Barnstaple

14:30 Two Spoonbill in mid channel of the estuary between Anchor wood bank and Pottington. By the look of the bill's I would think they were both juveniles. Attached record shots taken from around 150 yards and heavily cropped. One was even having a bit of fun with a Curlew!

SE Dartmoor

Red Kite heading E and several Swallows moving N.

Dead Otter

Re Maurice's post on the dead otter, it sounds like it was found very near to where the poorly Heron that I found last week and Jon found dead the next day (on the edge of the reeds right by the barn) - could be a tie-up!!!!

Wrafton

An Osprey being mobbed by Gulls over Wrafton, headed east.

Sherpa Marsh, Braunton

08:15

2 Water Pipits and 2 Jack Snipe on edge of Sherpa Pond. Also found a dead, young Otter near the barn on the marsh. It was about 18"-20" long and a good weight, so hadn`t died from emaciation. There was no sign of infestation and I would estimate it had died or been  killed within the last 2 days. I couldn`t see any obvious injuries but suspect it had been killed by a dog or similar.

Newton Abbot/Teignmouth

Hackney Marshes late Saturday afternoon - Cetti's and blackcap singing, skylark over the racecourse along with a single kestrel. Teignmouth Beach last night - lots of sandwich terns busy fishing. Also recently, grey wagtail in song down by Newton Abbot bus station, raven over Courtney Park and personal peak count of six buzzards over the town.

Exminster Crane

Crane left exminster marshes at 9.35 circled over powderham marsh a few times and then left in south-south- east direction out of view. [David Smith]

Colyford Marsh

The Crane still present this morning on Colyford Marsh, visible from B3172 Axmouth Road by Stedcombe Vale.

Seaton

Deadly quiet today....until 19:45 when an adult Crane flew over the town and landed on Colyford Marsh! Still present as it was getting dark at 20:20, but had moved onto the river adjacent to Black Hole Marsh by then. Apparently the Exminster bird was still on view when this one turned up.

Exminster Marsh

Called into Exminster Marsh this evening,to look for spring migrants when i spotted 2 large birds flying onto and across the marsh the 1st was a Grey Heron and the 2nd larger bird looked to be a crane but i lost sight of it,the Heron carried on flying towards Turf,so i assumed the other bird had landed, i cold not see it from where i was,so nipped over to the viewpoint at Powderham Marsh and within minutes had picked out a Adult Common Crane in the area of the Main Lagoon on Exminster Marsh, probably best viewable from footpath along railway track. Also seen 10+ Sand Martin and 1 Green Sandpiper,1 Willow Warbler and 14 Wigeon.

Exmouth

Orcombe Point - 0640 - 6+ chiffchaff, 7+ willow warbler, 1 yellowhammer west (very infrequent on Orcombe), and 5 blackcap. Migrants there in the last couple of days have included 1 swallow, 2 bar-tailed godwit and 5+ willow warbler yesterday and 1 pale-bellied brent goose, 1 wheatear and 1 redwing on 30/3.

West Lodge - 1630 - yellow-browed warbler still, 3 sandwich tern, 2 treecreeper and 1+ chiffchaff.

Adult Crane,Exminster

18.30 hrs 1 Adult Crane from first layby after railway bridge. Distant and at times obscured by bank.

Otherwise quiet apart from 3 sand martins over

Bickleigh

Red Kite flew up the Exe Valley today around 5pm. Bickleigh nr Tiverton.  [Peter Burston]

Thurlestone Bay

Lack of Hirundines over - although only 3 SWALLOW - over the village late afternoon, but still no Wheatear

Waders on the rocks this am - 1 PURPLE SANDPIPER, 1 SANDERLING , 4 TURNSTONE. In the bay a SANDWICH TERN.

On South Huiosh Marsh 2 WIGEON.

LITTLE BUNTING showed well at times during the day to the delight of visitors

Braunton Marsh

Finally caught up with Jon Turner's Whooper Swan this morning, it was on the marsh with 24 Mute's.

Darts Farm, Topsham

A quick look around the farm this morning produced a single Green Sandpiper, a small group of Wigeon remain (6) along with a larger count of Teal (11) with some displaying males. A lone Brent Goose and 4 Shelducks.

Good views of Reed Buntings on the feeders, and 2 Raven around the site midday.

No sign of the Ruff which was seen yesterday and on the 29th.

Wrafton

Two Little Ringed Plover on mud by Tarka Trail adjacent to Wrafton Pond.

Whooper Swan on Sherpa Marsh.

One Swallow - not quite summer yet!

Exminster marshes

One little ringed plover south of S bend in lane at 9.30

Plymouth area, Sat 31st March

A few modest signs of spring.

Staddon Heights: 6+ singing Chiffchaffs, 2 singing Blackcaps. Also Speckled Wood.

Radford Park: one Willow Warbler singing.

Plym Estuary & Saltram: Greenshank 2, Little Egret 9, Tufted Duck 2 (pair).

Slapton Ley

Male and female Garganey showing well on the Graveyard Pool this morning. ( Graveyard Pool is the area of water enclosed by reeds and the road on the right side of the road as you walk down to the beach from Slapton Bridge ).