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.

Two Spoonbill feeding in the River Taw towards Penhill Point.  Cattle egret in fields behind the cafe. Greenshank in the Pill.  I haven’t seen the Ibis since early February and the start of this cold spell. 

Interesting that a Whimbrel was heard calling down south, I thought I heard one from the reserve today. I didn't hear it again and dismissed it as my hearing! I also thought it was a bit early, but who knows? Other sightings today were a calling and then displaying Buzzard, a Goldcrest, only one Redwing today, but once again probably 60+ Goldfinch. Nearby on Wrafton Pond the battle of the adult and juvenile Swans is still ongoing - 2 cygnets present today. along with Shoveler, Wigeon (back after a day out yesterday) and Gadwall.

Spoonbill still present until13:30 at least. Whimbrel heard calling on the estuary.

A lunchtime walk around Plymouth's seafront produced a Great Crested Grebe in Millbay Docks and a Great Northern Diver off Drake's Island viewed from 'Rusty Anchor' -West Hoe

14.30

Juv Glaucous Gull mobile around the site in very wet and windy conditions.  

Three Great Northern Divers in Hope Cove.  

Lots of gulls (many hundreds) feeding close to shore, mainly Herring Gulls, some Great Black Black Backed. Quite a few Black Headed also, picked up a Mediterranean Gull with them. Five Great Northern Divers close in as well, feeding on shore crabs in quite shallow water.

6 siskins on the bird feeder today - that's the biggest number so far. Also a male blackcap made an appearance. 

4 Purple Sandpipers working the rocks off Capstone, Black Redstart around Bath Place, Greater Black-backed gulls harbour along with solitary Black=headed.

Female winter Long-tailed Duck on city side of weir at 0845. 

Photo to previous submission 

Spoonbill present late afternoon.

This morning, at Hope's Nose in very strong winds and snow showers, an adult Mediterranean Gull past the point.

Later at Torquay Harbour, a KIngfisher and Great Crested Grebe close to Princess Pier.  Then, at nearby Torre Abbey Sands, an adult and a second winter Mediterranean Gull.   

Cold windy circular walk from Otterton - Monks Wall - Brandy Head - Stantyway - Otterton. A "bird wave" near the football club comprising all the common tits and finches. Fulmar off the cliffs but nothing on the rough sea. Peregrine flying up and down the coast and an odd looking bird of prey low down over ploughed coastal field battling the wind - ?? Goshawk (but probably just a buzzard !). Fields around Stantyway busy with Cirl Bunting, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Brambling, Siskin and (?Meadow) Pipits. Also a flock of Fieldfare with a few Redwing and a Song thrush.

Two Spoonbill feeding in the River Taw towards Penhill Point.  Cattle egret in fields behind the cafe. Greenshank in the Pill.  I haven’t seen the Ibis since early February and the start of this cold spell. 

I got a good close view of a Red Kite flying low over the A361 at Gornhay Cross Tiverton.It seemed interested in a dead pheasant in the carriageway.It made two passes over the carrion and then flew across a nearby field.

Significant additions to the two Chris' posts: 3 Red-breasted Mergansers (2 drakes), 21 Wigeon, Green Woodpecker, Jack Snipe, 2 Snipe & 4 Roe Deer.

Thanks to the Axe Estuary Ringing Group, I now have details of the ringed Shelduck (A06) seen this week on Blaxton Meadow. It is a rehibiltated bird, ringed last September on the Axe Estuary and is the first such control from the Plym Estuary.

Not long after Chris E. left the Teal number rose to 8, with a singe drake. An adult winter Mediterranean Gull (not the Polish ringed bird). On the river a different 6 Goosander, 4 drakes & 2 redheads, another 2 redheads further down the estuary. Common Sandpiper, 3 Little Grebe and Grey Wagtail.

Highlights first thing: Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit still. 15 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 7 Greenshank, 2 Goosander (1m,1f) - further 6 on the Plym (3m,3f) - Kingfisher, 3 Common Gull and Barnacle Goose

These are the images that I was able to get in the very windy conditions.

Fieldfare

Three Fieldfares

Today (Friday 12) while on my way to Ilfracombe I popped in to Wrafton pond.  There were a few Shoveler (m) and a couple of females, two Gadwall (one m and one fm), a couple of Wigeon and the usual Mallard, Coots, Moorhens and gulls.  However out on the scrape were 50+ Lapwings, three Dunlin, a small number of Teal m&f, a small flock of Starlings and Finches that were too far away to clearly id and there were also a few Rooks. After my work in Ilfracombe I moved on to another on Exmoor where my journey took me through Molland common. Very windy up there but I did see a small number of Fieldfares, two Mistle Thrush and a flock of Starlings (flock size at least 500). 

Teal

Lapwing and three Dunlin

Eider 

Chris’ Grey Plover returned to Blaxton Meadow tonight (after feeding on the estuary) together with 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 64 Curlews & 2 Teal. Also today whilst battling the strong easterly, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 drake), redhead Goosander, 15 Wigeon, the Barnacle Goose, female Red-crested Pochard, 9 Mandarin Ducks, 3+ Snipe, Jack Snipe, Peregrine, Green Woodpecker & 9 Roe Deer.

Parked up and went back to take a closer look at this road casualty, which  I didn't recognise as I drove past initially. It was on the main road outside the shops at Goodrington.  It turned out to be a female Common Scoter, no doubt blown inland by the strong easterlies!

Broadsands:  6 Mediterranean Gulls today 1fw, 4 ad w (this morning) and 1 sw (this afternoon)

At Low tide the Plym had 2 Bar Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, 2 Goosander, 2 Little Grebe, 17 Wigeon, Little Egret and Shelduck' 2 Shoveler on the flooded meadow. 2 Redwing behind Sainsburys. RC Pochard on the Duck pond. Barnacle Goose in front of Saltram House with Curlew, Canada Geese and 2 Stonechat.

Yesterday on a walk from Boringdon Golf Course to Blaxton Meadow. Golden Plover 30+,flock of 30+ Skylarks, and a Snipe on stubble near Boringdon Hall .Peregrine 1, Nuthatches, Great Tits, Blue Tits and Marsh Tits at Cann Quarry,. 4 Dippers (1 singing) 18 Mandarin Ducks, 4 Goosanders, 2 Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, Redwings,S. Thrush, Buzzards, between Plymbridge and Coypool. At Blaxton Meadow Pied Wagtails, Redshank, Little Egret,, Little Grebe, Canada Geese, Wigeon, Shoveller (i male, 4 females) Shelduck and 1 female Teal.

Buzzard

Dipper

Blustery day. On the cricket pitch - 14 Brent Geese with a single Greater Black Backed Gull and many Herring and Black Headed Gulls. Many Mallard, Wigeon and Teal, with 6 Shoveler, 12 Shelduck and single Pintail still around. 60 Canada Geese and 3 Mute Swans. On the scrapes 25 Curlew, 10 Redshank, and approx 30 Dunlin. 2 Lapwing but no Snipe today.Single Avocet (!) on estuary- never seen one here before. 2 Bullfinch, 2 Redwing, 1 Little Grebe. 4 Grey Heron very close. 2 Little Egret obligingly standing with the Cattle Egret for comparison near the aqueduct (with the cows!). 1 Kingfisher and the Dipper in it's usual spot upstream from Otterton Mill. Many other tits and finches - especially large numbers of "charming" Goldfinch.

My best bird of the lockdown so far, immature long-tailed duck quay side of weir.

Greenfinch feeding on cotoneaster berries; Siskin singing in community woodland.

Lesser redpoll back on the feeders just outside Okehampton 

At first light this morning among the usual Curlews, Oystercatcher and Redshank I picked out 6 Greenshank, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit and a probable Golden Plover.  A Buzzard spooked the lot. When they came back down there was a Grey Plover and a Ringed Plover. Two female Teal and the Polish Mediterranean Gull.

Last evening around 5:45 there were 14 Goosander, 5 males and 9 redheads off the meadow at the 'Gas Pipe' bend of the river. No sign of them this morning. 

Raven and Green Woodpecker showing well at home today, during the morning a Black Headed Gull flew past the house a bit of a rarity here.

Around the feeders a female Reed Bunting.

Reed Bunting

Raven

Redshank, kingfisher, egrets, x6 coromants, snipe, curlew.  And weirdly a set of bird wings(no body attatched) possibly owl wings just hanging in the tree. 

Some signs of cold weather movement over the last couple of days with a single Avocet and Bar-tailed Godwit (both uncommon here) and also 85 Dunlin (a very high count for the estuary). The Cattle Egret continues to roost on either the river N of White Bridge or on the estuary S of White Bridge. Other birds today included 4 adult Med Gulls and 23 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

Several hundred mostly Herring Gulls at Broadsands today mixed in with them 50+ Black-headed Gulls, 30+ common Gulls and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls. Also this very odd looking 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull  - the same bird was seen and photographed in Penzance over the Christmas period and also noted on the Hayle Estuary.

13:00

Spotted Redshank (1), Long-tailed Duck (f) (1) amongst the 20+ Red-breasted Merganser, Avocet, Teal, Dunlin, Curlew.

A fine Fieldfare dropped in this morning after I put out the last few apples I had stored for the winter.  The feeders have been busy of late with a party of ten Long tailed Tit my favourites.

Wednesday morning walk along Fremington pill was at first a little disappointing, however things started to improve when a few new comers appeared. Four or five Pied Wagtails, a single Greenfinch, a Song Thrush, a couple of Robins, a couple of Crows and a Great tit graced the area.  The usual suspects were there.  Four Little Egrets at the head of the pill, a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, two Shelduck, a few Teal and Redshank, one Black headed gull and three Curlew.

Carrion Crow

Robin

This afternoon 30+ Golden Plover over farm fields near Plymbridge Lane. 3 male and 4 female Goosanders on pond at Boringdon Golf Course. 20+ Skylarks,I Snipe and a solitary Peregrine.

Golden Plover

Goosander male

A Red Kite which flew over (SE at c14.00) was my first in Plymouth, and totally unexpected. Also signs of cold weather movements included 26 Golden Plovers over & (on Blaxton Meadow) a female Pintail & 6 Teal. In addition: Bar-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, 2 or 3 Jack Snipe, Snipe, 16 Wigeon, 7 Goosanders (4 drakes), 2 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 drake), 2 Mandarin Ducks (pair), female Red-crested Pochard, the Barnacle Goose, Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, 1 or 2 Stonechats, 2 Siskins, the Polish-ringed adult Mediterranean Gull "PHAU" & 9 Roe Deer. 

A Great Northern Diver offshore and a Purple Sandpiper with 3 Turnstones on the rocks below the Pier One cafe today on my Plymouth Hoe walk. However the highlight was a Red Kite flying over causing uproar amongst the Herring Gulls.

Red Kite

Purple Sandpiper with Turnstones

09:56 - 11:49

Three Crossbill, Goldcrest, a pair of Bullfinch, Dartford Warblers calling the highlight.

Yesterday mid-afternoon, no Firecrests but Goldcrest female in the meadows and an orange crested male on the Tory Brook. Loads of finches including Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Siskin, Bullfinch and Greenfinch in descending order of number.  What seemed unusual was a flock of 30 or 40 Meadow Pipit in the tree-tops at Holly Wood moving over into the park still in the trees and not down into the sheep field. At the same time were a few Redwing. 

Another black redstart in Fern Way, a female this time.

In response to Phil and Sue Naylor's question about the age and sex of Blackcaps visiting their feeders. Young Blackcaps fledge with a brown cap but undergo a partial post-juvenile moult, including the cap, which is usually finished in October. By now, any bird with a brown cap will definitely be a female with last year's young and older females indistinguishable in the field.

Three Firecrest this morning. One in the garden and two in vegetation along the Tory Brook near Newnham Park entrance.

Guillemot sheltering amongst the rocks from the easterly storms at Hallsands.

We have enjoyed watching the birds demolishing the National Trust peanut fat cakes which we hang in the hedge near our kitchen window.  They get through a 500g cake in about four days. We've seen Blackbirds, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, Robin's & Greenfinch all enjoying the feast, but the stars have been the Blackcaps; their antics are fascinating to watch and there are now FOUR with black caps and THREE with brown caps. We thought the brown capped ones were females but...apparently the juveniles have brown caps too and we've noticed that the black capped males often chase the brown capped ones off? We think, maybe, they are the juves,  because they can tolerate occasional brown capped ones...so are they the females? Fascinating stuff! Very entertaining. Interestingly; the House Sparrows of which we now have approximately 15, do not use the peanut fat cake, preferring the seeded fat balls, no mess seed mix and kibbled sunflower hearts. 

Singing Siskins yesterday (8th) and today. Probing lichen.

A few redwings and song thrushes at the bottom of my garden feeding on the ivy berries

Redwing

Song Thrush

Teal, wigeon, curlew, mallard, BB Brent Geese, around 70 Dunlin, at least 4 Ringed Plover, 4 Heron and a very handsome Cormorant in breeding plumage.

Cormorant in breeding plumage

Ringed Plover

A very cold circuit today but Bar-tailed Godwit & Teal new in & a Firecrest showing very well. Also, c60 Redwings, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 12 Mandarin Ducks (7 drakes), 4 Goosanders (2 drakes), 2 Red-breasted Mergansers (1 drake), 6 Little Grebes, 10 Wigeon & 12 Roe Deer. 

One of the (46) Shelducks was wearing a colour ring that appears to be from the Axe Estuary scheme (reported for details).

Despite the cold, Wigeon, Shoveler and Gadwall on Wrafton Pond, Redshank out on the scrape. In and near the reserve, about 60 Curlew in the field just to the south along with a busy flock of Starlings. Probably 40+ Goldfinch and 20 Greenfinch and rather enthusiastic singing Chaffinch! 3 Long-tailed Tits, 20+ Redwing, but best sighting was a small fast-flying flock of Golden Plover going over heading into the wind! First I've seen nearby for a long time.

Yesterday the 8th saw a flock of hundreds of Golden Plover beside the Warren car park above my village of Noss Mayo, today after a tip off I was rewarded for braving the artic conditions with a chough in the fields below the car park.

Firecrest in bushes along Tory Brook near Newnham Park entrance this morning.

A cold and windy walk over a near birdless Crownhill Down gave only singles of male Reed Bunting, Skylark, Stonechat, Wren and Mistle Thrush.  In Lower Lee Moor Wood all the usual tits with Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel and a dozen plus Redwing. 7nr Fallow hinds.  On Portworthy Ph3 dam 4 Teal and 4 Coot, but no sign of yesterday's 7nr Tufted Duck.

While driving 1m Hen Harrier

During a rather brisk walk this afternoon: Common Sandpiper, 24 Turnstones, Kestrel, 2 Goosanders (1 drake) & 9 Roe Deer.

Also, Peregrine over Mount Gould Park. 

Lunchtime walk around Torquay Harbour and Torre Abbey Sands. 3 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Great C Grebes, 60+ Common Gull & Ad wint Med Gull. 

also Merlin just on edge of Alphington, Exeter on my way to work

I thought fat-balls were good for something different, and today a male Blackcap arrived to prove me right. Unfortunately the aggressive local Robin was soon on hand to send him packing... In the reserve, the first Treecreeper of the year, and a Lapwing in the adjoining field to the south. Good numbers of Green and Goldfinch unusually perched and staying put when I raised the bins! 2 GSW, 1 Redwing, and a Raven on the way home.

Green Woodpecker at Newnham Meadows Nature Reserve. Present for its second day. 

Late yesterday afternoon a  flock of 30+ Golden Plovers seen  flying over farmers fields off Plymbridge Lane

Golden Plover

Golden Plover

Yesterday 7/2/21, 100+ Brent Geese