Dartmoor

Wheatears are arriving! - records received today from:

Legis Tor, Peek Hill and Staple Tor

Also flock of c500 Golden Plover between Cox Tor and Staple Tor this afternoon
(Thanks M&RH, J&MD)

Dunsford Woods

Three Goosanders were on the Teign at Dunsford Woods today with at least one being a drake. Also a pair of Dipper. A pair of Marsh Tit in the trees too. No luck with Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Exminster Marshes

Spoonbill (unringed adult), merlin, 8 white-fronted geese and 4 sand martin this evening.

Branscombe

Birthday today, so allowed to spend a couple hours at Branscombe STW!!

Gavins Firecrest still present this morning, at least 3 Goldcrests & Treecreeper.

Otter, Mudbank and Hayes Barton

presumed 'intermedius' lesser black-back - a small, long-winged bird - small mirror p10 and considerably darker than adjacent 'graellsii' - Otter est


presumed teal x wigeon hybrid again present near Otter est mouth.
Mudbank - 630am - spoonbill again present + 9 goldeneye, long-tailed duck, 16 little egret and c15+ redwing.
Hayes Barton pig farm - late pm - mixed flock - c20+ linnet, c150+ chaffinch, male brambling, reed bunting 2+ yellowhammer and 1+ red-legged partridge.

Berry Head

late afternoon, a Firecrest at the east edge of the wood, near the corner of the path.

Clennon Valley

How to get a Siberian Chiffchaff record rejected!..

One of the most important BBRC guidelines for acceptance of tristis records is: Absence of yellow away from the underwing...

Several singing Chiffchaffs around blossoming willows today almost certainly new birds in and first I have heard singing at site since the autumn. I then heard a tristis chiffchaff call and scanning the trees found this strange looking beast! in the next 1.5 hrs that I watched it it only called one more time as it fed continuously from the willow blossoms getting more stained as it did so (and presumably a good job of pollinating at the same time).

many other features were lost in the pollen staining but it did react very well to tristis song playback approaching me, wing quivering - as usual the other chiffchaffs ignored the tristis song playback

Above photos showing the usual buffy grey upperparts, and wing quivering to tape.

Yesterday Friday 11th March: 1 Whimbrel on rocks at Broadsands.

Mansands

Singing Chiffchaff at rear of the marsh and at least one Firecrest still by the track. Stonechat gathering nesting material, 10 Teal and a Snipe on the marsh and two Great Crested Grebe offshore.

Hopes Nose

1 Wheatear at Hopes Nose late morning on the rocks at the point.

whooper swan

one adult at hallspill weare gifford with 3 mute swans this morning

Yelland

Between 8.00 and 8.30 a single Sand Martin was seen feeding above/along the S.W. coast path between the two jetties on the river Taw at Yelland.

[from Mark Humfrey]

Grand Western Canal

A WeBS count between Halberton and Tiverton this morning produced some fair birds including a Green Woodpecker, three Bullfinches, two Reed Buntings, a Skylark, five Nuthatches, a Raven, a Treecreeper, seventeen Redwings, four Siskins and three Stock Doves.

Branscombe

Smart male Firecrest along northern fenceline of Water Treatment Works at lunchtime.

Bowling Green Marsh

Spoonbill flew in just after 2pm near to the hide. Also spotted redshank off the viewing platform.

[from Phil Holyday]

Re: SPOONBILL FJ9

Spoonbill FJ9 has wintered on the Taw estuary every year since it first appeared on 12 October 2007; the same year it was first ringed as a nestling at Donana in Spain.

Exminster marshes

8 white fronted geese showed in the corner of a field at the southern end of the marsh.

Bowling Green Marsh

The redhead Smew was still on the main pool early afternoon.

Torbay

A single sum plum Blacknecked Grebe off Broadsands this morning and the Longtailed Duck still off Preston front/Redcliffehotel. 6 Common Scoter off there, and about 35 Great Crested scattered across between there and Broadsands.

Colyford Common

The over-wintering Pipits at Colyford Common have been very elusive of late so I was quite pleased this morning when two of the 'Scandinavian' Rock Pipits were close enough to attempt to digiscope.

As you can see they were in summer plumage so for comparison purposes I have attached a couple of photos taken on 9th December.

Yesterday there was an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the River Axe just to the north of Coronation Corner.

Spoonbill FJ9

I had an interesting voice mail message from Graham Woodbury this evening, to say Spanish-born Spoonbill 'FJ9' (seen on 7th March at Exminster Marshes) was seen a month previous on the Taw/Torridge.

To add to the picture, it is now in the Weymouth area, seen at both Radipole and Lodmoor today (which means it probably flew right over the Axe!).