As we are comfortably into the breeding season now, can contributors please remind themselves of - and comply with - the published guidelines for Rare Breeding Species.
Thanks
Gavin
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Wrafton update
Sherpa this evening at dusk had 3 Gadwall (2 drakes) 38 Mute Swans, but no sign of the Whooper, about 150 Sand Martins, and a pair of Little Owls on a telegraph pole and wire above Marstage Farm.
Sharkham Point
0645hrs - 0930hrs
2 Whitethroat we're the amongst the commoner migrants today, along with a singing Sedge Warbler both species the first of the year for me at Sharkham. Also numerous Willow Warbler and Chiffchaffs with 14 Swallow over also
2 Whitethroat we're the amongst the commoner migrants today, along with a singing Sedge Warbler both species the first of the year for me at Sharkham. Also numerous Willow Warbler and Chiffchaffs with 14 Swallow over also
Plymouth area
A single Swallow at Staddon Heights
On the Plym Estuary, 2 Greenshanks, 1 Common Sandpiper, and 2 Sand Martins passing over. Later this evening a flock of 7 Whimbrels landed on the estuary and flew off over my house.
Exminster Marshes
Reed warbler singing early this morning and then this afternoon, after heavy thundery showers, a ruff, short-eared owl, 80 swallow, 30 sand martin and 25 pale bellied-brents- which settled on West Mud and then headed high north at 1715.
Daily early morning visits over the past ten days or so have been notably quiet (and cold), highlights being a singing grasshopper warbler 8th-9th & reasonable nos of migrant blackcap, willow warbler & chiffchaff.
Daily early morning visits over the past ten days or so have been notably quiet (and cold), highlights being a singing grasshopper warbler 8th-9th & reasonable nos of migrant blackcap, willow warbler & chiffchaff.
Thurlestone Bay
Another steady Hirundine passage- included 5 House Martin, 4 Sand martin and 136 Swallow.
Waders were singles of Curlew, Turnstone, Snipe and Little Ringed Plover.
In the bay 7 Sandwich Tern, .
South Milton Ley this morning - Little Bunting seen and heard briefly., 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 3 Cettis Warbler.
At nearby Aveton Gifford Eric W had 30 House Martin and his first Sedge Warbler
Waders were singles of Curlew, Turnstone, Snipe and Little Ringed Plover.
In the bay 7 Sandwich Tern, .
South Milton Ley this morning - Little Bunting seen and heard briefly., 2 Reed Warbler, 3 Blackcap, 3 Cettis Warbler.
At nearby Aveton Gifford Eric W had 30 House Martin and his first Sedge Warbler
Beer Head & Cemetery Fields
Beer Head this morning between 7.30 - 9.15 produced 1 Redstart (m), 1 Tree pipit, 2 Wheatears, 9 swallows, & decent numbers of Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, & Chiffchaffs.
A look around the Beer Cemetery fields late morning/lunchtime turned up 3 Redstarts ( 2m,1f ), 1 Pied Flycatcher (f), lots of Blackcaps, & about 25+ Swallows.
Wrafton
Still 3 Pochard (one drake) on the pond at Wrafton this morning with about 10 Sand Martins feeding low over the water. In the reserve, the Reed Warbler still singing low in the reeds, and more Willow Warblers today, but not many singing. One Blackcap singing. Around Sherpa, a drake Gadwall, a Grey Heron, and lots (200+) Sand Martins with a few Swallows.
Yesterday, the Whooper Swan was still with the Mute Swan herd out on Braunton Marsh.
Yesterday, the Whooper Swan was still with the Mute Swan herd out on Braunton Marsh.
Challacombe
Ground frost this morning but soon warmed up.
Redstart 2 males singing, Cuckoo, first of the season, a male flying around calling but disappeared around 9:30. up to 6 Swallows have arrived to take up residency in the barns. up to 10 Willow Warbler singing. still loads of Lesser Redpoll and Siskin around. Ringing reveals that the female Siskin have active brood patches while the redpoll are still to show signs of breeding. Also a female Crossbill ringed with a brood patch thats gone over so i guess they have bred and now looking forward to a lovely summer !
Redstart 2 males singing, Cuckoo, first of the season, a male flying around calling but disappeared around 9:30. up to 6 Swallows have arrived to take up residency in the barns. up to 10 Willow Warbler singing. still loads of Lesser Redpoll and Siskin around. Ringing reveals that the female Siskin have active brood patches while the redpoll are still to show signs of breeding. Also a female Crossbill ringed with a brood patch thats gone over so i guess they have bred and now looking forward to a lovely summer !
Exmouth
Went down to the seafront to look for the Arctic Skuas reported last night, but no luck with these. As I arrived, at 1200hrs, I picked up a Short-eared Owl coming in off the sea, circling a couple of times over the sea, before gradually gaining height and drifting off high NNE. A Little Tern was offshore with the Sandwich Terns.
At 1220hrs my attention was drawn to a huge bird heading out over the dunes and straight out to sea. This turned out to be a Common Crane! This is as far as I know the first record for Exmouth. It continued on its southerly course until lost to view.
Just to complete my "seawatch", a pair of Garganey flew in and landed briefly on the sea, before being flushed off eastwards by a powerboat.
At 1220hrs my attention was drawn to a huge bird heading out over the dunes and straight out to sea. This turned out to be a Common Crane! This is as far as I know the first record for Exmouth. It continued on its southerly course until lost to view.
Just to complete my "seawatch", a pair of Garganey flew in and landed briefly on the sea, before being flushed off eastwards by a powerboat.
Lundy 13 & 14 April, Rillage Point to Watermouth 14 April
Chris Dee reports a major passage of Swallows through Lundy yesterday (13th), with at least 2,000 estimated. This morning (14th), a Sedge Warbler and 2 Grasshopper Warblers in Millcombe. Since arriving on Tuesday, Chris & Mandy have ringed over 300 birds, including more Willow Warblers than were ringed on the island during the whole of last year!
On my Rillage Point to Watermouth patch this morning, the only notable sighting was the first Whimbrel of the year. Just a handful of hirundines heading into a strengthening NE wind. One Wheatear and a few Chiffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps the only grounded migrants.
On my Rillage Point to Watermouth patch this morning, the only notable sighting was the first Whimbrel of the year. Just a handful of hirundines heading into a strengthening NE wind. One Wheatear and a few Chiffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps the only grounded migrants.
Yarner Wood
The male Wood Duck flew up the valley and onto the pool by the car park in Yarner Wood at 8.15am to join the 3 Mandarin (2m, 1f) already present. This bird has been present here on and off for 2 weeks and has reportedly been present in the Bovey Valley since last autumn. Wild bird? or perhaps if Wood Duck is ever promoted to Category D?-this may be the one to see?? There was no sign of it at 9.10a.m
Also 4 Male Pied Flycatcher, male Redstart, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the wood and 2 Tree Pipit and 6 Willow Warbler on Trendlebere Heath.
Also 4 Male Pied Flycatcher, male Redstart, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the wood and 2 Tree Pipit and 6 Willow Warbler on Trendlebere Heath.
Friday, 13 April 2012
Fremington
This evening:
surprised to see that the Spoonbill are still present. 2 just opposite the cafe.
10 Redshank remain in the Estuary.
1 male Dabchick on the pond
Cettis Warbler calling, several chiffchaff.
Bullfinch and tree creeper on the tarka trail.
More swallow and Sandmartin that you can count.
Kingsbridge Estuary
Charleton Marsh / Bay ( 17:00 - 19:00 )
3 Egyptian Geese, 8 Teal, Sand Martin, 2 Swallow and 9 Sandwich Terns.
3 Egyptian Geese, 8 Teal, Sand Martin, 2 Swallow and 9 Sandwich Terns.
Exmouth
Orcombe Point- 0615 - quite a few new birds in with willow warbler numbers particularly notable - 11+ chiffchaff, 13+ blackcap, 40+ willow warbler, 1 redstart (photo). Overhead 5+ swallow, 11+ goldfinch, c10+ linnet and 2 yellowhammer west. Also 4+ meadow pipit, c20+ sandwich tern, 7+ great crested grebe, 1 turnstone and a single flock of 192 shag. Just reieved a call from Martin Wolinski to say there are 3 arctic skua offshore there this evening.
Mudbank - 2w iceland gull drifted slowly downriver at 1655 towards the Warren, viewed from the back garden.
Thurlestone Bay
The Bay bathed in sunshine all day so no fall of migrants avoiding the showers- stll another good Swallow passage , between 10.00- 12.00 115 logged moving north, also amongst them were 8 Sand Martin. 17 Goldfinch also flew north
In the Bay aflat sea this morning enabled birds on the sea to be picked up - 1 Red T Diver, 6 Common Scoter, 3 Guillemot, 5 Razorbill 2 Sandwich Tern.. 4 Turnstone on the rocks
3 Wheatear in the cafe field.
Bob B watched the Little Bunting for 30mins at 08.15 - it was in sub song ( confirming it is a male )
also 3 Willow warbler, 2 Reed Warbler.
This evening Thurlestone Marsh held 22 Teal, 1 f Wigeon, 1 f Gadwall, 3 Swallow over.
In the Bay aflat sea this morning enabled birds on the sea to be picked up - 1 Red T Diver, 6 Common Scoter, 3 Guillemot, 5 Razorbill 2 Sandwich Tern.. 4 Turnstone on the rocks
3 Wheatear in the cafe field.
Bob B watched the Little Bunting for 30mins at 08.15 - it was in sub song ( confirming it is a male )
also 3 Willow warbler, 2 Reed Warbler.
This evening Thurlestone Marsh held 22 Teal, 1 f Wigeon, 1 f Gadwall, 3 Swallow over.
Exminster marshes
Friday 13 turned out lucky for me. I started the walk at 4.00 pm ahead of rain clouds, almost immediately c200 hirundines descended as the clouds thickened, about 3/4 were sand martins and the rest swallows. A immature female peregrine had a couple of unsuccessful swoops onto the small group of teal (only about 30 left). Other ducks counted included gadwall (4), shoveller (4) and c30 shelduck. The 6 greylags appear to have paired up. A few curlew flew onto the marsh and joined 2 oystercatchers. Then 6 whimbrel flew over, calling, before heading north. At 4.50 a sub-adult female marsh harrier appeared quartering the marshes. She flew briefly over to Powderham marshes before soaring high (with 2 buzzards) and then drifting out of sight to the NW at 5.30. Shortly after an osprey appeared over head carrying a fish. It slowly gained height and then also drifted north west still carrying its snack. Elsewhere a few chiffchaffs and willow warblers moving through.
Grand Western Canal
First SEDGE WARBLER of year during WeBS count today. Other warblers included 3 Willow Warblers together with good numbers of Chiffchaff and Blackcap. Also 2 Swallow seen.
3 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Orange Tip and a Green-veined White also seen.
3 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Orange Tip and a Green-veined White also seen.
Rillage Point to Watermouth
06.55 to 08.55 today: light but steady passage of hirundines, mainly before 08.00, most hugging the coastline and heading W, a few going NW straight out to sea. Totals of 107 Swallows, 33 House Martins, and 15 Sand Martins. In the scrub: 6 Blackcaps (5m, 1f), 6 Willow Warblers, 8 Chiffchaffs. Flocks of Goldfinches and Linnets passing W again, with 4 calling Redpolls. A Canada Goose and 2 Shelducks flying W offshore were patch rarities!
12/04/12 - English Channel
Yesterday fishing about 25nm south of Start Point: lots of Manx Shearwaters (most about 16nm offshore) and my first 2 European Storm-petrels of the year. Around the boat while fishing, gulls were dominated by Lesser Black-backs (c120 presumed migrants) and a few Great Black backs ad Herring Gulls. Otherwise one Common Tern and a constant trickle of Swallows crossing the channel.
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