Devon Birding (1 Viewer)

[Andrew]

A picture of the Great White Egret.

As Mark says, it shows in flight about five or so times an hour with a couple of decent flights for over ten seconds if you are lucky enough. View from Slapton Bridge.

Also at least two Kingfisher.

 

[Andrew]

Also there were two birds on Beesands that looked good for Scaup.

 

[Jon Turner]

I was called to Wrafton Pond this morning where an immature male Red-crested Pochard has appeared. It is easily seen from the viewing platform.... down to about 3 feet!

Jon

 

[Andrew]

But did it take bread from your hand?

 

[Roy C]

I was called to Wrafton Pond this morning where an immature male Red-crested Pochard has appeared. It is easily seen from the viewing platform.... down to about 3 feet!

Jon

Thanks for the shout Jon, a cracking little red head.

 

[Jon Turner]

But did it take bread from your hand?

Well, I didn't have any, but lots of people feed the ducks here. It was undamaged and unringed, and the first I've seen in this country since one on the Exe in 1991!

Nice pic again Roy. Didn't bother to take my camera, as I expected it to be a bit further away!

Jon

 

[Roy C]

Well, I didn't have any, but lots of people feed the ducks here. It was undamaged and unringed, and the first I've seen in this country since one on the Exe in 1991!

Nice pic again Roy. Didn't bother to take my camera, as I expected it to be a bit further away!

Jon

I got caught out because it was too near Jon. I had great difficultly in getting far enough away with the 300mm lens to get the whole bird in the frame - I would have been better off with a wide angle zoom.

 

[Gavin Haig]

Also there were two birds on Beesands that looked good for Scaup.

Look fine to me, Andrew, but would look even better if they came to the Axe for a while. Scaup is one of Phil's Axe blockers (due to his being an old-timer )

 

[Andrew]

Look fine to me, Andrew, but would look even better if they came to the Axe for a while. Scaup is one of Phil's Axe blockers (due to his being an old-timer )

Cheers Gavin. Discussed them with another birder and it was decided they were okay. The presence of a drake Tufted Duck with a Red-crested Pochard's red head cast slight doubt on the credibility.

 

[Ppedro]

Great White Egret

Managed to briefly call in at Slapton Ley just before it got dark this afternoon and lucky enough the GWE was showing very well in flight and in the channel about 100 metres north of the bridge. :t:

 

[Ppedro]

Still 2 Scaup at Beesands Ley this morning and the GW Egret at Slapton, usual place.

 

[Andrew]

Two tetrads around Sampford Peverell produced 2 Ravens, 15 Meadow Pipits, a Stonechat, 16 Stock Doves, a Merlin, 116 Fieldfares, 69 Redwings, a Lapwing, a Little Egret, 2 Bullfinches, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Peregrine.

I was lucky enough to be briefly on the canal at the right moment during the first tetrad to see the Merlin whizz over some stubble fields giving me a canal lifer.

 

[davercox]

Old Pied Wheatear record

My Atlas tetrads this winter are in SX86 (the square with Totnes at the SW and Paignton at the SE). I see there's a record in the last Winter Atlas (1981-1984) of Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka in this square.

Does anyone know anything about this please ? (I haven't got the DBRs for that period).

Thanks.

 

[Marshall-78]

My Atlas tetrads this winter are in SX86 (the square with Totnes at the SW and Paignton at the SE). I see there's a record in the last Winter Atlas (1981-1984) of Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka in this square.

Does anyone know anything about this please ? (I haven't got the DBRs for that period).

Thanks.

I stand to be corrected but there was a Pied Wheatear around the Preston area and it may have been that time? Im not at home presently but will look it up.

 

[Ppedro]

My Atlas tetrads this winter are in SX86 (the square with Totnes at the SW and Paignton at the SE). I see there's a record in the last Winter Atlas (1981-1984) of Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka in this square.

Does anyone know anything about this please ? (I haven't got the DBRs for that period).

Thanks.

Hello Dave,
Preston , Paignton fourth of December 1983. and hung around for a few days. If i remember correctly it was found on a Sunday afternoon and the dark evenings meant i hoped in vain it stayed for the following weekend. I think it was on Marine Drive or something. Mark could fill you in better, him and his Dad found it ! I promise i will come up to Dawlish and buy you a pint if you find one doing you're tetrad :t:

 

[Roy C]

There could be another Pied Wheatear on the Devon list soon. A juvenile Pied or Black- eared that I found on Northam burrows almost two years ago (nov 2007) is still under consideration but it looks like it could be called a Pied.

 

[Jon Turner]

There could be another Pied Wheatear on the Devon list soon. A juvenile Pied or Black- eared that I found on Northam burrows almost two years ago (nov 2007) is still under consideration but it looks like it could be called a Pied.

I well remember it. Dagnam it. Still need Black-eared in the UK. I'll be interested to see why it has been so identified. I know that the BBRC have been doing a paper on how to separate the two species in autumn plumage.
I hope your pictures helped in some way, Roy!
Glad the Desert Wheatear last year didn't provide such a difficulty!

Jon

 

[davercox]

Thanks everyone for the info re the Preston Pied Wheatear (and thank you to "Mark" for your email). Perry, I could be on pints of champagne if I find one on a TTV, you have been warned.

 

[Marshall-78]

Seawatch at Berry Head 0915hrs - 1415hrs
Great Skua 4
Arctic Skua 4
Balearic 1
Pomarine Skua 1
Eider 1
Great Northern Diver 1
Also Little Auk and another Balearic early on, which I missed.

 

[Mark]

Red-Breasted Goose

The unringed and wary Red-Breasted Goose still at Black Hill quarry pool today, between Woodbury and East Budleigh Commons. The bird favours the grassy peninsula on the south east side of the pool.