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.

The spotted crake was still present this afternoon, seen twice in the pool on the west side of the road, 50m back from the angler's car park. Other birds of interest included teal, wigeon, lapwing, curlew, whimbrel, black tailed godwit, sand martin and singing cetti's warblers.

Notable sightings mid afternoon on Thursday were 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Sandwich Tern and 1 Great Northern Diver

I have today heard back from the ringer to let us know that our good friend the Whooper Swan who has spent the last two winters on Braunton Marshes was seen yesterday back in Co.Dublin.

18:00 > 18:30

94 Black tailed Godwits & 1 Grey Heron on the scrape.

First Redstart for this year and Willow Warbler.

Redstart

Willow Warbler

A Black tailed Godwit in breeding plumage on Blaxton meadow this morning, also, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 singing Blackcap, 3 Ring necked Parakeet and a couple of Swallow over the cafe/duck pond.

5 Sandwich Tern still on buoys at Mountbatten this afternoon, and a singing Whitethroat among the shrubs, seen from the steps leading up to the tower.

Up to 11.45

Further to the earlier report, the 2 imm male Eiders continued to show well but had slowly moved out to the mussel beds.  Very pleased to find a cracking Puffin sat on the flat calm sea not far away.  Shortly after, the mist rolled back in and even obscured Thatcher Rock!

Elsewhere on site, 5 Swallows, 14 Common Scoters south, 2 Willow Warblers, 3 Sandwich Terns and a fem Wheatear.   

Lone housemartin inspecting last year’s nests  Alston Axminster

Thick mist all morning but still had reeling Grasshopper Warbler, 2 singing Sedge Warblers, 5 Whitethroats & 21 Chiffchaff.

No sign of the Wood Duck in a brief look early this morning. In the reserve a Jay - first I've seen for a few weeks now. Chiffchaffs singing, Blackcaps and a Song Thrush ditto, Best was the scratchy sound of the first Sedge Warbler of the year.

2 imm male Eider offshore near Leadstone

After hearing about the Wood Duck discovered by Colin Dracott the other day I decided to pop in this morning to see whether it was still there.  Lucky for me it was and came in close enough for me to get a few nice shots.  Later in the afternoon while at Aylesbeare Common I saw a male Dartford Warbler with it back to me sitting on a gorse bush. Also heard two Cuckoos one at two ends of the site.  

Wood Duck

Wood Duck

Visited the pond early evening to see the Wood Duck but no sign of it on the pond but c50 Sand Martins & 1 Swallow above the pond & over the scrape.

Found the Wood Duck on the scrape with 4 Mallard.

A walk up the track to Middleworth and Deancombe from the inlet end car park produced:  5 Willow Warblers, 4 Chiffchaffs, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 Green Woodpeckers, 6 Jays (5 of them together), singing Mistle Thrush, one Stonechat, and  a brief burst of sub-song from a Redstart that refused to show itself, at Deancombe.

Ideford Common ~ Tree Pipit, Stonechat, numerous Linnets, Wren, 12 Yellow Hammer, Meadow Pipit, Jay, 3 Stock Dove, several Chiffchaff all singing on territories.

Tree Pipit

Tree Pipit

Spotted Crake at 1330 on Exminster Marsh. Also 1st cy Marsh Harrier. 170 Teal, 11 Wigeon, 5 Shoveler, and a Gadwall. Also pair Stonechat & 60+ Blackwits on estuary. 

1 singing Whitethroat.

Ten to twelve sandwich terns seen on buoys in the Cattewater, and out in the Sound.

Watched a House Martin mobbing a Sparrowhawk relentlessly over the field this afternoon. No sounds of any singing migrants today.

13.00-13.45

The Spotted Redshank was working its way west along the north bank of the estuary, roughly NW of Coombe Cellars.  It was with a mixed group of Redshanks and Greenshanks.  It continued to drift west on the incoming tide.  

Also in the vicinity were a Sandwich Term, Whimbrel, 4 R B Mergansers and a Willow Warbler.  

Walking above the River Plym, then  from the opposite side I heard the Cuckoo 1400 hr, the earliest I've head.. Plenty of Wheatear around the stone circles near the farm.

Two Skylarks and four Greenfinches this morning at 10.30am at Blagdon's Meadow..

Black Caps showing at Radford Lake

Ring Ouzel in Starehole Valley. 2 Whitethroat and 2 Swallow near East Soar Farm.

Ring Ouzel

Further to Chris's report in the thick mist at the top of the Down I saw a Cuckoo with another one seen later in tree copse near CP, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Goldfinches, Linnets, Blackbirds, Song thrush, Stonechats, Meadow Pipits, Wood pigeons and a solitary Raven.

Cuckoo in the mist

Tree Pipit on heathland at Yarner Wood.

Cuckoo singing first thing in the mist. Tree Pipit over calling at 0715. Two Willow Warbler at base, plus usuals.

Spotted Crake present again this evening for 17th day. Green Sandpiper & 170+ Sand Martin. 108 Teal, 22 Wigeon, 12 Shoveler, 2 Pintail & 3 Gadwall.

Managed to miss the Wood Duck, but there are no British records anyway so this will join the long list of escapes. Fewer birds in the reserve (but then, I didn't get down until gone 2 o'clock.) Walked down the river bank and saw 1 redshank with 4 Common Sandpipers. At Sherpa he white Reed Bunting still plus a Snipe (late?) and another Common Sandpiper. only 4 Swallows and 2/3 Sand Martins.

0930, 5 male Goosanders flew in.     A few Sand Martins flying over water and around the nesting holes.  6 Tufted Duck and 2 Little Grebes

14 Sandwich Terns.

Additions to Rob's sightings at Soar: 2 Black Redstarts, Willow Warbler, 2 Swallows, 2 Red-legged Partridges, another Grasshopper reeeling, Hare & 2 Roe Deer.

At South Huish Marsh, 2 sum-plum Water Pipits, 2 White Wagtails, 2 Sandwich Terns & 2nd cal yr Mediterranean Gull. Also 2 Swallows over Thurlestone Golf Course.

A cracking drake wood duck on the Wrafton pond this afternoon

Under low cloud this morning, 2 Blackcap, 2 Willow Warbler, several singing Chiffchaff, 4 Bullfinch, 1 Kingfisher. 1 Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper on Ernesettle creek.

Seawatching 0630hrs -0745hrs: 2 Puffin, 1 Red-throated Diver, 76 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Common Gull, 8 Kittiwakes, 15+ C Dolphin (in 2x pods) est. 300 auks >S approx 30% Razorbills.

Headland quiet - but 3 Willow W, 1 Whitethroat, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Blackcap, 1 Sand Martin.

Very low cloud except for the small strip way below the cliffs, in warm sunshine. 19 Shag nests on the Mew Stone and new migrants; singing Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat, 5 Wheatear, Swallow, 4 Fulmar and Red-throated Diver flying west.

Non-avian: Grey Seal.

Expecting a fall of migrants this morning due to a change in the wind direction & was not disappointed. On my usual cycle route at this time of year migrant Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler & Blackcap were still falling in while slowly cycling around. Some of these spring migrants were foraging for insects on the ground as well as in the Willows & scrub.

35 Chiffchaff, 36 Willow Warbler, 21 Blackcap, 1 vocal Whimbrel over the Burrows, 1 vocal Common Whitethroat, 1 vocal Sedge Warbler & 1 male Roe Deer (Braunton Great Field)

On the road between Bradninch and Killerton, a single Grey Partridge walking in the middle of the road; flew off onto the surrounding fields. At Killerton at least six singing Chiffchaff, plus a pair of Blackcap carrying nesting material.

Sandwich Tern flying up and down between Laira Bridge and Oreston Quay, 10.45am this morning. Also singing Chiffchaff in the scrub at the top of Macadam Road near council depot.

It seemed very quiet at Wrafton scrape and pond, about midday, with the only highlights on the pond being a pochard and a wood duck.

wood duck

Pochard

Seen this morning on a walk around the area: Redstart,  Willow Warbler, 3 GSW, 5 Green Woodpeckers, Goosander (f), Chiffchaff & Blackcap.

Male Common Redstart at Yelland , close to the picnic site with a conical hut.     Sedge Warbler In Song just n.e. Of Torridge bridge.  4 Glossy Ibis at Saltpill pond.

2 Pied Flycatchers and Redstart this morning plus 3 Willow Warblers on the heathland.

This evening a recently fledged Robin collided with greenhouse window. Flew off, seemed uninjured.

A Blackcap singing strongly from bushes in the area of Western Approach near Barclays Bank

c50 Manx Shearwaters and c10 Sandwich terns Hopes Nose late pm

Access to hide is under water.  Seen;- 6 shellduck, 1 gadwall, 1 wigeon, 4 teal, 4 whimbrel, 1 swallow, 2 blackcap, 2 chiffchaff  ( 2 cirl bunting )

A small window of opportunity early afternoon brought 8 Common Buzzards and a Peregrine, all migrants and all heading NE.

Modest signs of migration this morning, with 3 Sandwich Terns, 2 male Wheatears, singing Willow Warbler (another in Radford Park); also, 2 Bullfinches & a Great Spotted Woodpecker. 

Lower Tamar Lake this morning.

1m 1f Garganey, 4m Tufted Duck, c20 Sand Martin, 2 House Martin, 5 Swallow, 1 Grey Heron.

2 Swallows zooming around the garden - first sightings here this year.

First male Whitethroat here, singing along the back path this morning.

Spotted Crake & Imm Spoonbill on pool by Fisherman‘s CP. 210 Brent Geese flew north in fading light, with a Pintail. 8+ Sand Martin. 

Good numbers of Sand Martin this evening.

New for the year for me this morning were two Whimbrel heading North  and a Wheatear near Topsham Lock. Also present were a Spoonbill, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Egyptian Geese bullying the Shelducks, and 2 singing Willow Warblers.

A lone Grey-lag Goose on the scrape early with a diminishing number of Teal.

5 snipe   2 willow warbler 4 sand Martin. This morning at 11am.

4 Reed bunting, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, 15 Meadow pipit amongst the sheep.

Spotted Crake still on Exminster, along with Imm Spoonbill, 1st cy Marsh Harrier, 110 Teal, 12 Shoveler, 9 Wigeon, 2 Pintail, 2 Gadwall, 7 Tufted & 3 Little Grebe. Also 2 Swallow 

Over 200 auks, possibly 170-180 Razorbills, 20-30 guillemots. 4 kittewakes. Willow warbler, stonechat..

Early start in the reserve to see if we could do better than the total ringed last week. Answer a resounding yes! That is if you like Blackcaps (10 ringed) and Willow Warblers (14 ringed) Plus1 Cetti's Warbler 3 Bullfinch and a Goldfinch. afterwards headed down the east bank of the Caen hoping for some of last week's magic... Well we saw a Peregrine (probably a male this time) with a very full crop. Around Sherpa a lone drake Garganey - probably the one from Wrafton Pond yesterday. A few Sand Martins, but no Swallows all day. Early on 100+ Black-tailed Godwits out on the scrape.

This morning (on a small high tide): sum-plum Black-tailed Godwit, 16 Turnstones, 5 Greenshanks, 2 Snipe, 5 Dunlins, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Bullfinch & 6 Roe Deer. 

Plymbridge woods from view point female Peregrine sitting on eggs. Plymouth sound 3 Sandwich Terns.

Lower Tamar Lake this morning.

2 Garganey 1m 1f, 4 Willow Tit all on the hide feeder together, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2m Tufted Duck, 1 Grey Heron, 2 Robin one being fed by the other.

Early morning visit to Crownhill Down, 79 Golden Plover, many coming  into summer plumage, was our best count to date. Many Skylark and Meadow Pipit, but surprisingly no wheatears. Buzzard and Kestrel.

Golden Plover

Skylark

Late afternoon at Wrafton pond where a Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff appeared in the bushes beside the wooden viewing platform. As luck would have it, the male Garganey appeared close enough to get a few images,

Blackcap

Garganey

Singing male Pied Flycatcher this morning; first of the year. 

13 Purple Sandpipers on Brixham Breakwater, yet another season's record for me

Unusual worm seen on coast path at Sharkham. It was 6 inch long, pale in colour with bright yellow tip to tail and brown collar about 1 inch from head. It looks like the Yellow Tail Worm that is found in New Zealand. No photo. Any observations welcome.

Rob's drake garganey showed well this morning (about 09.30 swimming across the pond from left to right, and then flying off to the left hand end.

5 swallow 18 sand Martin off of roadford dam this morning at 9.30am.

Late morning and tide was high so a few waders on the marsh including curlew (c30), black-tailed godwit (c20) and a single dunlin. The spoonbill still, initially feeding close to Station Road but then returned to its favoured roost site. A pair of gadwall were the first I have seen this year on the marsh. First 2 then a further 12 swallows flew north low over the pools. On the estuary 12 redshank and several pairs of shelduck. Lots of singing birds including chiffchaff, willow warbler and blackcap.

Spotted Crake still showing well, if intermittently, between 1130 and 1230. Associating with Water Rail which provided a lovely contrast in behaviour, with the Rail very skittish by contrast with the quieter, steady Crake. 

Apart from a healthy number of migrant Chiffchaffs in the vegetated sides of the trail the majority of wintering waders & waterfowl on the north side of the Taw Estuary have departed for their breeding grounds with just a few waders hanging on in their.

Redshank do sometimes swim when they are disturbed, in this case by a dog, but they swam ashore to carry on foraging in the soft mud with 2 Greenshank. The only waders at Pottington were Oystercatchers.

Yesterday at B.G.M. Snipe 2, Teal, Coots, Moorhen, Shoveler, Pintail, Wigeon, Avocets, Shelduck, Buzzards, Redshank, Curlew, Wrens, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Great and Blue tits, Blackcaps, Robins, Egyptian Geese, Canada Geese. Chiffchaffs, Cettis Warblers, Herons, L. Egrets.

Pintail

Egyptian Goose

Late for yesterday.

Lower Tamar Lake.

2 Garganey 1m 1f, 2 Willow Tit, 2 Swallow, c15 Sand Martin, 2m Tufted Duck, 1 Great Crested Grebe.

Yesterday good views of an Osprey from Fishermans C.P. and later distant views towards Exmouth. Marsh Harrier 1, Water Rail 1, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Moorhen, Coots Mallards, Shovelers, Shelduck, Lapwings, Curlew, Cormorants, Herons, L. Egrets, Spoonbill, Willow warblers, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Wrens, Dunnocks, Swallows, Pied Wagtails, Robins, Canada Geese, Egyptian Geese, Mute Swans, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Blue, Great and L.T. tits. Sandwich Terns braving the strong winds at Turf.

Sandwich Tern

Osprey