Devon in July (1 Viewer)

gillian

Well-known member

• Jun 23, 2012

• #1

We are in Devon from 7th -19th July and would welcome advice on good places to bird. It is a mixed holiday with birders and non-birders but all are happy to be out and about.
I have Yarners Wood in mind and also Berry Head but a question about those is can you take dogs there?
Any pointers would be appreciated,
Than you |:d|
Gillian

 

D

davercox

Dave Cox

Supporter

• Jun 24, 2012

• #2

Dogs must be kept on a short lead in Yarner Wood. Note mid-July is a little late for the special birds at this reserve, but it's always worth a visit. Berry Head, fine. You don't say where you will be staying but also consider Dawlish Warren (dogs on lead again within the NNR), Prawle, Slapton and the East Devon commons ("Woodbury" Common etc). Hope you have a good time.

 

Torview

Well-known member

• Jun 24, 2012

• #3

Roadford Reservoir is quite good for Waterfowl, Grebe, Tuffty`s etc.

There`s a hide at north end near bridge.

The Exe and Taw estuaries are good.

 

gillian

Well-known member

• Jun 24, 2012

• #4

davercox said:

Dogs must be kept on a short lead in Yarner Wood. Note mid-July is a little late for the special birds at this reserve, but it's always worth a visit. Berry Head, fine. You don't say where you will be staying but also consider Dawlish Warren (dogs on lead again within the NNR), Prawle, Slapton and the East Devon commons ("Woodbury" Common etc). Hope you have a good time.

Click to expand...

We are staying at Bovey Tracey

thanks for the comments so far

Gillian

 

D

davercox

Dave Cox

Supporter

• Jun 24, 2012

• #5

gillian said:

We are staying at Bovey Tracey

Click to expand...

In that case, yes, include Yarner Wood.
Others on here will know more about Dartmoor than I do, but you could try Bellever, near Postbridge, for Siskin, maybe Crossbill, Redstart etc: and your dog(s) should love it.

 

gillian

Well-known member

• Jul 13, 2012

• #6

Does anyone know if there are still cirl buntings at Berry Head?

 

RE Birder

Birding not twitching

• Jul 13, 2012

• #7

Berry Head is a wardened site and one that advertises its Cirl Buntings. With that caveat it is ok to mention this site for the birds. They are still around and easy to see. If you view from the wardens bungalow they often feed on the Tarmac path.

 

gillian

Well-known member

• Jul 15, 2012

• #8

Having a brilliant time, cirl buntings were fantastic! We have so far failed miserably to find a dipper, does any one know where there are any please? We have always had them on the river at Bovey inthe past but no luck this time.
Thank you for your help

 

T

The Kerreran

Has hat, will stand in the rain

• Jul 16, 2012

• #9

Ah... The Bovey between Hole Bridge and the top end of Parke is the best place to see Dippers I know of - they're unusually confiding there, probably due to all the dog walkers! You get Dippers on all of Devon's upland rivers, anywhere there's shallow gravelly water with rocks to stand on, so it's hard to pick a single place.
Having said that, Drakeford Bridge further up the Bovey, New Bridge and Hembury Woods on the river Dart, and Fingle Bridge and Steps Bridge on the river Teign are all places to start very nice riverside walks in your area, all with the chance of Dipper [and all the usual woodland birds going in Devon] and all nice for non-birders to enjoy. Steps, Fingle and New Bridges have facilities - including [usually] an ice cream van at New Bridge, a cafe at Steps and a pub at Fingle. Fingle is also in walking distance of Castle Drogo [there is a hill], if non-birders fancy a diversion while you stake out the river!

 

Torview

Well-known member

• Jul 16, 2012

• #10

I often see dippers on the river Tavy in Tavistock looking over the wall from Market Road.