Stoke Gabriel

2 Egyptian Geese today. [Terry Lakeman]

Slapton Ley

2 Gn Diver in the Bay, 1-3 Guillemot, doz Razorbill, Marsh Harrier, 2W med Gull, 2 Chiffchaff and Fem Blackcap

"Pied" GBB.

Further to Steve's post; I saw this bird on the Plym about two weeks ago. Unfortunately
I can't find the date in my note book. Russell Eynon tells me he has been seeing this bird on and off since October but again no dates.

Kingsbridge Estuary

Curlew Drive - Charleton Marsh ( 12:00-13:45, low tide ).

c 60 Brent Geese, 2 Tufted Duck, 9 Red-breasted Merganser, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 4 Bar-tailed Godwit and c 150 Golden Plover. Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaffs West Charleton sewage works.

Scorhill Tor

Several dozen brambling roosting in the beech trees below Scorhill Tor late afternoon.

Matford & exminster marshes

13:15 till 14:30 a look around matford marsh produced 11 snipe, 1 water rail, 12+ shoveler,85+ wigeon, 100+ teal, 200+ lapwing, 1 little grebe and a black headed gull in full summer plumage, and a possible tristis type chiffchaff calling and showing briefley by the seats on the back pool.

14:45 till 16:15 after several attempts to catch up with short eared owl over the last couple of weeks i was finally rewarded with the fantastic sight of 4 showing very well flying over the fields between station road and the motorway bridge also 1 snipe 20+ fieldfare, 30+ redwing and a large roost of long tailed tits by the bridge on station road.

A very enjoyable afternoon on the marshes

Elberry Cove, Paignton

2p.m Saturday, FIRECREST very active in small copse on southern corner of public area above the cove, using tree trunk thickly covered in ivy where footpath divides. Also Bullfinch seen in bramble thickets.
A mere 6 Black-necked Grebes offshore with 6 Great Crested Grebes; also 6 Razorbills close in.

Axe Estuary

A 1st-winter Caspian Gull was flushed by canoes around 13:40. It landed briefly by the tram sheds before flying off W with other large gulls.

Also on the river were 41 Dunlin, 3 Med Gulls and at least 5 Bar-tailed Godwits

Thurlestone Marsh

Big reduction in Duck numbers from Thurs., paticularly Teal - no more than 10 today. Waders on the mash 8 lapwing, 8 Snipe , 1 Jack Snipe, 1 Black T Godwit.

A new arrival in the garden a juv m Black Redstart

On South H Marsh this morning 5 Shoveler, 6 Wigeon, 1 Grey Lag Goose, 2 m Bullfinch & 1 Chaffinch in the copse

Velator reserve

Ringed at the reserve today after a couple of days away, and not filling up the feeders was slightly disappointing with finches well down on recent days - 2 Goldfinch, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Bullfinch, 5 Greenfinch. However, the 6th Great Spotted Woodpecker of the autumn, and a retrap adult female Green Woodpecker, along with a good haul of wintering thrushes - 2 Song Thrush, 11 Blackbird, and 5 Redwings made up for it. So did the retrap male Blackcap ringed a few weeks back, a male Reed Bunting (first of the winter) and 2 wintering Chiffchaffs, both collybita. There's been a small arrival of birds this week, I also saw an unringed Goldcrest - they have been very rare there this winter.

Upottery Airfield, Smeatharpe

First visit this morning since last Sunday. Pleased to find the Great Grey Shrike still present and a better showing of passerines with around 30 chaffinch, a very smart male bullfinch, around 10 each of meadow pipit and skylark, 5-6 stock doves and approximately 2000 starling. The golden plover seem to have deserted for the time being.

English Hen Harriers in a bad way.

Please read the www.birdguides.com article, "English Hen Harriers `four steps` from extinction" and consider signing the petition.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/23089

Very few seem to know about the petition and not many have signed. Come on you birders!

Clennon Valley

The Yellow-browed Warbler showing well again in NW corner of Western most pond (interesting to compare it to the Hume's Warbler in Dorset: http://www.portlandbirdobs.org.uk/oi_humes_warbler_051211.htm )
also 2 collybita type chiffchaffs and 2 tristis type chiffchaffs ( at least one calling similar to a collybita but a touch flatter), 3 Goldcrest, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Water Rail and a Ruddy Shelduck!

Bursdon Moor

Called in at Bursdon on our way home from Cornwall this afternoon. At 4.15 - and unusually in still broad daylight! - a male Hen Harrier flew around (needless to say on the other side of the moor from where we were parked!). Shortly after, a female Merlin flew in and perched in the only significant hawthorn out on the moor. It was cold so we left!

Exminster Marshes

In late afternoon there were at least 3 Short-eared Owls hunting over the NE section - looking in the distance from the Swan's Nest bridge they were towards Topsham and the M5, but moving around a lot. There was also a Water Pipit near the canal car park.

At 16:50, 2 Woodcock seen in flight near Haldon Racecourse.

Seaton Area

The Wheatear is still present on Seaton Marshes this morning, with two Stonechats.

At Colyford WTW at least 15 Chiffchaffs along the northern edge, all appeared to be collybita-types.

Lastly, has anyone else seen this Great Black-backed Gull? It was on the Axe Estuary yesterday.

After posting this pic on my blog, Mike Passman informed me he had seen it (or an identical bird!) in Thurlestone Bay a couple of weeks ago. I would be interested to hear if anyone else has, or does, see it.

Clennon Valley

The Yellow-browed Warbler was showing on and off in the NW corner of the western most pond, also tristis type and 2-3 collybita type Chiffchaffs, 2 Goldcrests 1 Water Rail and 2 Siskin.

Berry Head

Seawatch 10:00-13:30, wind WSW (245) 7-8: 14 Bonxies, 2 Pomarine Skuas (winter ad and imm), Balearic Shearwater, c700 Auks (mostly Razorbills), c300 each of Gannets and Kittiwakes, 2 Red-throated Divers.

Thurlestone Bay

F8 SW gale this morning- managed to find a sheltered corner by the cafe. Not much in quantity but certainly quality. Bay watched 90.30-12.45.

Very rough seas with poor viz.

75 Gannet , 5 Razormott, 1 Razorbill (on sea) all the quality between 10.20-11.10 first a female Long-tailed Duck , then a Balearic Shearwater, followed at 11.10 by an ad Sabines Gull - all flew east about 150 yds offshore.

Thurlestone Bay

Strong NW winds do not produce anything -even the gannets are well down.

Best sighting a F Merlin, on South H marsh,.

Totals on both Marshes - 14 Shoveler, 6 gadwall, 30 Wigeon, 100 + Teal, 6 Snipe , 8 lapwing , 1 Black T Godwit, 1 Greylag Goose.

Waders on the beaches - 13 Ringed Plover, 3 Turnstone, 2 Sanderling.

5 Reed Bunting back on the garden feeders