Prawle

Highlights of a 2 hour seawatch were single Black-throated and Red-throated Divers and a Sandwich Tern. Foot-slogging resulted in a nice but routine selection of birds for mid-March. Totals as follows; 65 Golden Plover, 4 Redwing, Black Redstart, 7 Wheatears, 2 Water Pipits, 2 Blackcaps, 16 Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests and a Firecrest.

Around the exe

Dawlish warren 07:15 till 09:30

first wheatear of  the year a female this morning also 3 slavonian grebes, 8+ sandwich terns, 12 common scoters ,2 stonechats plenty of meadow pipits

Exminster marshes 10:20 till 11:30 dipped on the Little ringed plover

Bowling green marsh  12:00 till 14:00

A peregrine made an unsuccessful attack on the wigeon in front of the hide but landed just long enough to get this photo a stunning  bird

also 7 Gadwall, 30+ shoveler, 9+ tufted duck, 200+ wigeon, 2 pintail, 3 little grebes, 2 little egrets 



West Charlton Marsh (Kingsbridge)- Beesands- Slapton.

DBWPS East Devon Branch fieldtrip,  13 members present including Plymouth Branch members.

Total of 71 species counted during the day (10am - 5pm), including:

West Charlton Marsh
Egyptian Goose, 6 Cirl Bunting, 4 Blackcap, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 female Wigeon.
Beesands
3 female and 1 male Wheatear , 6 Chiffchaff (including one with unusual dark colouring on forehead and chin- below hide), 1 male Black Redstart (hedgerow near football pitch), 1 male Common Scoter, 2 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Peregrine Falcon.
Slapton
2 Sandmartin, 3 male Wheatear, 1 first w Whooper Swan.

All agreed that this had been a very enjoyable day with record high total number of species seen with some good spring migrants present and nesting in evidence (including pair of Long Tailed Tits seen building nest in bramble bush at Beesands).

Dartmoor

Male and female Hen Harrier over Mardon Down c.4.00 this afternoon

[George Wilkinson]

Thurlestone Bay

Only migrants this morning were 2 Sandwich Tern and a Wheatear.

Exminster marsh

   A Little Ringed Plover showed well for an hour mid-morning before doing a disappearing act. Also the first Willow Warbler , and the American Wigeon.

N Devon

Four wheatear northam burrows+700golden plover,skern. Healthy number of yellowhammers along coast path from old house to cornborough.Counted 7 6male and a female,pair of which gathering nesting material.Also green woodpecker and singing chiffchaff presnt all at 10am,w.ho!.

R.Taw Barnstaple to Ashford.

09:20 - 11:00

After the Woolacombe Week`s Highlights it was back to normal along the Tarka Trail this morning.

Bar-tailed Godwit 10;  Bl;ack-tailed Godwit 3 (1 in full breeding plumage);  Lesser Black-backed Gull 44; Shelduck 37 and just 1 Chiff Chaff.

Ashford Strand - 4 Goosander(2 male, 2 female);  Wigeon 61 and  Sanderling 17.

More Woolacombe Night Heron Pics

Juv and adult (Rob Jutsum)

Slapton Ley

3 Garganey (1 drake) on Lower Ley today, plus Firecrest, the female Marsh Harrier and lots of chiffs.

Male Wheatear on the beach yesterday.

Otterton Mill

Up to 11 Sand Martins [Steve Henry]

Ladram Bay/Budleigh

Walking the coast path between Ladram & Budleigh today (at about Black Head) saw a male Black Redstart and a Wheatea

[Suzanne Lyus]

Some Woolacombe Night Heron Pics

A few more Woolacombe Night Heron photos, from Barry Rankine, Andy Lansdell and Steve Hatch...

© Barry Rankine

© Barry Rankine

1st-summer   © Andy Lansdell

© Steve Hatch (taken yesterday 15/3)

Around Torbay

Clennon Valley: 3 Chiffchaffs (two singing), 4 Blackcaps (three singing), 2 Water Rail but the highlight was a fly-over Mandarin drake it circled twice then carried on through! Some rubbishy photos....

Young's Park, Goodrington: 1 female Red-crested Pochard and 1 Water Rail.

Three Beaches Headland: for Gull roost, 3 Mediterranean Gulls (1st w, 2s and ad moulting w/s).

Saltern Cove: 1 Male Black Redstart at Southern end of beach on sea defence gabions.

,  

Exminster marsh

Hen harrier female 17:10 hunting near railway brige station road

Also on the marsh this afternoon the drake American wigeon from the s bends with the main group of wigeon,4 gadwall(2m,2f), 5 tufted duck(3m,2f), peregrine, sparrowhawk, 2 buzzard and kestrel, 2 cetti's along station road

Sharkham Point

Male and female Northern Wheatear present in the field at the rear of St Mary's Bay this afternoon

Double locks wetlands

14:00 till 15:30

2 goosander (1m,1f) on river, 1 green sandpiper on main pool, 7 chiffchaff, 5 swallows over, 2 groups sand martins(6,3) also 2 peregrines over heading towards exminster and female sparrowhawk

Exminster marshes

Walked around the southern part mid morning. Real signs of spring included 9 sand martins and 6 chiffchaffs. Remnants from the winter were also evident. A single green sandpiper flew from the marshes onto Powderham marshes. Shoveller numbers still good, I counted over 30 but only a few pintail. Wigeon numbers probably just over 120 (including I was told the American wigeon).

Northam Burrows

It didn't feel much like Spring on the Burrows this morning, but there were 4 Northern Wheatear and a Little Ringed Plover around the remaining water in front of the old tip.
Good numbers of Linnet are returning, and plenty of Skylark around.

Powderham and Exminster marshes

     The female Hen Harrier showed well on Powderham marsh this afternoon before crossing the road over the viewing platform. On Exminster marsh the Short-eared Owl continues to hunt North of  the middle car park, and the American Wigeon is hanging on still.