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.

For other records please could observers submit their sightings by 31^st January.

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Best wishes and good birding for 2020

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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.

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.

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.

Reported escaped male Brazilian Teal with ring on leg.

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.

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 

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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