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Early evening:- Canada Geese are well known for forming creches. Is this the start of something bigger?

On a day trip to Lundy there were 1500+ Manx Shearwaters sat on the sea on the outward journey.  Adult Rose-coloured Staring on the island and a hunting Hobby.  

Lots of gulls, guilemots and a few kittirwakes out over the water this afternnon. The highlight was the spectacle of 2 oyster catchers flying low and close to the point.

Photographed by an acquaintance from the local camera club yesterday evening (6 June). On the mud at Horsey Island between the toll road and the sea-wall breach. Could not be relocated this morning.

Collared Pratincole © Vicky Dyson

Reliable and photographed report of a Pratincole species yesterday evening. Probably Collared.

Visited Grey Woods at Buckland on the moor this afternoon, found a pair of Pied Flycatcher’s at the top end of the woods, with a nest and obviously feeding young. Lovely to see. 

Along the railway this morning were Garden and Willow Warblers, Redstart and Redpoll. On the moor around Sourton Tor were Cuckoo, Wheatear, Stonechat, and, incongruously, singing from a Gorse bush at 800 ft. above sea level, a Reed Bunting.

This afternoon: 2 Treecreepers, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Red-crested Pochard (female) & 24 Mandarin Ducks.

Three Ring-necked Parakeets flew over Netherton in Farway at 4.30 this afternoon, heading south-east.

A nice surprise during a mothing evening at Clennon Lakes when a very out of place Nightjar flew out over us and out over the fields!

A red kite flew over at 2.30 flying NE towards the town centre, just as the drizzle and low cloud started to clear.

3x 1st winter Med Gulls as Kelly’s Heros boat returned into Brixham Harbour at 11:15

Red Kite flew over Oreston at 12.10

Out on the scrape this morning, an exciting Herring Gull! But as Andy Leat and I waited, things did improve! The drake Shelduck reappeared, Then 7 of the flyover flock of Canada Geese dropped in. Single LBB Gull and then a subadult Black-headed Gull - first of the autumn(!) flew in. A Grey Heron suddenly appeared from nowhere and above a Swallow (first here for ages) and 4 Swifts. In the reserve, a male Reed Bunting,  singing Blackcaps still, a Kingfisher again and a day roosting Tawny Owl out in the open.

Tawny Owl leaning on a tree trunk.

Typically for this time of year, it's been very quiet on the patch recently. However, today, a modicum of interest provided by: Shelducks with 11 small ducklings, at least 3 Bullfinches, singing Whitethroat, Green Woodpecker, a pair of Stonechats, Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady & 3 Roe Deer. 

Red Kite flew over Oreston at 12.10

A trip out on Kellys Heros this morning gave close sightings of 25 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Storm Petrels as well as the usual gulls, Gannets and auks.  

Yet another red kite, over Wonford, being mobbed by a magpie. So many this year! ????

1 Red kite over Roundswell at 12.30

3 weeks ago up to 90 Swifts were above Cairn late evenings, tonight huge numbers are present, I did several counts getting up to 250. I'd be surprised if the town had anywhere near this amount of breeding pairs.

2 Red Kites ….one being haressed  by a Carrion Crow drifting north at 3 pm ………the second heading east at about 3 30………. A Kestrel also hunting but disturbed by 9 Red Arrows. By the river the Goosander still successfully rearing 10 young…….also a Blackbird mimicking a Dipper and a pair of Chaffinches feeding on Mayfly.Non avian included 5 red deer hinds and lots of Meadow Browns making their first appearances……….

2 adult, 2 immature mute swans flew over , W to E this evening.

This morning on my walk from Anchor Wood to Fremington I got very close views of two Red Kites. One near Anchor Wood and the other about half way between the two places. Sadly no camera with me.

A Red Kite low south over Courtlands Lane at 1720hrs.

Whilst waiting for the Red Arrows flyover this afternoon, we were surprised to see 2 Red Kite circling over Bradwell before moving on towards Ilfracombe direction 

10.00hrs single Red Kite very low over Sannerville way drifting towards Exminster 

Birds on Friday included a a cuckoo calling on and off over a few minutes from the top of a tall pine. A tree pipit atop another smaller pine was briefly joined by a common redstart, In the woods, many blackcap, and willow warblers sang and at least one garden warbler called.

A solitary puffin seen with a guillemot escort

Following Rob's post, and in a burst of enthusiasm brought on by the lovely sunshine, I cycled to Crow Point and then set off to cycle up to(wards) Saunton. Mostly this involved pushing the bike through soft sand - I remember this from my running days! Well not far short of the crowds of grockles letting their dogs chase everything, I found one smart sum-plum Dunlin and 5 non sum-plum Grey Plover. Some splendid dwarf pansies in the Burrows. A Large Skipper in the reserve.

This morning was my first visit since my return from a week in Cornwall.  First to show itself was a female Blackcap followed by at least two Reed Warblers.  Pair of Swans with eight Cygnets on the pond. Also on the pond were a number of Mallard, a Coot, a Moorhen and a couple of Little Grebes.

Female Blackcap

Reed Warbler

A male cuckoo heard and seen at Belstone today- the first time at the spot for us. Also male and female wheatear and numerous stonechat.

Around the reservoir this morning was 2 Yellowhammer, 6 Willow Warblers, several Chiffchaff, a Green Woodpecker in flight, 3 singing Skylark, 1 Spotted Flycatcher,  an adult Great Spotted Woodpecker feeding a juvenile, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk overhead, and 206 Herring gull of various plumages, perched on a boom in front of the dam. Digiscoped record shots.

Skylark

Spotted Flycatcher

1 RED KITE over garden  at 3 p.m being escorted north by 2 crows.

A 6 mile walk this morning along Saunton Sands & back produced a flock of c50 mixed waders (Dunlin & Sanderling) while  passing through on migration to their breeding grounds, stopping off to refuel & rest before continuing the journey.

Amongst them was this one Curlew Sandpiper in partial summer plumage.

Saw a cuckoo in flight on the way home from work yesterday. Driving home from moretonhampstead to hennock on the reservoir road. Very close to the reservoirs. Saw one on a lamp post in almost the same location in 2023. 

This evening skylark singing and male yellowhammer seen on edge of town.

3 nightjar churring in a fairly small area of forestry at Hennock reservoirs this evening. All associated with a band of more open habitat between maturing forestry. 

Willow warbler, Sand martin, Swallow, Grey Wagtail, Reed Bunting, Swallows, Wheatear, Goosander with 2 ducklings 

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Grey Wagtail

Yellowhammers, Wheatears, Tree Pipits, Willow Warblers,Swallows, Cuckoos

Yellowhammer

Cuckoo

Today I heard a cuckoo calling around Hennock Reservoirs, roughly in the same spot near Tottiford that one was regularly heard in 2020. A few days before, whilst at Kennick reservoir, I could hear a cuckoo in the Blackingstone rock area, which I checked out one evening. It was possibly near Blackingstone quarry, but faintly in the background I could another cuckoo, potentially at Mardon Down. So, possibly two males focused on these Moorland edge areas, or perhaps even three. 

I've noticed little groups of Woodpigeons flying over Chudleigh in recent weeks, but this afternoon flocks totalling 370, in groups of up to 30, flew NW up the Bovey valley over Bovey Heath in 35 minutes (13:55-14:30).  What are they up to? Slightly more exciting was a Red-eyed Damselfly on Bovey Heath pond (first record there) and a male Scarce Chaser (token image) at Little Bradley Ponds - the first record for the Bovey Basin of this increasing species and the 27th dragonfly species seen at LBP.

Scarce Chaser at Little Bradley Ponds

Evidence of Swifts building nests under the eaves of two adjacent three storey student houses between 3pm and 4pm Thursday afternoon. Although one of the aspects is westerly facing, the nest spot seems to be protected from the elements by a wooden facia board. Interestingly the birds don't appear to be disturbed or put off either by loud rap music coming through an open window directly below!! Perhaps shows some evidence of resilience and adaptability.

Noon yesterday, Red Kite with two buzzards, above tractor working in field just north of Down Thomas.

Good to see spotted flycatcher along with usual suspects at buratpr this morning 

1 over Sandy Lane at 11.30 am, yesterday

Swallows, Sandmartins, Grey Wagtails, Wheatears, Spotted Flycatcher. In N' Wood several very vocal GSW's, probably a family group, Nuthatch, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow warblers, Goldcrests'

Wheatear

Reed Bunting

Goosanders creche their chicks. I saw a pair once with 30!

Yesterday on River Teign on Clay Lane public Footpath , Dipper, lots of Sand Martin, and Female Goosander with 19 chicks. 
Couldn’t believe our eyes, does anyone know if they always have that size brood.?