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Cycled from Powderham church to Exminster Marshes this morning. 3 species of Egret, with the Great White Egret in the middle of the marsh and 3 Cattle Egrets just past the fisherman's car park. Good views of a Kingfisher by Turf.

A sprinkling of migrants today including: 22 Wheatears, 7 Yellow, 3 White & 3 Grey Wagtails, 3 Sand Martins, 2 Tree Pipits, 3 Whinchats, Spotted Flycatcher, 5 Willow Warblers & 4 Snipe. Also, Great Spotted Woodpecker & Sparrowhawk. 

Three roosting  Goosanders this morning were the first here since 9 Jul and the first autumn returns (but from where?). Flew downriver at 0711. Also six Teal and 21 Mallard. On the dam itself, several species making appearances included Spotted Flycatcher and two White Wagtails. No Sparrowhawk or Kestrel today, but on 3 Sep there were two juvs of each perched on the outer 'steps'. Also three Whinchat on the walk back to Shipley.

Sparrowhawks, 3 Sep

Goosanders at dawn, 7 Sep

This morning a Wryneck seen on the bridlepath together with a solitary Wheatear and Whinchat and several Stonechats, 2 Ravens and a Jay. Dunlin, Little Stints, Sanderlings and Ringed Plovers on Tungsten West Lake.

Wryneck

Wryneck

At lunchtime today were 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, 1 Water Rail, 2 Ruff, c75 Redshank, c40 Curlew, and single figures each of Blackwit, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper.

100+ Swallows, 60+ House Martin’s, 6 Sand Martin’s, 5 Swift’s at East Prawle Village.  In the surrounding areas, 4 Wheatears, 5 Spot Fly, 2 Pied Fly, 6 Whinchat, 12 Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, 2 Willow Warbler, 10 Chiffs, Hobby, RB Shrike amongst the usual birds.  Mixed flock of 120+ Linnets and Goldfinch feeding on the thistles. 

17:46 - 19:02 

Avocet (1), Black and Bar-Tailed Godwit, Redshank, Greenshank, Knot, Ruff, Pintail, Wigeon,  LBBG, Common Gull, Mediterranean Gull were the highlights.

Good numbers of Whinchats (6) & Greenshanks (11) this evening; also 2 Wheatears, Whitethroat, 5 Stonechats & an adult Mediterranean Gull.

Around 60 Teal and 1 Osprey.

Best today was Wryneck just south of the ponds in Starehole valley plus Nuthatch moving west up through Starehole Valley. Also: Grey Heron over, Sparrowhawk, 12 Stock Dove, 40 Swallow, 20 House Martin, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 19 Wheatear, Whinchat, 15 Robin (small influx), 2 Blackcap, 9 Whitethroat, 2 Sedge Warbler, 9 Willow Warbler, 18 Chiffchaff, Spotted Flycatcher, 200 Rook, 37 Goldfinch, Bullfinch & 140 Linnet.

Osprey over the village at 11:15, heading towards the Yealm estuary. Looking at the time of the sighting, it was probably the same bird reported over Hooe Lake.

4 Greenshanks , 1 Spotted Redshank , 2 Kingfisher , 1 Common Sandpiper , 200+ Dunlin , 12 Ringed Plovers , 3 Turnstones , 2 Little Stints , 12 Swallows , 4 House martins & 1 Curlew Sandpiper.

Little Stint

Curlew Sandpiper

A lot of commotion over Hooe lake and radford. Was looking for a sparrowhawk as the culprit. In fact it was a osprey flying around and headed south, could not see any rings.

Also on the lake and around.

King Fisher, egret, heron, little grebe, mite Swan, mallards, black head gull  herring gull, LBB gull, goldcrest, blue, great and l.t tits. Robins, dunnock, gs woodpecker, Jay. 

Also in the lake I spotted a few alive and dead terrapins, not sure if its known of their presence. 

Ruff (juv until 0750, no sign since), 4 Little Stint still, 1 Sanderling, 23 Dunlin, 9 Ringed Plover on Drakelands Pit, viewed from top of Crownhill Down. Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipit over.

Lots of Balearic Shearwaters quite close in at times, Arctic Skua, lots of terns, Common and Sandwich, Kittiwakes and a common gull.

Balearic Shearwater

Balearic Shearwater

In the garden yesterday 

Long Tailed Tit

21:00 tonight a male Tawny Owl heard calling from the wooded area of the Beacon, West Hill, Braunton.  No answering call from ant female.  

A modest spread of migrants today including: Redstart, Whinchat, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow Wagtail, 11 Wheatears, 4 Willow Warblers, 3 Sand Martins, Golden Plover, Snipe & 4 Dunlins.

Also both Stoat  & Weasel & a Painted Lady.

Never seen one before then two appear together - Little Stint. Also saw some Turnstones, Ring Plover and Dunlin.

Little Stint

A cycle along the Exe this morning from the fisherman’s car park at Exminster to Dawlish Warren and back gave, female Sparrowhawk, Little Stint, Garganey, two Marsh Harrier juvenile and adult female (several sightings) Black Swan, Kingfisher, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew, Oyster Catcher, Little Egret, Heron, Great White Egret, Common Gull, Great Black Backed Gull, Bar Tailed Godwit, Black Tailed Godwit, Turnstone, Redshank, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Kestrel, Stonechat, large numbers of Swallow all over the estuary and a Snow Goose along with approx 150 Canada Geese at Cockwood.

Bar Tailed Godwit

Kingfisher

c150 Balearic Shearwaters in the bay this morning. Sometimes just a couple hundred meters offshore and resting on sea off memorial. Also 50 plus each of Sandwich and Common Terns. Many hundreds more terns, probable Common, distant offshore. Also Arctic Skua, Great Skua, c300 Kittiwakes, 5 Turnstones and Whimbrel. Lots of Mediterranean Gullls, all ages.

1 Leucistic Redshank & 1 Curlew Sandpiper in the gulley opposite Pottington Industrial Estate. Can be seen from the Tarka trail.

1 Green Sandpiper in Bradiford Reserve.

Great 2 hours at Exminster Marsh this morning. Spoonbill 2 (Ad, Juv), Garganey 2, Marsh Harrier 2 (Juv, Imm F), 5 Ruff, 2+ Little Stint, 2 Green Sand, Sp Redshank, 150+ Curlew, 150 Blackwits, 2 Greenshank, 50+ Teal, 8 Shoveler & a Snipe 

Popped down to the scrape this afternoon hoping to see the Mandarin duck. No luck, but one spoonbill and 4 Ruff were ample consolation. 

Large passage of birds this afternoon including at least 20 Sandwich, 7 Common, 2 Arctic and 3 Black Terns.  40 Kittiwakes and 10 Med Gulls in various plumages.  

Five Whinchats this afternoon with 2 Wheatears & 7 Stonechats. Otherwise water birds pretty unexceptional but 7 Greenshanks still about. 

Curlew Sandpiper, Nocturnal flight call heard over Lea mount Park 3/9/21 at 11.40PM

1 f Wheatear during a walk on the Burrows this morning

An abundance of Butterflies inc Common Blue (very good numbers on Water Mint, Purple Loosestrife & Common Fleabane & one in the garden on the rockery at lunchtime),Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, & GateKeeper.

Lots of berries on Hawthorn bushes for the thrushes.

Dead Grey Squirrel on one of the numerous sandy tracks (photo 2)

Photo 1 - Female Common Blue

Fremington Pill .

7 Greenshanks , 1 Spotted Redshank , 1 Kingfisher , 1 Common Sandpiper.

Fremington Quay.

4 Black-tailed Godwits , 50 Dunlin , 10 Ringed Plovers , 2 Sanderlings , 3 Turnstones , 3 Little Stints , 1 Whimbrel.

Along the Taw .

3 Swallows , 4 Kingfishers , 30+ Dunlins , 4 Ring Plovers , 2 Common Sandpipers.

Little Stint.

An early morning visit didn't produce much, as in passage birds, but the best of the rest was a Tree Pipit, Kingfisher, Dipper, a flock c250 Goldfinch over Chelson meadow near the Ride put up by a female Sparrowhawk. Also a good passage of House Martin & Swallow (mixed flock). at least c250 over Saltram House and a constant movement of birds all heading East while I was there. The total must of been over 600+

Stopped off at Aylsebeare Common today where this lovely Dartford warble was seen.

Dartford Warbler

Dartford Warbler

possible sighting off Dawlish 17.15 3rd September 2021

1310-1630:

Two, possibly three Ospreys seen this afternoon. One Osprey perched in a dead tree at 1315 at the New Barn farm end of the Tavy railway bridge. Later on, one Osprey seen twice diving into the Tavy, then it was joined by another and they both drifted off circling high over Bere Ferrers / Blaxton Wood / river Tavy area. 2 record shots, 1 digiscoped from 700 metres. 

Osprey

Osprey

In terrible light this eve 4 Little Stint (others saw 6 earlier in the day) and about 30 Dunlin in the Drakelands Pit. Whinchat on Down too.

Whinchat

Marsh Harrier and 2 Wood Sandpiper present this morning at right of lagoon seen from canal bank.  Singles of Hobby and Spoonbill reported earlier by others.

A morning's visit produced: c35 Wheatears, 10 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Willow Warblers, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 8 Sand Martins, Tree Pipit, 2 each of White & Grey Wagtails, 3 Dunlin (over), Sparrowhawk & a Roe Deer. 

A cool, grey, breezy morning was enlivened  by a male Merlin flying fast over the fields. Also: 10 Alba Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, 13 Wheatear, 9 Whitethroat, 12 Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Bullfinch & 30 Goldfinch.

Non-avian: 47 Autumn Lady's Tresses.

A good early morning seawatch 0630-0900hrs: 1294 'comic' Terns light and distance made id near impossible but suspect mostly Common Terns; 2 Arctic Tern (juvs), 25 Common Tern, 28 Sandwich Tern, 45 Balearic Shearwaters >N 26 >S, 1 Manx Shearwater, 6 Fulmar 20+ Arctic & 2 Great Skuas, 1 Y-l Gull, 8 Mediterranean Gulls, 3 Common Gulls, several hundred Kittiwake,2 Common Scoter and 3+ Harbour Porpoise., 

Spotted Redshank at the pill this morning.

A visit on this morning's low tide produced: juv Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, 21 Little Egrets, 35 Mandarin Ducks, Wheatear, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, 2 Stonechats, Bullfinch, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers & a Roe Deer.

Eight Little Stint, 4 Sanderling, 29 Dunlin and 6 Ringed Plover all in the flooded Drakelands Pit at the top of Crownhill Down this eve. Scope essential.

Whinchat and 2 Wheatear at base of Down.

Wheatear

An Osprey was on a post mid-estuary viewed from Exton Station.   This is the second day at this location on a rising neap tide, and seems to sit there for longish periods.

A short, late afternoon cycle along the Tarka Trail produced 53 Med. gulls resting on the shore plus 4 greenshank in the bay near Heanton Court. Also 36 widgeon adjacent to the garden centre, a dozen or so teal at Bradiford Reserve, plus a mix of godwits, some dunlin and curlews etc at various points.

25 Species recorded, Birds of note, Raven 2, Greenshank 2, Grey Heron 1, Common Sandpiper 3, Dunlin 1, Ringed Plover 2, Little Egret 1, Goldcrest 5, Willow Warbler 2, Chiffchaff 3, Treecreeper 1, Little Grebe 7, Ruff 1, Swallow 1 and Buzzard 2.

Taw-Torridge estuary/ Isley Marsh,

3 Wheatear, 29 Curlew, 3 Ringed Plover, 6 Dunlin, 4 Oystercatchers, 2 Cormorant, 7 Herring Gull, around 10 Black Headed Gull, 1 Great Black Backed Gull 8 Little Egrets and 1 Spoonbill.

Home Farm Marsh,

From Bird Hide 64 Teal and 5 Mallard.

Salt Pill Duck Pond,

52 Mallard, 9 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 3 Mute Swan and one Coot.

200 plus Dunlin , 30 ish Ringed Plovers , 6 Herons , 4 Knot , 4 Sanderings ,3 Greenshanks , 1 Marsh Harrier & 1 hunting juvenile Peregrine. 

Nought of note on the scrape, but pleased to see 2 Grey Wagtails, a Kingfisher and a Dipper in the river from the bridge to the reserve. Not often that I record all three there! over the reserve several each of Swallow and House Martin.

Yesterday while in South Devon I dropped into Slapton sand. Black swan and a few Tufted ducks on the lake. On the beach were a number of sea birds including: a couple of Med. gulls; a common gull; some GBB gulls; a number of Kittiwakes; a couple of common terns and a good number of Sandwich Terns.

Sandwich Tern

Med Gull

09:41 - 13:59 Highlights….

Viewing platform: 1 Osprey on post mid-river, near Exton for nearly an hour; Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Shelduck,Curlew, Oystercatcher.

Matsh from hide: Teal, Wigeon, Kingfisher (1 male), Marsh Harrier (1 female), Lesser Black-backed Gull, Snipe (3), Sand Martin, House Martin 

Five Little Stint still in the Drakelands Pit this eve. Also 2 Sanderling fresh in today. 12 Ringed Plover and 31 Dunlin. 2 Wheatear, about 60 Swallow and 20 Sand Martin feeding at the base of Crownhill Down.

Sand Martin

Juvenile Osprey again from the yacht club, also 5 Common Sandpipers, 32 Curlew and an amazing 13 Spotted Flycatchers along the edge of the river taking shelter from the stiff NE breeze! 6 Harbour (Common) Seals 

We've had a young male Sparrowhawk harassing the sparrows at the feeder of late & so far he's been unsuccessful. Today's sortie kept up the 100% failure record and ended up with it resting, and recce'ing for further targets, from our neighbours rooftop. A short while later it locked on and arrowed off eastwards low & fast. 

Sparrowhawk, I think he sees me!

Sparrowhawk locked on, pre-launch.

Although generally quieter for migrants than of late, an Icterine Warbler showed well for a few minutes around the isolated small barn to the east of East Soar Farm. Otherwise, around Soar, 17 Yellow Wagtails, 20 Wheatears, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 Willow Warblers & a Reed Warbler.

Later, South Huish Marsh produced: 2 Wood Sandpipers, single Bar- & Black-tailed godwits, 11 Dunlins, Snipe, 3 Ringed Plovers, c10 Sand Martins, a White & 20+ Yellow Wagtails, 5 Wheatears & a Swift. 

Ringed Plovers, Dunlins, Whimbrels, Curlews, Oystercatchers, Black Headed Gulls, Herring Gulls, 1 Great Black Backed Gull, around 10 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron and a Spoonbill.

Stared with a quick look at the scrape - 2 female Pintail still. Then walked south from the reserve on the East bank of the Caen.1 Little Egret on the way to the Toll House. In the field with cattle south of the reserve, 8 Curlew. Then a couple of Pied Wagtails but a closer look also revealed 2 juvenile Yellow Wagtails. Good sized roost of Herring Gulls and Canada Geese by the main pond at Sherpa, plus a Cormorant, 2 Little Egrets and a Spoonbill! Never seen one here before, presumably the one Rob saw in the Caen yesterday. By the new pool just beyond Sherpa a Green Sandpiper, the habitat  there looks ideal for a Spotted Crake. (I can dream) Walked on down to the estuary, but waders few and far between - 2 Dunlin, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Redshank, 2 Ringed Plover and a few Curlew. 1 Kestrel was the only bird of prey. Back at the river before the reserve, a Grey Wagtail and a Kingfisher. Not very many Swallows, and one Sand Martin.

It was like Noah’s Ark yesterday at Exminster Marsh. 2 Garganey, 2 little Stint (Juvs), 2 Ruff, 2 Spoonbill, 2 Marsh Harrier (Juv & young F) but sadly just the one Hobby. Also 52 Teal, 5 Shoveler & 12+ Snipe. Juv Harrier is a stunning bird. 

An early morning couple of hours at the marshes, mostly scoping from the towpath. Yesterday's two Little Stints were still present and were joined by a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper at 0830. A supporting cast of Ruff, Great White Egret, Spoonbill, Marsh Harrier and Garganey (on the pool near to the Fisherman's car park) plus all the 'usual' stuff made for some enjoyable birding.

14 Ringed Plover, 29 Dunlin, 15 Oystercatchers, 5 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 2 Little Egrets, 1 Grey Heron, 4 Black Headed Gulls, 3 Herring Gulls, 1 Great Black Backed Gull and a Cormorant.