I spent around four hours sat on a trailer in the middle of a field today searching for the Black Kite; all to no avail. However at least seventy Ravens here are surely noteworthy. The farmer here reckons he's had four hundred to roost in recent years.
Apart from the Ravens, just three or four Stock Doves, ten Buzzards and a couple of Chiffchaffs.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Broadsands
Broadsands 8:00-9:00
Quite a lot around, 3 juv Med gull's and 2 juv Yellow legged gull's with about 60+ herring gulls(40 juvenile).
Also a single sanderling on the shore and a male sparrowhawk flew past and landed in a tree.
Quite a lot around, 3 juv Med gull's and 2 juv Yellow legged gull's with about 60+ herring gulls(40 juvenile).
Also a single sanderling on the shore and a male sparrowhawk flew past and landed in a tree.
South Milton Ley
A full ringing team this am - over 100 birds , the best were ;-
24 Reed W, 8 Sedge W, 28 Willow W, 12 Chiffchaff, 10 Blackcap, 1 Garden W ,1 Grey Wagtail, a new daily site record of 15 Whitethroat.
They also had 2 Tree Pipit & 3 Yellow wags over.
Thurlestone marsh this eve 2 Green sandpiper.
The Swallow roost on 28/7 built up to 5000+ , tonight about 100
2 Water RAIL & 3 jv Reed Bunt. 4 Willow W ,3 Whitethroat, 1 Reed W on the marsh am
24 Reed W, 8 Sedge W, 28 Willow W, 12 Chiffchaff, 10 Blackcap, 1 Garden W ,1 Grey Wagtail, a new daily site record of 15 Whitethroat.
They also had 2 Tree Pipit & 3 Yellow wags over.
Thurlestone marsh this eve 2 Green sandpiper.
The Swallow roost on 28/7 built up to 5000+ , tonight about 100
2 Water RAIL & 3 jv Reed Bunt. 4 Willow W ,3 Whitethroat, 1 Reed W on the marsh am
Southern Hawker
Its not a bird, but I could not resist putting this flight shot of one over our pond today.
Taw/Torridge Est.
06:30 - 08:00
27 Mediterranean Gulls of various ages on the Black Ground just off Instow Cricket ground.
2 of these were ringed and identifiable.
Also 45 Dunlin; 4 Whimbrel; 1 Sandwich Tern; 7 Common Gull; 2 Turnstone; 14 Ringed Plover; 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Wheatear.
Large flocks of Swallows were on the grass of the cricket ground?
Fremington Pill 08:15
83 Redshank.
27 Mediterranean Gulls of various ages on the Black Ground just off Instow Cricket ground.
2 of these were ringed and identifiable.
Also 45 Dunlin; 4 Whimbrel; 1 Sandwich Tern; 7 Common Gull; 2 Turnstone; 14 Ringed Plover; 1 Rock Pipit and 1 Wheatear.
Large flocks of Swallows were on the grass of the cricket ground?
Fremington Pill 08:15
83 Redshank.
Friday, 29 July 2011
Prawle 28/7
A little bit more 'yesterday' news. A few migrants included the first Green Sandpiper and Turnstone of the autumn, the first Garden Warbler of the year (!), a Grasshopper Warbler, still good numbers of Willow Warblers and Whitethroats, with 30 + of the latter in the scrub along the coastpath, and 3 Wheatears.
Thurlestone Bay
9 Common Scoter -east, 11 Sanderling ,1 Dunlin - on the beach. 1jv Wheatear.
On Thurlestone marsh - 4 Green sandpiper, 1f Teal, 1 Greenshank ( first of the uyear )
On Thurlestone marsh - 4 Green sandpiper, 1f Teal, 1 Greenshank ( first of the uyear )
Kennerleigh Black Kite
The kite was present yesterday (ie. 28/7 - GH) @3.00-3.30pm 1/4mile north of Kennerleigh. Coming down from north take left turn on top of hill just short of Kennerleigh and park in lane and view south. Had some cracking views, bird eventually went down on a field over by the road.
[from Frank Youngman]
[from Frank Youngman]
Exminster and Mamhead Woods - yesterday 28/7
Adult Med Gull over Exminster Marshes early pm
Mid pm – Turtle Dove in song at Mamhead Woods
[from Rob Macklin]
Mid pm – Turtle Dove in song at Mamhead Woods
[from Rob Macklin]
Broadsands
Yesterday evening: 2 juv Yellow-legged Gulls & the first juv Lesser Black-backed Gull of the summer (and 4 adults), 300+Herring gulls mostly juvs so its more fun picking out the oddities now!
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Black Kite
Black Kite reported this morning again at Ashridge Farm about one mile south of Kennerleigh. According to the farmer it has been present for a few days. Parking is available at the farm and the farmer was most welcoming to the five Birders who were there this afternoon. It flew over some trees just after mid day and although I was there from 2pm to 6pm it did not come back. The farmer said he would put it on Bird Guides if he saw it in the morning and apparently mornings are best.
Thurlestone Bay
A quiet day - 3 Green Sandpiper on the marsh, also 1 Water rail.
Bob B had a Yellow Wagtail over South Huish marsh . Quiet ringing morn -only 5 Willow Wblr, Water Rail & 3 Grey wagtail in the sewage works
Bob B had a Yellow Wagtail over South Huish marsh . Quiet ringing morn -only 5 Willow Wblr, Water Rail & 3 Grey wagtail in the sewage works
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Plymouth
Some notes sent yesterday by Robert Hurrell...
25/07/2011 Plymouth: The single young swift fledged from our Plymouth camera monitored site today & one adult also departed the same day. The second adult returned to roost overnight but was in the nest on its own.
26/07/2011 Plymouth: Another ant mating day today and our remaining adult swift that left early (before 6am) did not return at the end of the day. This swift site is now vacated for 2011. About 12 Swift and 10 Black-headed and Herring gulls were visible hunting for ants around at various heights over the Peverell area, with a soaring Sparrowhawk visible even higher up. Other signs of likely bird movement today included a Goldcrest and a Mistle Thrush overflying the garden about 6.30am (the first since the winter).
26/07/2011 Plymouth Sound: 2 Sandwich Tern, 10+ Swift
25/07/2011 Plymouth: The single young swift fledged from our Plymouth camera monitored site today & one adult also departed the same day. The second adult returned to roost overnight but was in the nest on its own.
26/07/2011 Plymouth: Another ant mating day today and our remaining adult swift that left early (before 6am) did not return at the end of the day. This swift site is now vacated for 2011. About 12 Swift and 10 Black-headed and Herring gulls were visible hunting for ants around at various heights over the Peverell area, with a soaring Sparrowhawk visible even higher up. Other signs of likely bird movement today included a Goldcrest and a Mistle Thrush overflying the garden about 6.30am (the first since the winter).
26/07/2011 Plymouth Sound: 2 Sandwich Tern, 10+ Swift
Beer Head & Black Hole Marsh
On Beer Head this afternoon were 3 Wheatears and a Willow Warbler. Word is, there were 3 Pied Flycatchers there yesterday morning.
I am delighted to grab this opportunity to post the first two 'Wheatear on a post' photos of the autumn...
At Black Hole Marsh a bit later were 3 Little Ringed Plovers (2 present already; another flew in around 17:45), 1 Wood Sandpiper, 5+ Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper and 8 Black-tailed Godwits. Also, a fly-over Hobby.
I am delighted to grab this opportunity to post the first two 'Wheatear on a post' photos of the autumn...
At Black Hole Marsh a bit later were 3 Little Ringed Plovers (2 present already; another flew in around 17:45), 1 Wood Sandpiper, 5+ Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper and 8 Black-tailed Godwits. Also, a fly-over Hobby.
All 3 LRPs, typically distant and over-cropped
juv Wood Sandpiper
Thurlestone Bay
After a visit to Lodmoor on Mon to see the superb Stilt Sanp. back on tjhe patch -
In the Bay - 14 Sanderling, 3 Ringed Plover.
South Huish marsh - 2 Green Sandp,
This am Bob B on his own just had 2 nets up , still produced 20 Willow, 7 Chiff, 10 Sedge, 1 blackcap at S M Ley
Over Thurlestone marsh this eve. 2 jv Yellow L Gull, 5 Willow Wblr, 55 Swlft . Starling roost 500+ at 19.30 . Swallow roost building 800+
In the Bay - 14 Sanderling, 3 Ringed Plover.
South Huish marsh - 2 Green Sandp,
This am Bob B on his own just had 2 nets up , still produced 20 Willow, 7 Chiff, 10 Sedge, 1 blackcap at S M Ley
Over Thurlestone marsh this eve. 2 jv Yellow L Gull, 5 Willow Wblr, 55 Swlft . Starling roost 500+ at 19.30 . Swallow roost building 800+
Beware the Shaldon bird scarer
Beware of the recorded peregrine calls being played from a roof top at the Shaldon end of the bridge over the River Teign. It had me looking skyward for a while until the poor quality and repetative nature of the calls led me to the device on a roof!
The technique doesnt appear to work either as no nearby birds were showing any sign of alarm.
The technique doesnt appear to work either as no nearby birds were showing any sign of alarm.
Tuesday, 26 July 2011
Budleigh Salterton
A late report for Monday included a 2nd summer Glaucous Gull on Budleigh Salterton Beach
Ringing
Inspired by news from South Milton, I set some nets at Velator Reserve this morning, and by the end of the morning had ringed 21 birds including: 4 Reed Warblers, 4 Blackcaps, 2 Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Sedge Warbler, 3 Treecreepers, a Linnet and two Tawny Owls. Both these last two species I hadn't ringed at the reserve before. I also caught one of a newly-fledged brood of Song Thrushes, presumably at least a second brood.
R.Taw off Pottington Ind Est and Bradiford Reserve
This afternoon 4 Common Sandpiper; 1 adult Mediterranean Gull; 2 Black-tailed Godwit and 1 adult Common Gull just off Bradiford reserve.
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