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Today near Langworthy Farm, Widecombe in the Moor there were at least five and may have been as many as 10 Red Kites soaring over roadside fields. Also saw a Black Kite over the A38 near South Brent.

Red Kite

Red Kite

Yesterday,11.30am, 2 Red Kites circling over fields between Kingston village and Okenbury Farm

21.00 .Large group of between 12 and 15 Swifts flying around the Houndiscombe Park, Houndiscombe Road 'triangle' area. Often screaming, often flying at quite high altitude but also swooping down over the trees and houses. 

1130 to 1300  200/300 Herring Gulls mainly adults, feeding on the grass fields in this area on Scarab Beetles Aphodius fimetarius.  All flew in from the east and after feeding flew on westwards into the Walkham valley.

Three Wheatear territories in the area, one pair of Pied Wagtails, and one male Stonechat

numerous Grey Wagtails, Willow warblers, Chiffchaffs, Marsh tit, Buzzards and 4 Spotted Flycatchers

Grey Wagtail juv.

Spotted Flycatcher

Two Red Kites over Plympton. One N, one W at 1650.

11.55 today. A single moulting Red Kite circling and flying slowly W-NW. Top of Upcott Hill.

Arrived at my field at 2.30pm to drop off some grass clippings and looked up to see two red kites along with a buzzard. The kites flew off NE separately.

Red kite soaring high over my garden with two common buzzards at 14.25 hrs today. Kite drifted west. 

5 of the young Goosanders on the river yesterday evening.

At about 1315hrs a lone Red Kite was seen riding on the thermals over the garden with a Buzzard, heading NE.

1155 hrs. One moulting Red Kite, circling and moving slowly W-NW. Top of Upcott Hill.

1 adult Great Crested Grebe in the pool by the breach this morning during the falling tide. Just before we departed it was going with the flow heading towards the Caen Estuary.

Yesterday on a roadside in the County Gate area I spotted this Spotted Flycatcher and Willow Warbler. 

Spotted Flycatcher

Willow Warbler

Swallows continue to occupy this old wooden boat abandoned near Laira Bridge. Tuesday 14th June at 3.00pm

Several Wheatears with juveniles, a Whinchat, Tree Pipits, a solitary Cuckoo and a pair of Yellowhammers

pair of Yellowhammers

juv. Wheatear

Picture the scene......Sitting by a lovely clear stream,in glorious weather, having an afternoon cuppa, on the road from Bellever to Cator Green, at 14.45 today.

I look up and see a large bird approching that I took to be a Heron. Not that unusual ..then it was much closer and flying toward me...that is no Heron...it was a WHITE STORK. I rush back to the car to get the camera but only manage to get a shot of its tail-end as it disappears!!  Quite a surprise indeed.

Other notable sightings on the Moor today.....3 Cuckoo..Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Yellowhammer, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, GSW, Redstart, Grey and Pied Wagtail, a selection of Warblers, Raven, Buzzard and 2 Kestrels hunting as a pair.

Upper Tamar Lake this morning.

2 Willow Tit, 3 Marsh Tit, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Dunnock, c25 Gold Finch, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker,1 Great Black-backed Gull.

Hobby soaring over Coly Valley at 6pm. Also three distant Fallow Deer observed from garden in Netherton, Farway.

Forget the 'Thieving Magpie', spare a thought for this 'Grieving Magpie'.   A pair have raised three young at the back of our house. Today one of the fledglings was murdered by a Herring Gull on the green at the front. The adults saw the gull off, but it was too late.  It was sad to watch the adult calling to the youngster to get up, and sadder still to see her three hours later still trying to raise the chick.. We think of Magpies as cold killers, but this surely must be compassion?

Grieving Magpie

The Collared Pratincole showed well throughout the afternoon often hawking for flies amongst a flock of Swifts between long periods of loafing by the breach at Horsey Island. Marsh Harrier hunting round Velator reserve.

Collared Pratincole

Collared Pratincole

Still around. Sat by wall near breach having coffee around 12.00 suddenly flew towards us.put on a good aerial display for about 20 mins then landed by the pallet and bucket. Too far away and too much heat haze for any pics unfortunately .

Eurasian Reed Warbler singing and showing intermittently at Cadover Bridge, (location using What3Words - ///ultra.gashes.tallest). Also in the area Cuckoo and 4 Lesser Redpoll, including 1+ juv

Lesser Redpoll

Late report for Upper Tamar Lake yesterday.

1 Willow Tit, 3 Marsh Tit, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Cormorant.

Yesterday a walk at Prawle Point and along Coast Path,House Martin, Swallow, White Throat, plenty of Stonechat and a lovely Yellow Hammer  

Bill and Jill

Yellow Hammer

Goldfinch

Lucky to get back from a week's holiday and see the Pratincole perched on the far side of the breach. It eventually flew a short distance into the breach area and landed near the 2 concrete pillars. Still around at about 4.30 when a lot of us left.

Seen leaving the breach area at 10 ish, hunting over Sherpa Marsh until around 10.30 and then flying back to the end of the near bank of the breach again. I left the bird at 10.38. Other birders present.

Cuckoo at Labrador Bay. We watched it for 30 mins this afternoon. It was active flying from perch to ground to a different perch. 

Collared Pratincole

Seen in flight at noon. Returned to the breach area at approx 14:45 for good views until it walked out of sight at the end of the near bank (of the breach).

Picture courtesy of Andrew Lovell

A brief walk over the Down this morning produced Ravens, Swallows, Sand Martin, Tree Pipit, Jays, Wheatears and a solitary Whinchat was showing particularly well.

Whinchat

Whinchat

Horsey Island around noon – the collared pratincole made a brief appearance in front of a small gathered crowd – it flew around over the breach a couple of times before heading towards Braunton and gaining altitude until it was out of sight.

Whilst out walking we usually stop by the White Bridge to check for fish and birds. On the West Bank of the north side of the bridge my wife was convinced she could see something in the reeds and binoculars revealed a small brown heron-like bird skulking in the reeds. The attached very fuzzy smartphone picture has been checked by the Devon Recorder who confirms that it is a Little Bittern

Sometime one just gets lucky as I did today. After a quick and disappointing visit to Wrafton Pond I popped out to Horsey for a quick visit.  In my camera's view finder I noticed a small light brown speck had appeared on the river bank on the far side of the breach. It was the Collared Pratincole that had been spotted by others earlier in the week.  Luckily for me the resident Marsh Harrier spooked the Collared Pratincole which took flight and landed close by. Also saw a few Dunlin on the river bank opposite the gantry.

Marsh Harrier

Collared Pratincole

Cadover area: 4 Cuckoo, 3 Goosander (including 2 juvs), Garden Warbler, 7 Wheatear (including 2 juvs), Whitethroat, 13+ Sand Martin and 3 Reed Buntings the highlights.

Norsworthy to Crazywell Pool circular walk: Redstart (f), Garden Warbler, Cuckoo and Tree Pipit the best.

This morning on the Down: Tree Pipits, a pair of Reed Buntings and a Wheatear m. feeding a juv. bird.

Wheatear with juv. bird

Reed Bunting

In the sunshine: Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Treecreepers, a pair of Stonechats, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 35+ Swifts, Shelducks with 9 small ducklings, Small & Large Skippers, Humming-bird Hawk-moth & a Roe Deer.

Juvenile Dartford at Aylesbeare this morning.

Dartford Warbler

Yesterday at Stover there were two Great Crested Grebe, four or five Mandarin and a pair of Mute Swans with five Cygnets 

Mandarin Duck

Grey Heron

Good to see Whinchat doing well on Dartmoor

Male Whinchat

Female Whinchat

Nice to see Redstarts at Challacombe Farm.

Male Redstart

Female Redstart

Swallows, Redstarts, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps

Chiffchaff

Swallow

At least 3 Cuckoos, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Reed Bunting, Whinchats, Jay, Green Woodpecker, Tree pipits, Blackcaps, Siskins, Bullfinch, Chiffchaffs, Willow warblers

Reed Bunting

Whinchat

Upper Tamar Lake this morning.

1 Willow Tit, 2 Marsh Tit, 10 Grey Heron, 2 Great Crested Grebe, c25 Linnet, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Sedge Warblers, 2 Chiffchaff, 5 Cormorant, 3 Great Tit, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Blue Tit.

This afternoon while driving through Ipplepen this Buzzard was spotted on the top of a roadside tree.  This evening on a quick trip to Fremington Pill this Shelduck family was spotted near the sluice.

Buzzard

Shelduck family

Marsh Harrier quartering the reed beds 18.30 to 19,30

Marsh Harrier

Lower Tamar Lake this morning.

1 Willow Tit, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1m Reeb Bunting, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Canada Geese, and 2 Goslings, 1 Long-tailed Tit, 1 Jay.

Upper Tamar Lake.

1 Willow Tit, 1 Redshank, 1 House Martin, 2 Swallow, 5 Cormorant, 7 Grey Heron, 30 Canada Geese, 7 Linnet, 2 Swift.

Oystercatchers are feeding (unseen) young on the back of the roof at Bookers in Kingsteignton, as they did in 2020-21. They are bringing food in from either Newton Abbot racecourse or possibly the Teign estuary (which is over a kilometre away).

Also a female Mandarin with a brood of five well-grown ducklings (Manderlings?) on the Teign at Preston - possibly the same as the brood seen briefly at Chudleigh on the 5th. Two Cetti's Warblers were singing each at West Golds and Hackney Marshes, Kingfishers at Jetty Marsh and Rackerhayes, and two pairs of Great Crested Grebes and a large juv at Rackerhayes.

Oystercatcher with a meagre food item!

Black kite - seen well for 2 mins at 11.45 am

Hummingbird Hawkmoth nectaring on Viper's Bugloss