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Yet another Red Kite today. Hassled by a Carrion Crow, this one flew W over Middle Brook near Three Barrows at around 0900.

Seven Red Kite over the Plym Peregrine Watch about 11.30 this morning - 4 together, then 3 singles, All seemed to be going south,

A good walk around Dawlish this morning, though nothing exceptional though 15 Sanderling on the beach, some in breeding plumage, was nice to see. Two Red Kite over Shillingford St George at 1430. And 2 Swift over Alphington this evening. 

5 swifts at noon over West St

Red Kite at Berry Head at 11.40 am today. It flew off towards Brixham/Paignton.

Red Kite, Berry Head

Red Kite, Berry Head

Regular small groups of Gannets around Baggy, Whitethroat counted 14, 1 Swift, Butterflies, Common Blue, Orange Tip, Speckled Brown, Wall Brown and many whites.

14 buzzards and 2 red kites all over same recently ploughed field, plus around 100 herring gulls and maybe 6 LBBG.  Not sure I've ever seen 14 buzzards together.

A short walk up the river produced a red head Goosander* with 2 young, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Cettis Warbler and Green Woodpecker plus others. *Photo on Devon Birds Facebook page which now has 400 members.

First swift of the year at Landkey just after lunch. Lots of house martins and swallows on my travels around the Barnstaple/Braunton area today as well.

Addition to previous post, quarry pond water was very low but a pair of Shelducks were present.

Whitethroats seen around headland and car park area, looking down over the quarry a Red Kite was flying across then came back over headland behind cafe and drifted off in Dartmouth direction (11.30am).

Red Kite

One Red Kite seen at 3pm this afternoon

5 Red Kite together between Greencliff and Peppercobe at 10:30. Observed for a good hour flying to and fro and at times coming together in a tight group. 2 Swift at Horns Cross and a further 2 at Portledge.

This evening (Sunday) in and around Saltpill Duck Pond were these two of three Bar tailed Godwits on the riverbank and on the far side of the pond was this female Wigeon hanging out with a couple of Teal.There were at least two Sedge Warblers, a couple of Linnets, five or six Pied Wagtails and  a Cetti's Warbler

Bar tailed Godwit

Wigeon

Cuckoo calling at around 18.00 hrs for a protracted period, the bird was  between Merrivale Bridge and Kings Tor

Late posting. Single swift seen near Christow Church yesterday evening, but a resident living near the church, said they’d been back for a few days. 

Upper Tamar Lake this morning.

2 Grey Heron, 1m Stone Chat, 2 Chiffchach.

Lower Tamar Lake.

1 Willow Tit, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Grey Wagtail (adult feeding a juv), 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Tufted Duck 1m 1f, 1m Reed Bunting.

Note: The Willow Tit was foraging around the hide, not on the feeder, and taking food back,

Along with 16+ house martins, a Red kite drifting northwards over Waye Farm 

4 singing male Redstarts, 1 singing Pied Flycatcher, at least 3 Cuckoos, 2 Willow Warblers, 1 female Wheatear nest building 

Also one male Goosander on Shaugh Lake.

Red Kite very low over Old Torrington Road this afternoon. Fantastic views as it very slowly flew south.

Along with 16+ house martins, a Red kite drifting northwards over Waye Farm 

Red Kite over St. Michael's church, Mount Dinham at 14.10 today, drifted off high to the north. The resident Peregrine pair alarm called but did not take flight.

One Red Kite south-east over Elizabeth Road at 1414.

First Swift of 2022 seen over Drewsteignton this morning at 08.00 and then entered a nest box. None seen during the day but three overhead at 20.10. Arrival date three days later than last year.

Also Red Kite low over the village at 16.30, drifted off to the south-west.  

A Serin flew west over Orcombe Point at 0630 this morning. A few more details and more sightings on www.gobirdingexmouth.blogspot.co.uk.

Excellent morning around the Marsh:  2 Black-tailed Godwits still on the scrape with Shelduck and Little Egret. In the reserve; Goldcrest, Reed Bunting and another visit to the perch from a Little Egret. Around Sherpa Marsh a single Swallow, the White Reed Bunting a Whimbrel, a Lapwing, and best of all, a high flying Hobby catching and devouring insects on the wing as it circled lazily Northwards. Late news from last Tuesday: a female Cuckoo in the reserve - regret I didn't recognise the very loud bubbling call, but not seen subsequently.

1 Swift over Saltpill duck pond this morning , my first of the year.

Late for yesterday.

Lower Tamar Lake.

1m Gadwall, 2 Song Thrush, 4 Tufted Duck 3m 1f, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Bullfinch, 1 Grey Heron.

The East Devon Branch of Devon Birds 7th Field Trip for the year, saw a fresh faced, eager crowd muster together in the woodland glades of Yarner Wood and surrounding heathland on the 5th May.

With the warm glorious sunshine we soon shed a couple of layers of winter plumage and started to enjoy the songs of the many Pied Flycatchers, a pair of Redstarts, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps. Meanwhile, in the distance we could hear a Cuckoo calling and up on the heathland a Tree Pipit was holding territory. Everywhere we walked we were accompanied by dancing Brimstone butterflies. 

Pied Flycatcher

2 cuckoos , many pipits, several wheatear, linnet, 2 buzzards ,2 ravens, numerous swallows around the hamlet pond and a large Adder.

2 Cuckoos in trees off the bridle path. In various locations - Stonechat, Wheatear, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Pied Wagtail, 1 Curlew, Snipe, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Wren, Goldfinch, Buzzard, LBBG, Mallard hen.

Cuckoo

Willow Warbler

On the SW Coast Path near Sidmouth.

Wheatear

Stonechat

Notable sightings at Challacombe this morning included a male whinchat,three cuckoos,a number of Wheatears and stonechats.

Black Guillemot seen just off the east side of Drake’s Island this morning. Boat traffic disturbance made it move more into the centre of the Sound towards the RFA ship Fort Victoria. It was still there at 1000hrs, although distant. Also Fulmar flying over the Hoe!

Yesterday at Deancombe: Our first Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers of the year. Goldfinches, Chaffinches, Blue, Great, Coal tits, Song and Mistle Thrushes, Treecreepers, Nuthatches, Robins, Wrens, Blackcaps and a solitary Sparrowhawk.

Redstart

Pied Flycatcher

Yesterday over the Down: At least a dozen Swallows. Goldfinches, Linnets, Wheatears, Stonechats, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Tree Pipits, Willow Warblers, Buzzards, Ravens, Green Woodpecker, Blackcap, Wren.

Willow Warbler

Goldfinch

Whimbrel and Egret near the Turf Hotel.

Whimbrel

Little Egret

Joining the Pied Wagtails on the beach this evening were 4 Godwits (Bar-tailed I think) who flew in, paced up and down the beach for 20 minutes coming within 10 yards of us (see phone shots) and then headed off west.

Magical moment.

Walking with 2 friends, we saw Redstart, Stonechats, Grey Wagtail, Buzzard, female Cuckoo bubbling, chased by male Cuckoo in the same place as I saw last year. 

1 Redstart, good numbers of Blackcaps, Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers plus Pearl Bordered Fritillary and Small Copper Butterflies. 

The pair of blackcaps I saw in a Barnstaple garden last Friday have obviously paired up as the male was very visible today feeding for two. Yesterday I saw lots of groups of a mix of swallows and house martins on my travels around Barnstaple and its outskirts. Up to a dozen in each group or in pairs. Most I've seen at any time this spring.

Exminster Marsh this morning, high light were six Hobby at one point (images on the DB's Face Book page), 19 Sedge Warbler, 7 Blackcap, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Heron, 4 Little Egret, Reed Warbler 1, 2 Bar Tailed Godwit to one side of the mixed flock of Black Tailed Godwit and Dunlin, 9 Whimbrell, 4 Curlew, Canada Goose with 8 young goslings, Marsh Harrier, 3 Buzzard and a steady trickle of Swallow.

DWT Heathfield in the evening, Tree Pipit, plenty of Stonechat activity a dusk fly over from a Tiercel Peregrine, no sight or sound of Nightjar.

2 Hobby feeding late evening by RSPB CP at Exminster Marsh, hawking low over fields probably feeding on crane fly. Also Marsh Harrier, 111 Blackwit, 18 Barwit, 32 Whimbrel, 16 Curlew, 26 Dunlin & Ringed Plover mostly on new scrapes. 8 Teal & F Wigeon. Finally pair of Stonechat with two young on marsh. 

Cuckoos heard this afternoon. Possibly 3 ?

A gorgeous morning today around Slapton Ley. The Night Heron showed well alongside the bridge eventually. Also Blackcap, Reed Warbler, Linnet, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Skylark, Long Tailed Tit, GC Grebe, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Wren, Garden Warbler, Moorhen, Coot, Cirl Bunting, Lots of Swallow, Mute Swan, Canada geese, Tufted Duck, Mixed Gulls, Carrion Crow. No sign of the Ring-necked duck.

Cirl Bunting

Night Heron with Roach

2 Cattle Egrets in the field with the sheep on the west side of the Toll Road.

4 gannets and 11 sandwich terns fishing at midday

Yesterday evening over the Down. Cuckoos 3, Wheatears 5, Stonechats, Skylarks, M. Pipits, Green Woodpecker 1, Blackbirds 3, Wrens 2, Willow Warblers, Blackcap and a solitary Tree Pipit. On TWP a pair of Mallards, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Barwits.

Wheatear

young Blackbird

Whilst walking near Kennick Reservoir this evening, I heard a cuckoo calling from the direction of Blackingstone Rock, Bridford; it didn’t sound that far-off. 

A loop from Ivybridge to Higher Piles Copse, up on the moor and back on the road, produced Cuckoo, Grasshopper Warbler, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Tree Pipit and Wheatear, among the commoner spp. 

The Night Heron was perched below the bridge at Slapton late morning.

Hooded Crow showed briefly at 13:30 in usual gardens at Beesands. 

Night-heron

A Great Crested Grebe in summer plumage, new in this morning and the 2 Bar-tailed Godwits still around with a Whimbrel, 2 Curlews, 2 Oystercatchers and a Greenshank. Also, female Wheatear, Whitethroat, a pair of Grey Wagtails, Mediterranean Gull (2nd cy), 2 Green-veined Whites, Holly Blue & 9 Roe Deer.

After a couple of days in hiding a Glossy Ibis spent much of the morning around the scrape area today .Also on the scrape were 3 Black-tailed Godwits, a Shelduck, 2 Swans, 2 Little Egrets, a Grey Heron, some Mallard and a couple of Canada Geese. Around Sherpa Marsh, 1 Whimbrel, a few Swallows, a drake Garganey, and 2 Wheatears. And some late news from yesterday, the white Reed Bunting in full song from a tree in the reed-bed.

On Instow Cricket ground at high tide this morning a mixed wader feeding flock totalling 65 birds comprising approximately 50 Whimbrel and 15 Bar tailed Godwits 3 in bright summer plumage.     On the Tarka trail towards Fremington a large increase in Singing Whitethroats and at Isley the first Singing Lesser Whitethroat.......

Crownhill Down: Single Sanderling, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 19 Dunlin and 6 Ringed Plover on the huge pit. Viewed from top of the down. Scope essential.

Cadover: Garden Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler, 3 Cuckoo, plus usuals.

Late post.  Posted these on the 29/30 April but they have not yet appeared.

Collared Dove

Oystercatcher

Cuckoo calling near central car park.

At least 4 Cuckoos, 7 Wheatears, Stonechats, M. Pipits, Willow warblers, Goldfinches,  Linnets, Wrens. Dunlin, Barwits and Ringed Plovers ands a solitary LBBG on the TWP.

Cuckoo

Cuckoo

 Cuckoo seen and heard calling, before the cattle grid

Two beautiful summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwits (thanks Martin) on Blaxton Meadow with 2 Whimbrels & a lingering Curlew. Also, around the patch, 3 Wheatears (1 male), Whitethroat, Green Woodpecker & 5 Roe Deer.

Whilst at car boot sale at Exmouth Archery Club heard a male Cuckoo calling from the adjacent Withycombe Raleigh Common  at about 8.30am.

3 Bar-tailed Godwit still, 62 Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plover. All distant, scope essential.

A mid-afternoon visit to Slapton to see the black-crowned night heron was immediately successful as half a dozen birders on the bridge were observing it, easily visible at a distance of about 15m. Some students from the field centre were passing by and enjoyed looking through various scopes. At Beesands, the hooded crow proved elusive at first but was eventually spotted flying along a drive before alighting on the roof of a bungalow.

A drake garganey dropped onto the new scrape briefly at 7am this morning, where also c100 Blackwits. On another scrape c40 mostly summer plumage dunlin & 8 ringed plover. c30 whimbrel on site. Over towards RSPB car park 8 cattle egrets. Overhead c50 swallows, c10 sand martins, single house martin & swift. However, over Duckes Marsh, Exeter c12 swifts feeding low in the dreich conditions.

Fairly quiet ,rainy visit this afternoon. Reed and Cettis Warblers calling near central car park ,Marsh Harrier in centre of Marsh huntiing

No Teal on the scrape (or much else} and the overnight rain has refilled it leaving no muddy margins. 3 Whimbrel on the Caen near Marstage Farm. A good sized mixed flock of Swallows, Sand Martins and a few House Martins over the main Sherpa Pond. Several calling Cetti's Warblers.

Hoopoe in a garden at 16:00

First proper movement of hirundines with c.250Swallows, 13 Sand Martins & several House Martins. Also 13 Wheatear.

early am:

7 Purple Sandpiper on Breakwater

4 Risso's Dolphins off Berry Head

Purple Sandpiper

Risso's Dolphins

7  Bar - tailed Godwits  (2 in smart summer plumage) on passage migration from their wintering grounds to their breeding grounds in the Arctic. They had gone by the time I returned 2 hours later.

Dear Bird news yesterday there was a steady stream of swallows and martins heading north over Affaland near Clawton the rain has stop them today, a few chiffchaff and willow warblers stopping in our garden for respite before moving north, as a Raptor researcher for the BTO AND Oxford university most of my work can not be put on this site of obvious reasons but I do keep in contact with the county recorders for Devon and Cornwall.

kind regards

Nigel-John Bastin

Affaland 

Clawton.

Further to Chris's report was a Common Sandpiper on one of the smaller ponds, Swallows, Cuckoos, Wheatears, Stonechats, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Linnets, Goldfinches, Willow Warblers, Wrens and a Blackcap.

Common Sandpiper

Skylark

Afternoon walk from Ventiford Basin to New Bridge.  Approx 20 sand martins over fields near Ventiford. Good views of grey wagtails. One splendid male Mandarin duck. Regretfully no signs of dippers at usual nesting site.  Fantastic display of ransoms in the woods.

Overnight rain produced the goods - 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel (left at 0815), 12 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover all in the huge pit at the top of the down early morning. Viewed from top with scope, all distant. 

Elsewhere, 2 Greenshank, 2 Little Egret, Grasshopper Warbler, Tree Pipit, 2 Cuckoo, 2 Wheatear.

This evening out around Crow Point area this Osprey was spotted some considerable distance away.  And this bird does have a blue ring but it's too blurry to read.

Osprey