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.

Black-tailed Godwit 85; Knot 51 and Redshank 2.

A few migrants around in beautiful conditions: Lesser Whitethroat, 23+ Yellow Wagtails, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Goldcrest, Sedge Warbler, 3 Wheatears, 2 Whinchats, 4 Whitethroats, a handful of Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps, Hare and 3 Roe Deer.  

The Spotted Crake still remains faithful to the east side of the estuary and now present for its 18th day! It showed well this afternoon on the rising tide, though generally most reliable in the morning if the tide is suitable. Also up to 3 Water Rails around the same area. Bar-headed Goose still on the estuary and the Egyptian Goose is probably still around, last seen 2 days ago at least.

On the cliffs west of Budleigh and the golf course, my first Firecrest of the autumn, Spotted Flycatcher and Yellowhammer.

Few wagtails in evidence, but a ringtailHen Harrier from car park at East Soar at 12:30.

Budleigh Salterton ~ from the hide a Bar Headed Goose flew in with the numerous Canada Geese, inc two white headed birds, Water Rail, Peregrine, 2 Buzzards 2 Little Egret, Heron.

Black Hole Marsh ~ Wood Sandpiper, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Lapwing, Common Sandpiper, Black Tailed Godwits (inc 2 coloured tagged birds) several Snipe showing well.

Saw a single wheatear, a couple of spotted flycatchers, blackcaps and the usual stonechats with several young ones.

  
Wheatear                                              Spotted Flycatcher                                   Blackcap and a wren

Gt  White Egret and 1 Kingfisher on the Ley today, best viewed from seaward end of the Ley.

A good day for birds of prey from home at South Brent with Hobby (three visits) Buzzard, two sightings of female Sparrowhawks, a female Kestrel flew across my house field (not a common sight around the village) and three tawny owls this evening.

Other birds inc GSWP and Raven

from the hide 15:00 till 16:45

the long staying male Ruff showed well at times, 7 avocet flew in 3 times but didn’t land each time flying back to the estuary, 1 spotted redshank flew over towards goosemoor, 15+ ringed plover , 100+ Dunlin, 2 knot, 200+ redshank, 50+ pintail, 60+ wigeon, 18+ little egret, 1 juvenile water rail, 1 sparrow hawk.

then moved to the viewing platform 16:50 till 18:00

within seconds of getting on the viewing platform picked up an osprey fishing of the wall of rivers meet house managed to get it in the scope and was an adult it dived after a fish disappearing behind the wall despite watching for some time it didn’t reappear and must of caught a fish and flown towards turf / exminster then picked up another osprey of exmouth and managed to watch this one for over 20 minutes as it hunted over the estuary eventually fishing of rivers meet house and catching a good size fish heading off towards turf this was a different bird and looked like the bird which has been around for a couple of months.

on the mud on the far side from the viewing platform were the 7 avocet from earlier, 5 knot, 200+ Dunlin, 30+ ringed plover, 12 grey plover, 8 greenshanks, 200+ redshank, 150+ curlew 

About 3 o'clock this afternoon, about 300 yds off Berry Head something like 50 or 60 Gannet and a pod of Common Dolphin made short work of a ball of fish.  The dolphin pod had a least one calf.  The show moved off towards Daddyhole and by 4 o'clock had dispersed.

  
Gannet and Common Dolphin                   Gannet and Common Dolphin                   Showing Calf

4 Black-tailed Godwits and a Ruff at the southern end of the tidal road by the stakes this afternoon. They had flown out of South Efford Marsh. After 10 minutes the Ruff flew off north.

Last night while catching Swallows (15),  we returned to the nets late and found (as usual) a Pipistrelle Bat in a net. I have discovered an easy way to get them out and it was soon on it's way. At the other end of the net run a huge surprise was a much bigger Bat - managed some photos and later identified it as a Lesser Horseshoe Bat. Never seen one before, fine addition to the reserve mammal list.

This morning I opened the nets in the garden and in among the basins full of Blue and Great Tits, ringed a male Blackcap, a Treecreeper and a Marsh Tit. Never seen one here, or at my previous house or in the reserve. Last time I ringed one was at Hartland Point probably 25 years ago! One of the Blue Tits had a ring on that wasn't mine. Probably one of Chris Dee's up at West Down or Chapel Wood.

6+ Yellow Wagtails in the field between the marsh and the viewing platform amongst the cattle this lunchtime.

wall brown b/fly on green yesterday

Best today was a hunting Hobby plus a imm Yellow-legged Gull with 450 Herring Gulls. Also: 4 Ringed Plover, 7 Stock Dove, 2 White Wagtail only, 6 Pied Wagtail, 9 Rock Pipit, 10 Wheatear, 4 Whitethroat, 21 Blackcap, Willow Warbler & 2 Spotted Flycatcher.

Non-avian: male Brimstone, only my 2nd record at Soar in 7 years!

Just looked out the window over breakfast to see a 1st winter redstart in our little front garden in Wonford :) Best thing on my garden list! :)

Spotted flycatcher in FPC this morning, a nice find for this area

Spotted Flycatcher

Six Yellow Wagtail with sheep on coast path between the village and the Head 7.30pm

Back on the patch, post St Lucia.Two Bar-tailed Godwits, juv / 1st-w Yellow-legged Gull, 8 Oystercatchers and 4 Greenshanks at the top of the estuary. Also Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, 2+ Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 100 Redshanks, 3 Common Sandpipers, c40 Curlews, 12+ Mandarin Ducks and a Sparrowhawk.

Can anyone help with the Identification of this little beauty. I thought it was a meadow pipit but the legs seem all wrong.

Eds - it's a Spotted Flycatcher; a migrant and scarce breeder in the Plymouth area. Beautiful indeed.

Orcombe Point

This morning at least 8 Wheatear, a few Yellow Wagtail and Meadow Pipit 

Otter Estuary 

A look after work. 3 Cattle Egret. First seen north of white bridge then relocated to near the hide. Spotted Crake showed on and off plus Bar-headed Goose.

if interested more details and photos at http://dixiesbirding.blogspot.com/?m=1

Watched from 15:10 till 17:55

A very quiet high tide but still a few good birds the first was juvenile GARGANEY found asleep in front of the reeds on the far side of the marsh from the hide and showed well at times the second bird was a possible juvenile bearded tit seen only briefly so only 95% certain but unable to find again, and the third bird a running water rail in and out of the reeds on the far side again , pintail numbers continue to increase with 26+ , wigeon 35+, 4 tufted duck , 9+ Little egrets. 

From the goatwalk 

500+ Dunlin. 80+ ringed plover, 5 whimbrel 

A pleasant morning for 17 members of DB (East Devon Branch) around the estuary.  A walk to the river mouth produced 2 Peregrines off the coast and some distant birds including Gannets, Common Scoter and small numbers of Swallow.  Yellow Wagtails reported to be passing through also.  The estuary produced small numbers of waders with a Knot amongst the Black-tailed Godwits that were later seen again at Blackhole Marsh.  The latter venue also produced a Wood Sandpiper, C. Sandpiper and Water Rails.  Having left the estuary we later heard of an Osprey being reported near the bridge but nothing was seen when we returned there after lunch.  Thanks to Bob Olliver for leading us and it was good to see some new members and some familiar faces after the August break.

2 EIDER in eclipse on rocks at Langstone Cliffs. Also WHEATEAR on beach between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish.

Good to see a Kingfisher in the reserve again this morning. The last of the juvenile Canada Geese can fly! I've seen it a couple of times flying the length of the pond. Just needs to pluck up courage to get up and over the trees now. A late evening session for Swallows on Monday only delivered two, but the total for the year is now 366. Also ringed a juvenile Spotted Flycatcher - only the second here.

A Buzzard - presumably one of the breeding pair, was circling above the reserve today calling permanently. As I was leaving, a Kestrel was being given a hard time by a Jackdaw, and when I turned for a better look it had been joined by a Peregrine. They both circled off South. Then as I reached the gate by the river a Sparrowhawk flew North towards the village.

Three Knot, and a mix of Ringed Plover and Dunlin. A Peregrine on one of the sadly derelict Linhays.

Knot

Black-tailed Godwit 27; Bar-tailed Godwit 2; Ringed Plover 3; Redshank 1; Knot 15; Med Gull 3; Dunlin 2.

Penhill Marsh. Grey Heron 47; Little Egret 10.

Bradiford Reserve. Lapwing 1; Teal 16.

At FPC this morning around 9am, a few Ring-necked- Parakeets were showing well, a Wheatear, the first this year in the cemetery (as far as I know) also showing very well and quite undisturbed by my presence, allowing me to take close up shots

  
Wheatear                                                 Wheatear                                     Ring-necked Parakeet

Osprey seen perched and feeding in dead tree, the Tavy Railway Bridge at approx position SX 451 625 at around 12:20.

The reported juvenile Rosy Starling was showing well on a roof top at Torcross this evening, initially flew in as one of a flock of 10 birds and was easy to ID when it flew over at close quarters, by the end of the evening some 400 plus birds were murmarating over the ley and it was difficult to pick it out.

At one point some 300 plus birds on the roof top when flushed by a Sparrow hawk, almost constant passage of Swallows throughout the evening.

Single Cattle Egret in with cattle on the hillside as viewed from the memorial car park.

Black-tailed Godwit 57; Bar-tailed Godwit 2; Knot 4; Little Egret 2 and Grey Heron 2; Med Gull 2.

Penhill Marsh. Grey Heron 38; Little Egret 10.

Bradiford Reserve. Teal 12 and 1 Kingfisher.

A Golden Oriole was found in Millcombe by Rich & Rebecca Taylor around lunchtime today. Further details to follow on the Lundy birds blog.

Was just watching the Spotted Crake at the spot where it's been for a while when a second bird emerged from the reeds nearby 

10.45. Spotted crake & a bar headed goose seen from the hide,. Above white bridge two cattle egrets with the cows.

A good day for wagtails but overall much quieter: 26 Yellow Wagtail, 76 White Wagtail, 12 Pied Wagtail, Ringed Plover, 80 Meadow Pipit, 12 Wheatear, 4 Whitethroat & Willow Warbler.

Message for Steve Cox: Can you let me know where the Lady's Tresses are? robmacklin@outlook.com

Two different juvenile Yellow legged Gulls at Broadsands today and I've included two differnt Lesser Black-backed gulls too below for comparison.

Above:  Yellow-legged Gulls - juveniles rather tatty plumage and plenty of fw scapulars, white headed and belly

Above Lesser Black-backed Gulls - juveniles neater plumage, no sign of any fw scapulars, duskier head, smaller billed, shorter legged, mottled plumage still on belly.

1 found dead at Instow marine camp this  morning.Was on the inside of one of the hangars I'm painting so assuming it got in over the weekend and couldn't get out again poor thing..

A few more pictures from yesterday's trip. The skua sp. seen on the way back in was a dark phase Arctic, in inner primary moult.

  
Great Skua                                Storm Petrel                                      Arctic Skua

East & Middle Soar this am.

250+ H Martin, 50+ Swallow, Swift, 13 Wheatear, 6 Whinchat, 13 Whitethroat, 9 Blackcap, Sedge Warbler, 25+ Yellow Wagtail, 8 Wt & 15+ Pied Wag, Spotted Flycatcher, Redstart, Golden Plover, Reed Bunting

Also 50+ Small Copper, 9 Painted Lady’s & 1 Small Heath

30+ Autumn Ladies Tresses 

Wyrneck,below the pines at Wembury point.

With the current flourish of Ortolan Bunting sightings ( dipped myself on 2 seen at Rame yesterday) and the number of records based on sound recordings, does anyone know what happens to these birds one heard overhead or overnight ?

Finally caught up with it 6.45am Sunday -early bird etc. Link to a bit of video. Lots of Common Starlings.

https://youtu.be/roYGElT8djM

Also seen a Wheatear, a Sedge Warbler, 2 Common Scoter offshore and from the memorial car park 2 Cattle Egrets with cattle in fields afar.

A good bit of vis mig this morning with 140 Swallow, 560 House Martin and 2 Swift all heading east. Also: 5 Ringed Plover, 27 White Wagtail. 26 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Tree Pipit, 20 Meadow Pipit, 2 Whinchat, 14 Wheatear, 11 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 30 Goldfinch & 110 Linnet.

Sunday September 2nd. Walk around Galmpton. There was a 2nd summer Mediterranean Gull on the mud in front of the house at Mill creek, along with the canada geese and black-headed gulls. (thanks Mike Langman). Also a nice Wheatear on one of the Lower Greenway fields.

This morning at the lake,
4 Grey Wagtail 2 adults and 2 Juv, 1 Sedge Warbler,  16 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Wren, 1m Tufted Duck, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Goldfinch.

Spotted Crake again on the Otter estuary this morning between 0720 and 0820, making its way slowly downstream from White Bridge all the way to the bottom viewing platform.

Spotted Crake

Here's some pictures to add to Nigel's earlier post

  
Storm Petrel                                     Great Skua                             Yellow-legged Gull, juv

Apart from the birds, 2 Grey Seals, 3 Harbour Porpoise and 150+ Common Dolphin of all ages. They put on quite a show next  to the boast as we went out.

Common Dolphin, adults and calf

An Ortolan Bunting was seen on Lundy (on the track near Quarters) this morning by Rich Taylor. Further details of this weekend's sightings will be posted in due course on the lundybirds blog.

Sea watching - 06:30 - 12:30: a lot of effort for minimal return, not surprising considering the light winds - 12 Balearic & 6 Manx Shearwaters; 2 Great & 2 Arctic Skuas; 3 Sandwich Terns; with a steady trickle of Kittiwakes. The cetaceans brightened the day: 3 Harbour Porpoise; 20 - 30 Common Dolphin (with young leaping clear of the water!).

The quarry was dead quiet first thing, seemingly devoid even of local birds.

This morning trip started well with a Grey Seal fast asleep on Brixham Marina wave pontoon. Just outside Berry Head sightings of 3 Harbour Porpoise but the best was to come when we reached about 5 miles out with 150+ Common Dolphin around the boat. Adults, young and some very young Dolphins, a fantastic experience. Chummed  at about the 7 miles mark. Birds seen 2 Great Skua, 1 Artic Skua, 1Skua sp, 20 Manx Shearwater, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Storm Petrel, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and in the Harbour area of Brixham White, Pied and Grey Wagtail. We had no Balearic Shearwater. A good trip and I hope some good pictures follow.

Having cleaned the DB Hide on the east bank and carried away another bag of bottles and litter I took a walk up the valley on the west footpath towards the aqueduct where I found two Cattle Egrets with a 200 strong herd of cows.  (Not to be confused with two other smaller herds).  Likely to be the same birds as seen by Chris T yesterday. Probably best seen from the river path.

Lots of small birds in the trees along the 'Little Otter' including several Treecreeper, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and others. 

Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Whitethroats, Grey Wagtail, 47 Yellow Wagtails, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Whinchats and 250 Linnets on a small area of set aside.

2 Catte Egrets on the estuary this evening and then flushed by a Peregrine and lost to view.
No sign of Spotted Crake this evening.

Lundy sightings blog updated with news of an exceptional count of Pied Flycatchers on 31 Aug here.

A single cattle egret amongst the cows, several reed buntings and the usual waders. Greenshanks, black tailed godwits, curlews and common sandpipers at South Efford marsh.

  
Reed Bunting                             Cattle egret                                 Common Sandpiper

From yesterday,

2 Dipper, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Grey Heron, 17 Great Crested Grebe, 1m Tufted Duck, 1 Mute Swan.

Brief seawatch 0730-0830 produced: 25 Balearic Shearwaters, 16 Manx Shearwaters, 6 Arctic Skuas, 3 Great Skuas, 53 Kittiwake, 1 Sandwich Tern, 4 Common Scoter also c.10 Common Dolphins and 1 Harbour Porpoise.

Around the headland and quarry: 7 Chiffchaff, 3 Willow Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat and 1 Grey Wagtail.,