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.

FYO, Philip Worth's mating pair of Butterflies are Gatekeepers (or Hedge Browns).

Juv Black Tern downriver off Mudbank @ 0955. Also off there 4 Common Sandpiper, 5 Mediterranean Gull, 15 Whimbrel and 9 Bar-tailed Godwit.

With regards to Steve Hopper's post of the BHG with the green darvic ring, I saw this bird on 6th March 2018 on he meadow. I sent the details away and received the following. It was rung on 31.03.17 at Sandnes Brygge, Sandnes, Rogaland Norway Sexed as a male, 3cy+. It has also been seen Stavanger 13.04.17, Klepp 16.05.17 both in Norway and then my sighting in Plymouth. Just for info.

Great White Egret.  Update. At 4-15pm.,again circling the Torcross end of the Lower Ley,and then flying north over the Ley.april

An early afternoon visit to Blaxton meadow just as the tide was beginning to come in, 300 plus Black Head Gulls including one ringed with a green plastic tag ring J26X, in with the BHG's were at least six Mediterranean Gulls.

Twelve Little Egret, a mixed flock of Curlew, Whimbrell and Black Tailed Godwit, one Kingfisher.

Six Mandarin duck on the pond at Saltram House.

Good to see first migrant Sedge Warbler with some of the local juvenile Reed Warblers. Also, a single Dunlin feeding on the exposed mud at the back of the marsh and loads of Whitethroats around. Also a good numbers of hirundines flying over the marsh. 

Black-tailed Godwit 6 in full B.P.

Common Sandpiper 1.

Med Gull 6, ( 5A & 1 1st summer.)

Grey Heron 25.

Little Egret 6.

I hadn't been up here for many weeks, and despite the lack of rain it's the most over grown I think I've seen it.not much in the way of birds,  meadow pipits parents and young,  family of great tits and stonechat. Butterflies were in plentiful supply of many species. I got a picture of when flying thought it was a damaged butterfly but turned out to be 2 mating on the wing when landed...

Mating butterflies.

At 8-15 a.m. a Great White Egret circling over the Torcross end of the Ley, and then flew over the house towards the sea. Not resighted.

With thanks to Steve Hopper for pointing us in the right direction, my son and I made the trip from Paignton to try and catch sight of the nightjars before they fled the country. After waiting almost two hours and just as it began to go dark, churring began around us, clearly from several birds. Spotted one silhouetted against the sky as it sat on a tree which it returned to several times.MThen two birds began chasing each other literally over our heads. As we finally made our way home recorded another bird churring in the undergrowth near the factories. All in all a very satisfactory night. Hopefully we'll get to do it again next week. The only downer last night being I lost a small red SDHC package containing a memory card so if anyone finds it I 'd be grateful to know.

Wednesday 18 July. At least 100 Manx Shearwater seen passing the harbour around 09.00 and many more seen from the Ferry. Also 1 Med Gull, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Fulmar and Gannets from the ferry, at least 10 Juvenile Wheatears on the Island and 4+ Puffin seen on the sea to the west of Lundy. At least 10 Dolphin seen on the return at around 17.00.

Walked the coast path from Plymouth to Wembury. Little on the bird front other than a few Whitethroats but highlight was a Mole "digging" in the chippings on the path just east of Plymouth. Presumably it was struggling to find food in the rock hard, dry ground. Also 13 species of butterfly including Purple Hairstreak and a few Walls.

Bowling Green Marsh this morning gave three Green Sandpiper on the scrape to the right of the hide.

From the viewing platform 10 plus Dunlin and 50 plus Redshank, one Greenshank,  at the gate a male Blackcap singing well, a second bird flew through but was lost in the cover.

From the Goat Walk plenty of birdlife with 50 plus Dunlin, a similar number of Black Tailed Godwits, lots of young Shellduck, Curlew, Redshank and singles of Ringed Plover and Sanderling.

From Exton Station distant views of an un ringed Osprey eating a fish while perched on a post in  the river, also close by a very small Seal.

16 members of DB (East Devon Branch) attended the fieldtrip to Berry Head where mammals and butterflies were the main interest.  Close up visit by Grey Seal was a treat. Distant sightings of dolphins.  Hummingbird Hawk moth by café and a family of Rock Pipit in quarry.  Otherwise conditions not good for birding but thanks to Geoff and the multiple experts (!) for leading us.

Our fieldtrip programme is now taking a break until September and next trip is to Axmouth Harbour on Wed 5 Sept.

Following a lead on twitter I managed to get some reasonable shots of the Glossy Ibis that was present yesterday around 15.00 on Matford Marsh.

Glossy Ibis

Osprey with fish flew over West. 8pm

Willing to be corrected but it looks like a juv. Black Stork.

This bird was observed and photographed at the top end of the Avon dam, South Brent this afternoon by local resident John Hoare, I am thinking that it is a juvenile Black Stork.

Eds - yes Black Stork! Note ring on right leg: information welcome on origin of this. 

FROM THE FINDER THE RING NUMBER IS POSSIBLY Y0187

On Blaxton Marsh a single Black-tailed Godwit amongst the Kerlews, also seen were several Swallows with their chicks, and a male Kingfisher

When my wife started Air B'n'B, some visitors took it literally!

1. Guests availing themselves of the outside pool
2.  Al Fresco dining
3. Hailing a cab

1                                                                             2                                                             3

Mediterranean Gull 2A; Greenshank 2 juveniles on Anchorwood Bank; Common Sandpiper 2 juveniles by outfall of Bradiford Water. There was 1 here yesterday.

Ringed Curlew - Red ring, right tibia plus metal I/d ring right tarsus. Yellow ring, left tibia. I believe rings had alpha/numerics but impossible to read.

Ringed Black-headed Gull. Yellow ring, left tarsus. Coded "2H93". Metal I/d ring right tarsus. First seen 09/07/18 at same location. North Thames Gull Ringing Group.

First returning Willow Warbler, at East Soar farm. Reed Warbler in the willows also prob.migrant. 250 Linnet, most on rape stubble & 85 house Sparrow inc. 60 feeding on access road. 

Non avian: Humming Bird Hawk-Moth, 7 Small Pear-bordered Fritillary, 2 Dark Green Fritillary, 7 Silver-washed Fritillary & 6 Purple Hairstreak.

The Glossy Ibis still present all morning on the main pool at Matford Marsh - viewable from the cycle path.

2 broods of Sparrows have successfully fledged from our Sparrow box  and joined by a Zebra Finch in the garden today. Sorry the photo isn't great. 

In my garden this afternoon.

That's a 2p coin for scale.

Three Green Sandpiper at RSPB Bowling Green Marsh this evening.

Little Grebe, Tufted duck and a flock of some 80 plus starings added to the evening.

Juvenile Mediterranean gull off of the viewing platform along with a curlew and a Whimbrell. 

Birds a bit thin on the ground, so insects instead today.

Garden Tiger Moth adjacent to Sherpa Marsh this evening.

...But next morning we were surprised when three turned up for breakfast (last year they only had one)!

A pair of Herring Gulls that bred on a neighbour's roof are bringing their young down to our front garden to feed. Only polite really, since we do the catering. We thought they had two young (tbc)...

Swallow feeding five fledglings, perched on Reedmace. 

Record shot of Glossy Ibis taken this morning around 11.30am at main pool.  Best viewed from railway bridge.(Thanks to Martin of Exmouth for finding it for me second time around the pools). Also present were a Green Sandpiper and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.  Sparrow Hawk overhead earlier.  Moorhen with newly fledged young near swing bridge.

From yesterday a Chough in my garden at Northam about 10:30am.

Working on a private house today and watching house Martins checking out potential nest sites.The owners have had artificial one's put up and 1 entered and started singing as much to say this looks ok and I won't have to build one!!!.Then they gave out a warning call shooting into the valley followed by a Hobby which thankfully missed this time.10:20.

Three Whimbrels, 40 Curlews, 14 Little Egrets, 2 Common Sandpipers, female Red-crested Pochard, 15 Mandarin Ducks, Sparrowhawk (scarce here this year), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Whitethroat, Stock Dove & 30+ House Martins in a tree. Plenty of Gatekeepers still around & 3 Common Blues.

The Glossy Ibis was feeding and showing lovely on the main pool on an after work visit at 4pm. I initially picked it up from the viewing platform as it flew out of the reed bed towards the main pool. If interested, more info (and ropey pictures) at http://dixiesbirding.blogspot.com

Green Sandpiper on the far shore this evening. Viewed from the main road. 

Showing well albeit distant all morning. 

video

https://youtu.be/BNzzk3dHFSA

Spoonbill                                                   Spoonbill

Mediterranean gulls from Sunday's trip. This time we had 4 birds well offshore, which we have not observed before. 2 adults (different moult state) and a juvenile at the chum 6.5 miles off Berry Head and a 1st summer bird a mile off the headland on the way back in. Another 1 or 2 birds in the bay for a trip total of 5 or 6. Thanks to Mike Langman from comments on photos from this trip.

  
Mediterranean Gull, juvenile               Mediterranean Gull, adult              Mediterranean Gull, first summer

Couple of pics of birds from boat trip last Sunday 15th.

 
Manx shearwaters                                          Juvenile guillemot

Glossy Ibis flown into marsh in front of main viewing platform at 9am 

Approachable Chough feeding in sheep field along coastal footpath at Abbotsham, south west of Westward Ho! SS4027, around 2 p.m., not seen later.

The three Great Crested Grebe nests have produced, one with 3 chicks the other with at least 2, the third nest is still occupied but is looking unlikely.

A juvenile Spoonbill was at Bowling Green Marsh this lunchtime. Also 2 Green Sandpipers.

Two Whimbrels with 40 Curlews, an Oystercatcher, 13 Little Egrets and 3 juv Shelducks on Blaxton Meadow. Also 3 Common Sandpipiers, 69 Redshanks, 3 Greenshanks, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers (1 juv), 17 Mandarin Ducks, female Red-crested Pochard, 4 Stock Doves and a Roe Deer doe.

Closely packed group of c.40 Swifts over Exwick Sunday evening, along with c.10 House Martins. Still getting Siskins at the feeders (most days since the beginning of the year), plus 4 Greenfinch.

This afternoon a Mediterranean Gull briefly landed with 2 Black headed gulls on the boating lake. The wing tagged Great Black Backed Gull still present but was a swine to get a photo of, however the Herring Gull influx continues & luckily I found 2 leg ringed Herring Gulls, one is the first sighting in 9 years & outside of Gloucester.  Also this wknd I've seen the first Harbour Porpoise off Combe in over 2 months.  

  
Herring Gull with Leg ring                       Herring Gull                                          Herring Gull

Osprey high over the river at 5:30

Morning at Hisley Wood saw only Nuthatches 5 and Treecreeper 1 but we did see17 species of Butterfly.  Silver-washed Fritillary were very numerous but most interesting were about a dozen White Admiral and about the same number of Purple Hairstreak mostly up in the Oaks.

White Admiral pair flying               White Admiral in low tree                        Purple hairstreak

Some pictures from todays excellent trip

                
2 calves in middle of 3 protecting adult Common Dolphins              Common Dolphin mum and calf

This mornings boat trip out into Lyme Bay was fairly productive with the following sighted. 24 Manx Shearwater, 1 sub Shearwater, 4 Fulmar, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 10 Great Black-backed Gull, 200+ Herring Gull on the chum, 4 Med Gulls, 1 Razorbill, 1 Kittiwake, 11 Guillemots and 10 Gannets also 11 Harbour Porpoise. The best was as we approached Berry Head 25 Common Dolphin with 3 young which also jumped with the adults. A fantastic sight.

4 Sand Martins over Bolt Head - migrants. Family parties of wheatears indicate successful breeding season as does 30+ swallows at East Soar farm. Finally proved kestrel breeding.

We arrived at high tide with very limited shoreline,  but walked partway along the ridgepath and then shoreline rocks to the fisherman's huts. We saw a few black headed gull,  and many gulls on a tiny island within the horsey lagoon. Oystercatcher and 1 small dunlin with many sparrows on the ridgepath. 

Dunlin

A few Black-headed Gulls chasing flying ants (?) over the reserve this morning, and in amongst them an adult Mediterranean Gull.

A couple of Sand Martins and a Swallow over the scrape.

On the sea off of Dawlish Warren NR this morning one female Eider duck and not less than six Sandwich Terns.

Four Dunlin flew over the hide, Male Linnet with three fledged young, several juvenile Pied Wagtails, family group of Whitethroat near the car park.

In front of the hide not less than 28 Sandwich Terns.

Juvenile Little Ringed Plover at Passage House this morning.

The afternoon trip out of Plymouth saw lumpier seas after a flat calm morning trip but an adult Mediterranean gull sat on a post as we waited to pass through the Sutton Harbour lock gates was a good start.

Fulmars seen on The Mewstone at Wembury as we passed by and offshore gannets and Manx shearwaters noted.

Back in Sutton Harbour a very friendly grey seal enjoyed the last of our mackerel.

Thanks to Liz and the Plymouth Devon Birds branch for organising the day and to skipper Aaron on Happy Days for making the trip good fun. 

  
Mediterranean Gull                       Grey Seal                           Manx Shearwater from the morning trip