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.

While out on my daily walk along the river to Fremington I got close to five Lapwing on the shoreline. However, above the water and about half way between both banks there were at least 100 in flight and more on the sandbanks.  About 20 or so Curlew flew over the path and headed towards the river.  Along Fremington Pill were two Greenshank, loads of Redshank, a couple of Spotted Redshank, two Little Egrets, some Teal, one Glossy Ibis and a Grey Wagtail.

Lapwing

Glossy Ibis

Yellow-Legged Gull again this morning, I presume the Gull directly behind is as well. Also one 2nd Cy on the Tunnels rocks. Hardly any birds out on the sea to be seen except a pair of Goosanders headed up channel again. 

Dittscombe Cross near Slapton six Buzzards in stubble fields just after first light.

At Slapton Ley, Cetti's Warbler calling at both ends of the Ley, hunting Sparrowhawk, the reported drake Ring Necked Duck seen feeding along with the Tufted and six Pochard and several Gadwall, reasonable numbers of Great Crested Grebe.

Around twenty GBBG, four LBBG and one Common Gull.

High light was a flock of some 100 Greenfinch that came in as one flock before splitting up into smaller flocks as they fed and surprised to see a Great Northern Diver on the Ley.

West Charleton WTW a single Swallow, Pied and Grey Wagtail.

South Milton beach ten ringed Plover, two Turnstone, Kingfisher, Little Egret, six Oyster catcher, Rock Pipit well into double figures.

On South Efford Marsh the briefest view of a Bar Headed Goose that came in with the flock of Canada Geese and two feral farmyard geese. Two Dunlin, Black tailed Godwit, Teal and Wigeon

Rock Pipit

Rock Pipit

Firecrest & Great Spotted Woodpecker at Efford Marsh & a redhead Goosander on the Plym Estuary this afternoon.

Geese Quarries - Charleton Marsh ( 12:45-15:45, low tide )

2 Great Northern Divers ( Saltstone ), 7 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Little Grebes, 18 Brent Geese, 29 Pintails, 550+ Golden Plovers, 2 Greenshanks and 2 Rock Pipits.

The tailless Yellow-browed Warbler was again just below the lower weir (easternmost weir) and in a willow over the outlet stream from the lakes.

spent a good 3 hours up around holdstone down this morningand came away fairly dispondant at the lack of birdlife.

thankfully at home in the garden later the day was saved with sparrow, blue and great tits,longtailed tits, female blackcap and male blackbirds.also but not close enough for me to id but i think a goldcrest

4 birds inside Brixham Harbour this afternoon

Once I had refilled the feeders, Finches started to reappear. About 20 Goldfinch the largest flock but several smaller groups of Greenfinch, the occasional Chaffinch and a lone male Bullfinch. 2 Redwings, 2 or 3 Water Rail and as I was leaving a calling Tawny Owl.

Hi, we live in Weare Giffard and this lovely bird appeared in our garden this morning. From its plummage it appeared to be very joung and was not confident in flight.

Peregrine?

One Merlin chasing Meadow Pipits this morning. 

Firecrest, Kingfisher, Blackcap, three Chiffchaffs, 12 Goldcrests, four Grey Wagtails, c.100 Redwings and two Fieldfares around Hackney Marshes this morning.

Brambling over my garden yesterday morning.

Dropped in on Wrafton Pond as I headed home from Ilfracombe and saw the following: Two male Teal; one possible female Teal; two female and one male Sholeler; male and female Gadwell and many of the usual.

Teal

Shoveler M & F

Small party of Stonechats ( 4/5 ) passing through 10.00am. 

Wander around East Soar, wheatear near the airfield and a golden plover flew over, lots of skylarks.

Wheatear

Golden Plover

3 Common Gulls (L. canus) close together on the sand  --  well away from the B-headeds and Herring G's loafing on the rocks.

Also 1  Med G.  adult

Little of note on Blaxton Meadow on this morning's high tide but elsewhere on site: Peregrine, Green Woodpecker, 2 Stonechats, 2 Siskins, 3 redhead Goosanders, 4 Wigeon, Teal, 2 Common Sandpipers, Shag & 3 Roe Deer.

Eric Wotton has asked me to report that the Devon Wildlife Trust hide at South Efford Marsh is now closed.

Up on Dartmoor above Shipley, South Brent this morning, 2000 plus Wood pigeons most dropping down into the Oak woodland between Didworthy and up towards the Dam, Heron, Kestrel, Buzzard, three Raven, 2 Wren, Wagtail sp, still a few Meadow Pips about, 7 Mistle Thrush, 12 Redwing, a handful of Starling and 50 plus Fieldfare.

Grey Wagtail at Lydia bridge.

Eds - please label photos

Quick walk around southern part of marshes found 1 ruff with 6 lapwing, female type marsh harrier, kestrel, 600+ black-tailed godwits, a few brent geese and 30+ wigeon. Overhead a steady passage of small flocks of woodpigeons and one of six redwings.

After finding a Yellow-browed warbler near the Berry Head Hotel with about 20+ Goldcrest and Firecrest, I tried to relocate it for Steph and Rob Murphy only to find a Pallas's Warbler! There was obviously an arrival of Crests today with probably 30+ Goldcrest, 5 Firecrests, 2 Chiffchaffs.

Overhead migration today included 450+ Redwing, 1 Brambling, and 2 Yellowhammer but rather limited movement of Woodpigeon approx 600+, perhaps the oddest were 4 Great Northern Divers >S  over the woods!

Yesterday a tailless Yellow-browed Warbler was by the lower weir at Clennon Lakes also 2 Firecrests and 2 Chiffchaffs.

                                                   Pallas's Warbler Berry Head  photos: Steph Murphy

Snow Bunting at 10.00 on edge of Burrows c100yds west of two seats opposite old recycling centre.

This morning 2 Adult Yellow-legged gulls. Different gulls to previous. One may even be a possible Caspian candidate !

10:02 - 12:46

Crane, Song Thrush, Shelduck, Greenshank, Redshank, Meadow Pipit, Water Rail, GBBG, LBBG, Herring Gull, BH Gull, Snipe, Wren, Teal, Lapwing, Little Grebe, Kingfisher; 36 species in total.

Three Large Pipit sp, almost certainly Richard's Pipits, on Orcombe Point this evening. Unfortunately I'm not sure I can rule out Blyth's Pipit, based on the brevity of sighting and poor photos. Photos and further details on www.gobirdingexmouth.blogspot.co.uk.

 Walked on Woodbury  Common this afternoon  near Four Firs/Gibraltar Stone and watched a Merlin fly low and fast along the path in front Gone too quickly for a photo.

 Migrants this morning were 7Chiffchaffs ,3 Goldcrests and 1 Firecrest. Also present ;4 Redwing and 2 Fieldfares. A m.and f. Gadwall and a m.and f. Teal on the ponds.

1st. Yr. m. Firecrest.

Chiffchaff .

When I first got there I saw 3x Greenshank, 1x Spotted Redshank and at around 13:00 3x Glossy Ibis flew in and pitched adjacent to the two houses.

On a glorious sunny morning, my first Water Rail of the year here, 2 Treecreepers, 4+ Siskins, c20 Redwings, Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtails, Kingfisher, Goosander (redhead), 4 Little Grebes, 6 Greenshanks, Weasel & 3 Roe Deer.

Todays tally inc.1870 Woodpigeon moving east, 2 Black Redstart, 48 Blackbird, 8 Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, 2 Redwing, 6 Buzzard, 33 Goldfinch, Sparrowhawk, 130 Starling, 4 Bullfinch, 32 Robin, 7 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Chiffchaff, 215 Jackdaw NE, migrant Great Spotted Woodpecker, 400 Skylark and a lone Swallow.

This morning at the Lake.

2f Goosander, 3 Willow Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, 6 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Little Grebe, 2m Tufted Duck, 1m Great Spotted Woodpecker, 5 Redwings, 2 Fieldfare, 4 Teal 1m 3f, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorants.

Mistle thrush, 7 fieldfares.

7 goldfinch, 1 siskin feeding on alder cones.

6 redwing, 1 song thrush feeding on haws.

A run up to Exmoor today for the Red deer and a bit of bird watching at Fremington.

Several 50 plus sized flocks of Wood pigeon headed west into Devon.

On leaving Exmoor near Kinsford Hill above North Molton saw a covey of some 30 plus Red Legged Partridge, an estimated 2500 Starling feeding on stubble fields, a Sparrowhawk came in and had a tickle at them and even a Buzzard had a go.

On to Fremington, seven or so Greenshank followed by the reported Spotted Redshank and a short distance further on four Glossy Ibis that totally ignored everyone who stopped to watch them.

On the Braunton side a flock of 100 or so Lapwing came over dropped onto the mud flats, a bit further on a huge number of Lapwing and twice that number of Curlew !!

First seen feeding successfully from a tidal rockpool at the left side of Pill mouth this female Kingfisher then flew to take up a perch on the wooden pilings of the quay from whence it surveyed for more prey...unsuccessfully for the five minutes we observed. The image is taken at about 50 metres range and heavily cropped. 

Female Kingfisher

Four Glossy Ibis today three of which were feeding in close proximity to the Spotted Redshank. I'm no expert but the three looked brown and the one further downriver was definitely black/glossy so is it correct to assume the three are fledglings? Maybe they followed the adult from their birthplace? Also had a Jay collecting acorns from an oak alongside the road. 

Spotted Redshank

Two, query, juvenile Glossy Ibis

Solitary Cattle Egret in with Cattle near the Toll House. Shame about the dozen or so shooters on Sherpa Marsh. 

2 female Goldeneye were a surprise on the lake this afternoon. Also 2 Pochard, 1 Shoveler, 2 Little Grebes, 1 Great Crested Grebe and 6 Mandarins.

After a cold start, a  very productive ringing session: 89 birds ringed, including a male Blackcap, a Cetti's Warbler, a Goldcrest, 2 Redwings, and a host of Tits and Finches. Retraps included 2 GSW and the recent Green Woodpecker, but I failed to catch the Firecrest seen early afternoon. 1 Black-tailed Godwit out on the scrape (3 there yesterday).

Apart from the steady flow of Wood Pigeons watched from the Old Nuclear Bunker flying west from 7.15 to 7.45, 2 large flocks (ca 100 each) were watched later at 11.00 coming in off the sea over the cliffs near at Middle Soar and flying off west.

Late post from yesterday: At Start Point mid morning a f/imm Merlin. Also hundreds of Wood Pigeons flying west.

Brimstone butterfly and Red Admiral and Peacock in garden this morning

Two Black Redstarts still in the quarry late morning.

Two House Martins flew north east over the bridge at about 1330. Also a late Peacock (butterfly not bird!). Felt like summer.

An estimated 30,000 Woodpigeons flew south / west between 07:00 and 08:00 this morning. The majority of birds appeared to follow the coast to Teignmouth then turned inland.

Although the Black Redstart was missed by me it was seen by another birder. Female Blackcap spotted near the chapels, Male Pheasant and Robin also spotted along with a very friendly Pied Wagtail.

Highlights in lovely conditions were: c13,000 Woodpigeons (mainly going south-ish from just after dawn to 10.30), 2+ Ring Ouzels, a Black Redstart & a very late Willow Warbler. Also, 6 Bramblings, 135 Chaffinches (110 over & 25 grounded), 5 Bullfinches, 3 Lesser Redpolls, 7 Siskins, 3 Redwings, Mistle Thrush, 4 Song Thrushes, 3 Chiffchaffs, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Golden Plover, Coal Tit, 2 Grey Wagtails, Hare & 2 Roe Deer.

Major focus this morning on Woodpigeon migration. Watched from 0700 to 1100 hrs from airfield & Bolt Head. All birds heading south or west, most out to sea and final count a monstrous 55,600 and very few Stock Doves.

Also: Starling 50 (30W 20E), Mistle Thrush 2 (migrants), Ring Ouzel, Redwing, Fieldfare, Snipe 2, Golden Plover, Chaffinch 200+, Song Thrush 12, several Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Jackdaw 52NE & 14 Cirl Bunting.

Common Crane drifting over around 12 45

The Grey Phalarope showed well below the Wet Wok restaurant, before swimming around West Hoe Harbour at 10:45, not to be seen again for the rest of the morning. Also there six Turnstones & Kingfisher and in the harbour two Portuguese Men-o-War.  Distantly off Drake's Island at least two Great Northern Divers.

Grey Phalarope

A very late juvenile Red Backed Shrike seen at Prawle, at least 30 Cirl Buntings, 12 Greenfinches, several Chaffinches 20+ Goldfinches, 3 Little Egrets, Oyster Catchers, Gannets and a Sparrow Hawk. Earlier several hundred Wood Pigeons at Halwell flying S.W.

Cirl Bunting

Red Backed Shrike

Got some information back re the 3rd Calender year Caspian Gull on the beach last Friday. It was ringed as a pullus at Mietkow, 20 miles SE of Wroclaw SE Poland on 1st June 2018. It was seen in Holland the following month. From 30/08-13/09/18 it was at Lower Compton Landfill, Wiltshire. The last sighting was at Cottenham, Cambs 10/08 this year.

Highlights of a fairly short visit this afternoon were: 2+ Kingfishers, 6 redhead Goosanders, Little Grebe, Common Sandpiper, 4 Wigeon, ad Mediterranean Gull, 6 Mandarin Ducks, Siskin, Grey Wagtail, c100 Greenfinches (pre-roost) & Moorhens with 2 very small young.

The day's reported Wood pigeon migration also reached South Brent today with several flocks of 50 plus birds coming over headed west.

Redwings and a few Fieldfares also about, the Redwings are now dropping into the garden feeding on hawthorne and holly berries.

Three Raven and Three Stock Dove over head and a soaring Sparrow hawk. Lots of raucous activity from several Jays.

Redwing

Redwing

Not much to report! The Kingfisher appeared a couple of times no photos, the Cetti's warbler calling but not seen, Water rail calling not seen. A Godwit possibly Black-tailed godwit far side of the pond in the field adjacent to Wrafton pond.

Black-tailed Godwit

Robin

Solitary swallow over the car park at about 2.00pm. 

Early this morning a Yellow - b Warbler was the 153rd species for my tiny parish.Also 150 + Redwings, 20+ Fieldfare and the first Wood Pigeon flocks totalling sev 100s. Plymouth Sound : Red - t Diver ,Gt N Diver. Grey Phal. still present.

Vis mig from the airfield 0750 - 0920 hrs - Winds westerly force 4/5.

3170 Woodpigeon SSE

All west: 120 Chaffinch, 17 Starling, 20 Goldfinch, 6 Greenfinch, 34 Jackdaw.

Black Redstart back at Ford Park Cemetery, (I think it's a Juvenile) showing well around the 2 chapels at 10.30am, no Redwings in at the present time

Male and female blackcap together in my garden 

As the light faded nearly 20 Little Egrets along with the 4 Glossy Ibis. 

Glossy Ibis x4

Nearly a 1000 gulls present today. Of note were a Juv Iceland Gull. 1 adult and a 2nd Cy Yellow-legged Gull. Further out 1 Shearwater sp. Young Gannets were coming in too close for the gulls and running the gauntlet ending up in the surf swell. Once up on the rocks the Gulls were giving them a wide berth. 

A Yellow-browed Warbler was 50m down the road from the Wardens Cottage this morning with at least 3 Chiffchaffs, 8 Goldcrests, 7 Blackcaps. in the quarry 4 Black Redstarts,  7-8 Harbour Porpoises and 2 Roe Deer.

4 Purple Sandpipers, 6 Turnstones and 1 Mediterranean Gull (ad) along the Breakwater.

                  Yellow-browed Warbler                                                          Black Redstart

The Grey Phalarope showed very well off Plymouth Hoe (favouring the area between Tinside & the Cofee Shack). Also 3 Great Northern Divers & an adult Kittiwake in the Sound & a Sparrowhawk by the Cattewater.

Later at the Plym Estuary & Saltram: 3 Snipe, 12 Dunlins, 51 Curlews, 4 Wigeon, Little Grebe, c100 Greenfinches (pre-roost), Redwing, 3 Mistle Thrushes & at least 1 Green Woodpecker.  

Grey Phalarope

Grey Phalarope

At home at South Brent today gave a female Blackcap, this being the first female I have seen here in for some time, Raven, Jay, Wren and Redwings.

But today's highlight was a male Brambling this afternoon at the feed station along with about a dozen Chaffinch, it flew off just after I spotted it and despite watching for the next hour or so it failed to show up again.

Finally got to see my first ever Grey Phalarope this afternoon on Plymouth Hoe seafront. Read on here yesterday that there was one in the area. Usually by the time i get anywhere the bird in question has vacated the area. A few other people also managed to get excellent views of this fantastic little bird.

Grey Phalarope

Grey Phalarope

The Upper Lake this morning,

5 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Cormorant, 2 Snipe, 2 Song Thrush, 25 Canada Geese.

Lower Lake.

6 Willow Tit, 3 Marsh Tit, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Jay, 6 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Grey Heron.

......and five Cattle Egret came to roost at 16.50 hrs.

10:08 - 14:30

Four Glossy Ibis; Common Sandpiper; Greenshank; Curlew; Redshank; Kingfisher; Spotted Redshank; Sparrowhawk.

1 Spoonbill feeding off Lower Cleve again this morning. Later around lunchtime 1 Cattle Egret was perched in a tree out of the wind and heavy showers on the west side of the Torridge. 

Vis mig highlights this morning ( 07:10 - 08:40 ) included ( all moving south ) 590 Woodpigeons, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 7 Greenfinches, 66 Siskins, 2 Crossbills, 630 Goldfinches and 610 Chaffinches. Elsewhere c3000 Starlings leaving the Higher Ley roost, Ring-necked Duck middle of Lower Ley and a Purple Sandpiper ( photos ) on the shingle, don't see many here.

Common Sandpiper. Distant shot through the mesh along the side of the new bridge.

Common Sandpiper

For the first time in a while, a rain-free morning. However a howling gale of wind straight in off the sea! 2 or 3 Chaffinches alarming led me to a roosting Tawny Owl, which drifted silently off. A Goldcrest and a Water Rail seen (another heard). Plenty of Green and Chaffinch emptying the feeders. Later on a Long-tailed Tit and a Chiffchaff being blown across the pond. Warm enough for Common Darters to be out and 2 Speckled Woods as well. Out on the scrape lots of Black-headed Gulls and the resident Swans along with Grey Heron and a Little Egret.

Anyone noticed if Coal Tits have had a good breeding season? They seem to outnumber all the other Tit species in my garden by at least 6 - 1. I also have several Nuthatch and a GSW this morning.

4 Glossy Ibis at the pill this morning. 

At Penhill Marsh there were at least 20 Curlew, a couple of Redshank a few Redwings and some Little Egret.  At Fremington Pill there were a good number of Redshank, a Spotted Redshank and a few Mallard.  One Glossy Ibis at the head of the Pill.

Curlew

Redwing

2 Great Northern Divers were just off the beach this morning.

Great Northern Divers

Other than plenty of Ganets little to be seen during a period of sea watch, a Common Gull showed throughout, a couple of GBBG's.

Two Harbour Porpoise and a Red Admiral butterfly that flew out to sea.

Around the quarry two female Black Redstart, three Stonechat, female Bullfinch, several Goldfinch, Wren, two Raven two "lost" racing pigeons in the quarry with a small flock of feral pigeons.

Stonechat

Black Redstart ~ female

1 Firecrest early am, passing through my yard with some Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests.    

Assume this is the lesser yellowlegs seen at South Efford Marsh a few days ago - seen yesterday on the R. Avon below Aveton Gifford hanging about with a greenshank.

A 1w drake scaup was found on the lakes yesterday but still present today. Photo Nigel Street

4 Black Redstarts in the quarry and at least 2 Firecrests in scrub near the navigation beacon.

A Grey Phalarope feeding close in off Tinside Pool this afternoon in the wind and mizzle, mobile between clumps of seaweed and flotsam, one of which contained a Portuguese Man-o-War looking like a pink and blue Cornish Pasty.

Grey Phalarope

10 redshank 1 spotted redshank 15 mallards 2 glossy ibis 1 grey phalarope and 1 curlew.

Good views of a bittern from the bridge, a single swallow flew over, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher and hundreds of finches in flocks of 20ish, Chaffinches, Siskin and Goldfinches.

Bittern

1st Nov at 1000:-- Grey Phalarope.  Busily feeding at the upstream end of the pill on gravel -- water barely covering bird's toes.

Also 6 Dunlin, 1 Greensh, 1Spotted Redshank,  approx 30 Redshanks scattered along both banks

09.45-12.15

Short-eared Owl in off the sea over Hope Cove at 10.45.  Showed well in flight for a couple of minutes before dropping into the central area of scrub.  4 Great Northern Divers, Firecrest, 2 Turnstones, 2 further species of raptor.  Common Dolphin, Grey Seal and a Slow Worm.  

3 purple sandpipers on rocks below Capstone Parade, Ilfracombe

A 75-minute seawatch this morning produced 26 Great Northern Divers, three Red-throated Divers and 14 unidentified divers. More info and photos at teignbirds.blogspot.com

Late post for 31 October. Isley marsh 1 shelduck 2 grey plover 2 curlew 30 teal 10 wigeon. Fremington pill 30 redshank 1 grey phalarope.