In the light of the continuing Covid19 restrictions on the number of people gathering together, and the need for social distancing, it has been agreed that there will be no Devon Birds meetings or events organised until 21st June 2021, when Government restrictions are planned to be lifted. If there is any Government announcement that necessitates a change to this date an update will be posted.

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.  

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.

Working in Newton Abbot and Ashburton today so had an opportunity to pop in to Stover.  While walking around the lake I spotted five female Goosander, ten or twelve Tufted duck and a Water rail.

Water Rail

Water Rail

A Great Northern Diver 20m off the Wet Wok around 3pm. Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher and a Peregrine flyby. Distant views of the LT Duck and another GND near Mountbatten.

At 5:20pm today I had a brief sighting of a barn owl gliding across fields between Totnes and Dartington. 

Singing Skylark this afternoon, field between Fluxton nr Ottery and West Hill. First of the year.

Birds busy feeding on 20 acres of various crops.....fodder radish a late winter favourite.Supplementary feeding has also attracted 120 stock doves,250 linnets 300 chaffinches including European species and another mixed flock of 300 comprising chaffinch goldfinch bullfinch and greenfinch.Also seen treecreeper,Marsh tit and 5 buzzards.Meadow pipits and starling feeding amongst the kale.

The Lower Lake this morning,

21 Goosander, 1m Tufted Duck, 4 Willow Tit, 6 Coal Tit, 9 Blue Tit. 10 Mallard, 5 Robin, 4 Great Tit, 2 Chaffinch, 4 Redwing, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Long-tailed Tit.

As mentioned in my last post, there was a mass stranding of Starfish and Crabs off Smugglers Cove, Teignmouth, today, providing food for the gulls and Divers.

Juvenile Whooper swan this evening feeding with a dozen or so Mute Swans.

Juvenile Whooper Swan. (I think)

Not often that you see so many Divers off Teignmouth seafront, but there were 7 Great Northern Divers this afternoon, including a flock of 4 feeding together. The mass stranding of starfish and crabs could have something to do with it. The Black-Headed Gulls were certainly enjoying the feast!

Flock of 4 Great Northern Divers

Black-headed Gull with probable starfish leg

Broadsands this evening: 35 Great Northern Divers (inc a raft of 19), 1 Black-throated Diver, 11 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Common Scoter, 1 adw Mediterranean Gull, 22 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (inc 3 intermedius types in flock)

Yet another shot of the lovely female L.T. Duck and a Great Northern Diver off Mount Batten this afternoon. Also a flypast of a R.B. Merganser, Cormorants, Shags and Oystercatchers

Long Tailed Duck

Great Northern Diver

Seen fishing close to the Iron Bridge

Black-necked Grebe

Black-necked Grebe with fish

Love is in the Garden Pond again after a week of bitterly cold weather.

The frogs are smiling again & these comical little characters make everyone smile too!

4 Glossy Ibis flew over the Pill at 16.00 this afternoon & set down in the fields opposite the pill road. 

Up to 11.45

Juv Glaucous Gull in flight around and sat on the Lead Stone.  28 Great Northern Divers between Thatcher Rock and Hope Cove.  6 Purple Sandpipers on low rocks close to the point.  5 Great Crested Grebes.

Female Black Redstart around the boulders on the small beach and cliff faces on the south side. 

Later, a Great Northern Diver in the outer part of Torquay Harbour.  2 Great Crested Grebes off Torre Abbey Sands.  A Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Egret and Grey Heron at Corbyn's Head.     

The Female long-tailed Duck still showing very well at Mountbatten

Long-tailed Duck still present this morning, also Adult Yellow-legged Gull. Lesser Black-backed Gulls returning with 4 Adults present

At Isley this morning ; 3 Spoonbills & 2 Great crested grebes.

At Mount Batten bay L.T Duck  still present ,also 1G N Diver.

While cycling into South Brent yesterday chance sighting of a high flying Woodcock passing over the A38 near the Carew slip road.

Around home this morning Heron, Nuthatch, two male Siskin and a very vocal Firecrest in the garden.

The Grey Plover, but only 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Greenshanks and 5 Teal on the flooded meadow this morning.  An adult Mediterranean Gull, with a nearly full black hood brings to three seen here in recent days.

Two song thrush chasing, quivering, displaying

Long-tailed Duck still off the slipway this morning 

Long-tailed Duck

Long-tailed Duck

Highlight of mid-day visit to Cattedown was the Long-tailed Duck off the Mountbatten watersports centre, a now rare visitor to Plymouth.  In Saltram Park at dusk was a Water Rail.

While working in Cullompton, I have watched a pair of Ravens carrying sticks and building a nest in a large conifer near the centre of town. The tree is a large conifer in a private garden adjacent to Station road and just down the hill from the Police station.

As the afternoon drew to a close many gulls came in to assemble before heading out to sea presumably to roost on the water. Herring Gulls, Common Gulls and over six hundred Black-headed Gulls. In amongst them all were three adult Mediterranean Gulls and a white necked Ruff who looked, and appeared to feel, ever so slightly out of place. A nice bird to see though.

A pair of snow buntings showing well on Northam Burrows this morning

A Peregrine on a kill on a farm field just off Plymbridge Lane. 2 Canada Geese with 2 female Goosanders on larger pool and for the first time I saw a pair of Goosander on the smaller circular pool at Boringdon G. C .who looked like they were building up to a mating session. A Buzzard, Crows, Magpies ans several Skylarks over the course.

Peregrine

Goosanders

Took a walk from home today which took us to Sandy Lane Car Park and along the SW Coast Path towards Saunton Golf club. The first birds if interest were a flock of 18 Magpies keeping the cattle company. A cock Pheasant ran ahead of us before hiding in deep cover then a distant blob in some trees turned out to be a Great Spotted Woodpecker.  A couple of Redwing were seen flying and Songthrush was seen but not heard. On the return leg we spotted a small flock of about 6 Longtailed tits 3 Bluetits 2 2 Great tits and a stunning male Bullfinch. The highlight of the walk though was undoubtedly our first singing Skylarks of the year! At least five heard and seen. Uplifting  :)

Great Spotted Woodpecker at distance.

On Blaxton Meadow at high tide first thing - Grey Plover, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 62 Curlews, 7 Greenshanks, 4 Teal, the female Red-crested Pochard, 21 Wigeon & 1st-w Mediterranean Gull. Also today, adult Great Northern Diver, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Stock Doves, 4 Goosanders (2 drakes) & 5 Red-breasted Mergansers (3 drakes).

Around the Cattewater, adult Mediterranean Gull (Polish-ringed PHAU), sinensis Cormorant (adult), 2 Grey Wagtails & a Common Sandpiper. 

Up to 12.30

The Juv Glaucous Gull showed well on low rocks towards the point and also in flight to and from the Lead Stone.  16 Great Northern Divers and 11 Great Crested Grebes between Thatcher Rock and Hope Cove.  2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the Lead Stone.

Two Meadow Pipits on the main slope and a male Blackcap in the higher scrub, towards the gate.

A female Black Redstart around the boulders near the small beach on the south side.  

13/2/21 1500 On a garage roof in Ivybridge picking at the moss. Hooded Crow. Other Rooks around and at first sight (very close about 3m) thought it was some sort of albino, but after some research am convinced that it must be Hooded Crow possibly blown down by the NE high winds recently.

Broadsands : 1 Siberian Chiffchaff in the marsh behind the beach again today.

Around the bay: 1 Long-tailed Duck (Paignton) 7 Common Scoter, 11 Great Northern Divers (mostly Broadsands), 3 Red-throated Divers, 21 Great Crested Grebes.

In Clovelly bay off mount batten 1 L T Duck. found by Russ Enon this am.

Showed well on the river all yesterday between the weir and the bottom of Weirfield Road. Flew down river 5:30 pm, has returned above the weir again this morning. 

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