown adult female searching for prey over the reed beds on Sherpa Marshes. Good views for several minutes. Obvious plumage differences between these 2 birds.

I Green Sandpiper calling from Horsey Island.

Watched 100+ Swifts feeding over fields around 1245 yesterday, but almost all moved on with 15 minutes. Also 50+ Swallows & 40+ House Martin. 

2 Glossy Ibis, 2 Spoonbill, 12 redshank 4 greenshank 2 Kingfisher a Male Kestrel and a quick glimpse of a female Marsh Harrier around 2pm this afternoon ...Dunlin ,Black Tailed Godwit the usual Gulls Heron & Egret and a single Sedge Warbler and a single Common Sandpiper aso present...

Some images taken last evening when some of the recently released wild Tawny youngsters came in for their supper, the close up bird had actually managed to get back into the release pen and had to be caught up and re released and went off non the worse for its adventures....one of the birds coming in having been found by a DBWPS member.

Made my first visit to Horsey Island on Sunday to find the glossy ibises - and my daughter spotted five of them in the estuary, rather than the large "lake" where I was looking. Lovely to see them flying and three spoonbills as well. Are the ibises still around?

Late this evening good numbers of Swallows over the house at South Brent heading towards Plymouth, just on 8pm six Swifts came over, very vocal, shortly after that three spent some 20 mins screaming and racing around the roof tops as they do.

For most of the afternoon I was kept company by a very vocal Green Woodpecker, a Nuthatch over the garden this morning.

Some pictures from this morning's trip from Brixham. A good range of species, spectacular shearwater rafts and our first really good views of Balearic Shearwater for this season. 

   
Arctic Skua (adult) chasing Common Tern (juv)         Balearic Shearwater                         Storm Petrels

1 Wood Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper showing well this afternoon, also, 140 Black Tailed Godwit, and 2 Reed Warblers at the back of the marsh. A female Marsh Harrier floated through at 4 pm, occasionally dropping into the reed bed, before flying off towards Darts farm.

33 Little Egret at the high tide roost above Instow on the Torridge at 7pm tonight.

A Cattle Egret on Blaxton Pool with 13 Little Egrets and 24 Curlews, Also 90+ Goldfinches and c60 Swallows. 

A single Cattle Egret at Blaxton Marsh - Saltram Estate among about a dozen Little Egrets

Out again this morning on another 3 hour trip and wow what a difference, sorry Plymouth group!!! 500 + Manx Shearwater, 8 + Balearic Shearwater, 1 Artic Skua, 4 Storm Petrel, 6 Tern sp, 1 Razorbill, Guillemot, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Great Black- backed Gull. The Shearwater were in big rafts. 4+ Dolphins, difficult to ID species due to the swell. A most enjoyable trip. Next 3 Sundays we are full. 

A female Sparrow hawk landed on a dead tree in the back garden at Lipson, Plymouth, eyeing up the birds on my feeders

Four Glossy Ibis this evening. 1 Winter plumage Knot. 24 Mediterranean Gulls.

Small influx of Wheatears today. They will  be going south now I guess. Saw 2 on Froward Point and one on the bowling club green next door in Brixham.

Froward Point also gave us a male Clouded Yellow and some Painted Ladies.

     Wheatear backdrop of Start Bay                                                 Clouded Yellow taking off

The immature Little Gull flew into the Skern again just before high tide at 5.00pm this evening. It rested up with mainly Black-headed Gulls and 2 each of Mediterranean Gulls and Common Gulls. Also about 20 Ringed Plovers .

Plymouth group had a trip out this morning from Brixham  into Lyme Bay. 1 Grey Seal in harbour. Nice and sunny but very quiet some Guillemot on the water, 2 Razorbill, 8 Scoter flying in the distance, a small group of Kittiwake on the water until we reached the 8 mile mark. At last birds started to come to the chum. Birds seen 3 Storm Petrel, 1 Great Skua, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull , usual support from the Herring Gull and Fulmar. Very few Manx Shearwater, approx10. Coming back in we saw 6+ Common Dolphin and 2+ further out. Today we reached the 9 mile mark. 

White-winged Black Tern Bowling ( video here ) Green Marsh Topsham. Moulting adult with damaged leg. Also Ringed plover, Redshank, Dunlin etc.

White-winged Black Tern                                      Spotted Redshank

Osprey at Gribbleford Bridge. On electricity cable surrounded on 3 sides with mature trees. Sorry no photo but larger than Buzzard, it's creamy white front and necklace of dark feathers,dark brown wings and back showed well in morning sun 8.30am. 

3+ Whimbrels, 14 Ringed Plovers and 11 Dunlins in Charleton Bay on the high tide early AM. Surprised to see an unseasonal male Common Scoter between Charleton Pt and Lincombe Woods.

4 of 7

And also this evening: 14 Black-tailed Godwits, 20+ Little Egrets, 12 Dunlin, 2 Spoonbills. 1 male Sparrowhawk, 9 Mediterranean Gulls to go with the 5 on the Caen saltings.

Took several pics of this bird from the hide, (not best quality unfortunately as at distance limit of my camera). Several other birders with cameras in the hide so hopfully better pics will follow.

  
White-winged Black Tern

The moulting adult White-Winged Black Tern still late pm from the hide - also Wood Sand , Green Sand, Common Sand, Spotted Redshank , Whimbrel and 6 Ringed Plover

On arrival at the hide this lunchtime, a 'Black Tern' was feeding over the marsh and then rested on the island for a while before flying around to feed again. After some debate, most of the features pointed towards it being a moulting adult White-winged Black Tern. It was there when I left at around 1.30.

Sightings for today at the Lower Lake.

5 Common Sandpiper, 4 Great Crested Grebe and 4 juv, 2 Nuthatch, 3 Greenfinch, 1 Grey Heron, 5 Moorhen, 12 Coot, 3 Tufted Duck, 3 Robin, 3 Marsh Tit, 5 Blue Tit, 1 Willow Tit, 4 Great Tit, 10 Canada Geese, c50 Mallard, c10 Swallow, 3 Coal Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Chaffinch, 2 House Martin.

 Rod Mudge

4 of the 7.

In addition to the 7 Glossy Ibis present this morning, (not sure what happened to my earlier post!) there were 2 unringed Spoonbills and 12 Black-tailed Godwits.

Four of the seven Glossy Ibises present again this morning.

Almost as soon as we started walking we had a quick view of a male sparrowhawk (at this point we didn't know what it was). It flew into the bushes so I followed it and had a quick but oh-so-beautiful viewing of this amazing bird plucking an unidentified prey item. We were also lucky enough to see a spotted flycatcher. We only saw one at a time but are very sure that there were more about. Other bird species that we saw here include: marsh or willow tit (probably marsh), blue tit, goldcrest, wood pigeon, wren, possible great tit, stonechat, nuthatch, robin, goldfinch, quick views of a possible (very likely) swallow, buzzard, chaffinch and chiffchaff/willow warbler.

Amongst a flock of 80 Dunlin & a few Ringed Plover 1 Knot in summer plumage.

Today at South Huish Marsh - A Yellow wagtail feeding around horses feet, 3 dunlin, a juvenile and an adult Mediterranean gull and a juvenile Yellow Legged Gull.

Thurlestone village - 3 spotted flycatchers in garden and around 10 swifts overhead

Offshore - a Sandwich tern, gannets, distant small shearwater sps. heading west, 2 small shearwater sp. closer in heading east, and a distant large shearwater sp. heading west at around 12:50hrs

 
Yellow Legged Gull - juvenile

Juvenile Green Woodpecker on the front lawn AM, I was able to photograph through the glass of porch.  Pity the sun went behind a cloud but it came reasonably near as we prayed that nobody would walk through the Close.

Green Woodpecker

The 7 Glossy Ibis have returned showing well from the toll road flood bank by the stables at 2 o clock this afternoon....Also a single Spoonbill...

Seawatch from Soar Cove did not produce more than previous days despite of strong W wind: 96 Balearic Schearwaters, 240 Manx, 2 Storm Petrels, 1 Med Gull, 420 Gannet, 20 Fulmar.

0600-0900

1320 Manx Shearwater

2 Balearic Shearwater

1 Storm Petrel

1 Sandwich tern

Watched from 15:15 till 19:00

A wet and windy afternoon produced an execellent few hours sea watching the highlight was just before 18:00 just before a heavy pulse of rain started to move through picked up a group of 7 Skuas( 5 Arctic, 2 great ) just behind them a large shearwater appeared but before I could confirm Id it was lost  in the heavy rain.

The afternoon had started with a group of 4 storm petrels and a steady passage gave final count of 37+ , the main theme was a lot of Skuas the most numerous was Arctic Skua with 42+ ( just before I left 8 were on the sea and another 7 were flying in great to watch ) an impressive 11+ Pomarine Skua some very close, 8+ great skua.

Tern passage was strong all afternoon the majority were sandwich and common terns but one group of common terns close in also included 3 Artcic terns.

The supporting cast included 6+ Mediterranean gulls, 5 knot, 4 whimbrel , 26+ common gulls. 35+ common Scoter and a few Manx shearwaters.

An excellent afternoons birding 

18 swifts in a group over my house in Barnstaple this evening about 6.30 pm. Over the last two days have seen groups of swifts on my way round North Devon. Obviously migrating back south and the summer. Lets hope they find it. Ours seems to have vanished yet again!

Seawatching on a very wet and murky day today produced (highlights): 3 Great Shearwater, 6 Sooty Shearwater, 31 Balearic Shearwater, 793 Manx Shearwater, 39 European Storm-Petrel, 21 Arctic Skua, 2 Great Skua, 1 Roseate Tern, 12 Common Tern, 3 Puffin,51 Common Scoter, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Redshank, 15 Dunlin and just 1 Harbour Porpoise! 

Video link to two of the Great Shearwaters if you slow the clip down and look hard..https://youtu.be/0DQEDQRQORc 

Pair of Wood sandpipers BGM

A wet morning at Bowling Green Marsh hide.  A Spoonbill was by the main channel when I arrived just before 11am, but unfortunately soon got scared off by a low flying aircraft (helicopter?).  A Common Sandpiper showed well, but I didn't see the Wood (or Green) Sandpipers this morning.  The number of Teal and Wigeon have increased since last week, and there was one Shoveler. A quick visit to Goosemoor on my way home at around 1pm found the re-located Spoonbill and the long-staying Spotted Redshank, as well as several Greenshank.

Seawatch at Soar Cove produced 106 Balearic Shearwaters, 350 Manx, 4 Storm Petrels, 1 Arctic Skua.

Seawatch at Soar Cave, produced 58 Balearic Shearwaters, 400 Manx, 1 Great Skua.

All quiet on the western Front last night.

The 2 Wood Sandpipers showed very well. They y were joined by a Common Sandpiper & a juvenile Dunlin. Another common Sand flew in later just off the main channel. First visit since alterations, so don't know how deep, but one of the Woods decided it was quicker to swim across. Approx 10+ lapwings also presrnt.

  
Wood Sandpipers                Wood Sandpiper & Dunlin                          Wood Sandpiper

Large Skua species off Teignmouth, Ness. Mobbing, chasing a group of Sandwich Terns.

The morning started with a flock of juvenile Long Tailed Tits moving through the garden along with some juvenile warblers I suspect Chiffchaff, two Raven over head, a single swift and another late this afternoon.

This evening three of the four young Tawny owls that I have raised this season that were released on the 24th July came in for food just after 8.30pm as they have done since release giving me the chance to take a couple of photos.

Went to Bowling Green Marsh for about an hour and a half this morning. I saw: a grey heron, 3 little egrets, 1 or 2 redshank, black-tailed godwits, a little ringed plover, 1 or more swallows, shelduck, 1 or more magpies, gadwall, black-headed gulls, about 8 canada geese, 2 wood sandpipers, 1 or more wood pigeons, 1 common sandpiper and a mediterranean gull. A good mornings birding.

Berry Head Yesterday: Med. Gull, Herring Gulls, Great Black-backed Gulls, Swallows, Cormorants/Shags, Corvids and Magpies. Also some Harbour Porpoise and some good views of a pod of about 8 Common Dolphins.

A few bits & bobs included 15 Swift, 3 Wheatear, Willow Warbler, post-breeding flock of 40 House Sparrow and 180 Linnet in two flocks inc.130 on Bolt Head. 

Yesterday had a small skimmer on cliffs at West Soar which was probably a wandering Keeled Skimmer but there is always a possibility of a Southern Skimmer (would be first for UK mainland).

Good views (within 50 metres )of 7 Glossy Ibis 2 still in summer plumage at 2pm this afternoon...Watched them for an hour before they flew off high in the Barnstaple direction..2 Spoonbill, 2 Ringed Plover and 8 Black Tailed Godwit also present.

2 Great Crested Grebes with 2 well grown juveniles, 4+ Moorhens, 2 Coot, 1 Grey Wagtail, 12 Canada Geese, Swallows and House Martins, 15 Mallard, 2 Nuthatches, 2 Coal Tits, 1 Great Tit, 1 Willow Tit on the feeders, 1 Chiffchaff,. Buzzard nearby, 3 Wood Pigeons, 1 Wren..

Beautiful Demoiselle, Banded Demoiselle, Blue tailed Damselfly, 1 Southern Hawker, 3 Red Admirals, 1 Peacock several Meadow Browns, 2 Carpet moths..

Harvey Kendall and Barry Bryne.

Young wheatear,12 gannets over 3porpoise,fulmars,large numbers of stonechats' 4 young spotted flycatchers,redstart and chiffchaff.