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.

The Bar-tailed Godwit

Moving on to Fremington I saw Teal, Redshank, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Egret and the Glossy Ibis. 

Redshank                             Glossy Ibis

Early this afternoon around Wrafton pond were two Kingfishers,  f/Goldeneye, m/Pochard and m/Red-crested Pochard.

Male Red-crested Pochard                    Cormorant                                     Male Pochard

Went for a walk where the river yealm meets the estuary and saw the regular waders, gulls and ducks.There was a green and red shank that seemed inseparable and a flock 50-60 widgeon.

 (m) Red-crested Pochard, (f) Goldeneye and (m) Pochard on Wrafton Pond late this afternoon. 

Red-crested Pochard                              Goldeneye                                           Pochard

Late afternoon:

2 Green sandpiper, 1 Tufted duck, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Mute swan,several Teal,Wigeon,Shoveler,Coot,Cormorant, on the pond.

On the Plym Estuary this morning dodging all the debris flowing down were the following.

9 Goosander (4m & 5f), 5 Red-breasted Mergansers (2m & 3f), 107 Dunlin, 158 Redshank, 41 Turnstone, 6 Greenshank, 44 Curlew, 7 Little Grebe and 40 Shelduck.

Braved the weather with Richard Green today. 2 Pochards and 6 Goldeneyes at Slapton Ley. Around at Beesands Ley the Ring-necked Duck still present. Also 5 Pochards,  26 Tufted Ducks, 3 Gadwalls and 4 Great Crested Grebes. 2 Shelduck put in a brief appearance.

 found sheltering in the beech hedge of the garden this morning.  I briefly saw it a couple of days ago by the pond.

Water Rail

Looked in on Wrafton Pond this morning and saw the two drake Pochard and the female Goldeneye. Also, a bit surprised to see a drake Red-crested Pochard, I looked for the other two, but couldn't find them. In the reserve, a Buzzard again, but no repeat of yesterday's Kingfisher. 17 Teal out on the scrape and 3 Little Egrets nearby.

A couple of hours walking around Stover lake today and I was able to take a few lovely photos.

Male Tufted Duck                                      Great Tit                                     Mandarin Duck

Photo to accompany previous post

Common Snipe _South Huish Marsh - 27.02.2020

A quick look around this patch this afternoon proved productive with 2 Male Pochard and 4 Snipe on Wrafton Pond. 250+ Golden Plover on the great field, a hunting Barn Owl over the same area and the highlight was a male Merlin over Braunton marsh. 20+ Redshank on the Caen Estuary and 4 Little Grebe. 

Amusing, but slightly sad, to see this ill-equipped, Common Snipe trying to land and perch on a fence at South Huish Marsh this afternoon. Local guru Mike P on his informative Thurlestone Bay website has correctly renamed the Marsh as South Huish Lake! It would appear there is a problem with the now submerged outflow, leaving little, if any, reedbed. exposed for the likes of snipe! All the usual birds, as per Mike's website, present including Sparrow Hawk, Kestrel and Buzzard and a nice pair of feeding Stonechat.

Dippers interested in nest sights,pair of Grey Wagtails,pair of Chiffchaff.Spring is springing.

          
                      Chiffchaff                  Dipper                                                      Grey Wagtail

Singing male Chiffchaff at Turf Locks 13:00 today.

The river was running very brown again this morning, and it will probably be the same tomorrow. However it did help to bring the bird of the day into the reserve - A Kingfisher flew across the pond and landed on a perch I had put there by accident recently. It was only when I looked at it later on that I realised it would be perfect for a Kingfisher - this one duly smacked the tiny fish it was carrying a few times before it headed off. Also present: Buzzard, 5 Redwing,1 Song Thrush, most of the usual suspects plus calling Tawny Owl and Cetti's Warbler.

Nearby on Wrafton Pond, 2 drake Pochard.

28 Cirl Buntings, 5 Yellowhammers & 1 Reed Bunting  on seed in 2nd car park at Broadsands this mornig.

Sat on a bench for lunch at Hope cove, really windy. Lots of herring gulls, a couple of ravens passed several times, a kestrel and a few stock doves. Grey seals quite close in on most days.

Herring Gull                                 Jackdaw                                               Raven

c25 Brambling among c250 Chaffinch feeding under beech trees just west of Cator Court (at SX676772) at 12.30pm (26 Feb)

Two Siberian Chiffchaffs still in the marsh behind the main beach also at least 4 collybita Chiffchaffs, 2 Stonechat, 2 Firecrest and 2 Goldcrest.

16 Cirl Buntings and 3 Yellowhammers on seed in the 2nd car park. Two Great Northern Divers off Elberry Headland.

Siberian  tristis Chiffchaff, Broadsands

No rain this morning - and despite the strong wind a ringed Chiffchaff was finding something along the margins of the pond. a Buzzard flew out from the eastern trees. 7 Canada Geese  and a pair of Gadwall on the pond. A pair of Bullfinches on a peanut feeder. A Little Egret out on the scrape where there were also a few Meadow Pipits, which reminds me - there was a Water Pipit in the field outside the gates yesterday.

mear valley exmouth 9 ringneck parakeet

Single Spoonbill foraging on the estuary late afternoon.

The Wigeon are feeding up ready for their departure to their breeding grounds in the spring.

The Lower Lake this morning.

36 Goosander 07:15

Upper Lake.

4 Ring-necked Duck 3m 1f, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 56 Canada, 1m Tufted Duck, 11 Mallard, 3 Cormorants, 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

The Black Redstart is still making daily visits to our garden and to the south side of the turning circle at the end of Hill Close, but only in the mornings up to c.13:00 hours.

On Lundy today. 

1st Winter Glaucous Gull

A rather sad looking Chiffchaff was hunting insects in the reserve this morning. Heard it call but no song yet - not surprised really.  3 Little Egrets out in the surrounding fields.

Water levels making it easy to produce a slippery mud bath everywhere.

Forgot to mention that a Water Rail was singing in the reserve yesterday - NOT just the squeal!

20+ bramblings amongst a large mixed flock foraging alongside the Chudleigh (Old Exeter) road from Haldon car-park this afternoon, including a couple of almost full summer plumage males. Also a group of c10 crossbills flew into bare trees generally south of the car park.

Further to my recent post concerning the East Devon Branch indoor meeting and AGM I must apologise for giving the incorrect information.  The meeting will be held at 19.30 on THURSDAY 5 March and not as I stated 'Monday' 5th!  Thanks.

Scaup seen from the hide this afternoon. No sign of the snow goose or barnacle goose. Several male and female goldeneye viewed from the road looking north to the end of the reservoir. 

In the short spells between each group of children who came down to the pond to feed  the ducks and gulls I managed to capture some photos of male Pochard, female Goldeneye, Gadwall and some Snipe.

M/F Gadwall                                 Two  Male Pochard                             Two of six Snipe

River Culm, Willand: 70 little egret, 3 cattle egret, in large field before Bradfield corner, 4.00-4.15pm.

North Hill, Broadhembury: flock of c.170-200 linnet by gorse patch at edge of Gliding Club field, 5.00pm.  

Yet another great Cruise this afternoon with several highlights unfolding as we made our way up towards Topsham. Everyone was invited to find the Slavonian Grebe around the Cockwood area but the bird was found further towards Starcross where it was fishing with a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers a pair of Great Crested Grebe and two female and a male Golden Eye, what a great little sighting. Several Turnstone has also been seen is this area during the last couple of cruises but today the visitors were treated to 120+ Turnstone feeding together a little further north. 6 Greenshank were seen together near the River Kenn. Several Grey Heron were seen at their nesting site on Powderham Estate and the first of the Avocets were seen near the Clyst confluence. Good numbers of Curlew were seen throughout. Another highlight for the visitors, Bar-tailed Godwits were in very good numbers with at least 150+ seen close to the boat in two groups. Great Crested Grebe were seen in both winter and summer plumage. The confirmed Common Seal was on a sandbar near the Clyst confluence and Black-tailed Godwits were first seen in good number with over 300+ and seen all along the channel to Topsham. In the fields at Powderham Marsh 300+ Dark Bellied Brent Geese were seen feeding and on the estuary mud both sides of the channel were good numbers of Dunlin, Knot and Grey Plover. Always fantastic to see the smart little Sanderling, 6+ was seen opposite Turf Lock. On the Exminster side of the channel 300+ Golden Plover were seen roosting. As we entered Topsham waters good numbers of Redshank and again a few Teal were seen on the edge of the river. The final highlight was 100+ Black-tailed Godwit several in their breeding plumage flew very close the boat which is always a privilege to see.

120+ Turnstone                                   Sanderling                              Bar-tailed Godwit

Along the Exe Estuary at Topsham this afternoon, three Goldeneye (2M&1F) two pairs of Red Breasted Merganser, a pair of Black Swan, numerous Redshank and a few Curlew.

A male brambling amongst the skittish mobile chaffinch flock inside the fort.

The Slavonian Grebe was close to 3 Goldeneye (1 drake) and several Red-breasted Mergansers and Great Crested Grebes off Cockwood. Several Greenshanks and Avocets were around Powderham and 30+ Pintail off Lympstone. Masses of Black-tailed Godwits (some getting breeding plumage) and 15 Ringed Plovers were on the mud at Turf, and c800 Golden Plover roosting nearby. Grey Plovers, Knots and a surprising number of Sanderlings (10-15?) were seen on the way to Topsham, with masses of Dunlin, Redshank and both godwits and a fair scattering of Avocets (100+?) for good measure. A Harbour Seal was hauled out near Lympstone and a Grey Seal likewise off Dawlish Warren.

Today is a first for me, a or the Fremington Glossy Ibis roosting with six Little Egrets in a tree at the head of the Pill. Poor quality photo taken in heavy drizzle. Glossy Ibis in bottom left corner of the photo.

Little Egret and Glossy Ibis

From 5.25pm this evening 45 plus Ring Necked Parakeets flew into their roost trees along Saltash Road opposite the station car park-much to the delight of some football fans after the Argyle match today. One blue morph seen plus hybrids.

Arriving at Crow point mid morning there were a number of curlew in the fields,  and a kestral on the hunt. Along the shoreline there were dunlin, oystercatchers, cormorant shelduck and a redshank. As it was low tide in the centre of the estuary were a couple of little egret. 

Curlew                              redshank                                                         Kestrel

Synchronised Goosander roost count at dawn on 21 Feb at five Dartmoor reservoirs produced a total of 55 (including 22 ad males). This was slightly up on previous totals this winter, but reflects a decline in the number now roosting on Dartmoor reservoirs which peaked at 119 in 2010/11. The 55 comprised 24 at Avon Dam, four at Burrator and Meldon, 11 at Fernworthy and 12 at Venford. All gone by 0730. Earlier in the month, 125 were found roosting on non-Dartmoor sites.