An Osprey over the Exe Estuary viewable from Powderham Corner between 4.20 and 4.40 and last seen heading towards Starcross. Also a large flock of Ringed Plover and Dunlin with 2 Sanderling on the incoming tide.
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Cory's shearwater
Crossing by ferry from Brittany to Plymouth, about a mile of Plymouth there was a single Cory's shearwater flew past the boat. There was also a bonxie, balearic shearwater and about 15+ manxie's.
Kingsbridge Estuary
Charleton Marsh / Bay ( 08:30-10;00, falling tide ).
221 Canada Geese, 3 Teal, 5 Whimbrel, 63 Dunlin, 19 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, Greenshank, Knot, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Mediterranean Gull ( 6 adult, 2 juvs/fw, sw ), Arctic Tern ( adult ), Kingfisher.
221 Canada Geese, 3 Teal, 5 Whimbrel, 63 Dunlin, 19 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, Greenshank, Knot, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Mediterranean Gull ( 6 adult, 2 juvs/fw, sw ), Arctic Tern ( adult ), Kingfisher.
Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham
4 curlew sands, 7 ruff, 13 greenshank, 8 ringed plover, 10 knot, 1 whimbrel, 1 common sand, 1 green sand, 3 avocets, 1 poss 2 spotted redshank (1 on marsh then 1 later from viewing platform flew in with redshanks), 14 shoveler.
From the viewing platform,1 summer plumage barwit, osprey and kingfisher. Plenty of black wit, curlew and sand martins.
Little stint reported before 7.15 a.m. by visiting birder but no further sign by 11.15.
(with thanks to Keith).
From the viewing platform,1 summer plumage barwit, osprey and kingfisher. Plenty of black wit, curlew and sand martins.
Little stint reported before 7.15 a.m. by visiting birder but no further sign by 11.15.
(with thanks to Keith).
Great Shearwater photos off S Devon
Some photos of Great Shearwater. Yesterday I saw two different birds from a fishing boat and managed to pull one in close by quickly throwing over some chum, giving views down to 10ft! First bird was 20nm south of Start Point, second bird was 13nm south of Start.
Great Shearwater ©Mark Darlaston
Great Shearwater ©Mark Darlaston
Bradiford Reserve
up to 09:15; even with 4 pairs of eyes looking; no sign of the Bittern reported y/day on Birdguides.
6 Teal present and a few Moorhen and young.
08:50. 1 Curlew Sandpiper on the foreshore by the "wheelbarrow" plus 9 Bar-tailed Godwits.
6 Teal present and a few Moorhen and young.
08:50. 1 Curlew Sandpiper on the foreshore by the "wheelbarrow" plus 9 Bar-tailed Godwits.
Exmouth
A quick scoot around this morning before taking eight 6-8 yr olds to watch Kung Fu Panda 2 - wish me luck!
Mudbank - 0800 - 8 'commic' tern, juv/fw yellow-legged gull, 38+ wigeon, pintail (present since 25/8), 8+ teal, 24+ little egret, black tern, 1 black-tailed godwit, 3 turnstone, 2 sanderling and 1 grey wagtail.
Maer Rocks - 2 juv ruff, 26 knot (photo), ad mediterranean gull (5 ad present on 25/8).
Orcombe point ('dung' field) - grasshopper warbler - this tiny field is very good for this species with several records in the last few years. This is probably the third in just over a week although I can't prove it's not all the same bird.
Mudbank - 0800 - 8 'commic' tern, juv/fw yellow-legged gull, 38+ wigeon, pintail (present since 25/8), 8+ teal, 24+ little egret, black tern, 1 black-tailed godwit, 3 turnstone, 2 sanderling and 1 grey wagtail.
Maer Rocks - 2 juv ruff, 26 knot (photo), ad mediterranean gull (5 ad present on 25/8).
Orcombe point ('dung' field) - grasshopper warbler - this tiny field is very good for this species with several records in the last few years. This is probably the third in just over a week although I can't prove it's not all the same bird.
pm update - Orcombe Point again this afternoon produced yellow wagtail, 4 wheatear and an osprey (photo) at 1440 following the coast west out into Dawlish Bay before swinging around north towards the Exe estuary, presumably straight over the Warren.
Another Day, Another Year
Exactly one year since the first post on this blog. Many thanks to all contributors for helping to make Devon Bird News a site worth dropping in.
Friday, 26 August 2011
Black Hole Marsh
Late this evening: 2 Ruff, 3 Greenshanks, 2 Knot, 6 Ringed Plover, 8 Dunlin, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 2+ Common Sandpipers, 1 Pintail, 1+ Kingfisher.
Great Shearwater - English Channel S off Start Point
From a fishing today: 2 Great Shearwaters (will post some pics tomorrow!), Sooty Shearwater, 3 Black Terns, 5 Common terns, Yellow-legged Gull juv/1w, 10+ European Storm-petrels, 3 Bonxies. Two groups of Common Dolphins.
Upottery Airfield, Smeatharpe
In very poor weather tonight, still 13 wheatear, 2 whinchat plus 2 yellow wagtails with the 50+ pied.
Bowling green marsh
Watched just from the hide today 12:15 till 17:45
A miserable day weather wise but a cracking days birding.
4 juv Curlew sandpiper showed well all afternoon and there were still 7 juv ruff including one male, a good count of 45+ knot, 2 water rail and 2 spotted redshanks.There were 3 green sandpipers around the marsh, 8+ ringed plover, 1 turnstone, 16+ greenshank, 15+ Dunlin, 3+ yellow wagtails, 30+ pied wagtails, 25+ sand Martin, 3 whimbrel, 1 sparrowhawk, 2 raven, 3 shoveler, 20+ teal, 3+ bar tailed godwit, no count done on the black tailed godwit or curlew but there was good numbers of both.
A miserable day weather wise but a cracking days birding.
4 juv Curlew sandpiper showed well all afternoon and there were still 7 juv ruff including one male, a good count of 45+ knot, 2 water rail and 2 spotted redshanks.There were 3 green sandpipers around the marsh, 8+ ringed plover, 1 turnstone, 16+ greenshank, 15+ Dunlin, 3+ yellow wagtails, 30+ pied wagtails, 25+ sand Martin, 3 whimbrel, 1 sparrowhawk, 2 raven, 3 shoveler, 20+ teal, 3+ bar tailed godwit, no count done on the black tailed godwit or curlew but there was good numbers of both.
Thurlestone Bay
A very interesting day- First late news from Thurs - John King had a Marsh Tit on his feeders at 13.00- lives in Mallard Lane T'stone (first on this patch for many years.) The ringing team caught another Sanderling-weight 49g ,making 5 in 2 days . They are going to do an early morning wader catch on sat .
Because of visitors couldn't do a full wader count - Wood sandpiper still on T 'stone Marsh. At 18.00 S>H> Marsh had a jv Ruff & a Curlew S'piper ( 174 for the year )..
Ringing team - 1 jv Pied Flycatcher, 1 1st w Redstart, 8 Sedge, 4 Reed, 13 Blackcap, 1 Garden, 4 Whitethroat, 5 Willow , 1 Chiffchaff. The Pied Fly is the first ringed for 10 years.
Observed at S M Ley - 1m & 1f Redstart, 1 Spot Fly, 1 Groppa
2 Grey Wags and at least 6 Yellow wags
Because of visitors couldn't do a full wader count - Wood sandpiper still on T 'stone Marsh. At 18.00 S>H> Marsh had a jv Ruff & a Curlew S'piper ( 174 for the year )..
Ringing team - 1 jv Pied Flycatcher, 1 1st w Redstart, 8 Sedge, 4 Reed, 13 Blackcap, 1 Garden, 4 Whitethroat, 5 Willow , 1 Chiffchaff. The Pied Fly is the first ringed for 10 years.
Observed at S M Ley - 1m & 1f Redstart, 1 Spot Fly, 1 Groppa
2 Grey Wags and at least 6 Yellow wags
Exminster Marshes
A walk in the rain mid afternoon. Lots of birds about but most only offering a fleeting glimpse. Along the railway path - c12 chiffchaffs, 2+ whitethroats, 1+ blackcap, a couple of reed warblers and a redstart.
At Turf a juv. osprey flew very close giving excellent views at 4.05 pm. Also in that vicinity were 1 greenshank, 2 redshanks, 1 turnstone, 1 sedge warbler, 1 kingfisher and 3 black-tailed godwits. Two flocks of dunlin and ringed plovers flew south (total birds c50).
Not much else on the canal apart from another blackcap, 1 sedge warbler and a few chiffchaffs.
Its encouraging to see the shallow pools beginning to hold water.
Thursday, 25 August 2011
Black Hole Marsh
Some photos taken today by Alick Simmons...
Wood Sandpiper - one of three
Ruff
Little Stint
Prawle
Prawle Point 0800-1400 25/08/11
Melodious Warbler, 1 still in the same place in Pig's Nose Valley.
Reed warbler, 1 in the Melodious' hedge!
Whinchat, 1
Redstart, 1
Wheatear, 6
Spotted Flycatcher, 3
Yellow Wagtail, 2+
Fewer common migrants than of late.
[from Paul Holmes]
[from Paul Holmes]
Kingsbridge Estuary
The best of on the falling tide this evening, Med Gull 2 (adW 1W)
Arctic Tern 5(adS, 4x1S) up from 2 last night, Turnstone 6, On the shingle beach Charleton Bay were Ringed Plover C.30, Dunlin C.50 but v distant!
Upottery Airfield, Smeatharpe
A remarkable 25 wheatears this evening along with 4 whinchats and a hobby.
Thurlestone Bay
Big reduction in the number of waders today - there were less people on the beaches so I don't think it was disterbance. - On the beaches at high tide 22 Ringed Plover, 1 dunlin, 16 Sanderling.
Did 3hr sea watch from 13.30 -disappointing results - 75 Gannet, 5 manx S'water ( all singles ) 1 Bonxie , 1 Common Tern all east.
More interesting records were from my garden this morning - 4 blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, ,1 jv Lesser Whitethroat , 1 jv Redstart ( both are garden ticks ) 4 Willow , 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Sand Martin, 1 Wood & 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe & 1 Black T Godwit
Ringing team- 16 Sedge, 12 Willow, 9 Reed , 4 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Groppa , 1 Whinchat. 1 Redstart on S M ley.
They also ringed 2 Sanderling on Leasfoot beach- these 2 weighed 43g & 48g.After 7 in 40 years we now have 4 in 2 days
Did 3hr sea watch from 13.30 -disappointing results - 75 Gannet, 5 manx S'water ( all singles ) 1 Bonxie , 1 Common Tern all east.
More interesting records were from my garden this morning - 4 blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, ,1 jv Lesser Whitethroat , 1 jv Redstart ( both are garden ticks ) 4 Willow , 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Sand Martin, 1 Wood & 1 Green Sandpiper, 2 Snipe & 1 Black T Godwit
Ringing team- 16 Sedge, 12 Willow, 9 Reed , 4 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Groppa , 1 Whinchat. 1 Redstart on S M ley.
They also ringed 2 Sanderling on Leasfoot beach- these 2 weighed 43g & 48g.After 7 in 40 years we now have 4 in 2 days
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