July at the north coast

[weissnix]

Hello

I will spent my holydays in July at the north coast of Devon/UK. Could anyone recommend me some good birding-places? “Most wanted” species are puffin, rockpipt, shag, roseate tern, Cetti´s and dartfort warbler. I’ve got a hired car-so the only limitation will be driving on the left side of the road and my family, of course.
And book dealing with birding-places in this region?
Many thanks in advance

[Jon Turner]

Hi Remo!

Some tricky species on the hit list there! Welcome to the quiet part of Devon!

Rock Pipit and Shag should be fairly easy - most rocky parts of the coast hold these species.

Dartford & Cetti's Warblers are schedule 1 species, and I'll pm you with details of likely places, but they are by no means impossible in the north of the county.

Puffin does not breed locally, but there may be a few on Lundy Island - a ferry trip away! However by July they may have left!

Roseate Tern is a passage migrant to Devon's south coast. (pretty rare up here in the north). Dawlish Warren is usually good during July for several species of migrant Terns, but it's at least an hour's drive to the south coast.

Jon

[camelbirder]

Buy a copy of the newly updated "Where to watch birds in Devon and Cornwall", this will help you with most of the species you are looking for. A trip into Cornwall would be good for Puffin with colonies at Rumps Point, Polzeath and near Boscastle.
Good luck and have a good stay.

[weissnix]

And what abaut Manx Shearwater ?

[Jon Turner]

Manx can sometimes pass the headlands in good numbers. Hartland (bit of a drive) or Bull Point. On the other hand you could go to Lundy, where we have often seen them from the ship. I'll PM you soon with grid refs on those other birds too!

Jon

[camelbirder]

If you do decide to come to North Cornwall, then off the Rumps would be good in late afternoon. Rafts of many hundred sit on the water, (possibly waiting to come ashore?).
You could get two of the species you are after in one go.