Sidmouth

3 Purple Sandpipers alternating between the western end of the 'town beach' and the nearest pile of rocks at high tide, mid afternoon. Mainly being flushed off the beach by dogs.

Kingsbridge Est:
2 G-N Diver juv, adW

Slapton Ley:
adW Little Gull along the surf line Memorial Car Park

Exe Estuary

On the Stuart Lines cruise today the highlights were 4 Scaup, 2 Common Scoter (can't ever remember seeing these in the estuary before), the usual Slavonian and at least 8 Great Crested Grebes, 50+ each of Shag and Common and Great Black-backed Gulls, hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets, only 1 Greenshank and 3 Sanderlings, plus expected numbers of the usual wildlfowl and waders. It's hard to keep count of everything while trying to decide what to say next for the commentary!

Prawle

There are a a minimum of 70 Cirl Buntings in the area at the moment. The majority can be found in 2 main flocks. 30+ are in the stubble fields east of the car-park, and a similar number are above Horseley Cove. A small group of about 6 favour the barn area above the car-park, and odd birds are scattered elsewhere.

Other birds today; Seawatch, 07.45 - 10.15. Highlight was a Little Auk going east at about 10.00, (Tony Marchese), also Balearic Shearwater, single Black-throated and Great Northern Divers, a distant Skua sp, seen in bright light was either Arctic or Long-tailed, 2 Common Scoters and c.200 Auks (60 % Razorbills)

Only other birds of note were 2 Black Redstarts, a Blackcap and 2 Goldcrests.

(Also still a few Red Admirals on the wing).

Jubilee Gardens, Beer

2 Firecrests present this morning, in the Holm Oaks near the wooden shelter

also a Black Redstart in the main car park behind the Dolphin Hotel.

West Town Farm, IDE.

On hearing of a Hawfinch at Ide this morning, a visit produced two birds at the usual place at 10.00 but no further sign by 11.30.
On Woodbury Common yesterday the Great Grey Shrike was seen again in the "Shrike Valley" just North of Woodbury Castle.

Starcross Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret in flooded field with horses in on North side of Starcross. Present until 10:30am when it flew towards the estuary.

[from Luke Harman]

Golden Plover

c60 flew east at Dittiscombe nr. East Allington this morning.

Shelly Beach, Exmouth

The male Black Redstart was still around the Exe Sailing Club early afternoon. It was on the roof of Estuary Court.

Creating Blog Posts

Since this blog began there have been one or two enquiries about the mechanics of actually creating a blog post, adding photos etc. It can certainly be a challenge initially. So, if anyone is still finding it a bit tricky, click on the 'Posting Guidelines' tab and follow the new link to the relevant page on Blogger Help.

Hope this helps.

Exeter

Firecrest - at 11.45 fri 19/11 on the northbrook [pannybrook to locals] at the metal footbridge that leads from the chestnut crescent play area in exeter - over into the ludwell valley park , the female firecrest was feeding in alders and hazel.

[from Colin Chivers]

Aylesbeare Common

Lovely, still morning on the common, ideal for Dartford Warblers.

[from Colin Scott]

Exmouth

Orcombe Point - lapland bunting 2+, skylark c100+, pied wagtail c15+, meadow pipit c20+, linnet c20+
Mudbank - scaup 4, shoveler 12, great crested grebe 10+, goldeneye 3, mediterranean gull ad, blackcap 2, great northern diver 1.

Broadsands

A quick look this morning: 3 Great Northern Divers, 23 Great Crested Grebes & 2 Teal.

On the seed in the back of the second car park: 3 Reed Buntings, 10 Cirl Buntings, 1 Brambling (also seen on16th) and about a dozen Chaffinches. The marsh is surprisingly quiet with just 1 Chiffchaff, a couple of Goldcrest and a 2 Siskin.

clennon valley

2 shoveler(m & f )

4 snipe

2 pochard

8 chiffchaff

5 goldcrest

Lapland Bunting a 'B' rarity for autumn 2010

This article has been recently uploaded on to the DBWPS website. I thought it would be worthwhile copying it here too...

"At the end of August and throughout September 2010, large numbers of Lapland Buntings arrived in the north of the UK, with some sites in the northern isles of Scotland boasting triple figure flocks!

As the autumn progressed these birds flew south, and it wasn’t long before Devon had a ‘slice’ of the action.

Lapland Bunting is a Devon ‘A’ rarity (full description required), except on Lundy where it is a ‘B’ rarity (supporting notes available at recorder’s request).

Due to the unprecedented numbers recorded this year, the decision has been made to downgrade Lapland Bunting to a ‘B’ rarity for the entire County this autumn. This will be reviewed at the end of 2010 and again after the spring of 2011.

Steve Waite - County Recorder"

Exminster Marsh

A quick look at Exminster Marsh late afternoon got me a Short Eared Owl north of the reserve behind Lions rest, also 3+ Water Pipits around pools just north of canal side car park nearest canal bank, also American Robin still showing on and off late afternoon.

Andy Bond

Prawle

Finally ----

3 Purple Sandpipers back at Langerstone Point.

---- Sadly, no Swifts !!

Berry Head

Seawatch 08:00-13:20: highlight a probable Cory's Shearwater at 11:49, unfortunately I only got bin views when I first picked it up, but Dave Smallshire managed to get a scope view before it was gone. Otherwise: Pomarine Skua (ad), 2 Arctic Skuas, 7 Bonxies, 4 Little Gulls ( 2 ads, 2 1w), 3 or 4 Med Gulls, 7 Great Northern Divers, Black-throated Diver, Red-throated Diver, 625 Kittiwakes, 76 Gannets, 160 Auk sp (mostly Razorbills), 45+ Fulmars, 6 Common Scoter. No sign of the Pallid Swift on our side of the bay - Hope's Nose wins today!

Passage House

13:00-13:45 - Along with the usual Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Lapwing were singles of Black-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover and Common Sandpiper. The dodgy geese were back with 1 Greylag, 2 grey Chinese Goose type things and 4 mostly white Chinese Goose type things. There was also 2 Snipe, a Water Rail, 1+ Kingfisher and 3 Little Grebe.