Happy New Year

Many thanks to all observers that have already submitted their records for 2019, both through Birdtrack and Devon Birds. This is much appreciated.

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Best wishes and good birding for 2020

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Pectoral Sandpiper Spotted By Dave Pakes This Afternoon On South Huish Marsh.A Peregrine Flew Low And Scattered The Teal, Snipe & Sandpiper!!

I Re Found The Sandpiper Further Up The Marsh,  It Was Feeding Well In The Low Autumn Sunshine.

2 Yellow-browed Warblers one at top lake by gate to Roselands and other down near the YMCA, in trees along the stream behind the Golf driving range. Cetti's Warbler still present and at least 17 Gadwall.

                          Top lake bird                                                                         YMCA bird

A Yellow Browed Warbler ringed this morning. Very few  other migrants present. 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps and 2 Grey Wagtails ( possibly migrants )

Y B.Warbler

Raw N wind keeping things cool. Started off with a look at Start Bay and rewarded at 06:55 when a young Whooper Swan flew south, keeping going. Bit sad as I guess it's become detached from it's family. Also one fcy Med Gull amongst the now commoner Common Gulls.Vis mig from Slapton Bridge 07:35-08:45 was good with highlights of 10500 Woodpigeons south and Brambling, Lesser Redpoll, 54 Siskins, 92 Chaffinches and 16 Crossbills north. Firecrest and Kingfisher around the bridge.Ring-necked Duck and male Scaup still present along with at least one different female Scaup to yesterday ( light terrible for looking at the ducks in Ireland Bay ). Yellow-browed Warbler calling around the boardwalk below the sewage works. Black-necked and Little Grebe viewable from the pond dipping platform and watched an Otter swimming with it's fish across the ley.

Over at Beesands Ley late afternoon there was a juv. Great Crested Grebe, 5 Gadwalls, 2 Shovelers and 12 Teals. Lastly thought I had a storm driven petrel new to science flying around but it was probably a Daubenton's Bat.

A JACK snipe flushed this morning. An unusual sighting here. Still poor for common migrants, just 6 Chiffchaffs and 4 Blackcaps. No Crests.

Best today was a Short-eared Owl over the fields plus continuing easterly migration of 4140 Woodpigeon & 242 Stock Dove. Also on site: 12 Golden Plover, migrant Great Spotted Woodpecker, 680 Skylark, 28 Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, 31 Blackbird, Redwing, 13 Song Thrush, Blackcapo. Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, 115 Starling & 22 Magpie.

A canopy feeding long billed Willow Warbler gave me the run around this morning before eventually giving itself up and showing in well scrub. Also 2 Siberian Chiffchaffs, 6 Chiffchaff, 7 Goldcrest. 6 Blackcap.

Overhead proved fairly successful to in 1 hour the following was the pick of the bunch: 14 Crossbill, 4 Brambling, 42 Siskin.

Willow Warbler

Siberian Chiffchaff 

Great start to the windy day looking at Start Bay when a fcy Black Guillemot flew north off the Memorial Car Park at 07:05. Could this be the same bird Dave Cope saw on 23rd September ? In Ireland Bay a male Ring-necked Duck, probably the bird that was at Beesands Ley earlier this year returning to the area. Also 2 Scaup ( fcy female and a male ), 92 Tufted Duck, c250 Coots and 2 Wigeons. Offshore heading north 7 Teals, 11 Pintails and 2 Common Scoters. 5 Brent Geese the other way.

Highlights yesterday with Pat Mayer : a Barred Warbler found half-way down Pig's Nose Valley at 12.30. Showed well until it flew down the valley at 12.55pm but could not be relocated. Earlier at 9.35am a Harrier sp. seen flying from below the village, over Bunkers and around the point mobbed by Jackdaws. Reported on Twitter as a Hen Harrier but photos might indicate this bird had 4 'fingers' ! More news later.

Vizmig from the Hump starting at 7.45am  in cold ,breezy northerly wind : 3/4 Crossbills, 2/3 Brambling, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Fieldfare, 9 Siskins, Skylarks 26,Chaffinch 30, Meadow Pipits 27, Woodpigeons 500+, Stock Doves 121, Starlings 300,  Noteable that  few Goldfinches and Linnets moving this morning.

Elsewhere a couple of Goldcrests (fewer numbers than last year), Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. 1 Song Thrush. Also 6 Golden Plover over PIg's Nose Valley and 6 Kestrels locally and 1 Sparrowhawk.

Barred Warbler, 27 October 2018 Pig's Nose Valley, East Prawle

Highlights were 8 Whooper Swans on the sea that swam past Maelcombe House heading east then later on rocks just east of Lannacombe Beach. Also 1 Yellow-browed Warbler in willows up from  Woodcombe beach and a Ring Ouzel there too. Just 2 Chiffchaff and 3 Goldcrest seen and heard on the entire walk!

Left my camera at home today so here a hand held iphone to binoculars photo of the Whopper Swans!

Great views of a Bittern out in the open in the higher ley from the bridge mid-morning. Also 2 Goldeneye, 3 Wigeon, 2 Firecrest and 20+ Siskin this morning.

Clearly overlap with earlier posts but....

Soar - Ring Ouzel, 12+ Song Thrushes, 3 Blackcaps, Chiffchaff, Siskin, Water Rail, Redwing, Goldcrest, plus c175 Stock Doves & 500+ Wood Pigeons over.

Slapton Ley - the Yellow-browed Warbler at top end of Ireland Bay still present  early afternoon, 12 Chiffchaffs, 2 Little Grebes & 4 Goldcrests. 

One, possibly 2 Yellow-browed Warblers around the boardwalk leading to Marsh Lane. 20 flighty Teal in Ireland Bay may have arrived today.

Best were 2 Ring Ouzel in Starehole and Merlin overhead. Vis mig easterly in the shape of c.1520 Woodpigeon & 620 Stock Dove, all mixed in together so these are my best estimates!

1 Great White Egret on Horsey late afternoon.

0755 to 1420hrs: Yellow-browed Warbler in willows west of Soar Mill Cove; Vis mig in the shape of 1100 Woodpigeon & 190 Stock Dove mainly south & east; 100 Jackdaw & 66 Starling going all ways; autumn peak of 800 Skylark, most grounded some moving west. Also on site: 17 Blackbird, Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaff, 22 Blue Tit moving through Soar Mill Valley, migrant Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Long-tailed Tit, first Snipe & Reed Bunting of the autumn, 200 Linnet & 43 Yellowhammer.

Non-avian: Holly Blue, Speckled Wood & 19 Red Admiral. Later at Blackpool Sands 3 Clouded Yellow.

2 Yellow-browed Warblers between the upper and middle lakes, calling and chasing each other. One located later between lower and middle lake. Cetti's Warbler still present, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Swallow at least 17 Gadwall, 2 Snipe and kingfisher.  

Yellow-browed Warbler (East Prawle Wood), Black Redstart, Firecrest, 6 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap & 7 Goldcrests grounded. Overhead, c500 Wood Pigeons, 15+ Stock Doves, Golden Plover, Dunlin , c150 Jackdaws & 3 Siskins.

Yellow-browed Warbler still at Lower Soar, 5 Ring Ouzel in Starehole & Merlin over airfield. Vis mig easterly: 7760 Woodpigeon, 280 Stock Dove, 23 Golden Plover (inc.19 grounded), 1 Lapwing, 40 Starling & 10 Siskin W. Also on site: Great Spotted Woodpecker - migrant, 12 Pied Wagtail, 7 Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap & Chiffchaff.

Non-avian: Clouded Yellow, 2 Painted Lady, Peacock, Small Copper, Speckled Wood & 13 Red Admiral.