Bowling green marsh

From the hide this evening 18:45 till 20:00 1 snipe, my first white wagtail of the year, 4 Dunlin, 10 knot, 13 greenshank, 1 wigeon, 55+ bar tailed godwits, 90+ black tailed godwit, 15+ house martins and good numbers of sand Martin and swallows, 2 tufted duck (m,f)

Topsham

A beautiful morning at bowling green marsh watched from the hide 1 whimbrel, 8 knot,4 dunlin, 60+ bar tailed godwit, 100+ black tailed godwit, cetti's and sedge warbler, 1 wigeon 2 gadwall, peregrine, small passage of swallow and sand martins and 2 house martins

walked around to the goat walk and had 2 groups of whimbrel fly up river (3 & 9) also 3 sandwich tern flying around on the far side at least 60+ whimbrel feeding on the exposed mud, 3 more groups of (5,3,11) flew over and 2 groups of 3 landed on mud right in front of me.

from the viewing platform on bowling green marsh another group of 8 whimbrel flew in and 4 greenshank

In total 106+ whimbrel this morning around topsham

Exminster Marshes

A lovely calm sunny early morning on the marshes:  at least 100 Whimbrel including one flock of 70, over 30 Little Egrets, a few Reed and Sedge Warblers in song, a light passage of Sand Martins and Swallows going through, a Wheatear and a Short-eared Owl giving good views over the northern marsh.

Upottery Airfield, Smeatharpe

First visit for somewhile this evening due to heavy work committments. However I was rewarded by the presence of 3 whimbrel on the airfield which was a nice surprise; also 10 swallows feeding low over a dandelion filled meadow. 8 stock doves, 2 chiffchaff and plenty of linnets present - the latter were noted on passage through the Blackdowns earlier in the day. 

Blackingstone Rock

Lovely early morning walk at Blackingstone Rock today, everything in good voice including this tree pipit...

Wembury

Pretty dire this morning with 3 Whimbrel, 1 Willow Warbler and 2 Blackcaps. A daylight Tawny Owl at the point saved things a bit. 8 Whimbrel going west and 2 Sandwich Terns this afternoon. Also my first Swallow of the year for the garden.

Thurlestone Bay

Fine sunny day with brisk cool wind turned W around 10.30.

First sign of Wader passage with 3 groups in off the sea and flying straight up the valley- first were 3 Bar Tailed Godwit followed by 6 and later 4 Whimbrel.

In the Bay were 4 Arctic Tern ( first of the year ) 2 Sandwich Tern, 5 Manx Shearwater, 8 Kittiwake.

Migrants limlted to 36 Swallow.

No sign of the Little Bunting this afternoon

Berry Head

A brief visit this morning gave a reeling Grasshopper warbler (heard only alas), a single whitethroat and
2 Wheatear. Otherwise fairly quiet migrant wise.
Three days ago a visiting birder and myself were delighted to see a Whimbrel land on the turf in the southern
fort, it was close enough for a great photo. Just got zoomed in when out of nowhere, a charging spaniel and
smiling woman.......I'm almost over it now.

Yarner Wood

Early morning walk. A roe deer crossed the track by the office on the way in. A short walk round the wood produced 4 pied flycatchers, 3 male (1 of them singing, another courting a female), also a singing wood warbler. 8 mandarin on the pond (6 drake, 2 duck) with the drake wood duck, with a lot of courtship going on here too.

Dipper song

Some Dipper song - recorded a few days ago on the River Teign by Charlie Fleming.

Bowling green marsh

From the hide 16:30 till 18:40

Good passage of sand martins and swallows with 20+ house martins, 98+ black tailed godwits, 60+ bar tailed godwits, 8 knot,5 dunlin, 1 whimbrel, 60+ curlew, 2 gadwall, 17+ greenshank, 20+ redshank.

Skern

12 whimbrel,bar tailed godwit,38 ringed plover,150 white wagtails.Mainly  female types with dusky flanks with a group  presumably males 50+ very neat wiith pure  whiite flanks and tending to stay seperatefrom  the females.skern.Present on leaving at 18:15.

Thurlestone Bay

A Little Gull flew west at 10.10 ( first of the year ) 3 Manx Shearwater. A single Whimbrel on the rocks. In the bushes walking to Warren Pt a Whitethroat

Exminster Marshes

Over the high tide this evening: a drake garganey, male merlin and a beautiful flock of 101 whimbrel busily refuelling.

Skern???

Little tern,4 whimbrel,7 gey plover,4 knot,34 ringed  plover,4 dunlin,and at least 84 white wagtail.

Thurlestone Bay

Sea watched from 08.30 -12.30 ,had to leave the car park couln't put the scope up and the car was rocking . Sheltered from the NW 7/8 ( gusting 9 in the squalls) but not the heavy showers.

Totals recorded were - 320 Gannet, 74 Fulmar, 57 Manx Shearwater, 2 Great Skua, 5 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, 8 Razorbill, 4 Auk sp.

Migrants restricted to 10 Swallow and 2 Sedge Warbler on Thurlestone marsh.

Gannet total highest of the year , Fulmar total is a site record for me

Rackerhays

A mixed flock of 25+ Hirundines at Rackerhays early afternoon over Dawes Pond, (half and half Sand Martins-Swallows) included 1-2 House Martins.

Skern

A good selection of birds at high tide in very unpleasant conditions. 1 Little Tern 8 Whimbrel 2 Knot 6 Grey Plover c30 Ringed Plover 3 Dunlin c100 White Wagtail

Exmoor

Just in Devon on West Anstey Common - about 60 golden plover, most in summer plumage. Flock just south of Ridge Road at 13.00.

Exmouth seafront

  0630-1100 : 13  Manx Shearwaters flew South-west, with a Bonxie and 2 Arctic Skuas mid-morning, along with at least one Common Tern amongst the Sandwich Terns, and a dozen Whimbrel.
 Truly trumped ! But beats working!