Dawlish Warren

A Barred Warbler , found by LC this morning, still showing at Dawlish Warren early afternoon in bushes towards the end of Greenland Lake bordering the golf course and showing on and off for 20 minutes at around 2pm.

Horsey Island, Braunton Marsh

There may not have been any Greenshank at Fremington for Roy but there were 20 at Horsey Is at 08:40 this morning together with a few Snipe, Dunlin, Redshank, Little Egret and 8 Lapwing.
First Lapwing I`ve seen up here this autumn.

Not Quite Devon

It seemed a bit pedantic to not publish this gem - especially as it's not a million miles from the Seaton area, which some may be visiting for the Semi-p. Only trouble is, it's not quite Devon!

One [Hoopoe] was found yesterday by Henry Squire of Chard and still present this morning frequenting the open areas and footpaths below the National Trust shop. Picture taken early this morning at 7am attached - sorry, a bit grainy.
[Roger Harris]

Hoopoe at Stonebarrow - near Charmouth, Dorset

Bowling green marsh

A very misty morning and a beautiful sunrise as I arrived at the hide at 7:00 straight away had a cetti's warbler calling and it continued to call on and off all morning so good to hear, a kingfisher showed well early morning. The highlight of the waders was a juv curlew sandpiper
and 2 avocet is always good, 2 spotted redshank, 20+ greenshank,14+ Dunlin, 5+ whimbrel,500+ black tailed godwit, 6+ bar tailed godwit, green sandpiper, 4 knot,20+ lapping and 34 little egrets flew in on mass looking splendid with the morning sun on them. Also 1 Jay a buzzard and the local fox eyeing up the teal. Several meadow pipit heard flying over early morning and 1 swallow.

A very enjoyable mornings birding.

Thurlestone Bay

In Bedford using Sons computer-lastpost botched. Before leaving had an hours viz mig watch at 07.45 at the high point of the Golf Course- 3 Whinchat,6 Wheatear (one taken by a Sparrowhawk) 60+Pied/White Wags, 75 Linnet, 150 Meadow Pipit, 30 Goldfinch, 15 Siskin, 2 Redpoll (first of the year ) Jv Merlin stillaround, 1 Ringed Plover over, 2 Stock Dove

Fremington Quay 12:00

Some real lazy birding at the Quay today, sat on a bench in the sun and just waited for the birds to come into range. Nothing special but a Curlew came close and the Bar-tailed Godwit that has been kicking around for several weeks did not disappoint. A bonus was a lovely Pied Wagtail feeding on the path right next to me.
No Greenshank in the Pill today. Curlew numbers are really building up at anchor wood bank with a count of 100 plus a solitary Whimbrel

.

Black Hole Marsh this evening

The Semipalmated Sandpiper was on the Axe, viewable from the Tower Hide. Also present were 33 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plovers, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Knot. A Wheatear was on the tramline by the hide, a Yellow Wagtail flew over S, and 2 Stonechats were in the fields between BHM and Seaton Marshes.

News from Lundy

Chris Dee (from Hertfordshire) has been ringing on Lundy this week. A text from Chris received earlier today says: "Rosy Starling ringed on Sunday still present. Little Bunting trapped and ringed this morning."

Powderham Marshes

Walked in from behind the Swan's Nest eating and drinking establishment, (its not really a pub). The crops sown for bird feed are just becoming attractive and mid way onto the reserve I was greeted by a flock of about 300 small birds rising from the fields and settling, for only a few minutes, on the hedges. I was surprised to see that the majority were green finches. I could only find c20 linnets and a few reed buntings. All the rest were green finches - very impressive. They were nervous due in part to the presence of a peregrine (juv) and kestrel.

no birds in the photo but lots of food

Also recorded were skylarks (overhead and hidden on the ground), meadow pipits (7), blackcaps (2), chiffchaffs (2), one stone chat and one very noisy green sandpiper.

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Excellent views of the Axe Semi-P on Seaton beach this morning (09:00 - 10:00 at least). I've looked for it on the beach with the Dunlin and Ringos during high tide pretty much every morning since it has not been using Black Hole Marsh, and this was the first morning it was there....


Note its leg colour! I'll post about a million more pics on my blog later...

Upottery Airfield, Smeatharpe

First snipe of the autumn this morning, 5 birds plus the first stonechat since the spring, a juvenile bird. Also the best numbers of skylark this autumn although counting was difficult and conservatively put at 40 birds. 16 wheatears strung along the fence wires by fresh mown field obviously findng plenty of insects. A flock of 100 linnet, 20-30 meadow pipits and 4 stock doves.

Berry Head - a seabird's view

On a recent seabird survey of Lyme Bay one of our transects passed Berry Head, so it was interesting to see the seawatch point as a passing seabird would! So this is what that Great Shearwater and 304 Balearics saw!!

Thanks to Kevin Lane who took this photo.

Exmouth - pm edit

Orcombe Point - 1600 - possible serin south at 1617. It called twice but it was a fair way off in breezy conditions so must remain just a possible.
Mudbank - 0730 - 235 brent goose, 13 little egret, c300+ wigeon, c30+ pintail (inc white one), the first 4 red-breasted merganser of the autumn, 2 shoveler, juv spoonbill (flew S towards the Warren 0750), 1 snipe, 1 wheatear, c5+ siskin and 4 redpoll. Also this evening a male ruff north upriver viewed form the house (1810)
Yesterday - 1 crossbill, several siskin and meadow pipits early morning over Belle Vue Road. Also 1 hobby high south at 1325.

Beer Head

07:00 to 08:20 before work this morning - superb in the early morning sun! Good numbers of Meadow Pipits going over (though a lot of milling about made attempts to count fruitless) and a few Chiffs and Blackcaps in the scrub, though not enough time to do the bushes justice. Noteworthy were a handful of invisible but audible Siskins over, at least 2 Redpolls and a Ringed Plover heard. At least 4 Wheatears on the small bit of head covered. More Linnets and Goldfiches about than normal I think - surely only a matter of time before something good!

Forgot my scope, so 2 distant Heron silhouettes going W at 07:45 remained unresolved. I was sure they were going to turn out to have been the Axe Great White Egrets, but seemingly not. So, either the pair from Radipole...or 2 Herons!

Thank You

Had a delightful email this morning, reproduced here with permission. It is entitled 'Thank You' and is clearly aimed at all contributors to this blog...

I came across this blog on birdguides, and we are heading to Devon for the week on Saturday.
We are keen birdwatchers, although only a year into it, so still struggling with some of the names!
I would just like to say how useful this has been in preparing for our holiday, we were down there last year at the same time and found everyone in the hides so very knowledgeable and helpful. Can't wait to get down there again.
Tina Andrews
Norfolk

Thurlestone Bay

Another beautiful day almost clear skies with some interesting birds logged

Golf course this am - 4 Wheatear, 2 Tree pipit, 10 swallow . , 1jv Cirl Bunting ( patch yr tick )

South Milton Ley- 3 Yellowhammer (over), 4 jv Whinchat. 12Siskin (over )

S H Marsh / Bay- 1 ad 1 1st w Med Gull, 18 Wheatear, 1 Whitethroat, 10 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover .2 Whinchat

AJL had a Wryneck on the coast path near the Golf Club at 09.30, also 1 Marsh Tit in Mallards Lane ( rare bird here ).

At Upton X late morn - 210 Skylark, 700+ Linnet, 2 Hobby, 6 Wheatear.

Tstn Marsh - same birds as Weds . apart from a raptor picked up in flight over my house at 15.50- a superb Goshawk.

Berry Head

Cracking early morning sunrise at Berry Head with 4 Wheater, 28 Goldfinch, 8 Linnet, 3 Chaffinch, 6 Skylark, a Tree Pipit, 9 alba Wagtail, 4 Swallows, 16 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrest and a single Blackcap.

Soussons Down/Headland Warren,Dartmoor

Ringtail hen harrier being harassed by two ravens, early pm.

Also: 5 wheatear, 50 meadow pipit, 10 alba wagtails ( mainly pied ), 2 chiffchaff.

Very warm and no breeze!!

Brixham

Honey Buzzard over Brixham today about 1.30 pm heading towards St Mary's Bay, quite pale with clear bands on tail and dark carpal patch, accompanied by a lone herring gull, fairly high, confirmed through binoculars.

[Seb Loram]

Clennon Valley

2 Crossbill and 7 Siskin flew over my garden this morning all >SE plenty of Meadow Pipits and Alba Wagtails going over too - early on only.