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.

A fock of 30 or so lapwing between Chillaton and Lifton

kestrel hunting on green between elberry and Broadsands around noon.

yesterday, at elberry after swimming, 2 bees (honeybee type) landed and rested on my yellow swimming cap lying on a rock

The female Goldeneye still around on the falling tide this morning (north end); also, 5 Goosanders (drake + 4 redheads), 2 Great Northern Divers, 6 Mandarin ducks (3 pairs), 8 Wigeon (4 pairs), 14 Snipe, Jack Snipe, Kingfisher, 4 Shags, Great Crested Grebe, 6 Greenshanks, 42 Turnstones, Sparrowhawk & 8 Roe Deer.

Male Scaup on the lake at Decoy Country Park this morning. Also 29 Tufted Ducks, and Firecrest in the woods.

Bird feeding , 30/12/19 around 11.45 a.m. at upper end of pill. GR SS517327  Weather: sunny with light wind.  It has, more usually, been seen (by me, at least) around the outfall, lower down the pill.  

The Goldeneye was my 106th species of the year here (thanks Martin). Additions to his sightings: Common Sandpiper 2, Lapwing, Firecrest, Stock Dove 2, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Mandarin 4 (2 pairs).

A Cattle Egret in fields N of White Bridge this afternoon just south of the Aqueduct. At least 4 Red-throated Divers off Otterton STW and a Black Redstart in fields just west of Brandy Head.

On this mornings high tide, the following were seen.

Gt N Diver 3, Goldeneye (f), Goosander 5 (3m),  Gt Crested Grebe and Little Grebe 8. On Blaxton Meadow, Curlew 93, Dunlin 209, Redshank 143, Greenshank 3, Wigeon 8 (4prs) and Common Gull 4.

47 Common Scoters + 1 Red throated Diver at Baggy Point this morning.

At Croyde Bay 6 Mediterranean Gull, 98 BH Gull, 3 Common Gull & 11 Oystercatchers.

Black Redstart that Martin Thorne reported last week near the Landmark,plus 2 Blackcap,4 Goldfinch and all the locals enjoying the sun.Woolacombe dunes turned up a flock of well over 200 Linnets.

Black Redstart

Linnet

My first visit to Brixham breakwater, saw my first ever Purple Sandpipers. Also good views of Great Northern Divers, Gannets, Turnstones and a solitary Guillemot. 

Purple Sandpiper

Guillemot

Gannet

Firecrest. Among c.50 Tuffed duck,the ad male R / n duck.

Highlight 3 Cattle Egrets mobile around area, first seen Stokeley Bay, later by Ireland Bay. Black-necked Grebe still present. Also 2 Gadwalls, Wigeon, 7 Goldeneyes ( 3m ) and 3 Pochards. c600 Herring Gulls and c300 Black-headed Gulls including one with a full hood. Nice view of an Otter out from the Stokeley Hide. The sea is deathly quiet, just a single Red-throated Diver off the monument.

Breakwater 10am today:

31 Purple Sandpiper

approx 450 Dunlin,

4 Knot

1 Grey Plover

plus one porpoise nearby

Dunlin Turnstone Knot

Dunlin

9 Purple Sandpiper at end of Pier at lunchtime 

4 great northern diver, yesterday offshore

Atmospheric sunset backdrop to starlings returning to roost at Okehampton Camp yesterday evening. Must have been 5 or 6000 I guess although could be more- a tricky thing to assess I find. 

Long Billed Dowitcher seen this morning  plus a Ruff ,  Curlew, Redshank and Lapwing. Usual ducks in large numbers including Pintail, Shoveler , Tufted, Pochard ,Wigeon and Teal. 

A large flock of Black Tailed Godwits approximately 750 flew into Marsh and a good number had rings visible. 

Flyover included a pair of Egyptian Geese and various sized flocks  of Brent Geese.

Early pm. The Eurasian Bittern , standing in its classic pose was seen to the left of the reed bed for about 5 minutes before it flew up and disappeared into the reed bed. 

Along with a few other people looking for seo's, nothing much was seen other than stonechat m+f, buzzards pheasant, starlings and flocks of golden plover. 

Golden Plover.

90+ Redwing in the fields with the sheep plus at least 4 Fieldfare seen.

Passage House, Kingsteignton ~ 200 plus Black Headed Gull one carrying a yellow DARVIC type ring but unable to get any details, a smaller number of Herring Gull and a handful of Greater Black Backs, two Little Grebe, six Avocet (the first that I have seen at this location) a Common Sandpiper, nine Lapwing, two Little Egret, Oyster Catcher, four Mute Swan and a mishmash of domestic / hybrid geese including the Chinese and Greylag hybrids.

Cockwood steps ~ Dozens of Oyster Catcher in the roadside fields, Red Breasted Merganser, Great Crested Grebe, Shag, Cormorant, Brent and Canada Geese, Curlew, Turnstone, Redshank, Greater Black Back Gull, Nuthatch  and a fly past Sparrow hawk.

Starcross Golf Course ~ 69 Curlew, Redshank, Lapwing, 150 plus Brent Geese and a solitary Pied Wagtail.

On the flood meadow by the science lab, numerous Wigeon, a smaller number of Teal, three Little Egret, a Heron, Redshank and 20 plus Curlew.

Exminster Marsh ~ Egyptian Goose in with the Canada goose flock, a low flying Buzzard flushed a small flock of Starling and Redshank, moments later a female Peregrine flushed a flock of Curlew and then had a serious attempt at taking an evading bird but missed, a Cetti's Warbler calling well.

A379 Labrador Bay a flock of 10 plus Common Scoter, one great Northern Diver and a pair of Raven.

On this afternoon's low tide: Great Northern Diver, 2 Goosanders (redheads), 52 Turnstones, Jack Snipe, Grey Wagtail & Chiffchaff.

Greeted by a Kestrel that flew over and hovered alongside the car park, during the next couple of hours also saw 3 other Raptors, a Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon that put up both Lapwing and Golden Plover, and a Marsh Harrier. Disturbed a Grey Heron on the footpath. Also observed, Little Egret, Curlew, hundreds of Canada Geese and Wigeon, plus Teal, Shelduck, Mallard. Several Cetti's Warblers were heard in the reeds along the path and by the screen hide.

In the bay 5 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Little Grebes, 23 Brent Geese, 26 Pintails and 40 Curlews. On the marsh 50 Teals, 30 Snipes, 3 Water Rails and 3 Cirl Buntings. Grey Wagtail and Firecrest in the sewage works.

1 Male Hawfinch, 15 Crossbill(song and display flight) 1 Brambling seen on the Butterfly Walk this morning. 5G TV

The Lower Lake this morning.

4 Ring-necked Duck 3m 1f, 19 Goosander 9m 10f, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Willow Tit, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Gold Crest, 

Extremely mild & little about so best was:  winter peak of 1220 Skylark, 40 Cirl Bunting, 11 Yellowhammer, 30 Magpie, 24 Canada Goose, 230 Jackdaw, Goldcrest & Grey Wagtail.

Nothing much on the lake, 2 Kingfishers seen, plenty of Little Grebes and a Cormorant Species

Eds - this appears to be a sinensis Cormorant.

Up to three Blackcap in our garden over Christmas (2f and 1m)

Blackcap

At 1015 a Great White Egret flew SW over wet field at EA Lab. also 900+ Black-tailedGodwit, 20 Curlew, 30+ Redshank, 14 Greenshank, 20 Teal and 57 Wigeon there.

21 Cattle Egrets on northern slope at Cockwood amongst cattle again. 

Chiffchaff at Northam Burrows on Christmas Day GR SS 44707 31349 Sorry for the late posting.  I'm sure it will hang around a while!

Only had time for a hours visit, quite productive with the following seen. Goosander 4 (3m), 2 Red-breasted Merganser (1m), Goldeneye (f), 9 Little Grebe, 68 Curlew, c210 Dunlin, 112 Redshank, 1 Greenshank and 2 Common Sandpiper.

This afternon a Great Northern Diver was feeding in the shallows close off the breakwater. I scrambled round the rocks left of Newberry beach to get a better photo but the GND had moved further off towards Broadsands, where it looked like it might roost overnight. While there I scanned the Bay from Backrock to Camels eye and had c 3 Red-throated Divers.  

This afternoon's Stuart Lines cruise experienced very large numbers of waders on the mudbanks in the upper part of the estuary. In particular, there were well over 1000 Black-tailed Godwits, maybe 750 Golden Plover, many hundreds of Lapwing, Dunlin, 300+ Avocets, with smaller numbers of Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Knot and Sanderling. 3 Greenshank were at Powderham, where c20 Avocets were feeding. A Great Northern Diver flew out of the estuary past Warren Point. There were good numbers of Great Crested Grebes (20?), Shags (30?) and Brent Geese. About 80 Pintail were off Lympstone Barracks.

1 skua in early morning gloom. I would suspect a Pomarine given the time of year but would welcome a diagnosis from the eds. (if poss, given v poor pic) Eds: yes an adult winter Pomarine Skua

45+ Common nDolphins in 4 pods from Brixham Breakwater to 2 miles off Berry Head

4 Harbour Porpoises off Berry Head

Pom/Arctic Skua

Common Dolphins

Marine Parade, Preston, a count of 40 Turnstone, good numbers of Oyster Catcher, 2 GBBG, Little Egret, a large number of Herring Gull on the rocks, two trawlers were working close inshore and they were attracting a considerable number of gulls, two large gull rafts off of Paignton included Greater Black Back, Lesser Black Back, Kittiwake and Common Gull as well as numerous Herring Gull.

Brixham, breakwater much as Richie Moores earlier post, a count of 19 Great Northern Diver, a single Guillemot, a distant pod of Porpoise along with good numbers of Gannet, Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, several Shag, Greater Black Back Gull, Kittiwake and one Seal.

Lots of great northern divers in the bay with a few really close in the harbour, at least 5 purple sandpipers with a few turnstones

Great Northern Diver

Purple Sandpiper

Turnstone

12.00-15.00

At least 10 Great Northern Divers, 2 Red-throated Divers (together in Hope Cove), Great Crested Grebe, 20 Common Scoters. Numerous Gannets, Guillemots (including an oiled individual) and Fulmars.  1 Razorbill in Hope Cove.  2 Stonechats, Rock Pipit, Raven and a Song Thrush.  A showy Firecrest with a Goldcrest in the separate clumps of bushes off the main track inland from the quarry.  3 Grey Seals and 2-3 Dolphin sp jumping in the far distance. 

Cattle moved, Egrets gone from Cockwood valley today. 

Best birds this morning were a couple of Water Rails, one squealing the other pop-pop-popping away in deep cover. Best non-bird sighting was the first Primrose this winter.

Late post - 26 Dec 2019

On the pond 1st W male Scaup & the female Goldeneye still present but no sign of the male yesterday lunchtime.

21+ Cattle Egrets & 7 Little Egrets feeding with cattle on the northern slope of valley. 

3+ Jack Snipe, 2 Snipe, Stock Dove, 8 Wigeon (4 pairs), 6 Little Grebes, Sparrowhawk, Chiffchaff, Stonechat & 4 Roe deer.

Around 60 ringneck parakeet

Black redstart from Berryhead today

Black Redstart

Female Black Redstart on the lighthouse buildings and opposite bushes today, early afternoon along with Dolphin pod.

Christmas Chiffchaff in the reserve this morning, (and another in my garden later on). Also 3 Mallard (nest prospecting?) a Water Rail calling, otherwise quiet, but pleasant not to have a howling gale and rain.

Merry Christmas all!

Surprise Christmas present of a ring-tail Hen Harrier today at Heckwood Tor above the Walkham Valley woods

Brilliant close views of Great Northern Diver in the harbour at Brixham. Lots of Gannets really close in, great to see and a couple of purple sandpipers. Merry Christmas to everyone.

Gannet                           Great Northern Diver                                          Purple Sandpiper

A Goosander count this morning at 07:50

 27 Goosander 11m 16f

Merry Christmas

A relatively brief visit on the low tide: 5 Jack Snipe, Snipe, 2 Stock Doves (my first here for some time), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff & 2 Shags.

This morning:

82 Snipe, 4 Avocet, 1 Common sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Buzzard.

A visit to the traditional roost site at Longdown had a minimum of 9 birds leaving the forest between 0800hrs and 0900hrs. Unfortunately this is on a private estate but it shows birds are in the area. Also 5 Crossbill. 

Now is the time to see crests, lots of goldcrests flitting about at Slapton and South Milton and the odd firecrest

Goldcrest

Goldcrest

I carried out my monthly WEBs survey this morning (Monday 23 December) and was delighted with the diversity of species found there. Here is the list: Gulls - BH, Common, GBB & LBB; Redshank, Curlew, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Goosander, Red Breasted Merganser, GC Grebe, Dunlin, Mallard, Snipe, Greenshank, Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Buzzard, Great Northern Diver. A very rewarding morning on a low to rising tide.

As previous post, Long Billed Dowitcher and Scaup showed well. Quick look at the point car park, Teignmouth seafront, five Great Northern Divers.

1 First Winter male Scaup on the pond.

10.50-11.50

The Long-billed Dowitcher showed well from the hide.  Male and female Scaup also close by. 

Later, on the way home, at least 21 Crossbills together near an area of clearfell below the old raptor watchpoint at Haldon.  2 Sparrowhawks, including a male hunting at the feeders near the main car park! 

Black Redstart on the tor and in wood 2 Firecrest, 4 Goldcrest, Treecreeper, male Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Jay & 4+ Bullfinch.

A nice surprise in Combe this morning while checking through the Gulls not one, not two but 3 Juv Iceland Gulls on the boating lake. The third Gull was very small like a diminutive Herring Gull so possibly a Iceland Herring Gull hybrid. Nice to get a photo as I missed an near adult Iceland Gull behind Lantern Hill last Sunday. Several Black Redstarts have recently arrived behind the Landmark as well. 

Juv Iceland Gull

Eds: Fantastic! In your text - Iceland x Herring Gull is not a likely cross, not sure I can find reference to any hybrid Iceland Herring Gull - Glaucous cross regularly with Herring Gull but they would not be 'diminutive', so not sure what the bird might have been

At low tide near the rail bridge were 5 Avocet & a Spotted Redshank.

Lots of Chiffchaffs feeding on the flies at South Milton and a few Goldcrests

Chiffchaff

Highlight of this afternoon's WeBS count for Starcross to Dawlish Warren was a large number of Snipe in the Spartina saltmarsh behind the Warren Gold Course. A very high tide pushed them to concentrate in less flooded areas. My best counts suggested 285, the most I've seen there since a similar number in December 1993. It was odd to see flocks of up to 50 flying around like 'proper' waders! As I left, c200 were crowded together in one small area on the estuary edge of the saltmarsh (see images).

Showing nicely in reasonable light on the incoming tide and distancing itself from the commoners today at Fremington Pill was the currently resident Spotted Redshank.  Also seen was the Glossy Ibis. A surprise was spotting the Kingfisher fly up to, and settle briefly,  on the overhead powerlines just up river from the iron bridge near the Pill mouth! 

Spotted Redshank                                   Kingfisher on powerlines

11:04 - 12:35

Long-billed Dowitcher showed very well as did the Scaup; also present Curlew along with a good collection of duck (Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Pochard, Shoveler, Shelduck, Mallard). Two buzzard in tree.

All the usual suspects present in good numbers this morning, with today's bonus birds being two Egyptian Geese on the new scrape and three, possibly four, Bearded Tits at Topsham Lock, feeding close to the jetty.

Peregrine falcon circling over the Torbay ring road near Marldon just after 08.15hrs this morning, over the town a flock of 60 plus feral pigeons seen circling low over the town, moments later another Peregrine came into view no doubt interested in the pigeons.

Off of Livermead three Mute Swan and a Heron on the shore line rocks.

Marine Parade, Preston, not less than 38 Turnstone, 12 Oyster Catcher, 2 GBBG, 35+ Black Headed Gull, 12 Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, 2 distant Common Scoter flew in from the Torquay side and landed out on the sea, even further offshore plenty of Gannet activity and a couple of sightings of a single Porpoise.

Whilst there a gent came up with his phone on which was an image taken yesterday of an almost pure white Blackbird taken on the headland, no doubt the same leucistic bird that has been subject of previous posts.

Broadsands car parks, 2 Pied Wagtail, 8+ Cirl Bunting, male Yellow Hammer, numerous House Sparrow, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Robin, Sparrow hawk, 11 Long Tailed Tit.  The Sparrow hawk followed by a drone being flown in the carpark soon cleared all the bird life from the vicinity..

Off the coast 2 Great Northern Diver, 2 Great Crested Grebe (the 12 off of Marine Drive could be seen in the distance) 3 Common Gull, Little Egret, well out to sea lots of Gannet and Cormorant activity.

Just outside of Paignton from the A385 a hovering Kestrel.

Lots of Gannets diving in at Slapton and a Kestrel hovering near the carpark at South Huish marsh

  
Kestrel

Gannet