Happy New Year to all

Devon Birds is grateful to all observers who submit records. Please can you submit your 2021 records before the 31st January for inclusion in the Devon Bird Report (DBR). Records submitted to Birdtrack or EBird are already shared with the Society, but for any others please send them to Data.manager@DevonBirds.org 

Please submit any descriptions of Devon rarities to Recorder@DevonBirds.org 

Reporting forms can be downloaded from Devon Birds Record Forms 

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.

 Good views despite the drizzle of 4 Glossy Ibis and  the Spotted Redshank at  Fremington Pill North Devon on Saturday. Same area plenty of Black-tailed Godwit Redshank and Greenshank with with Widgeon on the river. A pair of Roe Deer finished off a pleasant walk. Report of all 4 Glossy Ibis and Spot Red still there today

Glossy Ibis

Spotted Redshank

Green sandpiper at Hole Marsh 

Today around lunchtime I spotted a female Blackcap on a bush near the Army gateway to the beach.  Got a very poor quality photo.

Female Blackcap

Flocks of winter thrushes in the orchard behind the Court included 10+ fieldfare, 2+ redwing, blackbirds, mistle thrush. Also a kestrel, female sparrowhwak, jays, linnets and bullfinch.

Fieldfare

Sparrowhawk, female

On the falling tide, this morning: 4 Lapwings, drake Goosander, 12 Wigeon, 2 Common Sandpipers, Little Grebe, ad-w Mediterranean Gull, 2 Grey Wagtails, Great Spotted Woodpecker & 2 Red Admirals.

Yesterday, at Efford Marsh, an obliging Dipper, Marsh Tit & Grey Wagtail.

Single Black Redstart on the new Berry Head Park estate. Quite mobile, flitting across the rooftops. Noted Friday 19th.

I have now returned to Hungary but it was encouraging that over 30 Hawfinches were recorded in their traditional areas in the Longdown area. Most of the birds are actve on private estate land and  the Hornbeam food source this year is large and widespread.. 

Roy Adams Hungarian Bird Tours 

7 Whooper swans- 2 adult 5 juv. Flew up from river at 9:30flying south. Also Pectoral sandpiper seen at end of tidal road.

Eds - Presumably refers to South Efford Marsh

The Pectoral Sandpiper and Water Pipit still present this morning and showing well. This afternoon at Slapton, 2 Great Northern Diver, 1 Common Scoter and several Shag on the sea, and my first Snow Bunting on the shingle.

A flock of 40 plus Crossbill at Haldon forest park today, Jay, numerous sightings of GSWP, Raven, Mistle Thrush, Siskin, high light was a Merlin.

16 Fallow deer all hinds inc two pure white specimens.

Common Crossbill

Common Crossbill

Scanned from the seawall for 45 mins this morning. Results were 5+ G N Diver, 2 R-t Diver, 20+ G-c Grebe, 2 Common Scoter, 2 Razorbills and a Guillemot.

At lunchtime, walked up the lanes inland from Starcross and eventually got a distant view of the dairy herd. Maximum Cattle Egret count over 5 sweeps was 52. 

4x  Great Northern Diver, 2x Slavonian Grebe and 5 x Common scoter offshore this afternoon

Firecrest in gardens in Compass Drive again.

Record shot of Firecrest

This morning at the Lower Lake.

5f Goosander, 2 Willow Tit, 1 Marsh Tit, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Nuthatch, 1 Tawny Owl, 4 Coot, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 1m Gadwall, 1 Wren, 2 Goldcrest, 4m Tufted Duck, 

10 Goosander this morning. Pity that this area will eventually be opened to the public

As always plenty to see on these cruises with DB Brent Geese and Widgeon now seen throughout the estuary. Good numbers of Godwits from Lympstone to Topsham with increasing numbers of Dunlin. Avocets are always great to see with 2-300 from Clyst confluence to Topsham. Highlights were the 40+ Great Crested Grebe flock off the Clyst Confluence (the most I've seen on the Exe) and the 1000+ Golden Plover roost north on Turf lock.  

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Yesterday (Thursday 18) while in Sidbury this Kestrel was seen perched on a electricity pole across a field from the country lane that I was driving along. 

Kestrel

A few Gannets and gulls offshore. My first Great Northern Diver of the 'season' also.

Snow Bunting still close to Memorial car park today around 1:00 pm andRing necked duck still at Beesands Ley at 2:00pm today

Hawfinches 2, Crossbills, Siskins ,Chaffinches, Blue, Great, Coal and L.T. Tits, Goldcrests, Raven, Crows, Jays, Magpies, W. Pigeons, Dunnock, Wren, Redwing, Sparrowhawk,  Buzzard 

Common Crossbill

Common Crossbill

Meadow, Rock and Water Pipits, Pectoral Sandpiper, Mallards, Wigeon, Teal, Moorhen, Canada Geese, Little Egret, Med. Gull, Snipe, Redwing, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Buzzards, Kestrel

Pectoral Sandpiper

Snipe

Female firecrest in bushes and trees along footpath behind the club around 1pm

A flock of 30 crossbill between the rangers station and butterfly trail pylons. 5 hawfinch in butterfly trail pylon area.

09:44 - 11:03

Confiding male Snow Bunting and Cetti’s Warbler were the highlights.

At dawn, 34 Golden Plover resting at the top of the down. First birds on the deck I've seen on the down. Normally just a flyover species.

The 4 Glossy Ibis still at the Pill , 08.00 this morning.

A rather handsome bird showed well yesterday afternoon at the southern end of the Memorial car park, between the sand and the path. The bird was relaxed enough to come to within 10 meters and with a big lens I was able to bag some good record shots. How I saw it when I arrived I will never know as it was very well camouflaged on the sand. This meant I was able to point it out to a couple who had travelled and spent some time searching for it.

1 Merlin late afternoon fast overhead, having a go at a Meadow Pipit then heading on over the valley towards Bench Tor.

A concentrated bunting search turned up 71 Cirl Bunting, 128 Yellowhammer & Reed Bunting. Also: Woodcock, 22 Teal, 48 Meadow Pipit, 65 Stock Dove, 390 Starling, Mistle Thrush heading north, Redwing, 15 Jackdaw E & 104 Goldfinch.

Non-avian: 6 Sika stags, 17 Row Deer & 2 Red Admirals.

Interestingly the birds changed their food source today to Hornbeam seed. Hornbeam seed crop is very good in this woodland this year. Numbers similar to yesterday (32 birds). 

Today I dropped into Wrafton pond were there were at least two dead Swans. One male & female Shoveler, one Little Grebe and three Wigeon one male and two female. 

One dead Swan

Male Shoveler

Little of note today, but 2 Siskins, 2 Stonechats, Sparrowhawk & 2 shags around; and - despite the tide not being fully up - birds on Blaxton Meadow included 48 Curlews, 20 Wigeon, 9 Greenshanks & 16 Dunlins. Also, 7 Roe Deer.

A brief morning walk round the forest looking for Hawfinches...unsuccessfully but rewarded with distant views of these lovely Crossbills.

Common Crossbills

Common Crossbill

5f Goosander, 1m Gadwall, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 3m Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Willow Tit.

11:45 am two Glossy Ibis joined the one already in the Pill, by the wildlifearea outfall, making three....so far 

Three Glossy Ibis at Fremington Pill

This morning ; 1 Spotted Redshank , 2 Greenshanks , 1 Sparrowhawk m , 1 Kingfisher , 1 Common Sandpiper , 130 + Balck-tailed Godwits & 4 Glossy Ibis. 

Firecrest in bushes near Berry Head Farm.

Several sightings throughout the day between 11:00 and 15:30 ranging from below the pylons and the clearing off the Butterfly Walk. Largest group was five, with other groups of two and three. Always distant and in dull conditions. Record shots only. Redpolls also active.there.

Hawfinch

Hand held phone scope

We saw an excellent range of species on today's Stuart Line cruise, including an estuary record(?) of at least 38 Great Crested Grebes, (37 together off Exton!) and a Short-eared Owl overhead there later. A Spotted Redshank was at Topsham, plus large roosting flocks of Golden Plover and Lapwing, many godwits, Dunlins and Avocets feeding, and smaller numbers of Knot. A Mediterranean Gull was off Powderham and both Grey and Harbour Seals were hauled out. Not to be outdone, pairs of Black Swans (Exton) and Egyptian Geese (Topsham) represented the feral brigade. Mike Langman takes the credit for finding several of the good birds, including one of the male Black Redstarts among the sailing boats at Exmouth.

This afternoon at Fremington Pill - spotted redshank, 2 glossy ibis and dozens of black-tailed godwits still present

Black-tailed Godwit

2 Hawfinch still by pylons near Butterfly Walk at1.55pm- earlier 5 had been seen 

A relatively brief check on this afternoon's high tide produced: 6 Goosanders, 17 Mandarin Ducks, 17 Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Greenshanks & c50 Pied Wagtails. 

Late news from yesterday: ringing was the best this autumn so far with 56 birds ringed, mainly Finches with 14 Green, 9 Gold 4 Chaff and one Bull. Plus 6 Blackbird 3 Redwing and a Song Thrush, 2 GSW, 4 Chiffchaff, plus the third Jay of the autumn! I'm sure there are more in there too. Best bird was a Woodcock, which flew out early and missed the nets.

Today it seemed very busy - 30+ each of Gold and Greenfinch, 4 smart male Bullfinch, at least 2 Water Rails, a very close female Marsh Harrier, 2 Jays, 4 Chiffs. Nearby a pair of Stonechats, Little Egret and Grey Heron. Raven and Kestrel over. Kingfisher zoomed over the pond. Dipper and Grey Wagtail in the river.

A mixed flock of 300 finches feeding on the bird mix….mainly Chaffinch but also Brambling,Goldfinch,Greenfinch and Bullfinch……..observed by 2 Buzzards and a female Sparrow Hawk. The field until recently grazed by cattle attracted 60 Starling,50 Fieldfare, 35 Redwing,25 Meadow Pipits And 6 Pied Wagtails…….the benefits of not using anthelmintics clearly visible!

Just a brief visit this morning at low tide. Birds of note included Dipper, Kingfisher, Goosander 2 (M&F), Wigeon 4, Grey Wagtail, Kestrel, a pair of Stonechats and 30+ Siskin. A total of 50 species seen.

Further to the post from John Reeves I visited Escot this morning to reconnoitre for a coming East Devon Branch field walk.

The marshy enclosure near the car park produced Goldcrest while marshy ground in the valley produced a pair of Stonechat.  The Millenium Orchard gave me a dozen Fieldfare and a small flock of LT Tit while over head a flock of c20 Redwing flew west. The field north of the orchard contained 8 Buzzard and c40 Lapwing some Pied Wagtails and Herring Gulls. For some reason this area attracts birds.

Note the road from Fairmile to Escot is open although signs suggest the road is closed.

25 Hawfinches this morning at Darnaford (Longdown) with a further 7 closer to Longdown village. 

Grey Wagtail yesterday afternoon within the fort itself.

Lower Tamar Lake this morning.

6 Goosander 2m 4f (09:00), 1 Willow Tit, 3 Marsh Tit, 3 Cormorant, 6m Tufted Duck, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 3 Jay, 3 Nuthatch, 1 Snipe 1, 1 Moorhen, 2 Coot, 1 Grey Wagtail.

A walk through Escot Park to the apple orchard to the north saw a number of Fieldfares and Redwings feeding on the apples Also amongst the 3 or 4 Buzzards in the area, this striking pale morph individual came close. 

This morning Teal, Little Egrets, Snipe, Stonechats, Meadow Pipits, Starlings, Goldfinches, Oystercatchers, Buzzard, the Pectoral Sandpiper and a Water Pipit....my thanks to Mike Passman for locating it.

Pectoral Sandpiper

Water Pipit

At lunchtime on the marsh were three Spoonbills, one definitely a juvenile, the others I couldn't tell, and in the estuary were a G-c Grebe, unusual here I think, several hundred Lapwings and over a hundred Shelducks.

Later at Fremington were two Ibis, a Little Grebe and over a hundred Blackwits, but no Spotted Redshank alas.

Finally, just below the bypass at Barnstaple, and the highlight for me, were seven Goosanders, making seventy spp. for the day.

Mid morning, 1Brent,large flock of Golden Plover, 20 ish Lapwing, 2 Snow Bunting, 2Dunlin and a small flock of Larks. 

My first Black Redstart (male) popped up this afternoon, whilst filming waterbirds.

Black Redstart (male) (front)

Black Redstart (male) (back)

Male Black Redstart this afternoon

First winter farmland bird count in benign conditions and surprisingly good numbers: 111 Yellowhammer, 630 Skylark, 75 Chaffinch, 180 Goldfinch, 30 Linnet, 360 Starling, 5 Redwing, 40 Blackbird, 36 Stock Dove, 350 Woodpigeon, Golden Plover, 28 Meadow Pipit, 3 Bullfinch & 22 Teal.

Again some unusually strong visible migration (for this far into Nov) yesterday and today. Notable totals:

Chaffinch 1,765 (14th) & 561 (15th); Siskin 80 (14th) & 212 (15th); Brambling 19 (14th) & 6 (15th), Woodpigeon 804 (14th). Almost all the Chaffinches and Siskins moving E or SE into what little wind there was. Majority of Woodpigeons heading W. Highest counts of other species (mostly 14th): 284 Starling, 59 Redwing, 68 Meadow Pipit, 3 alba wagtail, 30 Linnet, 6 Greenfinch, 18 Goldfinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll. Small numbers of grounded thrushes and Goldcrests in the scrub.

Ring- necked duck, Black swan, and 3 Cattle egrets in island trees from Beesands hide. 2 pm today.

07.30-10am: Overhead earlier on: 430 Wood Pigeon, 51 Stock Dove, 36 Starling, 47 Chaffinch, 7 Brambling, 7 Siskin, 3 Greenfinch, 8 Bullfinch, 4 Linnets, 11 Skylark, 2 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret, 12 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, 3 Mistle and 2 Song Thrush. Around the headland; 6 Goldcrest, 2 Firecrest, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap 1 Coal Tit, 3 flocks of Long-tailed Tit total 28.