Exminster Marshes

Another wet morning. At least 3 Med gulls with c100 black-headed gulls on the pool nearest to the canal-side car park. Otherwise 9 little egrets, 1 black-tailed godwit and the avocet.

Yesterday evening at about 10.30 pm two flocks of waders flew on to the marshes from the estuary. Together about 120 birds, it was too dark to identify them but they looked about whimbrel size and I could hear whimbrel calls. Interestingly this was after high tide and the water was falling, so did they just arrive or had been disturbed from a high tide roost elsewhere on the estuary. No sign this morning at high water.

Thurlestone Bay

Very quiet weekend  took me some time on Monday  morning to realise a passage of Swift was moving through - 105 north in less than an hour.

Tuesday morning only a very wet Whimbrel on South Huish Marsh . What a change  this evening ., went down to the bay at 16.30 - the next 105 mins produced -

70 Gannet, 88 Manx Shearwater, 7 Fulmar, 12 Kittiwake, 6 Sandwich Tern, 1 Razorbill + 7 Auks. . a Great Skua flew east at 17.35

Dawlish warren

Seawatch from 09:35 till 12:40 Wet and windy but worth it with 2 arctic skuas Coming in close to the sea wall by the life guard hut one pale phase and one dark phase and 5 common terns, also 18 Manx shearwater, 26+ sandwich terns, 9+ commic terns, 35+ gannets, 13+ fulmars and several groups of kittiwakes all heading south west, 3 guillemots and a great crested grebe.

Spoonbill - Exminster Marshes

Yesterday the Spoonbill was beside the lagoon near the canal car park until about 11-15 when it took off, circled higher and higher over the marshes and eventually flew towards Haldon where I lost it to view.

Exminster Marshes

Brief visit this morning in very wet and cold conditions. It didn't feel like June. Maybe the ibis and spoonbill had similar reservations about the weather and moved on. The ibis left shortly after 9.00 yesterday and the spoonbill was not seen yesterday evening although it was present in the morning, at about 11.00 am.

The rain has filled the pools to the benefit of the waterfowl including - 4 tufted duck, 2 gadwall, 2 teal, 2 wigeon, c20 mallard and lots of shelduck (c35). A few waders were on the pool close to the canal-side car park - 1 dunlin (2 yesterday evening both sp), 1 black-tailed godwit (sp), 1 avocet and 2 lapwings.

Flocks of swallows, house martins, swifts and a few sand martins were busy feeding in the lee of any trees. Roll on summer.

Exminster Marsh

A walk around early afternoon produced 2 Hobby's, sitting around on posts. No sign of the Spoonbill, though I understand it was present earlier in the day. And the Glossy Ibis appears to have gone too, seen over Dawlish at 9.45 flying SE.

Winkleigh

Red Kite over Winkleigh airfield this morning.
(Peter Howard)

Sherpa marsh

An odd assortment of ducks were present this afternoon given the time of year: an eclipse drake Shoveler was a surprise, but the pair of Tufted Duck were presumably those seen a few days ago, the trio were completed with a female Teal. Couldn't find the Pochard, so hope they are still around.
On Wrafton pond the male Swan is still shepherding seven cygnets.

Waddeton, Paignton

Singing Quail this morning (but gone quiet late morning)100m from road in one of two fields of rape or oats 300m north of Waddeton triangle SX873575. There is parking but is very restricted on a narrow lane, farmers are using the gates so anyone visiting please park sensibly - not in passing places, under no circumstances enter any of the fields and no tapes. I will be visiting the site from time to time as will other locals.  

Yalberton, Paignton and Venford

This morning at about 10:00 a distant raptor flew past my house just outside Paignton. It had long wings that were held slightly down in glide. The only plumage I could pick up on was a pale breast and darker wings and tail. I think the bird was probably a late Osprey.

2/6/2012
A walk around Venford Reservoir and the woods below produced at least 4 Cuckoo, 5-6 Wood Warblers singing, 5 Pied Flycatchers(3 male, 2 female) and a singing Redstart.

Lundy 29th May to 2nd June

Tim Davis and I have just got back from a short trip over for the Lundy Field Society's excellent "Discover Lundy" week. In between a packed programme of talks and walks, we managed to enjoy some great birding, including f/1st-s m Golden Oriole in Quarter Wall Copse on 30th (was also present but not seen by us on 29th), the two 2nd calendar-year male Subalpine Warblers ringed on 30th (already posted on this site), one of which was glimpsed off and on in Millcombe up to yesterday afternoon, two Greater Short-toed Larks (together) found by Chris & Carol Baillie on the main track at Halfway Wall gate on evening of 1 June and still present yesterday (2nd), a male Red-backed Shrike near Quarter Wall gate on 2 June, and a Black Guillemot which I saw distantly in flight off the East Side on evening of 1 June, with up to 3 seen from Oldenburg as she left the Lundy Landing Bay for the return trip to Ilfracombe yesterday evening. Two had also been seen from the boat, on arrival at Lundy on Saturday 26th – the first ever Tystie records for the island. Other birds included a singing male Firecrest in Millcombe on 30th, a female Treecreeper with a brood patch (!) trapped and ringed, but not seen/heard before or after, and a high count of at least 100 Puffins on 31st – the best one-day total since 1981! All in all a pretty spectacular five days...

Berry Hd

0730-0900: 1 Yellow Wagtail in quarry, 33 Swifts, 8 House Martin & 5 Swallows feeding over headland, 1/2 hr seawatch produced 52 Manx Shearwaters and 1 Harbour Porpoise. A few clumps of Bee Orchids in the quarry.

Thurlestone Bay

A quiet day livened by the finding of a Greylag Goose on the back marsh at 12.00 ( also 35 Canada Goose )  My first 'summer ' record for the patch

Otherewise a Kittiwake and 6 Whimbrel were the only birds of note .

Bob B still has the Garden Warbler in a private garden on the edge of the patch

Exminster marsh

A quick look around the marsh this morning between 08:00 and 10:30 produced good views of the adult spoonbill on the scrape by the fishermans car park and the Glossy Ibis was mobile but gave good views around the scrapes between the middle car park and the fishermans car park

A summer plumage Black tailed godwit was nice and still 3+ gadwall 4+wigeon and 2 tufted duck also plenty of sedge and reed warblers, 3 cetti's and 2 stonechat

Instow Cricket Ground up to Jetty Roost.

05:45 - 07:30

Just 1 1st summer Mediterranean Gull (un-ringed) on the cricket ground.
Apart from c200 Oystercatchers and 3 Whimbrel, there were no waders at all on the foreshore, yet there was plenty of food in the form of sandhoppers.
Just 2 Swift; 1 Buzzard; 2 Common Whitethroat and 1 male Stonechat.
Very poor showing.

Yarner Wood

A visit late morning/early afternoon was excellent today. Two drake Mandarins were on the car park pond. A female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a singing Wood Warbler together gave me a rather nice binocular-full! Two other Wood Warblers were found, together with good views of Redstart, Pied  & Spotted Flycatchers and Tree Pipit. A Tawny Owl was heard calling and a Lesser Redpoll was in song nearby. A male Grey Wagtail was collecting food on the pond.

Dartmoor

32 Carrion Crows and 15 Buzzards on the ground on the slopes of Great Mis Tor this afternoon.
J&M Daniels

Thurlestone Bay

Some interesting birds for June on the patch today - highlights were - Adult female Marsh Harrier over the marsh from 06.30-10.00, this one has a full tail. 2 Manx Shearwater, 3 Guillemot , 2 Razorbill, 1 Sanderling, 31 Oystercatcher, 7 Whimbrel,  1 Yellowhammer, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Garden Warbler, 4 Common Gull , 68 species recorded

Berry Head & Torbay

0600-0800hrs: Manx Shearwater 17 > S, Whimbrel 1 >N, Swift 6 > S over sea, 6 Common Scoter on sea just off headland, 7 Harbour Porpoise including one small calf.

Torbay: from Berry Hd I could see a distant group of Scoter toward Paignton, a stop off on the way home and closer view gave a count of 32 Common Scoter, also 2 Sandwich Tern.

Berry Head

at the quarry late morning a Wheatear was a surprise, on the way back up this Hummingbird Hawkmoth appeared briefly.

Exminster marsh

A quick look around this afternoon from 15:00 and 17:30 Glossy ibis still showing well from the canal bank by fishermans car park Also 1st summer med gull, 3 gadwall,2 tufted duck , 2 wigeon, 3+ hobby, peregrine, kestrel, 9+ little egrets and 5 whimbrel flew over heading north. Received a call just after I left that the spoonbill had flown back in

Lundy - yesterday 30/5

2 male Subalpine Warblers caught and ringed in Millcombe Valley yesterday morning. One at least sighted later in the afternoon. [Derren Fox]

Exminster Marshes

Spoonbill and Glossy Ibis still present on exminster marshes this morning and showing well from lane and canal footpath. [David Smith]

Liverton

Had a great non-avian highlight at Liverton this morning - a Swallowtail butterfly flew by at 12:15. Unfortunatly i was at work and did not get a chance to have a good look around for it afterwards. As i am not a great butterfly expert i would not know much about the provenance of a record like this but if there are any butterfly twitchers who maybe interested the grid ref is SX803752. I believe this is known as Old Liverton, about 1km towards Haytor from the bigger part of Liverton which is across the A38 from Trago Mills. I have lifted a couple photos of the internet to show exactly where.

Another Red Kite

Another Red Kite seen over the M5 near Exminster Marshes about 9:30 this morning.

More Red Kites!

David FitzGerald mentioned his sighting on Radio Devon today and more Red Kites were phoned in to his show - one at Paignton lunchtime (damned!) and another over Okehampton about 14.30hrs. And another just seen by Perry Sanders 15.05hrs drifting over Dean Prior Nr Buckfastleigh

Update and from Mark D's front garden - thanks Perry

South Brent

David FitzGerald, presenter at Radio Devon, has just called me to report a red kite over the A38 at South Brent.

Thurlestone Bay

A very quiet day in the Bay. Thurlestone Marsh last night the first Satarling roost with 50 birds on the wires at 20.30.

This morning the female Pochard still on the front pool , also the adult female Marsh Harrier over the reeds.
 Went for a walk round the whole of SOUTH MILTON LEY- talking with Bob B he is concerned about the low numbers of Reed/ Sedge this year . My totals were -  8 Reed Warbler/ 5 Sedge , 2 blackcap,  2 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, 10 Chiffchaff.

Has anyone else noticed any similar reductions on their local patch? 

Exminster

Spoonbill this afternoon, visible from canal footpath  [Gray Clements]

Plym Estuary & Saltram

A few bits of interest today including a juvenile Tawny Owl fresh out of the nest, a Spotted Flycatcher, a family party of 8 Grey Wagtails and a drake Mandarin. Also Nuthatch, and both Great Spotted (3) and Green (1) Woodpeckers.

Sherpa Marsh

Delighted to also find a female Pochard with seven ducklings. I'm pretty sure this is a first certainly for this part of North Devon, unless anyone knows otherwise?

Lundy

Golden Oriole (female type), Firecrest, 8 Spotted Flycatchers and a little influx of Phylloscs today.  [Kevin Hale]

Wrafton

Three juvenile Little Grebes on Wrafton pond yesterday and today.

Churston

I discovered this bunting this evening which I consider to be a hybrid Cirl Bunting X Yellowhammer. Head markings closer to Yellowhammer but stronger surrounding to earcoverts, lacking the black throat of Cirl. Also  yellow central crown stripe like Yellowhammer. Upper breast with olive as Cirl Bunting but a bright rufous rump like Yellowhammer. The lower flanks were very heavily marked not really like either bunting! Cirl buntings songs are variable in speed and tone but this song was more like Yellowhammer without the 'eeez' at the end - some Cirl Buntings can be quite close to this. The call was closer to Cirl bunting but not quite right, it was more clipped and not so thin. The bird was quite close to the location of a strange very yellow headed bird in 2009, detailed in this link  http://www.devonbirds.org/node/336 and in more detail in the Devon Bird Report for 2009.

As far as I know there are still no proven records of hybrid Cirl Bunting x Yellowhammer and even this one will have to go down as presumed but it must be as close as it comes!

Update: Following a phone call with Bruce Taggart this is a bird he saw in 2009 (he also considered it to be a probable hybrid) while carrying out Cirl Bunting work for the RSPB - even singing from the same tree!

Exminster marsh

Watched from 14:20 till 16:30 A great afternoon on the marsh as the good birds keep coming, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER showed well viewable in scrape by the fishermans car park sharing the scrape with a GLOSSY IBIS, 3 Garganey, and an avocet, the supporting cast was a hobby overhead, 7+ gadwall, 4+ pochard, 4+ wigeon, 2 barnacle geese, 2 cetti's, reed and sedge warblers, 12+ little egrets and a peregrine.

Thurlestone Bay / Soar

Last sighting of the Great White Egret was at 21.00 last night - no sign of lt today. Female Pochard still on the front pool this morning.

Walk from Mid Soar to East Soar produced - 1 Groppa, 10 whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 2 Sedge warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 m Wheatear, 8 Swift flew south, 6 Yellowhammer

Exminster Marshes

What a great day. Went to look for Dragonfly's, starting along the railway line. Saw Hairy Dragonfly, 3 Four Spotted Chasers and 2 Broad-bodied Chasers, and a Banded Demoiselle. Watched 5 Hobby's hawking followed by the Black-winged Stilt, which flew across from the Powderham side of the railway line.

More Hairy Dragonflies as I crossed to Turf Hotel, and on the canal c15 Red-eyed Damselflies. Two more Four Spotted Chasers and a second Banded Demoiselle too. Lots of Common Blue, Azure, Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies too.

Got to the fisherman's corner pools, and Glossy Ibis, which looks like an adult but possibly in moult, 3 Garganey (two males and a female) and someone had also kindly found a Pectoral Sandpiper. Also Ringed Plover.

Also saw 12+ male Reed Buntings, 4 Cetti's Warblers, numerous Reed and Sedge Warblers and one Avocet on the fisherman car park pools. Wonderful.

Exminster Marshes

Glossy ibis and 3 garganey early morning

Berry Hd

Evening watch; Not much in the way of birds but 5 Grey Herons moving North was a bit strange, too far out to age them presumably juvs. 12 Manx Shearwater > S and two Harbour Porpoise just off shore. Also of note were 3 Painted Lady Butterflies on the end of the headland - my first of the year.

Isley Marsh viewed from Tarka Trail.

Male Little Ringed Plover seen in overflow pool of marsh (from Tarka Trail, Isley) briefly before flying north,at 11.45. Also 1 green shank, 6 whimbrel and 2 curlews on the marsh.

Thurlestone Bay

The Great White Egret showed well from 06.30 to 17.00. A female Pochard on the front pool was a surprise at 12.00
Waders on the beach- 12 Whimbrel, 1 Bar Tailed Godwit .

Cuckoo heard up South Huish Valley.

Thanks for the Sanderling info Kev have sent details off

Tamar Bridge and Tavy

Ray Gould was at the Tamar Bridge this morning about 10:00 looking for a Red Kite that was reported in the area over Saltash for the last two days, when he saw a Purple Heron.

It flew over the bridge and up the Devon side of the Tamar towards the Tavy where he lost it from view.

Could be interesting for anyone in the Bere Ferrers area or perhaps Blaxton or Warleigh Marshes.

Hallsands

A Little Stint, photographed with a mobile at Hallsands this afternoon. [Paul Fivian]

Hi Mike,

The email details are in the links in my previous post, the co-ordinator can be contacted at

 j.w.h.reneerkens @ rug.nl

Cheers
Kev

Help required with the colour ringed Sanderling- Have tried sending e- mails to the cr-birding.org and the waderstudygroup. org sites but both hve come back as not known - Help

Mike Passman

Some Photos from the Weekend

All taken yesterday 26/5...

The Cuckoo and Whinchat on Exmoor (Brian Palmer) and the Sacred Ibis at Bowling Green Marsh (Julie Soane)

Mamhead Obelisk

Red Kite flew over the obelisk at 17.10 heading towards Powderham. [Will Salmon]

Black-winged Stilts Exminster

If anyone has images of the bird today or the previous individual on 5 May that they would be happy to share please mail me on jjspurfield@gmail.com - to make my life easier for description submission and to help work out where these birds came from & moved on to.  Many thanks

And some late news from this week- little ringed plover Exminster Marshes on 24 May and red kite over Exminster village 25 May.

Colour-ringed Sanderling

Hi Mike,

Your Sanderling will be from a Dutch scheme see here http://www.waderstudygroup.org/res/project/sanderling.php The co-ordinator is Jeroen Reneerkens.

I wonder if yours will have had as exciting history as the last Warren bird http://www.dawlishwarren.co.uk/birdlatest.html

Cheers
Kev

Colour riinging web site

Hi Mike, great news to hear of another c-ringed sanderling.

http://www.cr-birding.org/

The BTO also has a reporting page on its website.

http://blx1.bto.org/euring/lang/pages/colourform.jsp?coord=sightings@waderstudygroup.org

Great find.

Two Red Kites over Challacombe

This morning there were two separate sightings of Red Kites by one observer.

He managed to catch one on camera and the  second individual had feathers missing in the wings and in the tail.

Thurlestone Bay

The Great White Egret showed well for most of the day if at times it was on the back of the marsh.

Waders on the beaches were - 16 Whimbrel, 7 Turnstone, 6 Sanderling, 1 Bar Tailed Godwit, 1 Ringed Plover.1 Knot

Vic T and Eric W found one of the Sanderling had  rings and flag - lft leg- Red flag over Green, rt leg - Green/ Yellow.
They also had a Grey Plover and 30 Common Scoter

Whilst Bob B was collecting the car park fees he had a Turtle Dove flyover ( 1st of the year ).

We had a colour ringed sanderling last year - since when I have lost all my old e-mails- I think it was maurice @ Barnstable who gave me the web address to write to ( Holland from memory ) Would appreciate any info for this site . 

Another Red Kite

In keeping with many other sightings over the last few days, a single red kite being mobbed by crows heading east just north of the A30 somewhere between Rockbeare and Strete Raleigh at 16.10 this afternoon.

Clennon Valley

A short sharp yelp from the local Herring Gulls which is different from a similar call the gulls make when Buzzards fly over, a quick dash into the garden and scan of the sky above my house was rewarded with a Red Kite it gained height and glided off North at 1.45pm - perhaps the same bird from Berry Head earlier in the day.  Later in the afternoon a Hobby drifted East. 

Exminster marsh

After an early text of black winged stilt on exminster marsh made my way over but it had flown south so watched from 08:00 till 13:00 2 cuckoo's on site one around the lane from middle car park and one along the path by the railway line. A splendid Red kite drifted east and off over topsham an avocet dropped onto the scrape just before the fishermans car park. Still at least 2 hobbies over the lagoon and 18+ little egrets. The black winged stilt was relocated on powderham marsh and after making my way around to the viewing platform had distant views but my 5 on the estuary this year Another good day on the marshes

Budleigh and the Otter

3 Red Kites: 2 from the garden at around 10am this morning heading West and a third bird circling above Otterton at around 10.40am (later seen over DC's garden!).
Singing Lesser Whitethroat holding territory on the main Otter Estuary path.

Berry Head

0630-0900 a few birds still on the move: Siskin 2 > E, 47 Swifts 28 House Martin & 5 Swallows mostly feeding over headland but also > NE, 1 Willow Warbler on headland the first I've seen there in over a couple of weeks.
For any botanists the display of White Rock Rose at the end of the headland is fantastic this year - apart from Torbay I believe it's only found around Brean Down in Somerset in the UK.

Update 1010hrs: Nigel Smallbones just rang to say a Red Kite was over the headland.

Foreland Point 26th May

Further to Edd Davies' post below, Tim Davis and I were passing Foreland Point around 2.30pm and saw (presumably) another Red Kite, also heading east along the coast, along with a steady continuing passage of Swifts.

Thurlestone Marsh

Have been away this week on grandparenting duties- there is nothing worse than being 200 + miles away when news comes through of a patch first ( and also a year tick )  The prayer mats were out in Berkshire- managed to get away at 15.00 and arrived back on site at 18.30- quick scan over the Marsh no sign, by 18.50 success good views of the GREAT WHITE EGRET- by 19.45 it became a garden tick . 

Went over to Yarmer Beach to find the superb summer plumaged KNOT ( first time on the beach at this time of the year) also 8 Whimbrel, 5 Sanderling ,3 Turnstone , 1 Bar Tailed Godwit .

A nice story about the Egret, Harry & June Huggins have been watching this patch for more than 30 years how appropriate that it was June who couln't believe her eyes at 10.00 on Thurs when she picked up the Egret on the Marsh - over the years they have been rsponsible for quite a number of BB rarities - we have something to live up to , Many congratulations June

Countisbury & Foreland Point, North Devon

Mid morning walk from Countisbury to Foreland point in strong easterly conditions. Highlight was a Red Kite seen over the point heading east. A dozen Gannets also seen off the point but little else. In the oak woods to the east of Foreland, 6 Wood Warblers and 2 Redstarts. Plenty of Swifts, Swallows and House Martins all heading east, along with 3 Sand Martins.

Exminster marsh

Watched from 10:00 till 13:00 A nice find was a drake Garganey on the scrapes viewable from the canal bank path by fishermans car park along with pochard(m), 8 gadwall, 2 wigeon, 4 tufted duck and 2 redshank, moved down station road and whilst watching the Garganey every thing on the marsh went up then a superb osprey flew right over our heads and over to topsham at 11:00. At least 3 hobby around with good numbers of swift, a peregrine on the ground and 20+ little egrets, sparrowhawk. Earlier of goat walk 15+ ringed plover, 20+ Dunlin, 2 whimbrel. From viewing platform at bowling green marsh 55+ curlew, 15+ bar tailed godwits, 9 little egrets, 5+ black tailed godwits, 4 knot, 2 grey plover. A good morning

South Hams

Battled against strong easterly wind at Soar early morning, with only a Garden Warbler to show for it. So headed for Slapton Ley where a Marsh Harrier showed over Ireland Bay; also 50+ Swifts. Roy McCarthy phoned me to say he had seen the Great White Egret at Thurlestone Marsh (thanks Roy!) and on the way home, I watched it over the back of the marsh 1405-1425 before it flew a short distance and dropped out of view.

Isley

Malcolm Shakespeare called earlier to say he had seen the Cattle Egret fly in to the high tide roost at Isley this morning with 2 Little Egrets.

Home Farm and Isley Marshes

[05:00-08:30] Hoped to find the Cattle egret but no sign, just a greenshank and a curlew sandpiper at Home Farm. Between the jetties large mixed flock (150-170ish) of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Sanderling- at least 2 Sanderling in stunning summer plumage. One less since the peregrine passed by.

[Andy Lansdell]

White Storks

Four White Storks seen from Willand at 8.40 flying east. Also a Red Kite flew over Cullumpton Tesco at 14:30. [David O'Leary]

Kingsbridge, yesterday.

Bob Burridge had 4 White Storks fly over the centre of Kingsbridge mid afternoon yesterday, apparently losing height as they headed towards West Charleton. If they remained somewhere local for the rest of the day i'd be surprised if they left this morning as its a strong easterly here in Charleton at present - my guess is they would be sitting it out in a field somewhere.

EDIT : Just gone on Paul Bouldens website and as they were seen over the Totnes - Newton Abbott road yesterday evening i guess they won't be sitting it out in a field around here somewhere !

Bicton Park

3 Red Kites over Bicton Lake at 17.45 today. They spent around 10 minutes circling, mobbed by corvids, then flew off north east.

[Steve Oliver]

Venford Reservoir, Dartmoor

16 members of the of  DBWPS enjoyed a memorable walk above the Dart with good views of Wood Warblers, Pied Flycatchers and Redstarts.  A Cuckoo was present for much of the day on the higher land of Holne Moor causing a nuisance to Meadow Pipits.  A Green Woodpecker was present earlier in the morning, plus Siskin and Spotted Flycatcher but those who stayed until later in the afternoon were rewarded with a pair of Winchat. Thanks to Jean Millen for leading us.

Red Kite

Red kite circled then slowly drifting west over Kevicc school in Totnes. This is a first for me in Devon.

Yelland - Home Farm Marsh

Visited home Farm in the hope of seeing the Black-winged Stilt reported yesterday. No success there but a Cattle Egret was seen from the hide in the field with the large pond. Good to see a farm managed in this way, with plenty of finches, warblers and skylarks around.

Velator reserve

A few birds ringed this morning included three very juvenile Robins, a Whitethroat, 2 Blackcaps and 3 more Reed Warblers, a Woodpigeon, 2 juvenile Song Thrushes and 2 juvenile Kingfishers, about a month earlier than I have been catching them in previous years. Failed to catch the Green Woodpecker which appeared, called a few times and disappeared again, shame as it would have been the 7th ring size for the session!

Belated White Storks on the Otter!

BUDLEIGH JOURNAL: Nothing quite like being gripped off on the local patch by the local paper!

Been away for about a month working and return to find out that 3 White Storks were seen in the field by White Bridge (field next to where the Purple Heron was earlier this year) on Tuesday 22nd May. Doug & Joan Cullen spoke with the guy who saw them but rather frustratingly for them, a day or two after the event! It seems the birds flew out to sea quite early in the morning on the Tuesday, so presumably it is the same 3 birds that were seen over Dawlish Warren on Monday evening (21st) and the birds must have roosted on the Otter Monday night.
The only slight comfort I have is that I was in Italy watching bears at the time!

Thurlestone Marsh

Great White Egret again 0815hrs this morning, then dropped into the 'back' of the marsh and as such not viewable?

Berry Head

0600-0830hrs: at 0610 a fly over Serin dropped into the bushes just behind the Coastguards station and Artillery Store, it stayed until 0755 before flying off high - nice male, a lot of calling on the video below..

Osprey at Axmouth on 21st

Just received the attached photograph from a friend who spotted this Osprey eating a fish off Higher Lane, Axmouth at about 3pm on Monday 21st May. He nearly crashed his car in amasement! but did manage to get some photos'......

Taw Estuary – Home Farm Marsh

Geoff Taylor reports a Black-winged Stilt on pond 3 at the Gaia Trust's Home Farm Marsh Reserve, on the southern shore of the Taw Estuary, this morning at about 09.45.

Thurlestone

Great White Egret on the second pool at Thurlestone Marsh this morning feeding in the open.
(H & J Huggins).
Hopefully photos and more news later.

Princetown

No further sign of the Common Rosefinch this morning.

Dartmoor

Common Rosefinch singing and feeding in private garden in Princetown this afternoon, still present this evening..

Black Hole Marsh

Rather nice Curlew Sandpiper this evening...

Red kite

Red kite drifted over the Devon hotel at matford heading north east at 11:20 this morning also hobby and 6 buzzards over

A few snippets from north of the river Taw

At Wrafton pond this morning still 7 cygnets with Dad, but no sign of 'er indoors. Never seen a group of cygnets without their Ma, so will keep an eye out to see what develops.

Sherpa was very quiet, only a couple of Swallows. Still five Goslings.

Later cycled to Barnstaple, only heard 4 Chiffchaffs, and one Willow Warbler, There used to be many more along this trail. A pair of Shelduck were shepherding no less than 20 ducklings at Pottington. I wonder how many broods this represents?

Also went out to the pond opposite Bishop's Tawton. One Shelduck and 4 Pied Wagtails.

Instow Cricket Ground and Foreshore.

06:50 - 08:30

Dunlin c150; Whimbrel 21; Bar-tailed Godwit 2 and c200 Oystercatcher mobbing a Grey Heron on the Crow Point side. No Terns about that I could see.

08:15 1st summer Med Gull with green ring arrived on cricket ground. This is same bird as on 20/05/2012 but I`ve ammended it from 2nd to 1st summer bird. Gulls are so hard to age?  I`m sure Rob Marshall will put me right  when he sees it, if I`m wrong.

Exmouth

Woodbury Common - red kite north over the fort at 1945. Also cuckoo there and nightjar.
Mudbank - sum plum slavonian grebe early am.
Orcombe Point yesterday - now 2 male lesser whitethroat on territory. Good to see after a few blank years up there. Also arctic skua offshore + 16 common tern.

Axmouth

An Osprey late afternoon, perched in a tree along Higher Lane, eating a fish.

Haldon Forest

Colin Marker came across a Wryneck feeding on ants in short turf close to the road c 6:30 this morning at a place known as Dartmoor View around SX887843.

Ugborough Beacon - Bee eater

A report in from Dave Scott who photographed a European Bee eater at Ugborough Beacon at 10:30 this morning before it flew off high SW towards Ivybridge.

Exminster marsh

  At 0945 a Glossy Ibis flew from the direction of Turf and landed in the middle of the marsh. Whilst going back to the car for my camera it flew off about 1020 and the boys at Dawlish Warren were able to get it.
  It then returned to Exminster marsh at about 1130, just so I could get this stunning photo!

  At least 9 Hobbies still, and the White-fronted Goose.

Berry Hd

Pretty quiet saved by a couple of good birds moving over: 1 imm (probably fs) Black-throated Diver, low over the top of the headland >S, followed by a Red Kite >N and a single Siskin >NE.

Underdown, Haldon Forest

11.45 this morning a summer plumage Great Northern Diver flew north over my house at Underdown on the east side of Haldon Forest. Great addition to the garden list and one that has never even been on the radar

[John Gale]

Exminster marsh

   Bit of a surprise this evening was an Avocet on the pool nearest to the middle car park,and showing no concern of nearby traffic and a roosting Hobby.

skern

Imm spoonbill,c100 common tern,2 sandwich feeding in  esstuary from greysands pt.131 dunlin,25 ringed plover.Also drake mandarin duck on top pond kenwith nr bideford and an imm peregrine made an half hearted attempt at an wood pidgeon giving amazing view as it came in level with top of dam

Beesands & Slapton

Predictably quiet WeBS count at Beesands this evening. Had a quick look along Slapton Sands, nice summer plumaged Great Northern Diver close offshore from the central car park. 7 adult Black-headed Gulls on the ley unusual this time of year...... failed breeders ?

lower tamar lake

3 garden warbler,4 prs great crested grebe.

Plymouth - yesterday 19/5

Red Kite drifted from North Prospect area of the city towards Weston Mill around 10:30 [Roy McCarthy]

Exminster marsh

Watched 09:30 till 13:00 9+ hobby were again performing over the lagoon, the white fronted goose showed again viewed from the canal bank, 7 redshank, 3 summer plumage Dunlin, peregrine good numbers of swifts, 4 tufted duck. A good morning on the marsh

Recent Lundy Sightings

A few records from the last week or so

12/5 Male and female siskin in Millcombe

12/5 Red kite, flew across island from east to west

12/5 Male and female oriole still present

17/5 Hooded crow (still present 19/5) seen between the village and old light

Derren Fox

Warden

Cadover Bridge

Vic and Sylvia Tucker phoned to say they had a Red Kite over Cadover Bridge , west Dartmoor, yesterday (Sat) lunchtime.

Upottery Airfield, Smeatharpe

2 wheatears (both female), 2 whitethroat (seemingly on territory), 10+ skylark and 4-5 pairs of linnet. A showy and very vocal green woodpecker was my first on the very top of the Blackdowns since the winter of 2010 and certainly the first at the site for at least 18 months. The resident stock doves and ravens also present.

Instow Cricket Ground and Foreshore

06:45 - 08:00

1 1st summer Med Gull on the pitch. Ringed with green project ring on left tarsus and metal i/d ring on right tibia. Probably a French or Belgium ringed bird. Scared off by dog.

16 Whimbrel; 12 Bar-tailed Godwit; 16 Dunlin and 3 Ringed Plover on the foreshore between pitch and fuel jetty.

6 Common Tern on the yellow nav buoy offshore.

1 Stoat running about in the lane btwn cricket ground and Instow Barton Marsh. Fascinating animals to watch.

08:00 dogs and walkers arrived and everything changed.