Exminster

A single brambling in the garden was the first for weeks. Almost as exciting were two, possibly three, green finches the most seen for months.

On the marshes 7 white-fronted geese still present near the lagoon (8 were seen last Sunday). On the lagoon 4 pochard were with about 6 tufted ducks, with a further 8 tufted ducks on various pools. Lots of wigeon, teal and shoveller scattered over the many wet flashes and pools together with a few black-tailed godwits and curlew.

Bowling Green Marsh

The Smew was still present at 5pm, plus 6 Gadwall, 2 Pintail, 4 Pochard, 9 Tufted, 1 Spotted Redshank, 4 Greenshank, c160 Avocets, Little egret, Little Grebe and lots of Redshank, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwits (one colour ringed: yellow above red on both legs, all above the 'knee'; right red was a 'flag' - apparently ringed in Iceland in 2007).

Goodrington

The fw Scaup still present this afternoon, mostly inactive. Two Black-necked Grebes and a single Great Crested off the beach.

Bowling Green Marsh

The redhead Smew still present this afternoon on the main pool, best viewed from the hide (Just as well too, given the weather!).

Brixham Breakwater

Slavonian Grebe just offshore at high tide and feeding successfully. Nothing else of note in and around the harbour area

Bantham foreshore high tide at start of path to Thurlestone 3 Ruddy Turnstone & 3 Sanderling. Only a few starlings left at Thurlestone roost.

Harpford Common

The Great Grey Shrike was still showing well this morning in the same burnt area on east side of Harpford Common.

Youngs Park, Goodrington

The 1st winter drake scaup mostly asleep lunchtime, but occasionally more obliging. Someone told me this bird has been there since wednesday or thursday last week. Off the beach a few great crested grebes and a black necked grebe - all distant.

Clennon Valley

A female Black Redstart in my garden and then moving up and down the road this lunchtime. Possibly the same one I have been seeing on and off all winter.

Paignton

Youngs Park
1w male Scaup still present at 1500hrs

Taw estuary

Started at Fremington Creek, lots of skittish Redshank (one colour-ringed) with a lone Greenshank and a Little Egret. At the mouth of the creek a Spoonbill (with a yellow ring) was feeding.
Nearer Barnstaple I met a couple doing a bird survey to check on the effects that the new bridge has had on the birds of the river. It's the second year of the survey, and of course we couldn't find the Smew or the Goldeneye, but they did say they would return at high tide. I'm glad to see that the County Council is doing some on-going research into the effects of the bridge.
Not a lot on the way back to Braunton; 1/200 Golden Plover and about a dozen clockwork Sanderling!
At Velator Reserve this afternoon at least 2 Siskin seen with the mobile (and dispersed) Finch flock.

A couple of Little Grebes were very busy among the reeds in the pond by Dawlish Warren visitor centre today. Just a distant record shot of the pair.

Exminster Marshes

Three Water Pipits in flooded field to left of Swans Nest Lane, just past Lions Rest Trading Estate early afternoon.

Goodrington

1w male scaup on the boating lakes at Youngs Park, it was present last night when I was out just before dusk checking the gull roost and still present this morning.

I noticed 'fluff ' flying around in the light breeze from the reed mace heads so dashed over hoping for a Penduline Tit but it was a couple of Blue Tits instead!

Sidmouth

Eight Purple Sandpipers showing well on rock armour at Jacob's Ladder

Prawle

Different week - same stuff! Seawatch (08.00 - 13.30); 3 each of Black- and Red-throated Divers, 1565 Gannets, 67 Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Common Scoter, 4 Common Gulls, Med Gull, 467 Kittiwakes and 1272 Auks (no attempt to seperate them today)! A nice lot of birds, but one of the lingering Sooties or a Skua or 2 would have been nice. (There's no pleasing some people)! I also fancied my chances of a Storm Petrel today, but I see they went to Dorset instead!

WeBS count produced a decent total of 16 Purple Sandpipers, along with the wintering crew of Redshank, Knot and 2 Grey Plover.

In Horseley Cove, I confirmed what I have suspected for a few weeks - that there are 2 Water Pipits, (I saw them together for the first time today), along with at least 36 Rock Pipits.

Wembury

Still one Water Pipit at the point along with a Grey Heron.

Exe Estuary and Exminster Marshes

The WeBS count between Starcross and Dawlish Warren saltmarsh included 1 Red-throated Diver, Slavonian and 4 Little Grebes, Red-breasted Goose with 510 Brents in field at Easdon, 4 Goldeneye, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 30 Mergansers, Water Rail (in saltmarsh), 997 Oystercatchers, the usual wintering Whimbrel (also in saltmarsh) and 1 Greenshank.

Afterwards, there were 12 Gadwall and 2 Pintail in Powderham Park. At Exminster Marshes from 2:30pm: 8 Pintail, 14 Tufted Ducks on shallow floods (some diving), Water Rail and est. 750 Black-tailed Godwits. While checking Redwings in a field near the RSPB car park (one day there will be a Dusky Thrush!) I realised there was a Bittern's head and shoulders poking above the banks of a ditch - I had good scope views for c20 minutes until it finally walked off along the ditch.

Bideford - yesterday 12/2

These Starlings arrived lastnight at 5pm and do every night in our Ash Trees and roof at the Top of East-the-water, Ayres Close and Eastridge view, Bideford always around 5pm before heading off accross the town to Littleham and then Hartland. I Love it!
[from Shaun Barnes]

Exe Powderham sea-wall

During a wet WEBS count today three scaup were close to the sea wall at high tide. One male and two females. Also in the same area were 18 red-breasted mergansers with some of the males displaying. On the fore-shore were two knot and about 300 dunlin. In the wet fields immediately adjacent to the footpath there were 10 snipe , two rock pipits and 9 meadow pipits. One of the rock pipits sang and displayed landing in the old dead tree on the sea-wall.