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While in the County Gate area I spotted this pair of Redstart.

Female Redstart

Male Redstart

Passage House at 1600hrs today on high tide….

2 Little Ringed Plovers,1 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Shelduck,34 Mute Swans and 7 Little Egret

Apologies for quality but this bird was very high and are ID record shots only.

Rather quiet over high tide this afternoon, with c80 Black-tailed Godwits at BGM, plus Little Grebe, 27 Shelduck, Kingfisher, 9 Swifts, 20 Sand and 1 House Martin and a Cetti's Warbler. At Goosemoor, 2 Greenshanks and a Whimbrel.

My first swifts of the year ; 10 circling around Mincinglake .

I was pleased to see that the Long-tailed Tits have fledged successfully this year.   Here they are being fed in the garden in the pouring rain this morning.

Juvenile Long-tailed Tit

Juvenile Long-tailed Tit

Just seen an Alpine Swift over Radford Woods, Plymstock.  Last seen flying In an easterly direction.  Picture to follow.

On a pretty quiet seawatch from 07.10-10.40: 4 Puffins, 57 Manx Shearwaters, 37 Kittiwakes & 3 Common Scoters. Also, in, off the sea: 3 Swifts, 11 House Martins & 3 Swallows. 

Late post - yesterday early evening.

The leucistic Reed Bunting known locally as 'Russell's Bunting' which was first seen on Braunton Great Field during late winter/early spring. It was perched on cauliflowers & feeding on seeds but later moved to the reed beds on Sharpa Marshes.  Now desperately seeking a female companion with a view to mating & rearing a family. Hoping there is a local female who will find his snow white plumage & song irresistible!

Photo taken from the Toll House on the west side of the Caen Estuary.

yesterday morning: 2 pale Pomarine Skuas drifted N in Torbay - appeared to be lingering, 1 Great Northern Diver and 7 Whimbrel on rocks just off shore.

Red Kite over Coombe Valley 9.50 this morning, headed north towards Haldon being mobbed by Herring Gulls.

20 plus Swifts hawking insects at top of Higher Coombe Drive about10 am, 

Redstart flew across the road near Soussons; Cuckoo calling and showing very well close to Warren House Inn; 2 Swifts over Fernworthy Reservoir and tree pipit in parachute display flight; 6 swifts over Moretonhampstead. A lot of stonechats around.

Swifts over Crediton last night- 5 initially building to 15 Swifts realing in the sky.

This afternoon, despite the Chinook activity, four Swift east to west over Braunton Burrows, our 1st of the year and a full 14 days later than last year. 

While photographing this Whimbrel it caught & consumed three worms in no more than just a few minutes.

Newly fledged juvenile Starlings being fed by adult birds already near the Barnstaple end of the trail.

My first Swifts (5) of the year, 7 Wheatears (4 males), Whitethroat, Treecreeper, Whimbrel, Greenshank, 40 Common Blues, Small Heath & 5 Roe Deer.

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.