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.

Today's return sailing from Lundy, accompanied by Grant Sherman & Tim Davis we saw plenty of Manx Shearwaters up fairly close to the Oldenburg, a few Gannets & Guillemots. Best bird by far was a tatty looking Sooty Shearwater sat on the water with a small raft of Manx.  

  
                Sooty Shearwater                                                                    Gannet

Apologies for the poor quality of this record shot, taken through double-glazing. This bird is a first for me – I'm wondering if it's a Lesser Whitethroat but those aren't brown legs. I'm very happy to be corrected...

Eds - Yes, a Lesser Whitethroat. Greyish legs is fine for that species.

Came down this morning to find this Jersey Tiger on the patio door window so got this unusual shot. Then this afternoon got a first for the garden when this Wall Brown flew past me, found the only stone next to the back lawn and perched up just long enough to get my first and only shot of this species, before disappearing over the back hedge.

                            Jerser Tiger                                                              Wall Brown

Great White Egret still showing well today. Instead of heading for the hide, turn right out of the carpark, walk along the common and look back towards the hide. 

At Saltram today the Kingfisher (could be this years juvenile) showing for about an hour on the River Plym by Blaxton Meadow, also a cute juvenile Wren was showing very well

A 2018 hatched Peregrine Falcon recovered near Vixen Tor on Dartmoor this morning close to overhead wires with a broken wing, it is ringed with a BTO ring and a yellow tag ring "FP", a bit thin and infested with flat fly but all being well this one will recover to be released in due course.

07.00 > 08.00

Unfortunately, no sign of the Lesser Yellowlegs early am,

the Wood Sandpiper & Common Sandpiper are still present.

Apologies for poor quality photo but for size comparison.

3 Waders of different sizes on the scrape this evening. 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Wood Sandpiper & the largest (size similar to Redshank) a possible juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs.

Please could you confirm identification from my photos please - Thank You

Eds - yes it’s a Lesser Yellowlegs. Nice find! Upperparts patterning suggests an adult.

Among the 100s of juvenile and adult Black-headed and Herring Gulls were 3 Common Gulls;

6 Mediterranean Gulls; 7 Whimbrel and yellow ring B.H.Gull (2H99) from Pitsea Landfill site.

The Grey Heron total is still slowly rising and now at 35. All seem to favour the Penhill Marsh side of the river.

Great White Egret, best viewed from the common just beyond the hidejuly

Lots of young birds in front of the hide this morning, juv Redshank, Dunlin, Terns and Gulls, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatchers and Canada Geese.

1st summer Common Tern and Juv Sandwich Tern

Three Black-tailed Godwits in summer plumage, flew down river, 3 Whimbrels, 3 Greenshanks, Common Sandpiper, 45 Curlews, 2 Mediterranean Gulls (ad & 1st-s), 2 Oystercatchers, 2 Stock Doves, 2 Dunlins, 3 Greenshanks, 102 Redshanks & 14 Little Egrets.

Rob Jutsum's bush crcket reported here on Saturday is a female Dark Bush Cricket. Grey Bush Cricket has long wings - in Dark Bush Cricket the wings are very short (male) or vestigial (female).

Reported escaped male Brazilian Teal with ring on leg.

Continuing the seawatch theme, from 14:45 to 17:00, started off with a single Puffin, then the first of 80+ Manx Shearwater, 9 Baleartic Shearwater, 50+ Gannets, 3 Fulmar, 3 Mediterranean Gulls.  Best of all were 2 Sooty Shearwaters and my first Great Shearwater in UK waters.

Pat Mayer and Ivan were there much longer than me and will have much bigger lists.  Thanks to these two for their help spotting and confirming my id's.  (Positively no common gulls this week)

Afternoon watch, 18.20-20.00, sewer flowing and attracting smaller gulls. At least 13 Mediterranean gull (11+ juvs, 1 1st summer, 1 adult), 1 small pale phase skua (arctic?) and 12 manx shearwater.

At around 17:00 from the train as it passed powderham the osprey which has been around the estuary over the last week was being harassed by the local gulls.

Seawatch 09:15-14:30

Together with Dell and Mark Darlaston saw 10 Cory's Shearwaters, 5 Great Shearwaters, 11 Sooty Shearwaters, 1000+ Manx Shearwaters, 30 Balearic Shearwaters, Storm Petrel, Arctic Skua, 2 Great Skuas, 45 Mediterranean Gulls and 5 Yellow-legged Gulls. Dell and Mark still there when I left so totals may have increased. Lots probably missed as the conditions were atrocious at times and there is little shelter there meaning our optics were often unusable. Amazing how Med and Yellow-legged Gulls quite possibly outnumbered Black-headed Gulls and Kittiwakes.

Sea watch from 09:00 till 16:45

10 storm petrels ( included a group of 9), 1 sooty shearwater , 20+ Manx shearwater, 3 Arctic Skua ( 1 very dark phase ) 2 great Skua, 43+ Mediterranean gull nearly all juv’s, 3+ common tern and lots of sandwich terns 

Seawatching from the yacht club 05:50 - 12:10: 64+ Mediterranean Gulls (80% juveniles), 2 Storm Petrels (11:40 and 11:50), 4 Balearic Shearwaters, 51 Manx Shearwaters, 2 juv Yellow-legged Gulls, 10 Arctic Skuas, 3 Whimbrels, 6 Common Terns, 9 "Commic" Terns, 50+ Sandwich Terns and 107 Kittiwakes.

Seawatching at Berry Head 0530-1400hrs: 5 Great Shearwaters, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 38 Balearic Shearwaters, 666 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Storm Petrels, 17 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Juv Yellow-legged Gulls, 3 Arctic Skuas, 2 Great Skuas.

Video clip of closest Great Shearwater at 6am in murk and rain.. : https://youtu.be/CPOJNYtrDBk 

Sea watching from the raised beach huts from 6:10 - 8:30. Only one Shearwater species seen but it was a Great Shearwater. Heading west at 6:15. 

First sighting of a Hummingbird Hawk Moth this year. A fly through of our garden in Plymstock.

At high tide:

5 Grey Heron, 111 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, by the old wreck.

40 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, c300 Black Headed Gull, 8 Mediterranean gull including one with a leg ring, and 11 Little Egret. Wind picking up.

Off Capstone rocks, with dark fast moving Squalls as the backdrop, great to see at least 2 Cory's Shearwaters, along with a Great Skua, several Terns sp, 2 Whimbrels & a Merlin flying along among Manx Shearwaters.  Gannet & Manx Shearwater numbers well up into the 100s. 

Photo taken during last week of June showing larvae of the (please correct me if my identification is wrong as this is a first for me) 2 spot Ladybird on the leaf of the weeping willow tree.

Singles of Ruff, Green Sandpiper and Mediterranean Gull. Peregrine over, creating havoc for around ten minutes. Little Egret chasing and catching dragonflies in front of the hide.

This female Grey Bush - Cricket leapt in through the front door this morning probably to escape the showers, thunder & lightning  After capture released it straight away on the front lawn!

In my Collins Pocket Guide to Insects of Britain & Western Europe it says 'one of several very similar species, often difficult to separate'.

Early am:

1 Ruff

31 Common Sandpipers

An afternoon visit to Blaxton Meadow on the incoming tide, a flock of 40 plus Goldfinch including a large number of juvenile birds on  the fields to the front of Saltram House.

From the hide over looking Blaxton Meadow 12 plus Little Egret, 150 plus Black Head gull including one bird with a yellow plastic tag ring TV7E, one Mediterranean Gull, a possible Yellow Legged Gull, one Oyster Catcher, a flock of some 30 Curlew and at least four Whimbrell.

At least 50 Meds tonight.Couldn't do an  age count due to  birds moving though 80% were adults with many more fishing the estuary.17.50-18.40.

Nothing much on the down today, the usual suspects, Linnets, Yellowhammers, Stonechats, in the way of other wildlife I came across some Greyling Butterflies, one having a battle with an ant (as seen in the photo), hence the ant won and the Greyling flew off.

Large pod of dolphins ( estimated at 50 + ) heading into Torbay from East of Thatcher Rock, 07.30 this morning.

Lunchtime from R.Clyst viewing platform a very distant Osprey perched on channel marker off Lympstone.

2 little ringed plovers briefly in flight who flew around for some time but didn't alight.Masses of gulls having an anting frenzy but didn't come to land.Also 2 whimbrel 4 dunlin 6 redshank and 2 sandwich terns.17:50- 19:00.

Over the high tide this evening, of note, 9+ med Gulls, moulting Ruff, 30+ Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpiper, Common Gull, GBB Gull, LBB Gull (Psycho), Little grebe and young, Tufted duck and young and the presumed escaped Snow Goose (first time I've seen it on BGM).

Ruff video.

https://youtu.be/OnIilB61TU4

  
Ruff                                         Common Gull                                   Snow Goose

Seventeen species of butterflies today with Grayling and 8+ Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries the highlights at Soar. Also several Willow Warblers, Sedge Warbler, 2 juv Bullfinches & c20 Whitethroats there.

South Efford Marsh produced 2 Common Sandpipers, 3 Greenshanks & c25 Curlews.

Whilst passing darts farm (near bridge inn) on my morning commute to Exeter, I noticed a white bird in amongst the Canada Geese. On closer inspection it was one of the Snow Geese that have been hanging around the Exe. Pictures on http://dixiesbirding.blogspot.com/?m=1

Migrants - 6 Willow Warblers in/around Starehole Valley. 380 Linnet with most on rape stubble - indicates very successful breeding season (usually 80 - 100 pairs). 

Mammals: Pod of 17+ Common Dolphin off Bolt Head.

Bflies:  37 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary & 47 Small Copper.

An early morning visit to Broadsands before the beachgoers arrived resulted in a Torbay record count of 83 Mediterranean Gulls -mostly juvs around the beach also 1 juv Yellow-legged Gull on the beach at the north end.

Photo of some of the Mediterranean Gull close to the car park seawall - I've counted 20 in this shot..

The juv Yellow-legged Gull still around and showing well this afternoon; photos at:-  https://twitter.com/Plymbirding/status/1022225000470900736

(There are possibly 2 around). Also - 4 Mediterranean Gulls (2 ads, 2nd-s & my first juv of the autumn), 18 Little Egrets, 2 Whimbrels, 42 Curlews, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Dunlins, Greenshank, 7 Mandarin Ducks & Grey Wagtail. 

Western Osprey off Exton Station around 4pm today more info and pictures at dixiesbirding.blogspot.com/?m=1

Little Egret 15

Heron 3

300 + Black Head Gulls with more coming in a steady stream.

3 Mediterranean Gulls

30 Curlew

2 Whimbrell 

1 Stock Dove

Highlight on mid-tide this afternoon was a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. Also adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 Common Sandpipers, summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Mandarin Ducks, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, Blackcap, Fox & Clouded Yellow.

This Painted Lady alighted only a metre away from where I was standing while out bird watching this aft.

At Hooe Lake, Plympton, on the rafters of the old boats, a Sandwich Tern and young, we watched the parent tern fish and feed it's young for several minutes then they flew off not to be seen again.

Osprey feeding on mudbank between Turf and Royal Marine Camp.

Accompanied by two wary crows hoping for the left overs. 

Still there resting when we left at 1.30.

Alan's Great White Egret was on the ley shoreline near the pillbox early morning. 2 Kingfishers below the bridge and 4 Common Scoters in the bay.

Seawatch from 7.25 to 9.35am. Little wind though overcast and dull light. 2 Sooty Shearwaters  west at 7.55 and at 8.30 am. Also 2 Arctic Skuas at 8.45. One very dark and the other very pale phase.Also, Noah like, 2 juvenile Yellow- legged gulls flew close west. Entertained by pod of 25 plus Common Dolphins with many breaching and a pod of 12 plus Harbour Porpoises. Otherwise several rafts of Manx Shearwaters on the sea and 7 Common Scoter east. At the point a Hummingbird Hawkmoth briefly. In the reserve a first year Garden Warbler and several Phylloscs including a Willow Warbler. Plus a few post breeding dispersed female Blackcaps.

At least two med gulls over our garden on Clovelly road late afternoon.Adult and 2. Plenty of gulls anting but only got onto these.On private farm today at doccombe at least 6 silver washed frittilaries on large buddliea with 1 hummingbird hawkmoth.Several other bushes to check this week.

On Bowling Green this afternoon, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, 3 Tufted Duck ducklings and plenty of Black-tailed Godwits. From the viewing platform, Peregrine & 13+ Whimbrels, and at Goosemoor, adult Spotted Redshank, adult Common Gull & good numbers of adult Dunlins.

Very little on Matford Ponds.

Further to Nigel's posting about yesterday's boat trip, here is a photo of the Sunfish.

Grey Heron 31

Little Egret 8

Med Gull 5A

Black-tailed Godwit 3

Kingfisher 1.

Black-headed Gull - Yellow ring on left tarsus. code 2H93.  Metal I/d ring right tarsus. I/D EZ709046. This bird was first ringed on 25/3/2017 by the North Thames Gull Ringing Group at Pitsea landfill site, Essex. Seen on 2 previous occasions just off Ashford sewage works on 9/7/18 and 19/7/18.

Hobby over Higher Soar, sub-adult Common Gull on the Ham Stone, 3 Swifts over Southdown Farm and another family party of 6 Wheatears east of Soar Mill Cove.

Aerial display of Swifts 30+ over Bridestowe, quite a sight.

The Glossy Ibis was showing at Matford marsh late this morning.

On to Exton station where the Osprey was spotted on the far bank eating a fish just up from the Turf Locks pub.

Goosemoor well in excess of 70 Dunlin along with nine Greenshank, Black Tailed Godwit, Lapwing, Little Egret large flock of Black Head Gull 100 plus.

Bowling Green Marsh Green Sandpiper, twelve Little Egret, Two Little Grebe, 200 plus Black Headed Gull, Redshank, Black Tailed Godwit, Lapwing and two Heron.

A return to Goosemoor on the rising tide gave a Curlew Sandpiper in with the Dunlin.

On arriving home I took a call from a Lustleigh resident who had an injured juvenile Goshawk in his garden, I now have the bird which has an injury to one wing but hopefully nothing more than bruising and while waiting to pick up the Goshawk one of my daughters rang to say she was coming up with a small Buzzard that a friend had found in the road on Dartmoor, I now have a Buzzard fledgling absolutely infested with flat fly and very thin but should be no problem to bring on. (Some Images to follow later)

One of Two Green Sandpipers that flew in, good views from the hide.

Green Sandpiper

Trip out from Brixham this morning in calm conditions. Just out from Berry Head a Sunfish sighted and then 6 Common Dolphin with young. Birds seen during the 4 hour trip 20+ Manx Shearwater, 2 Balearic Shearwater, 400+ Herring Gull, 2 Fulmar, 2 Razorbill, 6 small groups of Guillemots, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 8 Great Black-backed Gulls, 2 Kittiwake and in the distance a Skua sp. Returning back to Brixham 8 Bottlenose Dolphins. Looking good for next Sundays trip. 

After many attempts I went to Matford Marsh this morning from 8.30 - 9.30 - no sign. Then went to St Davids for a steam train. Returned to Matford for another look at the steam train and one last look for the Ibis. It duly flew in dead on noon. Hurrah. Good morning! Ibis still there when I left.

Ibis video

https://youtu.be/gprOHI4Szmw   Steam train  video if interested.   https://youtu.be/GKhXmEnlLms

Glossy Ibis                                 Glossy Ibis                               Glossy Ibis

Holly Blue butterfly.  Rare for my garden, usually too fast to photograph.

damselflies.  No dragonflies sighted but very many common blue damselflies mating and egg laying