Devon Birding (1 Viewer)

[Maurice499]

I`ve been looking for this Lesser yellowlegs for the past two days.I pass the location 4 times a day including the day it was reported but I never saw it.
Coincidentally there was a Redshank about nearby the same day, with yellowish legs. I`ve spoken to a few local birders and we all think it was a mistaken i/d.

 

[teamsaint]

might be of interest to some I had 2-3 Little Owls and up to 7 Buzzards at about SY 086 982 this weekend.
Tom

 

[JRE]

Made a brief visit to Thurlestone on the 20th. 4 Green Sandpipers, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, and 4 Dunlin on the marsh by the golf course. Met a couple of birders who had a Yellow Wagtail on the beach. South Huish Marsh has been drained, apparently to create a new series of pools. On the rocks 3 Little Egrets, a Grey Heron and 11 Oystercatchers.

 

[da2m]

hey joythi, i hope you got the results you wanted.

 

[The Kerreran]

I shall try to be brief[er...]
Went for a 16k 'stroll' around the upper North Teign [Area in a box of SX 62 - 67 by 84 - 89] with the folks today. The sun shone, the wind blew, and a lot of the Moor was very very quiet - with distant Buzzard and Kestrel, and patrolling Ravens, the only birds of note among scattered bands of Mepits and skulking moulting Skylarks.
However... All was not dull, far from it!
Things began very well, with a low-flying [is there any other kind? ] Gropper before we'd even gotten out of the car at Kestor :t: A long walk, and a nasty wasp attack [damn thing tried to crawl into my ear.. |8.| ] later, with very little to report, we headed south from Watern Tor to Teign Head Farm [[Semi ruined farm by the Teign west of Fernworthy - lots of walls, some tin workings, and a mixed copse]]. Crossing Manga Hill we flushed a glorious Snipe; it put on the full evasive display - nice clear call and all - then did us the courtesy of landing in view |:d| before realising 'Oh crud - they can see me!' and scuttling behind a tussock. Then, as we sat drinking coffee at the Farm, [sit and wait - always works. Well, sometimes works!] first the sizable band [Very hard to tally - 15+ is as close as I can safely hazard] of Mepits, Wheatears, and Stonechats hanging around the overgrown walls revealed a couple of surprising Linnet, then a very surprising [and early] 2 Brambling [w/pl]!
Then came the immortal "What's that bird?"... a juv. Hobby, hawking insects over Fernworthy plantation, shortly joined by an adult - whom the juv. then proceeded to try to hawk :: Kiddy voice :: 'Feed me Mommy!' Finally, after the Hobbies moved out of sight and the Bramblings had nipped off while our backs were turned, and as we were packing up "Is that an owl?" - Short-eared Owl, into the trees at the Farm.
Lots of dragonflies around too - metallic blue, powder blue, black, and red, are the best I can do as to i.d. though...

:: Looks up :: Ok, not so brief.. Well, brevity may come with practice?

In other news - I take it the Melodious at Beesands pulled a Houdini?

 

[Ppedro]

Sad day at Start Point

Very sad day at Start where I witnessed 80's icon Orville the Duck get arrested and restrained by police after being reported for offering steroids and growth hormones to the bumper bank holiday crowds

 

[Groucho]

Ruddy Shelduck

I saw what looked like a pair of Ruddy Shelduck down the river from Aveton Gifford today. I was in a canoe so didn't have binoculars to get a good look, but not sure what else they could have been (large red-brown duck with white head?). Tried to get a closer look and the flock of mallards they were with flew off but they seemed throughly unconcerned, perhaps a couple of escapees?
Thought you guys might like to know. (Little Egrets are in plague proportions up that stretch of river too.)

 

[Ppedro]

Hello Groucho,
you're spot on with you're id. I think they have been there since last weekend. They are not often seen around here but when they are it is usually in late summer. Off the top of my head i think there is a population at large on the continent ( Netherlands ? ) derived from feral stock which may have some migration tendancies. Some individuals that occur in the UK may well be genuine vagrants from SE Europe but the relevant authorities never accept them as being so, obviously unless there was a ringing recovery it would be nigh on impossible to prove. In the19th century large numbers occasionally reached Britain in certain years maybe connected with drought conditions on their breeding grounds.
Hope you see some more good stuff, amazing how close you can get to the wildlife in a canoe and thanks for lettting us know.
Perry

 

[Kev Rylands]

Green Sand over Newton tonight, with five Common Sand and two Dunlin at Passage House earlier

 

[Gavin Haig]

Re. Ruddy Shelduck:

Some individuals that occur in the UK may well be genuine vagrants from SE Europe.....

ALL the Ruddy Shelduck that I have seen were undoubtedly in this category. They must have been, otherwise I would feel very guilty about including them in my various lists - and I don't. If I could paddle right up to one and take it home with me I would feel more than comfortable adding it to the 'Garden List'...

Almost every inch of the English coast is invisible beneath 'BirdGuides' boxes this evening.....except for the whole of South and East Devon. What's going on? Were there really no birds? Did everybody stay indoors? Are we all suppressors?

 

[The Kerreran]

Re. Ruddy Shelduck:


Almost every inch of the English coast is invisible beneath 'BirdGuides' boxes this evening.....except for the whole of South and East Devon. What's going on? Were there really no birds? Did everybody stay indoors? Are we all suppressors?

Well, I for one was sat overlooking all the lovely sheltered clitter at Great Mis Tor this afternoon/evening, hoping far beyond hope that the Izzy would realise it didn't like Cornwall after all.... I got a good 30 Mepits and a Raven's backside for my trouble. Yay me! (o)<

[I would have been at Prawle and Soar - yes at the same time, you just need a reallllly big scope - but alas work got in the way]


You are, by the way, entirely correct about the Ruddy Shelduck
[[ That's the story I told my List and I'm sticking to it... :: Whistles innocently :: ]]

 

[sooseee]

If anyone regularly visiting the area could tell me if the largish waders on the Exe at Topsham (opp. long stone wall with lots of benches) are godwits and if so which ones I'd be very grateful. They were on the far side at low tide and could not get very close viewing. Upturned beak, white bellied and and brownish grey- too distant to get markings. Thanks!

 

[Al livsey]

They sound like Avocets to me Soosee, possibly juveniles??

 

[sooseee]

Thanks, Al.
Sue

 

[The Kerreran]

If anyone regularly visiting the area could tell me if the largish waders on the Exe at Topsham (opp. long stone wall with lots of benches) are godwits and if so which ones I'd be very grateful. They were on the far side at low tide and could not get very close viewing. Upturned beak, white bellied and and brownish grey- too distant to get markings. Thanks!

Hi Sooseee,
You usually see more Black-tailed Godwits in the upper estuary, with more Bar-tailed in the lower [preferring the muddier and sandier conditions respectively]. Winter Godwits are tricky at long range when they won't fly and show wingbars + white rump/black tail of Blackwit or white 'cigar' back of Barwit, and your description could fit either, though they do sound more like Barwit [they appear greyer, have more upcurved bills, and also tend to have more white on the belly in w/pl]. Avocets, while you do get them - especially on the Topsham to Turf section - on the Exe in winter, appear mostly white with black [or brown in juv.] linear markings at range. At very long range they look a lot like w/pl Black-headed Gulls, at least until they fly! |=)|
The other distinguisher with Godwits is leg length - Blackwits have longer legs and appear more elegant, while Barwits with their short legs for their body size appear a bit tubbier. Barwits also have a steeper forehead, but at range that can be hard to pick out unless they pose for you.
Ok, I'm done! :-O

 

[sooseee]

Thanks, Tom, your comments lead me now more towards Bar- tailed, especially since yesterday when up at Barnstaple on the Taw, towards Braunton I think(!) I saw 4 Black-tailed. As you say , taller more upright, two had orangey/rust on their necks and heads and were feeding in the mud.Also noticed white flashes when one stretched and briefly flapped its wings. Have been poring various field guides and photos from Gallery and still would not commit 100 per cent. Must get a scope!

 

[The Kerreran]

Having scrapped my plan to head to Braunton due to absence of Franklin's Gull, I went for a 'lets go at the wrong state of tide' trip to Topsham. I'll save you the story and cut to the fun stuff.

Clyst Platform - 100+ Redshank, 40+ Blackwit, 40+ Curlew, 150+ Black-headed Gull, Little Egret, 3 Greenshank [1 juv.], Knot [juv.]

Bowling Green - 60+ Wigeon, 40+ Shovelor, 15+ Teal, 20+ Mallard & Feral, 3 Pintail, 4 Gadwall, [all ducks in full or partial eclipse] 5 Little Grebe [2 juv.], 2 Snipe, Barwit [juv.], 15 Lapwing [incl. 1 juv.], Barnacle Goose [with Canadas and Greylag], Moorhens with brood of 4 chicks, ~30 Hirundines [Swallow, House, and at least 3 Sand Martin], Sparrowhawk [m], 50+ Goldfinch [incl. juv.s and singing ad.], Chiffchaff [singing], 2 Willow Warbler, Pied Wagtail [m], 2 Mute Swan


One teeny bugbear to finish - I can't be the only person who's ever thought that hides should all have a sign on the door saying something like 'Please remember, birds have ears'... |=\|
Ahem. Ok, I'm going!

 

[The Kerreran]

Shock! Horror! A brief post from me...

Swinecombe and West Dart [Prince Hall] area;
~30 Rook, Raven, Buzzard, Kestrel [f], ~45 Linnet, Spotted Flycatcher [flycatching at Swinecombe ruins], 23+ Meadow Pipit, 5+ Carrion Crow, 2 Cormorant [1st yr, flying up W. Dart], Great Tit, Willow Warbler
Venford Reservoir;
Raven, 2 Carrion Crow, Siskin [heard]

Plus 3 more Buzzard en route.

Wow. That was... odd. I don't feel right. Next time it'll have to be at least three paragraphs!

 

[JRE]

Just back from 5 days on Scilly. I won't bore you with a trip report or anything, because this is the wrong thread, but cant help mentioning a few highlights. The best moment of the trip was finding an Ortolan Bunting on Peninnis Head on St Mary's. Other noteable species seen included Curlew Sand, Great and Arctic Skus (pelagic, + 20 Storm Petrel), Cory's Shearwater (crossing), and numerous waders inc. Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Knot, and Green Sand. Managed to dip 3 Wrynecks though.

 

[Ppedro]

Late Cuckoo

This one has been on Charleton Marsh for about a week now. Osprey and a handful of Med Gulls on the estuary.
Perry