• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Devon Birding (2 Viewers)

Hope you don't mind thought I would add a small bit. My patch would be moorland above Ivybridge, have too many children to get out as much as I like but today I was able to go up and have a little look around, lovely day, saw a couple of ravens, a stonechat and about 30 golden plovers. I am still of the stage of book in one hand but getting better??
give it time and all you'll need is ya bins and scope. keep submitting.
 
More guts than me

Hope you don't mind thought I would add a small bit. My patch would be moorland above Ivybridge, have too many children to get out as much as I like but today I was able to go up and have a little look around, lovely day, saw a couple of ravens, a stonechat and about 30 golden plovers. I am still of the stage of book in one hand but getting better??

Well done socksitis you and i are fairly similar family and knowledge it has taken me 3 months to build up cofidence to post sightings. Keep it up.

Stu
 
I was stopped having my lunch today in the laybye on the road by harepie woods (Bishops Tawton, Barnstaple area) and saw what i thought was a Willow Tit, is there any other N.Devon Birders out there with more experience that could either comfirm or deny this.It looks good in the Collins

I don't know the area well but North Devon and the Culm is one of the last strongholds for Willow Tit nationally, so it is not unlikely.

That said Marsh and/or Willow have always caused headaches..unless they start calling :t:
 
I don't know the area well but North Devon and the Culm is one of the last strongholds for Willow Tit nationally, so it is not unlikely.

That said Marsh and/or Willow have always caused headaches..unless they start calling :t:
i've seen em at stover before and yarner!
 
Does anyone have any more information on the Falcated Duck reported at Countess Wear this afternoon? Terry?
Presumably 2006-07's bird returning?
 
I don't know the area well but North Devon and the Culm is one of the last strongholds for Willow Tit nationally, so it is not unlikely.

That said Marsh and/or Willow have always caused headaches..unless they start calling :t:

Thanks still a bit green and absolutely lousey with bird songs, all I would say is that it was different and new enough to grab my attention:-O

Stu
 
Hope you don't mind thought I would add a small bit. My patch would be moorland above Ivybridge, have too many children to get out as much as I like but today I was able to go up and have a little look around, lovely day, saw a couple of ravens, a stonechat and about 30 golden plovers. I am still of the stage of book in one hand but getting better??

I also live in Ivybridge, and have spent many a happy hour tromping up and around Western Beacon, but have never seen a golden plover. Assuming they haven't been blown away yet, where did you see them? Thanks.

Richard
 
Does anyone have any more information on the Falcated Duck reported at Countess Wear this afternoon? Terry?
Presumably 2006-07's bird returning?

Hi Joe,

It was still there this afternoon, but viewing was difficult due to the patch of water it was on being partially obscured by trees and sundry undergrowth! If you park by the swing bridge at Countess Wear, walk down the canal on the left hand side and stay on the canal footpath till you are past the sewage works buildings, you then come to a pool. It was at the far end of this pool around where you see an electricity pylon within a few yards of the towpath, associating with a small number of Mallard and Teal.

Best of luck

Ken

P.S. Before anyone asks, it's wild, it's not plastic, it's on my list - end of discussion! ;)
 
Some sort of birding madness gripped me yesterday, and I went down to Broadsands after work.. Plenty of dog walkers and all the sun and wind meant little doing on land other than Greenfinches, and even the gull squad proved barren of anything fancier than suspicious-looking 1w Herring Gulls. After getting out of the wind, the sea gave up 5 GC Grebe, one in full s/pl, and a very distant Red-throated Diver to the N. The Galatea coming into the bay seemed to be shaping up to be the highlight of the afternoon, but finally scanning caught first one Black-necked Grebe off Broadsands, then another off Elbury. ~30 Kittiwake found a shoal of fish near the surface out in the southern half of the bay and put on a nice show of tern-like diving, with ever-increasing numbers of gulls being attracted to them. Off Brixham harbour, a distant diver sp. took 5 dives before finally posing neatly in the sunshine and showing itself to be Black-throated :t: As I was watching it, I noticed movement right on the horizon, and was amazed to see ~250 auk sp. in groups of 20-30 S in 10 minutes, with 100+ flying into the middle of the bay - appearing to be different individuals from those passing S. Coming back along the ring road, the biggest f. Sparrowhawk I've ever seen flew W across the road in front of me, just N of the Preston Down roundabout. :eek!:
 
Does anyone have any more information on the Falcated Duck reported at Countess Wear this afternoon? Terry?
/QUOTE]


Hi Joe!

Sorry not to have replied but didn't have a clue where this bird was! Am concentrating on my local patch (Exmouth) mainly this year, but will probably take a look for the Falc tomorrow at some stage, if I have the time.

To those who HAVE seen it, is it an adult drake?

(Black-throated Diver flew south-west past Orcombe Point early pm today, but little else of note)

Terry
 
Had a good look around the peripheral fields of the Kingsbridge Estuary this morning, both East and West to see if there were any other Cattle Egret hotspots. Only saw 4 at Park Farm however. It was nice to see a flock of around 300 Golden Plover at North Pool ( top of Frogmore Hill ).
In Start Bay the Long-tailed Duck still close in off Tinsey Head ( look south from south end of Beesands village ) 2 Eider off Beesands and 2 Velvet Scoter off the central car park along Torcross Line.
 
red crested polchard at cardew pond in bovey tracy, eclipse m and f.

fal duck still at countess wier, hiding in the trees that hang over the shore in the ssw compound. it is a drake. lovelly looking one too.
sorry about the photo it was raining!
 

Attachments

  • FAL2.jpg
    FAL2.jpg
    102.6 KB · Views: 84
red crested polchard at cardew pond in bovey tracy, eclipse m and f.

fal duck still at countess wier, hiding in the trees that hang over the shore in the ssw compound. it is a drake. lovelly looking one too.
sorry about the photo it was raining!

Thanks for the Falc news da2m! Regarding the RC Pochard pair, is the male not a first-winter male, cuz at this time of year you wouldn't expect to find an eclipse adult bird? Where in relation to the pottery is the pond?
 
Thanks for the Falc news da2m! Regarding the RC Pochard pair, is the male not a first-winter male, cuz at this time of year you wouldn't expect to find an eclipse adult bird? Where in relation to the pottery is the pond?
just behide the pottery. pullinto the car park and you'll see it.
 
Just before anyone gets too excited about the Red Crested Pochards at Bovey Tracey, they have been there for at least 5 years and presumably either came from Trago Mills or were put there when the lakes were made. As far as I am aware they are always there. Even the Beesands one has better credentials!!!
 
Just before anyone gets too excited about the Red Crested Pochards at Bovey Tracey, they have been there for at least 5 years and presumably either came from Trago Mills or were put there when the lakes were made. As far as I am aware they are always there. Even the Beesands one has better credentials!!!
i have not pit this as a find is an easy bird for someone. i know ornimentals don't count( if you are really seriouslly into finding bird)yep they have been there for a few years butwhen is a tick not a tick!

i can't travel to bsand so this might be the only bird i'll see.
 
I also live in Ivybridge, and have spent many a happy hour tromping up and around Western Beacon, but have never seen a golden plover. Assuming they haven't been blown away yet, where did you see them? Thanks.

Richard

Daughter's hockey cancelled this morning due to ice rink instead of pitch, so decided to take advantage of the sunny weather for a quick trip up Western Beacon. Not too much around, but did manage to catch a small flock of golden plovers on the eastern side. Even my daughter managed to watch them using a borrowed pair of binos. Many thanks Socks!:t:

Richard
 
Just before anyone gets too excited about the Red Crested Pochards at Bovey Tracey, they have been there for at least 5 years and presumably either came from Trago Mills or were put there when the lakes were made. As far as I am aware they are always there. Even the Beesands one has better credentials!!!


Thanks Mark!

Talking of very plastic ducks, had a call to say that the Falc was still at Countess Wear poo works this morning.....
|=o|
 
Took a while but it was worth it.

Went to isley Marsh today No spoonbills this week. suppose we were spoilt with good close showing last sunday alomg with awesome hunting peregrine and a lifer for me a Red breasted Merganser!!.
I did hope to see my silly no show of year Bullfinch and got a good one today close enough for the below pic.

Still reckon its one of me Favs.

Darryl.
 

Attachments

  • 305 [640x480].JPG
    305 [640x480].JPG
    46 KB · Views: 67
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top