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.

As above, last 2 days in my garden an adult robin feeding 2 young wrens who are perfectly capable of feeding themselves but are not too proud to beg and have suckered he/she into it.

Plenty of seabird activity of late with a flock of feeding Manx Shearwaters regularly c500+. My most notable birds off Ilfracombe in ages this evening were a stunning pair of Pomarine Skuas one with tail spoons rapidly heading down channel. I managed a burst of rubbish record shots of them going into the glare on the sea. A very brief description would be too large to be Arctics and too pale and slender to be Bonxies. At least 6 fairly large Ocean Sunfish today as well. 

On Dartmoor this morning adult and juveniles of Stonechat and Wheatear.

House Martins, Swallow, Goldfinch, Linnet, Skylark, Meadow Pipits, Kestrel, Peregrine, Raven, Pied and Grey Wagtail.

And an evening visitor back home at South Brent

Yesterday at the Lake.

1 Common Sandpiper on the weir, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Willow Tit (one juvenile), 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Heron, 3 Canada Geese plus 7 goslings, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Jay.

Just had my first record for the garden in 50+ years!!!!.On clovelly road Bideford Often wondered why we don't get them as big wood not so far away.Though thinking about it can't remember seeing them there either.

More from my day out.

Female Pintail

Female Pintail

Saturday afternoon, I took to my trotters and walked to the pond to see whether any visitors had popped in.  Some Moorhens all adults, some Coots all adults + one sitting on it nest, loads of Mallard a single Little Grebe and a single female Pintail.   Cetti's Warbler and Sedge Warbles calling and

Coot

Moorhen

Little Grebe

Active evening on the 19th up at Cann woods, despite the gloom, once sun set the singing started, probably over a dozen we heard, had some land in the trees right near the path we stood on and sang, was quite a sight to behold, lots of fly bys around our heads, guessing both male and female flying around. Had some young tawny owls calling from the trees on our walk back to the car

An early start to Cadover Bridge was rewarded with the sighting of a Goosander (f) with 3 Juveniles siting comfortably beside the river Plym just east of the bridge together with a single Common Sandpiper on the other side of the river, until disturbed by the influx a group of people and their dogs! Show over. Moved on to the Shaugh Lakes area, where there were many Reed Buntings (adjacent lead in road), Wheatears with juveniles, Stonechats', Linnets, Sand Martin's,Meadow Pipit's

Blaxton Meadow tonight: Mediterranean Gulls (ad, 2 1st-s & 2 2nd-S) and Curlews (7) gradually increasing. Also 2 Linnets (unusual here) & the Whitethroat still singing away.

Small flock of Egyptian geese, 10 -12 flew downriver  towards Dawlish at 3.15. 4 settled outside Turf Locks pub until 3.30 then flew up river.

Young Whinchat all doing well,Cuckoo,Redpoll,Meadow pipits,Larks,WillowWarbler,Grey Wagtail and Stonechat.

Redpoll

Young Whinchat

Meadow Pipit

This is the second time we have seen a Red Kite flying over Cadbury in Devon. The first time was a year ago. Anyone else seen one in Devon recently?

Walked the forest tracks this morning. As is to be expected in late June, song levels much reduced, with Garden Warbler missing, but Willow Warbler, Mistle Thrush, Tree Pipit, Redpoll, Siskin, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Marsh Tit, Treecreeper, Nuthatch and the commoner Tits and Warblers all contributing their shares, with a highly mobile flock of c15 Crossbills chipping as well (definitely a good year for them). 

c50 Mediterranean Gulls, 2 Kittiwakes and 2 Sandwich Terns on the beach, late afternoon.

Three Mediterranean Gulls on this afternoon’s high tide: adult, 2nd-s & 1st-s. Also Whitethroat, Shelduck with 4 ducklings & 2 Roe Deer.

First returning migrant on the scrape?  A drake Teal this morning. The bird song is becoming less obvious as the month progresses in the reserve, and the rain this morning put paid to any Butterfly/Dragonfly activity too. Grey Heron by the pond again - I hope it hasn't got it's eye on the remaining young Moorhens and Little Grebes! However, several small parties of mostly juvenile Blue and Great Tits buzzing about, as there were around my garden on the north edge of Braunton, along with a family of Pied Wagtails outside my bedroom window this morning.

Thanks to  Gary Boltons post of yesterday, at long I last managed to catch up with a confiding Spotted Flycatcher that I could photograph, as described by Gary the bird can be found in the entrance area to the main hall which is presently closed.

I didn't notice the pellet in the third image until I was going through the pictures.

Great to watch the (much bigger than I thought) seabird colony on the Exmoor coast yesterday. A cacophony of cackles from Guillemots and Razorbills intermixed with the cheerful cry of Kittiwakes . 40-50 kittiwake nests.

3 porpoise offshore (inc small calf)

Razorbills

Razorbill

Kittiwakes

My first evidence this year, of succesful breeding by Green Woodpecker at the Plym Estuary this morning, with 2 juv's. Also at least 25 Stock Doves, Bullfinch, the singing Whitethroat still present, adult Mediterranean Gull, Shelduck now with just 4 ducklings & 21 adult Mandarin Ducks plus 2 small ducklings.

In Plymbridge Woods: adult Pergerine with 4 juv's at the nest site, Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Marsh Tits, Nuthatch with juv's, 4 Grey Wagtails and a Siskin.  

Family of Treecreepers actively feeding on the trees lining the bank. Otherwise very quiet,

One of two Tawny owlets that are becoming daily visitors in the garden, initially food put out for them was ignored but over the last couple of days they have realised that it is an additional food source.

Also good if distant views of a Green Woodpecker this evening, male Siskin on the feeders.

Whitethroat again singing this afternoon; also adult Mediterranean Gull, Peregrine, 6 Roe Deer & 4 Marbled Whites.

behind Roundhouse Cafe on Dartington estate, pair of spotted flycatchers attending nest in ivy around main door to courtyard, probably taking advantage of no visitors as main door is chained shut. 

Spotted Flycatcher

43 Swifts over the area today - arriving or departing or just feeding?? Plus two very early Grey Wagtails in Soar Mill Valley.

While counting swifts over the village last night (16 June), a cuckoo flew over the churchyard and my garden heading south at 20.30hrs. Peak count of swifts at the time was approx 30 with many screaming parties and non-breeders checking out nest boxes. I have been intrigued by the late arrival of swifts at many locations in the county posted on this web site this season. Swifts first seen over Drewsteignton was two on 26 April, five on 27 April but due to wet and windy weather, all went quiet for a few days. Two seen on 2 May, three on 3 May, fourteen on 4 May with five seen entering various nest boxes on our thatched row of cottages. Up to twenty swifts frequently seen most sunny days over the last month but recently increased due to arrival of non breeders. Hatched young first heard 'twittering' last night and again this morning from two nest boxes and discarded eggshell found this morning under two others.

A brief encounter with a Spotted Flycatcher around Merrivale Quarry, just managed to a distant shot

Hobby over the garden today - first one for 3 years; also Grey Wagtail on garden pond, presumably an early failed breeder?

1 male Cuckoo flying east across the Burrows this morning.

Pyramidal Orchid, Marsh Helleborine & Marbled White Butterfly.

Having been confined to Bovey for much of lock-down something of a relief to see my first Swifts (2) this morning over the town. Swallows/House Martins still scarce.

This morning's downpour in Plympton was brightened by this juv Siskin on the feeder.  Haven't seen an adult here for some time so this was a welcome surprise.

Juv Siskin

Juv Siskin

8 Crossbill flew North over Oakland Park at 11.40am

At Deancombe yesterday. Redstarts, Linnets, Chaffinches ,Ravens, Cuckoo, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits,Buzzards. 

Redstart, Chaffinch, Redstart

2 Great crested grebes out on the lake, and a Stock dove on the gournd under the bird feeders (along with a lot of squirrels). Plenty of common blue, azure, blue tailed, large red and red eyed damselflies (the red eyed difficult to see out on the floating algal mats). Dragonflies included emperor, golden ringed  and a skimmer sp.

Very vocal Reed Bunting. Two Mandarin ducks. Several Reed Warblers and Grey Heron. Stone Chat also in some meadow scrub nearby.

Adult Mediterranean Gull, Sparrowhawk, 23 Mandarin Ducks, 5 Marbled Whites & a Roe Deer.

Over the garden, this was what I originally thought was a Hobby.

Kestrel

Kestrel

Around the garden

Blue Tit and Long Tailed Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Hobby (Kestrel)

Pod of c 30 Dolphin just to the East of Hopes Nose, Torbay c 1230 today.

Late post Sunday.Cuckoo

Over the last couple of weeks or so I have been seeing Tawny owlets around the garden, one very small owlet was brought in by a neighbour after they found it in their garage, I had heard owlets calling a couple of evenings earlier.

Over this last week I have seen two owlets close to the house they seem to be attracted to the owlets that I am rearing, yesterday morning I saw one fly into an apple tree in my orchard where it spent the day and this morning one was sat on the rehab aviary before moving up into a tall hazel hedge.

This is the third year of confirmed breeding in the ten years that I have lived here.