Devon Birding (1 Viewer)

[Ppedro]

Start Point

06:15-12:30. 70% cloud cover at dawn. Moderate southerly wind.

Vis Mig ( 07:00-08:00, all birds south over car park)

550 Woodpigeon, 80 Meadow Pipit, 20 Linnet, 5 Brambling, 200 Goldfinch, 100 Chaffinch, 2 Siskin, Greenfinch, 4 Reed Bunting.

Elsewhere 2 Med Gulls, Green Woodpecker, 6 Black Redstart, 30 Robins, 100 Song Thrush, 60 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 40 Blackbird, Blackcap, Dartford Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest , Firecrest and 400 Starling.
Was kindly invited into the lighthouse compond by the people staying there and counted 7 dead Redwings and a Song Thrush. There were about a dozen pairs of redwings wings scattered around the outside of the compound as well, good meal for something. The chap staying there said heaps of birds were around the light wednesday evening / early thursday morning. He found about 20 dead birds yesterday ( but obviously missed the ones still there) He also threw the body of a small green bird away, that'll be the Green Warbler then ! Attatched photo of Black Red in compound and couple of Redwing corpses on a flat roof. Bet it was busy around the light first thing yesterday.

 

[parttimer]

06:15-12:30. 70% cloud cover at dawn. Moderate southerly wind.

Vis Mig ( 07:00-08:00, all birds south over car park)

550 Woodpigeon, 80 Meadow Pipit, 20 Linnet, 5 Brambling, 200 Goldfinch, 100 Chaffinch, 2 Siskin, Greenfinch, 4 Reed Bunting.

Elsewhere 2 Med Gulls, Green Woodpecker, 6 Black Redstart, 30 Robins, 100 Song Thrush, 60 Redwing, 4 Fieldfare, 40 Blackbird, Blackcap, Dartford Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, Goldcrest , Firecrest and 400 Starling.
Was kindly invited into the lighthouse compond by the people staying there and counted 7 dead Redwings and a Song Thrush. There were about a dozen pairs of redwings wings scattered around the outside of the compound as well, good meal for something. The chap staying there said heaps of birds were around the light wednesday evening / early thursday morning. He found about 20 dead birds yesterday ( but obviously missed the ones still there) He also threw the body of a small green bird away, that'll be the Green Warbler then ! Attatched photo of Black Red in compound and couple of Redwing corpses on a flat roof. Bet it was busy around the light first thing yesterday.

Is it normal to have this a high a number of deaths of one species. I recognise they have just returned on migration but still sounds high, I cant remember it being mentioned before at this time of year.

 

[parttimer]

Planning a day out tomorow considering Dawlish Warren I think this is best around high tide am I right ? If so what time is high tide tomorow.
But I am always open to suggestion if anybody has any better ideas.

Thanks

 

[TwoDipsfromAmsterdam]

Planning a day out tomorow considering Dawlish Warren I think this is best around high tide am I right ? If so what time is high tide tomorow.
But I am always open to suggestion if anybody has any better ideas.

Thanks

When I was birding the Warren many years ago it was usually best 3 hours before high tide, especially at spring tides. Tomorrow's high is around 16h00 which suggests it's not a spring tide as they were usually when high tide was around 10h00. So it would probably make sense to get to somewhere else in the morning and pitch up at the Warren around 13h00 or a bit later. Other parts of the Exe might be worth a look, especially Bowling Green Marsh.

No doubt someone with more local and up to date knowledge will be able to give you better info.

Good luck

DiP

 

[Ppedro]

Is it normal to have this a high a number of deaths of one species. I recognise they have just returned on migration but still sounds high, I cant remember it being mentioned before at this time of year.

Hello Stu,
i would not say its unusual, just an indication of the prevalent species on migration attracted to the light on the night in question. Sadly it is probably only a small proportion of the birds killed as most end up in the parapit below the light. I have heard stories of the lightkeepers, permanently here before the light was automated, filling up a tea chest on one occasion with dead redwings - could be an exageration i guess. Over the years species i have seen here that have fallen victim include Blackcaps, Starlings, phylloscs. warblers, Storm-petrels, Manx Shearwaters and even the occasional gull. The redwings that were dead outside the compound i presume stunned themselves on the light and were unable to fend off whatever finished them off. Many times i have found Manx Shearwaters in the compound and had to launch them over the wall as they do not have enough take off space.
Cheers, Perry.

 

[parttimer]

When I was birding the Warren many years ago it was usually best 3 hours before high tide, especially at spring tides. Tomorrow's high is around 16h00 which suggests it's not a spring tide as they were usually when high tide was around 10h00. So it would probably make sense to get to somewhere else in the morning and pitch up at the Warren around 13h00 or a bit later. Other parts of the Exe might be worth a look, especially Bowling Green Marsh.

No doubt someone with more local and up to date knowledge will be able to give you better info.

Good luck

DiP

Thanks very much for the info.
Just have to see what tomorow brings.

 

[parttimer]

Hello Stu,
i would not say its unusual, just an indication of the prevalent species on migration attracted to the light on the night in question. Sadly it is probably only a small proportion of the birds killed as most end up in the parapit below the light. I have heard stories of the lightkeepers, permanently here before the light was automated, filling up a tea chest on one occasion with dead redwings - could be an exageration i guess. Over the years species i have seen here that have fallen victim include Blackcaps, Starlings, phylloscs. warblers, Storm-petrels, Manx Shearwaters and even the occasional gull. The redwings that were dead outside the compound i presume stunned themselves on the light and were unable to fend off whatever finished them off. Many times i have found Manx Shearwaters in the compound and had to launch them over the wall as they do not have enough take off space.
Cheers, Perry.

It must be like Moths to a flame, so very unfortunate when they have traveled so far and got so near only to fall at the last, the dangers of nocturnal migration I suppose.

 

[Kev Rylands]

High tide at the Warren tomorrow is 3.9m at 16.45. Waders and wildfowl should be visible from the hide anytime from 2pm, but will probably not be close until 4pm at least.

Any tide over 3.5m tends to force birds onto the Warren to roost but recent changes in sandbars off Exmouth have altered this pattern slightly with many gulls, geese and Curlew remaining offsite.

 

[Ppedro]

Start Point

07:10-14:00. Overnight showers. 50% Cloud cover at dawn. Moderate north-west wind strengthening to a fresh west-southwest by afternoon bringing persistant rain.

Vis Mig 07:10-09:45. ( all birds south over car park except Woodpigeons )

17000 Woodpigeons, 3 Swallows, 30 Meadow Pipits, 240 Goldfinch, 5 Siskin, 40 Linnets, 18 Brambling, 640 Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Lapland Bunting.
The Pigeons were cutting south-west across land on reaching Hallsands heading behind the mast field towards Lannacombe / Prawle Point. Very few Stock Doves seen but most flocks distant. At least 2 feral pigeons tagging along. Largest flock c2000. The Lapland Bunting was heard only going over with a small chaffinch flock.
Elsewhere an additional 2 Great Northern Divers ( actually flying south over car park as well, they often cut across the headland here ), Little Grebe ( on an irrigation pond ), Merlin, 4 Swallows, 9 Black Redstart, Wheatear, 3 Redwing, Chiffchaff and Firecrest.
5 Harbour Porpoises swam north off the point.

`

 

[Andrew]

Grand Western Canal from Halberton to Tivvy gave me two late Swallows, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, three Goldcrests, a hundred and twenty six Redwings, fourteen Fieldfares, the second Peregrine of the year, three Kingfishers, seven smart Bullfinches, high numbers of Long-tailed Tits and a geberal increase in overall bird numbers.

Looks like plenty of winter thrushes over the winter. Nice!

Better get some cheap apples to set up a feeding station in the hope of a photograph.

 

[Jon Turner]

Just seen 3 Blackcaps (2 Males) together in my garden - all eating the small flowers on a Cordelline palm!

I've ringed 4 males in the garden recently, but couldn't be sure if either of these two were ringed or not.

Jon

 

[Ppedro]

110 Golden Plover at Great Torr near Kingston today. Also single Common and Green Sandpiper at the Aveton Gifford end of the tidal road.

 

[Jon Turner]

Just seen 3 Blackcaps (2 Males) together in my garden - all eating the small flowers on a Cordelline palm!

I've ringed 4 males in the garden recently, but couldn't be sure if either of these two were ringed or not.

Jon

On closer inspection, of course, they were eating the tiny white fruiting berries.

Jon

 

[Andrew]

Five and half hours between Thorverton and Silverton yielded no more than 118 Redwings, 58 Fieldfares, a Kestrel, a Sparrowhawk, 78+ Skylarks, 42+ Meadow Pipits, a Mistle Thrush, 2 Coal Tits and 2 Grey Wagtails for the BTO atlas. Was hoping for a few Grey Partridges. Introduced or not they would have enlivened proceedings.

 

[Jon Turner]

Calm enough to put up some nets in my garden again this monring, at least for a while before the rain swept in. This was prompted by seeing 4 Blackcaps together again on the Cordelline friut. By the time the rain arrived I had ringed 3 of them; 2 of which were females this time.

Jon

 

[Ppedro]

Start Point

06:50-10:40. Overnight rain, 80% cloud cover at dawn. Moderate south-west wind, rain by mid-morning.

Vis Mig. ( 07:10-10:00, all birds south over car park ).

Grey Heron, 110 Meadow Pipits, 3 Swallows, 70 Fieldfare, 1410 Chaffinch, 26 Brambling, 40 Linnet, 27 Siskin, 360 Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Reed Bunting.

A walk up to the mast field and back produced 2 Golden Plover, 2 Black Redstarts, 4 Redwings and a furthur 250 Fieldfare in the fields. Surprisingly only one small flock of 50 Woodpigeons which headed south-west towards Lannacombe / Prawle from above Hallsands. A friend of mine in Plymouth this morning had 7000 Woodpigeons and 2000 Redwings heading west. Shows how things vary from location to location with the vis mig.

 

[Ppedro]

Great White Egret

One seen at Slapton Ley this afternoon in the Higher Ley viewed from Slapton Bridge ( ie north of the bridge ).

 

[Andrew]

Wow, that's a Devon tick for me!

Did it look settled?

 

[Ppedro]

Wow, that's a Devon tick for me!

Did it look settled?

Hello Andrew,
i don't know mate, i've not seen it. Weather here is pretty grim tonight so would imagine its laying low waiting for you tomorrow :t:

 

[Mark]

Great White Egret

The Great White Egret still showing very well at Slapton on the Higher Ley and viewable from the bridge. The bird is feeding down in the reeds , mostly out of sight but flies up regularly, i.e it showed 7 times in an hour early afternoon and gave its best views by landing at the side of the main channel 50 yards north of the bridge. Last seen flying into Little Marsh. First truly twitchable Great White Egret in Devon for over 3 years.