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.

Up to 150 Sand Martins over Horsey Island early evening (18.30) at high tide. Probably all the Sand Martins in the area gathering in one flock just before going into roost. 2 Wheatear at the side of the Toll road on the telephone cables.

Little of note around Exmouth today. Kittiwake and the Ring Necked Parakeet (first time I've seen the Exmouth bird). Some suggestions that it may be nesting proved to be true! Short video here - poor light and distant for my camera.   https://youtu.be/00GsdHMq9wI

 
Kittiwake                          Ring-necked Parakeet

Black-tailed Godwit 24; Shelduck 33; Goosander 2 (1M,2F); Redshank 6; Wigeon 62; Little Egret 6; Greenshank 1.

A first Mediterranean Gull of the year on my patch. A second winter bird. 

At least 90 Sand Martins at pre-roost in the area this evening and at least four, possibly as many as six, Water Pipits.

South Huish: 3 Wheatears toward the back of the marsh today, 1 Black-tailed Godwit & approx 15 Teal.

Bigbury Island, 1-2  Willow Warblers, 7 Chiffchaff

2 wheatears in the Quarry late this morning

Bit of a shock when a Hawfinch landed on the bird feeder scattering the other finches. Stayed for 10 mins then returned 90 mins later! also female Blackcap & singing Chiffchaff.

The first chance to visit my patch in a few days coincided with a heavily overcast morning with patchy clag and light drizzle, interspersed with some brighter dry interludes – perfect for producing a small fall of gounded migrants and some decent visible migration. Totals included: 2 Grey Herons (looming out of the mist and over the cliff tops), 4 Skylarks (very scarce at this site in spring), 7 Sand Martins (all whipping along to the W), 2 Chiffchaffs, 3 Stonechats, 6 Wheatears (a grounded group of 4m & 2f), 52 Meadow Pipits, 9 alba wagtails, 29 Goldfinches & 9 Linnets.

Male Wheatear half way down south side by benches mid morning. Also 2 Chiffchaffs singing.

And to add to Rob's observations: I ringed 10 Chiffchaffs in the reserve this morning, several with classic 'Rhino horns from nectar/pollen in flowers in a more exotic southern location. A few Sand Martins around the reserve late morning. Also ringed a male Grey Wagtail, a male Cetti's Warbler, and a female Brambling - carrying a good covering of fat.

Evidence of several more migrants arriving in N.Devon today with 2 Wheatear at Baggy am & 2 more by the side of the R.Caen pm.

20 - 30 Sand Martins over Wrafton Pond late aft. + several more over R.Caen & Braunton Marshes.

Mid morning, the Marsh Harrier was sitting on the ground at the edge of the lagoon;  2 Egyptian Geese flew in & 3 Gadwall were present.  The Snow Goose was in the first field adjacent to the Swan's Nest.

When at the Warren this morning I checked out issues relating to the (East Devon Branch) fieldtrip planned for Thursday 28 March.  The footpath along the dunes remains closed indefinitely and getting to the hide could be risky at high tide so we will not attempt this and will concentrate on other areas and sea watch.

The two main car parks are no longer taking cash due to theft but take credit and debit cards...however the pay and display machine at the first car park (before the tunnel) does take cash so purchase your ticket there first.  The fee is £2.20 (all-day) until the end of the month when the fee increases!  

Not a lot of birds of note but pleased to see my first 2 Sand Martins and a Cirl Bunting in song.

Powderham produced a distant Wheatear on a horse jump (thanks to Audrey Wolstenholme and friends for finding this for me).

Saltram, on the duck pond the Red-crested pochard has returned and showing well

Red-crested Pochard

Generally quite quiet but: redhead Goosander, female Red-crested Pochard, 7 Mandarin Ducks, Little Grebe, 1 or 2 Green Woodpeckers heard, 2 Stock Doves and 5 Roe Deer.  

Single swallow flew in over the meadow this morning- didnt look like stopping anytime soon!!

Great Crested Grebe pair on the Exe, also Peregrine on the church tower. Brimstone butterfly Wonford Road. 

Grebe video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyICSpKnpAo

Great Crested Grebe         Great Crested Grebe                          Peregrine

32 little egret  in a field next to the Culm in Willand at lunch time.

Tuesday 19 March.  Outing to Instow - Bunting with nesting material (not shown), The same Bunting (Possible Reed Bunting) and a single Buzzard.

Eds - yes, Reed Bunting.

  
Reed Bunting                                                                   Buzzard on Barn roof.

Tuesday 19 March on Instow outing - Oyster catchers more than 2 but less than 500. In the mix were; Turnstones, Knot, Snipe 7 or 8, Wigeon and 2 female Teal, 2 Curlew, 1 Godwit (Far right of image1) see image 2, Grey Plover (Far left of image 1), and some Red Shank. Herons nesting.

Oyster catchers                                 Godwit (croped from Oyster catcher image)             Heron

1 Swallow cruising around in the late afternoon sunshine. My first of the year.

Cetti's Warbler on the towpath and heard but not seen Sedge Warbler on back Railway path, Exminster Marshes.

trio of Harbour Seals today (plus one or two more in the water)

Harbour Seals

A calm sea today with only a few common and lesser black back gulls out over the water. The highlight of my watch was observing 11 common dolphins as they slowly made their way from North to South around Berry Head. The dolphins were too far out to get a good picture but showed well with binoculars. 

5 Chiffchaffs inc.two singing. Still a few migrant Song Thrushes trickling through. Also: 2 Bull finch, 3 Greenfinch, 6 Buzzards.

Near the cannons on the Hoe, a Male & Female type Black Redstart amongst the rocks.

At Captain Jaspers a Great Black-backed Gull (metal ring left leg white ring A4MW on right leg).

Dartford Warblers showing well today on Dartmoor

  
Dartford Warbler

Willow tit vigoursly calling at the feeders this morning. Pleasing to see all six tit species we get here (blue, coal, great, long tailed, marsh and willow) at the feeders recently - most species at the same time is five. First Chiffchaff of the year calling nearby this morning.  Spring (very nearly)!

No Hirundines over or near the reserve this morning. 3/4 Chiffchaffs chasing insects over the pond in the reserve. One Black-tailed Godwit out on the scrape.

On the sea: 2 Red-necked Grebes, 6 Great Crested Grebes - otherwise very quiet.

Nice views of a Woodcock and a vocal Green Woodpecker, late afternoon.

Late aft - 1 smart male Wheatear briefly on the top of the inner Great Bank by the Toll Road + 63 Black tailed Godwits foraging with a few in smart summer plumage..

Very quiet on the Northbrook today - council still working along the path. Kingfisher (pictured) just down from Salmon Pool. Another Kingfisher flew through the back pond at Matford Marshes, also there a Water Rail and Gadwall. No sign of any Cattle Egret behind the storage units today.

  
Kingfisher                      Kingfisher                                              Gadwall

c20 Sand Martin this morning.

First Wheatear, on edge of the airfield at East Soar and a migrant flock of 30 Meadow Pipits above Soar Mill Cove.

Lots (maybe 20) of Sand Martins hawking insects over the reserve this morning, and with them a few (4/5?) Swallows. A few Chiffchaffs were also taking insects at lower level and two were singing. The two Grey Wagtails were back for more, and also of note were 3 Reed Buntings, 2 Gadwall, still 2 Swans. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was again drumming. Tawny Owl called, once! As did a Cetti's Warbler.

A large Dragonfly yesterday afternoon whizzed past the car on Mannamead Road near the Hyde Park. Wouldn't mind betting it was a Vagrant Emperor from the very brief view that I got.

Some signs of real movement for the first time in a couple of weeks, with 170 Meadow Pipits battling W into a still blustery headwind along the clifftops and just offshore at Rillage Point between 06.15 & 08.15. Other passerine migrants included small numbers of Linnets and alba wagtails. Both at Rillage and at Bull Point later in the morning, there was an almost continuous westbound passage of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, following the shoreline.

Pink Footed Goose with Canada Geese from viaduct today.17th March.

3 Swallow + 1 Sand Martin above the pond.

This morning between the showers:-

7 Mandarin, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Bullfinch (f), 1 Marsh tit, 1 Ring necked Parakeet,   1 Great spotted Woodpecker (m) drumming, Magpies and Crows nest building.

11:30 - 12:30 low water.
31x Cormorant on the mid channel sand bank. 1x Greeshank in shallow water right close to the trail (this bird has been around this spot at low water for a month now). 14 Shelduck in Anchor wood field. The usual sprinkling of Curlew and Little egret. Strangely very few Redshank.
Very little on Penhill marsh just 4 Little Egret and 3 Shelduck.

Roadford this am:

at least 14 Brambling with Chaffinch flock on shore of Lake

2 Barnacle Geese

Barnacle Goose

Quick look mid-afternoon, Male Ring-necked Duck ( presumed Slapton bird ), male Scaup, 32 Tufted Ducks, male Pochard, Great Crested Grebe and a Sand Martin.

Nice views of a greenshank and a Great black backed gull with a flounder on the tidal road. At Slapton the odd gannet really close to shore and a raft of about 20 common scoter far out.

Gannet

Greenshank

Great Black-backed Gull

Nice to see an otter this morning outside the Stokeley hide at Slapton. I had a felling it saw me as well

Otter

2 Sandwich Tern flew S this morning

Two Red-necked Grebes at Elbury Cove, Torbay today, with 1 GND. One beginning to develop red neck. 

Wheater on rocks by the Turf. Red legged Partridge by Powderham Church.