Plymouth.

Plym estuary;
Star prize today goes to the Firecrest in trees around Blaxton Meadow, my first one here.
On the river were eleven R.B.Mergs, two female Goldeneye and a Commmon Sandpiper.
The two Coot are still here.

Not much on the Tamar today, one hundred and fifty Wigeon and around one hundred Avocet in flight. Otherwise just a scattering of Teal and Black tailed Godwits and four Snipe.

River Culm

Three Goosanders and a Dipper were on the River Culm late this afternoon at Whorridge Farm which is a kilometre and half south of Cullompton. ST020052.

River Exe

Exminster marshes, 9.30 a.m.-12 noon:

43 Tufted Duck, 69 Shoveler, 8 Greylags on lagoon; 5+ White-fronted Geese behind lagoon. 5 Scaup off Turf (male, 4 female).

Dart's Farm fields/ Clyst marshes:
about 600 Brent Geese, with 2 Red-breasted (1 unringed, 1 perhaps ringed).

Topsham Recreation ground - 2 p.m.-5.30 p.m.:

1 adult Med Gull, ringtail Hen Harrier

Lower Tamar Lake

A pleasant walk at Lower Tamar Lake today (Saturday 22nd January) with a gentle SSE wind and crisp frosty conditions underfoot. Excellent visibility and reasonably calm water.

Masses of wildfolwl on the lake, including:-

14 Goosanders (4 females)

2 female Pintail

200+Mallard

250+ Teal

124 Wigeon

36 Tufted Duck

2 Pochards

91 Canada Geese

54 Coot

6 Grey Herons

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming for at least 10 minutes intermitently

Small numbers of Redwings in the surrounding fields.

(Harvey Kendall)

Otter and Orcombe Point

The drake teal x wigeon hybrid was relocated on the Otter estuary this morning, looking superficially like a big fat teal. Also present at least 8 adult mediterranean gulls. The top fields were quiet as to be expected but 40+ skylark, a single lapwing and golden plover and a female cirl bunting were present. The latter is only my second record from the top of Gore Lane following a one-day male in autumn 2008. Hopefully a further sign of an eastwards range expansion?

Newton Abbot area

Stover Lake was totally frozen over this morning , a few Siskin including singing males in the trees by the path, also 2 Redpoll flew over. A Greenshank and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers were off Passage House Inn. Decoy lake held 44 Tufted Duck, 2 Pochard, a Gadwall and a Great Crested Grebe.

Staverton - yesterday 20/1

Seen pm Staverton ......... Firecrest, Goldcrest, Dipper, and 5 Goosanders (3 female and 2 male)

[from Terry Lakeman]

Thurlestone Bay

Another great morning both the weather & the birds.

Only walked round Warren Point to Yarmer Beach-- 09.25 - 12.15- 35 Wigeon on the sea with 5 Shelduck , 2 Slavonian Grebe , 3 Great C Grebe, 2 Red T Diver 5 Guillemot & 25 Razorbill. 9 Shoveler came in off the sea to join 7 already on Thurlestone Marsh.

5 Curlew flew west ( largest no. for a few years.) On the rocks ? beach 3 Purple Sandpiper (1st of the year) 9 Ringed Plover , 1 Dunlin , 4 Turnstone.

Lunch time - 7 Reed Bunting ct & ringed outside my garden, Water Pipit & Cettis Warbler , Grey Wagtail , 6 lapwing over.

14.30 Whitley X farm ( nr Thurlestone ) 70 Lapwing & 25 Golden Plover

Mansands & Brixham

At Mansands, there were 68 Snipe viewable on the marsh, but no sign of the Jack Snipe after a good long scan. Also 2 Water Rail, 1 on the marsh and 1 by the small pond with Moorhens. At Brixham Breakwater early afternoon, saw 4 Purple Sandpipers with 3 Turnstones. Also a adult Mediterranean Gull flew along the breakwater to the end and towards Broadsands.

Beesands Ley

15:00-15:45

52 Canada Geese, 13 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 3 Goosander, Great Crested Grebe, 4 Coot.

Kingsbridge Estuary

Geese Quarries - Curlew Drive, 09:20-13:30, falling tide.

94 Brent Geese, 4 Pintail, 8 Tufted Duck, 12 Goldeneye, 32 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Little Grebe, 9 Knot, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-tailed Godwit.

Sorry - the photo of the male didn't load last time

Thought you might like these of the Black Redstarts at Dawlish Warren. Couldn't get so close to to the male.

Totnes - St Marys Church & Guildhall

Black Redstart, male feeding around tower and church yard.

Torbay

Around Torbay today:18 Black-necked Grebes ( 6 Paignton/Preston, 7 Goodrington, 5 Broadsands), 1 Slavonian Grebe, 47 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Common Scoter, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers.

Broadsands: 15 Cirl Buntings on seed put down today in back of second car park, also 11 Reed Bunting, 1 Brambling, 17 Chaffinch & 8 Dunnocks. 35+ Skylark in stubble field at back of beach.

1 collybita Chiffchaff, couldn't find the tristis Chiffchaff today.

A Little Egret picked out a large Shanny (thanks to Heather Dutton & Chris Proctor for fish Id!) from crevice well above waterline the fish made it very difficult to be swallowed by spreading out all of its fins!

Exminster Marshes

Watched a Bittern sunning itself this morning for 15 mins around 10.00am, very distant by the large lagoon - couple of record shots.

(Tom Wallis)

Exminster pm

The ringtail Hen Harrier flew north over the main lagoon at 4pm. No sign of the Smew but it had been reported earlier at Bowling Green. Reports of a Bittern seen from the gate by the double bend in the track this morning, looking across to the west.

Thurlestone Bay

No great change today- Pink -footed Goose still with Canadas. In the bay 2 Great C Grebe & 1 Slavonian Grebe ( very close inshore )

Exminster Marshes

The highlight of a brief visit at lunch time was a single little egret on the lagoon. It is the first I have seen, on the marshes, since the snow. Lots of wigeon and teal on the unfrozen flashes and pools. All the wildfowl seemed very wary but there was no obvious reason. The white-fronted geese were glimpsed, in the place they have recently begun to favour, to the west of the lagoon. I didn't look for the smew but it was not obvious on the lagoon or on the canal (it was on both yesterday at the same time).