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.

Migrants this morning were 12 Goldcrests ( 5 ringed ),4 Chiffchaffs ( 2 ringed ),and a m.Blackcap. Also present a Woodcock ( ar regular winter visitor at this site and an unusually high number of Blackbirds (20+)) Nearby 2 Black Redstarts (f/./imm.) around the cottages behind the beach.

Merlin seen twice flying low and fast over pasture, poss female/1st Winter?

Another photo (digiscoped) of the Little Stint foraging with the Dunlin on R.Caen.

Goosanders are back - 3 drakes & 2 redheads; also Wigeon, 4 Snipe, Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 7 Greenshanks, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 143+ Redshanks, 35 Curlews, Shag, 7 Little Egrets, 11 Grey Herons, 21 Shelducks, Grey Wagtail & 6 Ring-necked Parakeets. 

Quick look at the R.Caen & Horsey Island pm.

1 Little Stint in winter plumage with the Dunlin on R.Caen.

1 Avocet on Horsey.

Best this morning was my first Woodcock for the site, at Middle Soar. Also: influx of 42 Song Thrush & 37 Blackbird, 5 Redwing, Snipe, 80 Stock Dove,  Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1330 Skylark, 27 Meadow Pipit, 2 Blackcap, 100 Linnet, 53 Yellowhammer & 2 Reed Bunting.

This morning, Goosander (f), Little Egrets 2, Grey Heron 4, Teal 17,  Bramblings 5 in amongst flock of Chaffinces, Blackbirds, Fieldfares, Redwings, Mistle & Song thrushes, Gr Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel.

Quick visit and walk to Ireland Bay, strong SE wind but bay sheltered and birds close to shore. 2 Goldeneye, Black Necked Grebe, 6 GC Grebe,

12 Gadwall, 15 Tufted ducks, numerous Coots.

This morning very early at the lake:
1 Brambling, 1 Willow Tit on the feeders, 4m 1 eclipse 3f Goosander.

About 150 chaffinch and about 15 brambling mixed in midday.

A Great Grey Shrike this morning at Huddisford Cross, part of Summerwell Forest, near Hartland.   Grid ref: SS315206.

The bird was showing well but quite mobile giving reasonably close views..

Also 2  Kestrels, 1 Buzzard and 3 Ravens..

Harvey Kendall & Barry Bryne.

Red kite going north at midday. 

A short afternoon visit to splash in muddy puddles, at a 3 year olds request, also yielded a single Cattle Egret and 4 Barnacle Geese. Otherwise 45 Golden Plover, 120+ Lapwing, 30 Fieldfare & 30 Redwing. 

Lots of Redwing over house in Exeter,180 today, 220 yesterday.

To Plymouth this morning try and catch up with the Black Redstart at Ford Park Cemetery, it was rather elusive but did show on our second visit, five Meadow Pipits and a Jay showing well.

A cat caught and killed a Magpie in the cemetery and within moments it was being mobbed and screamed at by no less that sixty Carrion Crows and a dozen or more Magpie's.

Redwings and Mistle Thrush moving around in reasonable numbers.

This morning on the Lake were:
9 Goosander 5m one eclipse, 4f, 1m Goldeneye, 4 Gadwell, 15 Shoveler, 6 Great Crested Grebe, c50 Wigeon, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, c80 Lapwing, 6 Tufted Duck, c200 Canada Geese, c40 Coot, 1 Mute Swan.

Firecrest present in my neighbour's garden this afternoon on the edge of Ham Woods. Foraging in brambles with a mixed the flock for about 5 minutes before flying into the woods. 

16.30-16.40

At least 45 Pied Wagtails overhead heading east, in the direction of Torbay Hospital. 

Earlier this morning, several small groups of Redwings and some Fieldfares generally heading north in the strong wind. 

Plym Estuary: Mediterranen Gull ad, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 105 Dunlins, 4 Greenshanks, 9 Oystercatchers, 53 Curlews, 74 Redshanks, 6+ Little Egrets, 10 Grey Herons & a Ring-necked Parakeet. Good numbers of waders now on Blaxton Meadow, many feeding well too, benefitting from the reduced disturbance thanks to access restrictions.

Efford Marsh: Kingfisher, 3 Chiffchaffs & 4 Goldcrests.

4 Barnacle Geese, 6 Cattle Egret, Marsh Harrier and Peregrine Falcon

 
      Cattle Egret                                                                       Barnacle Geese

The Great Skua that was marauding the Landing Bay all week. 

Great Spotted Woodpecker on Lundy Island of all places! 

Male Brambling on the feeders at the pond hide at Yarner this morning, good numbers of both Marsh and Coal Tit with a smaller number of Blue & Great Tit, handful of Chaffinch, Nuthatch and a Robin.

The upper hide was far busier with continuous feeding by Marsh, Coal, Blue & Great Tit, female Bullfinch, brief view of a passing Chiffchaff, several Nuthatch and in the surrounding Holly trees a small number of feeding Redwing.

Haldon Forrest, not overly busy with bird life around the feed station, mostly Coal Tit and the odd Nuthatch, a walk round gave Song Thrush, at least twelve Greenfinch, GSWP two Goldcrest and a hunting immature male Sparrowhawk.

The Male Black Redstart is still showing well at Ford Park Cemetery on the Eastern side of the chapels

Black Redstart

Morning highlights were Merlin and Skylark in aerial combat - outcome unknown, and significant influx of 46 Song Thrush in Soar Mill Valley. Also: 2 Golden Plover, 9 Lapwing flying east, 3 Snipe, Fieldfare, 160 Starling & 2 Reed Bunting.

BIUS

A nice Feathered Thorn at the outside light this evening.

Feathered Thorn moth

Tim Jones' Rillage Point Redstart (juv) was briefly beside the river on Combe Martin beach at 09.30, assumed at first to be a Black red.

Note from Tim Jones: Hi Jonathan, I think your sighting was too close to mine time-wise to be the same bird (my last sighting was around 09.20 to 09.25, but I don't think it moved very far). The habitat on the beach also sounds better for Black Redstart, as you suggest.

G.B.B.Gull 18; L.B.B.Gull 21; Black-tailed Godwit 2; Redshank c230; Shelduck 18; Little Grebe 2; Rock Pipit 1; Golden Plover c700 in single flock on sandbank just off Penhill Marsh and 1 male Gadwall in eclipse plumage with 12 Mallard.

Brief afternoon visit in poor light gave - 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Jay, 50+ Redwing, a handful of Fieldfare, Greenfinch, small Chaffinch flock, small Long Tailed Tit flock and on Sweetbrier lane a Sparrowhawk..

Green Woodpecker                                    Jay                                             Mistle Thrush

The reported male Black Redstart showed well (once it turned up) at Ford Park Cemetery, Plymouth late this morning, feeding in the area above the chapels. Possibly a second bird tucked in the holly both birds could be heard calling but the second bird other than moving between tree cover stayed out of view.

Several Redwing, Song Thrush and numerous Blackbirds feeding on holly berries.

Shame that some of the visiting birders/photographers have no respect for graves and headstones, if the behaviour I saw today continues I would not be surprised if the cemetery authorities said that bird watchers are no longer to be welcomed on site.

Once again a complete contrast between S & N coasts of Devon, with no visible Redwing or Fieldfare migration up here on the N coast and precious little movement at all this morning... Totals were 35 Meadow Pipits, 6 Siskins, 25 Goldfinches, 7 Linnets and only 24 Chaffinches. The scrub yielded a Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrests, 16 Blackbirds, 6 Song Thrushes, 3 Stonechats and the highlight by some way an exceptionally late female or first-winter Common Redstart.

I live at Yelverton, Devon PL20 6BN.  Two Willow Tits have returned to my garden following an absence of at least 20 years.  Submitted for information.

Mostly impressive overhead migration today 0710-0910hrs: 5000+ Redwing, 950 Fieldfare, 11 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 345 Chaffinch, 8 Brambling, 2 Reed Bunting, 19 Siskin, 4 Bullfinches, 80 Goldfinches, 25 Stock Doves (in one flock), 65 Meadow Pipits, 7 pied Wagtails, 30 Starlings, 2 Skylark & 1 Snipe.

Around the headland: 7 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest and 3 Chiffchaff

15th November ~ Lots of Redwing movement over Hillside, South Brent during the earlier part of the day over 1500 birds counted largest flock of some 500 plus birds, most flocks ranging from 50 to 70 birds.

Two sightings of soaring female Sparrowhawks no doubt attracted by the Redwing numbers.

Notable movement of Wood pigeons as well with about 200 birds seen early in the morning.

Pied Wagtails trickling over for most of the day in one's and two's.

GSWP, Nuthatch and male Greenfinch on the feeders and a Wren around the garden today.

16th November ~ Thrush migration noted from 8am to 9.30am, very overcast misty conditions, 1300 plus Redwing largest flock being of some 400 birds, the odd Mistle Thrush noted and several flocks of Fieldfares amounting to about 150 birds, all Thrush flocks headed north while several smaller flocks of Starling appeared to be feeding locally and moving in the opposite direction.

Small flocks of migrating Wood pigeon continue to pass over and two flocks of what I believe to have been Chaffinch the light being to poor to see any plumage detail. 

Other birds of note were a Green Woodpecker, two GSWP, four Bullfinch and fifteen Pied Wagtail.

 

 

,A small influx of Chiffchaffs (8),and Goldcrests (9). 3 Goldcrests ringed,all'Continental' birds. Also a flock of 50+ Redwings and a flock of 20+ Fieldfare alighted in the tops of the tallest White Willows, before flying off westward.

1st.Yr.m. 'Continental' Goldcrest.

A multi-stop day which produced around 80 species. Of note were:

From the sea wall - 4 Kittewakes in a mixed gull/Gannet feeding flock of 400+, and 1 R-T Diver.

From Starcross - 2 R-B Merganser (at last) and the Slavonian Grebe.

In Powderham Park - 1 Green Sandpiper and a mixed Redwing/Fieldfare flock.

From Turf - several thousand mixed waders, including 300+ Golden Plover.

On Exminster Marshes - just the Cattle Egret in the fields near the canal. Diggers were dredging some of the ditches, so very disturbed. More Redwings/Fieldfares feeding in the hedges.

At Matford ponds - several Gadwall, which I don't always see here, and 4 feeding Snipe.

Finally, at King James Weir - Dipper, Water Rail, another Green Sandpiper and more Redwings/Fieldfares, heading West. 

Visit to Bicton Park today - very dull & misty but loads of winter thrushes - Fieldfare, Redwing & Mistle Thrushes - flying about.

This Black Redstart showed for a short time this morning, always at a distance on the eastern side of the chapels.

1 Great Northern Diver flying south close in to Baggy point this am.

Also 5 female Common Scoters present.

Fantastic overhead migration was noted between 07.30-09.30 with: at least 8400 Redwing, 150 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle Trush, 8 Song Thrush, 230 Chaffinch, 16 Brambling, 29 Siskin, 300+ Wood Pigeon, 3 Skylark, 30 Goldfinch, 3 Linnet, 22 Meadow Pipits and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Around the woods and top of the headland: 1 Pallas's Warbler, 4 Firecrest, 18 Goldcrest, 2 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff.

                              Some of the Redwings                                           Firecrest

Pallas's Warbler

A Great White Egret (a patch tick!) flew E along the clifftops at 08.30. Visible migration did not include the large numbers of thrushes being seen on the south coast, but was instead dominated by Starlings, with some 934 counted before 09.00. Also 134 Chaffinches, a Fieldfare, a Mistle Thrush, 4 alba wagtails, 9 Meadow Pipits, 14 Goldfinches and 5 Linnets. One Red-throated Diver W. In the scrub, single Chiffchaff and Goldcrest, plus 4 Stonechat. It will be interesting to learn if the Chivenor Great White Egret seen at 07.45 this morning stuck around, or if it could be the same individual that I saw 45 minutes later – though even a direct line between the two locations is c 15km.

Mixed flock of 4/500 redwing/fieldfare feeding on holly and travelling south above Rattery this morning (a sign of cold weather to come?) Female black redstart yesterday.

First field past Bovis on the left towards Braunton at 7:45 this morning