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Devon Birding (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter JRE
- Start date
kmonty1950
Well-known member
Reported in the Express & Echo today. In a suburb of Newton Abbot, a bird the size of a pheasant with black and white feathers underneath, a stunning orange breast and long trailing tail is visiting bird tables. I've dismissed it as an escape, but hope I'm not ignoring a mega!!!! Anyone else heard the story?
regards
Ken.
regards
Ken.
kmonty1950
Well-known member
da2m said:
The paper described it as large and pheasant-like, swooping on local bird tables! Sounds a bit scary to me. It didn't describe any pheasant that I can find a reference to, so it may be a colour variant or a hybrid. I'm curious though, so I may go and take a look. It's coming to seed (suspicious!) in Wolborough Hill.
Regards
Ken
Ppedro
Well-known member
Start Point
Passing south over the car park at Start Point this morning ( 07:00-08:15 ) were 1 Merlin, 10 Skylark, 120 Meadow Pipits, 35 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails, 170 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 240 Linnets, 130 Goldfinches, 2 Siskins and 6 Chaffinches. Also heard a Grey Plover. Just 2 Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff in the farm. Did'nt expect much else - crystal clear night with full moon and fresh southerly wind. ( The wind at Start Point away from shelter is always 2 rungs higher on the Beaufort Scale than it is just inland ).
Passing south over the car park at Start Point this morning ( 07:00-08:15 ) were 1 Merlin, 10 Skylark, 120 Meadow Pipits, 35 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails, 170 Swallows, 2 House Martins, 240 Linnets, 130 Goldfinches, 2 Siskins and 6 Chaffinches. Also heard a Grey Plover. Just 2 Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff in the farm. Did'nt expect much else - crystal clear night with full moon and fresh southerly wind. ( The wind at Start Point away from shelter is always 2 rungs higher on the Beaufort Scale than it is just inland ).
Andrew
wibble wibble
Arrived at Upper Tamar for the Dowitcher.
Two birders were there and no sign but they had a Spotted Sandpiper.
Saw it twice very briefly on the Cornish side. Walked round the east side (Devon) and found it again in the arm.
Very, very nervous and wary of people. I only got to about fifty metres or thereabouts and it would fly off. Yellow legs, chunky and short tail projection. Couldn't get close enough for finer feather details such as the tertials or mantle colour.
Originally found in the top end so maybe that's it's favoured location.
Two birders were there and no sign but they had a Spotted Sandpiper.
Saw it twice very briefly on the Cornish side. Walked round the east side (Devon) and found it again in the arm.
Very, very nervous and wary of people. I only got to about fifty metres or thereabouts and it would fly off. Yellow legs, chunky and short tail projection. Couldn't get close enough for finer feather details such as the tertials or mantle colour.
Originally found in the top end so maybe that's it's favoured location.
Ppedro
Well-known member
Start Point
Did a seawatch from 08:30-10:30. Very worthwhile with 5 Great Skua, 7 Arctic Skua and a beautiful juv Long-tailed Skua. Noticeably grey bird presumably that seen off Berry Head earlier, ( thanks for the tip off Mike ). Also 19 Sandwich Terns and 5 Common Terns. Everything headed south. Also unexpected was a Black-throated Diver which landed on the water for a few minutes.
Only single Wheatear and Chiffchaff around fog bound farm.
Did a seawatch from 08:30-10:30. Very worthwhile with 5 Great Skua, 7 Arctic Skua and a beautiful juv Long-tailed Skua. Noticeably grey bird presumably that seen off Berry Head earlier, ( thanks for the tip off Mike ). Also 19 Sandwich Terns and 5 Common Terns. Everything headed south. Also unexpected was a Black-throated Diver which landed on the water for a few minutes.
Only single Wheatear and Chiffchaff around fog bound farm.
Kev Rylands
Well-known member
Sixteen (16) Spoonbill were on the Exe estuary today, still present around 6pm off Powderham Church.
Only had bins, but appeared to be mainly juveniles but there was at least one adult - more interesting if anyone gets a chance to look tomorrow at least three birds had darvic colour rings. My money is on a Dutch origin...
Daily (usually) updates from the south end of the estuary can be found on the website below.
Cheers
Kev
Only had bins, but appeared to be mainly juveniles but there was at least one adult - more interesting if anyone gets a chance to look tomorrow at least three birds had darvic colour rings. My money is on a Dutch origin...
Daily (usually) updates from the south end of the estuary can be found on the website below.
Cheers
Kev
The Spotted Sand seen well today at Upper Tamar, favours [sometimes!!!] the first bay on the Devon side after crossing the dam. But patience required, it nips off and can be very elusive!Also 2 Little Stints and 2 Curlew Sands on the Kernish side.
The 16 Spoonbills showed well off Powderham Corner at 1700, blue and white Darvic rings on 3...Letters UV ??? on one.
The 16 Spoonbills showed well off Powderham Corner at 1700, blue and white Darvic rings on 3...Letters UV ??? on one.
Steve Waite
What you looking at?
Dad reckoned 1 adult and 15 Juvs. Glad you all enjoyed them.Kev Rylands said:
We settled for one on the Axe, also a 4th-winter Yellow-legged Gull and a Merlin on and around the place today.
kmonty1950
Well-known member
The Spot sand was still there at Upper Tamar Lake today, but required a walk to the top end of the reservoir. It was very active and moving frequently from one side of the lake to the other. Also 1 Curlew Sand from the dam and two Dunlin.
After a bite to eat at home I dropped down to the point car park for a quick scan. Plenty of Gannets offshore, 1 or 2 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua.
Regards
Ken
After a bite to eat at home I dropped down to the point car park for a quick scan. Plenty of Gannets offshore, 1 or 2 Sandwich Terns and an Arctic Skua.
Regards
Ken
JRE
Guest
The county's heating up! No Internet access for the week, so hadn't heard about any of these birds. Young friend of mine said he had 7 waders south over Diptfoord this morning, didn't have his bins on him and only got brief views, but reckons they were Rook-sized. Flying fast with steady wingbeats, so probably not Curlew or Whimbrel. Anyone any ideas?
Ppedro
Well-known member
Start Point
Spent the day at Start Point, fairly quiet apart from one highlight, a very elusive Yellow-browed Warbler in the Lighthouse tamarisks. First heard and seen briefly in the early morning it was again looked for in the summer like afternoon when heard about a dozen more times but not seen. A couple Chiffs and a Blackcap were the only other migrants at the light. Early morning vis mig did not happen thanks to the hill fog. Plenty of Meadow Pipits ( c500 ) and Skylarks ( c200 ) in area but not all seemed to be on the move. Only other notable birds were Merlin, Redpoll and 26 Siskins. Still plenty of Clouded Yellows (15+ inc. 2 helice ) and Red Admirals.
Spent the day at Start Point, fairly quiet apart from one highlight, a very elusive Yellow-browed Warbler in the Lighthouse tamarisks. First heard and seen briefly in the early morning it was again looked for in the summer like afternoon when heard about a dozen more times but not seen. A couple Chiffs and a Blackcap were the only other migrants at the light. Early morning vis mig did not happen thanks to the hill fog. Plenty of Meadow Pipits ( c500 ) and Skylarks ( c200 ) in area but not all seemed to be on the move. Only other notable birds were Merlin, Redpoll and 26 Siskins. Still plenty of Clouded Yellows (15+ inc. 2 helice ) and Red Admirals.
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