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.

This morning 0700 at Plymbridge a pair of Goosanders and a solitary male Mandarin duck. Pied and Grey wagtails, Jays,  Song thrushes, Blackbirds, Nuthatches, Blue, Great and Coal tits, G.S. Woodpeckers.   Several Skylarks and a pair of Canada Geese over Boringdon Golf course.

Goosanders and Mandarin duck at Plymbridge

8.20 a.m. - flock of exactly 15 fieldfare over Canal Hill, Tiverton (heading north).

A walk out onto the moors above South Brent to Glasscombe Corner this afternoon gave Swallows, Meadow Pipits, Stonechat, Skylark, Linnet, Kestrel, Raven, Buzzard, an adult and a juvenile GBBG, the highlight being two male Wheatears my first of the year.

Back at home the would be Italian Sparrow sp back on the feeders, no doubt inspired by the cooler conditions, late afternoon wing slapping Wood pigeons on their nest caught my attention in time to see both birds doing their level best to wing beat off an immature female Sparrowhawk that was raiding their nest, despite their determined efforts it made off with a squab.

In the garden today were the usual minageri dunnocks,wrens, numerous blue tits,  sparrows, goldfinch blackbirds, and stars of the garden today were greenfinch and a singular long-tailed tit. Overhead circling buzzards and the area sparrow hawk flew over late afternoon. Multitudes of butterfly including alittle blue one that was to fast to capture on camera. 

Greenfinch                                     Long-tailed tit                           Orange tipped butterfly.

Late aft bike ride to Saunton & back. 6 Swallows overhead.

Walked the towpath to Turf and back this morning. Of note:

- a Grasshopper Warbler singing from the tidal reeds just South of the motorway. That makes four heard in three years for me after a gap of at least a decade;

- a Willow Warbler at Countesswear which several times started its normal descending song, but then switched to a slightly stumbling "chiff-chaff". There was a piece about this in BB a couple of years ago, which I think concluded that the fall in Willow numbers in Southern Britain was prompting some males to learn the Chiffchaff''s song, as it is better for their genes to produce hybrid young rather than none;

- Sedge Warblers are now well into double figures and have been joined by two or three Reeds, making for a seven-warbler day;

- two Mallard broods, of three and twelve;

- a final group of four Brent Geese in the estuary off Turf;

- perhaps six Swallows and thirty Sand Martins, but no House yet;

- last week's Avocets and Gadwall have gone, and only one (Common) Ringed Plover was left on the new scrapes;

- a Weasel ran across the cycle track near the viewing platform.

Someone was asking on Twitter whether Greenfinch numbers were increasing? Last spring I was getting 3-4 Greenfinches at a time; this spring it has been 5-6 on the feeders - so it looks like there is a recovery of sorts.

Nigel Smallbones recorded  today; still 9 Purple Sandpiper on the Breakwater this morning and two Great Northern Divers.

Great Northern Divers

Eds: could all contributors please use the title box for all sightings posts for the site (in full name) so readers know where it is and label the photos with the species name.

Blackcap, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, a loving pair of Magpies and a squirrel hanging upside down on the bird feeders. Other wildlife, Female and Male Orange tips, small & large whites, Holly blues M & F

A fine weather walk to the Tamar gave sightings of 2 Shelduck, a Little egret, 6 Singing Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, a flyover Kestrel and a distant Buzzard, on the way home 2 male Blackcap chasing an agitated female, and a pair of Grey Wagtails catching flies. Speckled wood, Small white, Orange tip and Holly blue butterflies also seen.

About 25 Sand Martins half a dozen House Martins and a Swallow between the pond and the scrape this morning one each of Sedge and Reed Warblers in the nearby Sherpa Marsh reed-bed (both unseen)

Cattle Egret by the scrape this morning.

Poor record shot

1030 to 1130.  A loose restless flock of 20 -30 Linnets singing and calling

Also Chiffchaffs, Stonechats, Robins, Dunnock, Wren, Thrush, B'bird, Blue and Great Tits.  Stock Dove on farm building. Rock Pipit near stream's mouth.

Late news from Saturday 11th April.

Red Kite over our house at 3.50pm flying north.

Still no Swallows or House Martins seen.

W/P bird on sea, In Boat cove, seen from bedroom window in Oakland park

I'll not bore you with the entire reply that I received from  Norway but it appears the Redshank has been spotted and reported by a number of Devon birders over the last couple of years or so. The reply also had the email addresses of the reporters. I have hidden part of the email addresses to preserve their owners privacy.

I hope you Will see earlier reports about the Redshank. 

Kjell

The Norwegian Common Redshank-project, c/o Kjell Mork Soot,

Hareidsvegen 234,N-6060 Hareid, Norway                                                                                                                        Hareid, Norway 27.01.2020

Robert Jutsum, UK  (Email:rob.jutsum@***********)

Thank you very much for taking the time to report to us details of the sighting of a flagged  Common Redshank (Tringa totanus). Information about this bird and its movement is given below:

Ring no : Stavanger 7218391 Orange flag HAE ( Left tarsus : metal ring . Left tibia: yellow colour ring.   Right tibia: orange flag  engraved with three black letters HAE). LAY:LBM:RAON(HAE) F

Age/sex /biometric: 2K + ( hatched 2016 or before ). Wing 168 mm. Weight 158 g.

Ringing date: 09.09.2017, 18 hrs.

Ringing place: Revtangen (58*45'11''N-005*29'24''E) (Revtangen Ornithological Station), Klepp, Rogaland, Norway. Caught in walk-in-trap.  Ringer:  Håvard Husebø / Revtangen OS

Finding date: 22.10.2017 Observed: Fremington Pill (51*04'31''N-004*07'11''W) Taw Estuary, Devon, England.

Distance : 1049 km SSW. Direction: 220 deg. Time: 0-1-18  (1 month-18 days  after ringing.). Remarks : Photo documented by Phil Naylor. Distinct photo.

Finding date: 15.11.2017

Observed: Fremington Pill (51*04'31''N-004*07'11''W) Taw Estuary, Devon, England.

Distance : 1049 km SSW. Direction: 220 deg. Time: 0-2-6  (2 month-6 days after ringing.).

Remarks : Observed by Norman Briden. Reported by Chris Dee.

Finding date: 26.03.2018

Observed: Fremington Pill (51*04'31''N-004*07'11''W) Taw Estuary, Devon, England.

Distance : 1049 km SSW. Direction: 220 deg. Time: 0-6-17 (6 months-17 days  after ringing.).

Remarks : Photo documented  by Jan Whittington. Reported by Tim Davis.

Finding date: 03.12.2018

Observed: Fremington Pill (51*04'31''N-004*07'11''W) Taw Estuary, Devon, England.

Distance : 1049 km SSW. Direction: 220 deg. Time: 0-6-17 (6 months-17 days  after ringing.).

Remarks : Observed by Edward Stubbings,

(Email: edwardstubbings************)

Finding date: 21.11.2019, 13:00 hrs.

Observed: Fremington Pill (51*04'31''N-004*07'11''W) Taw Estuary, Devon, England.

Distance : 1049 km SSW. Direction: 220 deg. Time: 2-2-12  (2 years-2

months-12 days  after ringing.).

Remarks : Photo documented by Phil  & Sue  Naylor. Distinct photo.

 Finding date: 21.01.2020, - hrs.

Observed: Fremington Pill (51*04'31''N-004*07'11''W) Taw Estuary, Devon, England.

Distance : 1049 km SSW. Direction: 220 deg. Time: 2-4-12  (2 years-4 months-12 days  after ringing.).

Remarks : Photo documented by Robert Jutsum, email:rob.jutsum@***********

 The list and information goes on and on.

One female pied flycatcher this afternoon.

Cuckoo heard then seen flying up toward Cairn this pm.

My lockdown list has got a bit stale in the last few days, but was brightened no end by a Canary ( domesticated) landing on the chair beside me in the garden. It stayed for all of ten seconds then flew west.

continued

 
Speckled wood                                           Willow Warbler

Eds:  question the Willow Warbler.. The leg colour,  dark bill, prominent lower eye ring, weak supercilium, wing length dumpy bodied and long tailed jizz would all suggest this is a Chiffchaff..

My morning walk today proved fruitful. My route from Roundswell, through Anchor wood, along the river to fremington quay, Fremington Pill and along the main road back to Roundswell. On route, sightings - 1 common gull in a group of 6 or 7 Shelduck , around 30 Shelduck in various sized groups, 5 Curlew, 1 Cormorant, 2 Greater Black-backed gulls, 2 Little Egret, (Penhill point). 2 Willow Warblers,1 Great tit and a Blackbird and 1 Orange-tip Butterfly (Fremington quay). 2 Swallows (my first of the year at Fremington Pill).  Heard - 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow  Warbler, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Blue tit, 1 Blackcap, 2 Dunnock, 4 Wrens and 2 Speckled wood Butterflies at various points along the route.

  
Shelduck and Common gull                                   Orange-tip                        Willow Warbler

A small selection of common spring moths from last night.

Early Grey.                       Common Quaker                           A richly coloured Red Chestnut

It is around 14 years since I heard a Whitethroat sing from the Devon hedge along the back of my flat, which used to be a regular springtime thing. This afternoon (13 April) I was checking the hawthorns when a 'sparrow' didn't look quite right. When it briefly broke the cover of emerging leaves, it clearly had a white throat. I am not familiar with the lesser whitethroat so I came straight in and compared the two species online. It had very quietly uttered some subsong, so from that and the size and browner colours I am pretty sure this was a Common Whitethroat

Red Kite drifted over our house in the strong easterly wind at Dunkeswell around lunchtime. The first we have seen here after 14 years living here.

A noisy Grey-lag Goose was on the scrape this morning, and 3 House Martins over the reserve.- first this year.

Early morning walk to Plymbridge where there was a solitary female Goosander on the river. Lots of Blackcaps singing and Jays, Nuthatches, Magpies G.S. Woodpecker, Song thrush, Blue and Great tits, Wrens Robins and Dunnocks in the surrounding woods. A Kestrel and Sparrowhawk at Hilltops. Lots of Skylarks over Boringdon golf course and a fleeting glimpse of a hen Wheatear, my first of the year.

Largest lockdown list from garden today ! 36 species in total with one new addition being a calling Willow Tit.(First sighting in over six years at this location). Also local House Martins finally on site. No Red kite today but did see one of the four reported in the area yesterday afternoon.

Finally 5 sallows at Saunton golf club while walking on the bridal path by the large golf club reservoir and 1 flew over our house on pixie lane. Also saw stonechat, skylarks, buzzards, Renault wheatear and a adder

At 11.30 am this morning a Red Kite flew low over our house through the village.

A walk along the edge of Dartmoor above South Brent first thing this morning, five Raven, a male Blackcap and a Willow Warbler disputing ownership of a sought after perch, Meadow Pipit and Skylark in good numbers, Green Woodpecker calling, a male Reed Bunting and several Yellow Hammer, Stonechat with female gathering nesting material, flyover Heron,  a year tick with a female Redpoll and a buck Roe deer.

The first Cuckoos are being reported above the village but they evaded my efforts this morning.

Back at home my usually vocal Green Woodpecker pair have become rather quiet but can be seen periodically around their nest site tree, male Blackcap singing well and back on his previous nesting territory, GSWP, several pairs of House Sparrows busy around the nest boxes and the would be Italian Sparrow showed up today having been notable by his absence for the last couple of days, possibly simply missing him around the feeders which being much quieter are not be given as much attention.

Dunnock nest in the garden predated by Magpies.

Female Peregrine buzzing a soaring Buzzard over Brent Hill. Yesterday afternoon an immature female Sparrow hawk crashed into the garden hedge in full pursuit of a fleeing male Blackbird, how on earth it didn't come to serious harm is beyond me, during the night a Barn owl calling towards the A38 and at least four Tawny owls calling away.

A Red Kite over the house again today the second in two days.  Drifted over at 16.00 hrs going north.  I just happened to look up as it passed overhead so another lucky sighing! Todays was an hour later than yesterday.

A Single bird drifting north over Kingsteignton at 1345hrs

Cycled out to Berry Head - brief look off the top of the headland produced a raft of over 300 Manx Shearwaters (originally estimated at 200+) see video here https://youtu.be/nfUagyLij1U . Also on site singing and displaying Whitethroat, Willow Warbler a pair of Swallows the Guillemot colony looking busy with all the ledges crammed full - no Kittiwakes today. My first two Wall butterflys of the spring were right at the end of the head and a few white Rock Rose'e just begining to flower.

Heard passing Dawlish 07:35 this a.m.  One of my favourite sounds.

Small, about a foot long, and very brightly coloured grass snake moving through the vegetation on bank of Scratchyface Lane.

 At 17.00 in ploughed field opposite my house . A local patch first .

what a lockdown record . Poor record shots on thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk 

A beautiful male Redstart, no photo, will have another look tomorrow. 

4 Red Kites (not all seen by me) north over Chelston today - 2 at 11.50am, 1 at 2.40pm and 1 at 2.55pm- also 1 Swallow north and 4 House Martins.

Red Kite drifted over moving east.  Spotted by Caroline Stevens and Pete

Red Kite over house at height at 2.45pm, drifting north towards Whimple.  2 local Buzzards in sky at same time. Made a little excitement and a contrast to painting the house! 

12.05pm Red Kite flying North East over Teignmouth 

A Pied Flycatcher singing nicely this morning, the first of the year here.

1 Common Whitethroat in hedgerow along Saunton Road & another at Downend + 1 male Wheatear. Cycled from Braunton.

At last - minimum of 3 reed warblers heard in Higher Ley, not in full song but enough to advertise their presence.

Common Sandpiper again between the Toll house and Marstage Farm. 3 Wheatears down near the estuary. Family of 12 Mallard ducklings on the main pool at Sherpa. No Hirundines again.

Sue and I have continued our walks around the southern part of Chudleigh, yesterday reaching 52 species of birds, 11 mammals, 3 herpetiles (Slow-worm and Palmate and Smooth Newts in our garden), 11 butterflies and 2 dragonflies (first Large Red Damselfly emerged on the 8th and a large Emperor larva in our pond). Best among the birds lately have been a pair of Goosanders circling near the Teign yesterday, Tawny Owl, the first Swallow on the 7th, a good arrival of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, a newly-fledged Robin on 9th and a pair of Linnets (now rare locally).

Mammals have been boosted by evening walks with bat detectors, so we've located Greater and Lesser Horseshoes, Noctule, Daubenton's and Common and Soprano Pipistrelles, as well as 4 Rabbits (rare locally), 3 Roe Deer, Fox, Hedgehog and Grey Squirrel. We've also put out some 'Dormouse tubes', so we're hoping to confirm that they're still around. Butterflies have included the commoner species, including a few Holly Blues and a nice hatching of Orange-tips (first egg found on Lady's Smock yesterday). Several Dark-edge Bee-flies and a several mining bees that I haven't put names to yet have added to the interest. We haven't got around to compiling a plant list yet, but the last few weeks have seen wonderful displays of Primroses, Wild Daffodils and Wood Anemones, with lots more species now bursting on the scene. It was good to see the parasitic Toothwort flowering in the woods, where Wych Elms are starting to flower and the leaves of Small-leaved Limes are showing bright yellow-green. It's a lovely time of year!

Flower Crab Spider                                Large Red Damselfly                            Dark-edged Bee-fly

First time I've witnessed a Bee-fly flicking it's eggs into a Solitary bees nest. You can see the eggs at the back of the Bee-fly. First she would have covered them in mud to give them some weight.

 
Bombylius major                           Bombylius major

Around and near the garden

Walnut Orb Spider    Common Lizard (earliest seen)          Roe Deer

A fledgling blackbird on allotment this evening. Also a Holly Blue and a Brimstone butterfly.

A white zebra finch landed on my patio earlier.

out on my daily walk lots of bird life around today female Blackcap 2 Bullfinch 6 Goldfinch 2 Yellowhammer 8 Skylark 2 Chiffchaff 4 Swallow 1 Stock Dove 2Jay 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Kestrel 2 Buzzard and 7 Wheatear in a newly ploughed field plus all the usual birds. Also 1 female Roe deer in garden first thing this morning 

Four ring necked parakeets around our  garden in Wonford. seen off by nesting crows 19.00 to approx19.30.

10 Willow Warblers, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap, small flocks of Linnet Stonechat,Meadow Pipits,Pied Wagtail," Greenfinch,2,Goldfinch2,Wheatear 1male 1female.

Willow Warbler.                                                    Blackcap                            Chiffchaff.

Easterly wind so the expected arrival came around midday with another 39 Common Buzzards moving NE, bringing the running total to 266 migrants so far since late March. Still no Kites though!

Also today: 3 Sparrowhawks, Raven, 2 Swallows & 2 House Martins. In the pond our first ever Grass Snake plus a toad getting out of the way! First Holly Blue.

Walked again around Sherpa Marsh this morning - very quiet - best was a migrant Common Sandpiper on the Pill between Velator and Marstage Farm. Once again a lone Oystercatcher by the ponds..

In the reserve 8 Butterfly species: Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Orange-tip.

Just seen 8 house martins over the Village, one swallow near the church looking like it’s planning to stay, mating mallard in the garden pond and female blackbird carrying worms into next doors garden. The robin is still on the nest and mating blue tits too. Feels like it is all kicking off!

I've been watching the Wood Pigeon nest in the trees about 20 meters from my bedroom window  since they were sat on the eggs.  Here are the chicks about 3 weeks old , I think.

A very fresh Yellow Barred Brindle.  Quite early for this species.

Yellow Barred Brindle .

Osprey drifting north this morning at 11.20am,

Cycled out to Saunton this morning for daily exercise routine.

15 'alba' Wagtails (Continental race) seen on passage.

Red Kite

Just doing a bit of gardening in Laira & 2 Red Kites have just gone overhead towards Marsh Mills.

Still 3 goldeneye on the Ley - 2 males, 1 female. Small groups of swallows now regularly appearing, house martins in the village, procession of willow warblers in ley side trees.

I've just seen the post about Ring-Necked Parakeets earlier in the week. I saw them over Marsh Barton on Wednesday, c6pm.

4 House Martins over the town, early pm.

Swallow right on the Devon Cornwall border hawking along the Tamar. Out working delivering shopping. Plenty of Orange tips and Brimstones around the nearby lanes too.

Excellent views of a pristine Painted Lady at Musbury yesterday.Must have come in on these southerly winds. Sorry - no photo. 

Male Pied Flycatcher seen at 13:00 hours

1 singing Whitethroat am,1 Swallow pm over the house.

An Adult Fm.  Marsh Harrier quartering low over the reeds between Torcross and the middle car park this evening. Presumably the bird reported by Graham over the HigherLey onTuesday evening.

While out observing the 'pink super moon' last night from 2215 to 2235 a Spotted Crake was very clearly audible and not too distant, presumably in the bottom of the valley in front of the house in wet/marshy streamside habitat.

No doubt a singing migrant and unlikely to hang around but I will listen out later and get a recording if still present and calling.

Osprey at 3.30 pm then flew towards Topsham, What I presume is the Slavonian grebe in its third week at the Turf and several swallows visiting last year's nesting sites.

1 Red Kite over Paignton at 11-15am. another over about an hour later

Perfect conditions today and did not disappoint with 57 Common Buzzards moving generally NE between 11:10 & 16:20hrs - running total now 227 - there is something to be said for a lockdown. Our house is at the head of the valley above Slapton and the buzzards use the thermals created to gain height before moving off. The gulls do it too! Bout time I had a stork!

Also today: Garden Warbler (garden tick), Sparrowhawk, 2 Swallow, Starling (rare here) & 3 House Martin.

A pair of Goosander a Dipper and a Swallow at Plymbridge this morning at 0700. Yesterday  morning  disturbed a Little Egret and a Dipper on the Tory brook at Peacock Meadow.also Raven overfly

Please note, the bird hide at Dawlish Warren nature reserve is closed until further notice, and birders should not be making special journeys by car to visit the reserve (as some still are). Thanks for your cooperation and stay safe!

Wimbrel heard this morning on R.Caen & a good fall of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler & Blackcap in Braunton Burrows (The Toll Road & Sandy Lane car park is closed until further notice so do not turn up in the car as there is nowhere to park)

If you want to hear the bird song I'm afraid you have to leg it!

Photo 1:- R.Caen at high tide (10.1m) taken from Crossbanks.

Photo 2:- Horsey at high tide. 

Photo 3:- Orange tip m taken on 07/04/2020

Woodmouse with a taste for suet pellets making an early start on the ground feeder this morning. 2 Swallows flew over on 6th and a single on the 7th April

Woodmouse

Lovely to see 4 swallows. My first of the year. Shoveller and shelduck. Blackcap. Was that a Cettis I heard ? Also  a magnificent hare !

Osprey being harassed by gulls over Heavitree are of Exeter heading north

Fantastic garden tick

Early this morning a pair of Sparrowhawk circling over the garden. Just now c.10.45 a Red Kite flew north over the garden. Not nearly the pandemonium that the Osprey caused last week.

During our daily walk this morning, we saw four ring-necked parakeets flying together over Ducke's Marsh, Exeter, towards the A38, south easterly direction. Unmistakable, but no photo could be taken.

Quick walk in the woods this morning lots of bird activity new birds to my widey list included nuthatch .coal tit .. 2 parakeets in the tree tops..also good to see great tits taking nesting material to one of my nest boxes 

Swallows have just arrived - in and out of the garage this morning. Great to see them back.

Male Pied Wagtail in trees lining Feather bed lane at 13:00 hours

Red kite flying north about 4.00pm.

On a local cycle ride, exercising our thigh muscles (!) whilst keeping our distance from other cyclists on the trail, we managed to see most of the early Summer migrants we had hoped for, including Reed Warbler, and Swallow by the entrance path to the RSPB Exminster Marshes Reserve-which is CLOSED, Sedge Warbler by the cycle trail and several singing Willow Warblers. There was also a Black-tailed Godwit in full summer plumage by the scrapes and a Green Sandpiper flew up nearby. Several pairs of Shelduck appeared to be starting courtship displays and a small flock of Wigeon and Teal were also by the shallow marsh area near the entrance road.  A Whimbrel was calling from the Estuary on our return route.  It was a superb sunny afternoon and we had a total of 52 species between Powderham and the marshes.

16 more Buzzards NE today but probably missed  a load as had to do a food drop to our elderly in-laws at Modbury. Running total now 170.  Did get Red Kite on way back though!! Also 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers in garden.

2 Red Kites over Paignton at 5 pm heading north.

Red Kite over Ambrosia in Tinhay 16:50

Walked down to Sherpa Marsh this morning, more in hope than expectation, but surprised to hear and then see a Reed Warbler and also hear but not see a Sedge Warbler. Another Sedge was singing (again unseen) in the reserve.

On our now regular evening walk up the brook, the 7:15pm Dipper showed up exactly on time.  Only a little further upstream a Sparrowhawk was standing on its very recent kill, as yet unplucked.  We were worried that it could have been the Dipper's mate, but were relieved to see it was a Blackbird.  On the return at 8:50 the Dipper was still there, as were a few Daubenton's and Pipistrelle bats in the daylight.

The 16 Sandwich Terns that came off passage into Plymouth on the 5th have all departed today. A dearth of passerine migrants during this same period is unaltered expect for 5 Willow Warblers and 2 Sedge Warblers being the sole obviously new arrivals at Jennycliff.

A walk round my home fields this morning gave GSWP, Green Woodpecker, pair of Blackcap, Chiffchaff , two Stock Dove over, Song Thrush in full song, possible Willow Warbler (on call) and a pair of Bullfinch.

A cycle ride down to Ivybridge and back gave a Red Kite high over the centre of Ivybridge slowly drifting towards Plymouth. From the state of its tail almost certainly the same bird recently seen at South Brent, given the height and poor light it could easily be mistaken for a Black Kite.

At Bittaford a Chiffchaff and Song Thrush, Blackcap and Chiffchaff at Wrangaton.

On coming back into South Brent a pair of Swallow chasing each other over Exeter Road, the first village Swallows for me this year.

Seen at 10:56am over Ivybridge thermalling with the gulls. Same bird with a worn tail seen over South Brent.

Red Kite flew east past garden at 09:45

8 Fieldfares over 10am

Early evening walk, 1 adult female marsh harrier over the Higher Ley. Straining ears for reed warbler but no luck yet - usually one or two in by now.

Cycled around great field yesterday. Saw  several Buzzards, kestrel, Sparrow hawk, barn owl and on the Cane 2 Common Turns-and heard 3 Cetti’s warblers as well as the usual’s

Nice to see 5 swallows fly in, 2 shellducks circling the bay and chiffchaffs in the hedge opposite the garden.

Shelduck               Chiffchaff

From the garden at Hope cove Lots of Sandwich terns diving in for sandeels. A few stock doves flying around and a Kestrel chased across the bay by the gulls

Kestrel                           Sandwich Tern                                 Stock Dove