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.

Guidelines and links to recording forms can be found here https://www.devonbirds.org/birdwatching/recording/guide_to_record_submission

Please send your records to Karen Sims data.manager@devonbirds.org and any descriptions to Kevin Rylands recorder@devonbirds.org

Best wishes and good birding for 2020

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On Dartmoor yesterday 14 June I saw a number of Siskins, a Nuthatch, male and female Chaffinch and usual Blue tits, Great tits and lots of Swallows.

Female Siskin                                                   Male Siskin

The Spoonbill was still at BGM this lunchtime. Very little else.

I have been keeping a eye on the pontoon where I know at least 3 Swallow nests are, 2 have fledged this morning, 1 set of 4 and another of 5. By the sound of the noisy chicks on the 3rd nest they wont be long to join the rest. The adults finding plenty of food along the canal bank. With the apparent Swallow numbers down this year, its great to see all these fledglings in one place.

Spotted Flycatcher this afternoon on the Otter, downstream from Ottery St Mary, among the newly planted trees. Lovely to see one again.

Took a walk around the hills behind Killerton House thinking it might be a good area for a future fieldtrip.  Found a Spotted Flycatcher in the grounds of Killerton Chapel.  Nuthatch and some woodpeckers (Green and Gt Spotted)elsewhere but generally very few birds for such a varied habitat.  After talking to NT staff I learnt that the entire estate including the extensive woodlands (The Clump, Park Wood Columjohn Wood, The Plains etc are not free access and that unless one is a NT member, you have to pay an admission fee, plus the car park at £2 for two hours (£4 all day).   During my childhood there was a heronry at The Clump but not for many years.

Emailed ML with original photo & noted a crack in the upper mandible which suggests a fracture or breakage due to a possible collision.

I noted this morning that this bird was flying very slowly & while stalling, picking insects from the leaves of shrubs which suggests the growth impairs it's ability to feed in the usual manner so has had to adapt it's feeding behaviour to some extent to allow for this, though the poor bird is obviously struggling to survive.

Stopped off at the pond to have a look on my way along the Tarka trail to  Barnstaple.  4 House Martins & 2 Swallows were foraging within a few metres of the boardwalk .One of the Swallows was so close to where I was standing I had to take a step back to avoid a possible collision.

This one Swallow alighted twice on the handrail at the side of the boardwalk only 2 metres away from where I was standing & rested for some time. My initial assessment was the bird was exhausted or unwell.

Looking at the photos when I got home I noticed it had an abnormal upper mandible. I have not been able to identify what it is. Is it a growth of some sort from an injury or a parasite that has attached itself to the bill?

Good to see at least one pair of Shelduck with 10 juveniles on the north side of the Taw estuary between Chivenor & Barnstaple, but could only find one pair.

Family of 5 nuthatches, and 2 Y Gr. Sp. Woodpeckers being fed in our Gribbleford garden 

Female pied blackbird cormelles court car park area in combemartin. Quite spectacular when she flew with her white wings. Phone camera shot 

After being inspired by my good friend Mark Glanvile who runs “Bristol Swifts” these last couple years I’ve been trying to find out more about the Swifts, Swallows and House Martins that nest around Dawlish. On my evening walk around the center, unfortunately didn’t see the Alpine Swift seen earlier but did see 15 Common Swifts. They seem to be nesting in three main areas and have reclaimed a historic nesting site that wasn’t used last year, the number do seem to be up.

While Swallows do seemed to have disappeared this year, House Martins have found a new nesting site in the new housing development next to Sainsbury’s, 20+ birds here which is a positive sign, the odd thing here is they are only nesting on houses with the white render, don’t know why?

Alpine swift seen over the strand and Brunswick place Dawlish at 4pm with common swifts and house martins 

A Red Kite appeared over Scadson Woods between heavy rain showers at 10.20 hours. Quickly joined by the local Herring Gull population it gained height and headed towards Paignton. First new garden tick for me in a long time !!!

Been off in  foreign parts for a few days (well, Cornwall!) Returned to the reserve yesterday to find what looked like a full set of feathers from an adult Wood Pigeon on the grass. Female Sparrowhawk of perhaps a passing Peregrine?

This morning a Kingfisher perched over the pond (the nearby river being too muddy).

Just before the rains came this evening a sparrowhawk had his dinner in next doors garden - not so good for its prey, a probable sparrow

Cuckoo heard calling briefly in late AM (11:00).

10th June 2019

Seaton Wetlands- 8 Little Egret, Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, 3 Mute Swan, 55 Shelduck, 30 Mallard, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, B-H Gull, Herring Gull, 1 LB-B Gull and GB-B Gull.

Eds: This post has been edited.  Please read the list of rare breeding and vulnerable Devon Birds that should not appear in sighting postings, normally the whole post is deleted.

Two parakeets seen in Rockbeare 5.30 am.

All Wk I've been seeing this handsome brute Great Black Backed Gull and it's mate raiding Ilfracombes roofs of its Herring Gull eggs and chicks.  Manx Shearwaters now passing in good numbers most days. Over at Pottington ind estate among Lesser bb and Herring Gull nesting sites at least 2 pairs of Oystercatchers on nests. 

Great Black-backed Gull                               Whitethroat

Yesterday 8/6 pair of yellowhammers male singing well, possible sighting of young y/hammer.2 white throat males singing,and one very large Raven flying overhead,small group of linnets one male Stonechat.

a good morning for the area.

Highlight of a damp and disappointing couple of hours at CM. Seems to be a male Bullfinch passing food to a female rather than to a juvenile. Display perhaps?

It was nice to see a Puffin with the Guillemots at Ore stone today

2 Tawny Owl Chicks just sitting in a tree in Plymouth

Tawny Owl Chicks

The goosander on the Otter still has 13 of her ducklings.

Spoonbill still eating voraciously

Seen before this mornings high tide were the following.

Med Gull 1st summer in amongst the 41 BHG, Oystercatcher 3, Curlew 1, Green Woodpecker 2, GSW 1, Stock Dove 4, Little Egret 3 & Grey Heron 2.

Spoonbill dropped in about 10:30 and fed voraciously for a couple of hours. Also three Greenshank and two adult Mediterranean Gulls - around 35 species in total