If you are ever lost in North Devon, a very much under watched view point is Hartland Point.Very easy to find, just follow signs from Hartland Village to Hartland light house, park in the carpark and view from there, or be a bit sneaky and follow the road down to the lighthouse, where it's more sheltered and watch from there.Late August this year, was one of the best sea watches I have ever experienced!!! There were shearwaters everywhere...impossible to count, but we reckoned well over a 1000 manx, 3 med, 6 sooty and unfortunatly we arrived 10 minutes or so too late and missed the 18 or so great shearwaters.Also 2 great skua's... a cracking morning and what sea watching is all about.But like most places, ive been there and seen nothing....But for a few days this year Hartland had bigger counts than hotspots like Pendeen e.t.c....
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Hartland Point (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Stuart
- Start date
Andrew
wibble wibble
I agree seawatching can be hard, I am a novice seawatcher and I find you catch some nioe birds when you're "not" seawatching, for example walking along the ridge of the dunes at dawlish Warren and lo and behold a Guillemot flies past. Another was Prawle, walking back to car park (some car park, huh?) and a Storm petrel dips out of view into rocky shoreline! When this happens you set up the scope and wait for more and nowt happens, sod's law huh?
P
peter hayes
Guest
Andrew/Stuart
Very interesting to read your experiences in Devon. I'm there quite often myself - I've just come back to London tonight after two and a half weeks there. I've never done sea watching, and I'd very much like to give it a go, whether it's Start Point or anywhere else. If you're interested, perhaps you could let me know. We could start a thread in Members Meetings for an unofficial BF day out in Devon. If there was enough interest, we might even combine it with, say the Exe Estuary. What do you think?
Very interesting to read your experiences in Devon. I'm there quite often myself - I've just come back to London tonight after two and a half weeks there. I've never done sea watching, and I'd very much like to give it a go, whether it's Start Point or anywhere else. If you're interested, perhaps you could let me know. We could start a thread in Members Meetings for an unofficial BF day out in Devon. If there was enough interest, we might even combine it with, say the Exe Estuary. What do you think?
Andrew
wibble wibble
LOCAL GROUP?
Yes I would be interested in meeting up with others for a birding day out in Devon. It owuld need to be quite local and with agreement of my other family member. The exe area would be easily done, other sites like Start or Berry Head would need a longer journey and I don't think she would like that but I would be prepared to share any fuel expenses with others if I was to travel with them. Berry Head seems to be very popular for Sea watches in the Devon area according to reports posted on birdguides website.
Andrew Cunningham.
Yes I would be interested in meeting up with others for a birding day out in Devon. It owuld need to be quite local and with agreement of my other family member. The exe area would be easily done, other sites like Start or Berry Head would need a longer journey and I don't think she would like that but I would be prepared to share any fuel expenses with others if I was to travel with them. Berry Head seems to be very popular for Sea watches in the Devon area according to reports posted on birdguides website.
Andrew Cunningham.
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peter hayes
Guest
Right, once Slimbash is out of the way, let's agree a place and a date. Andrew, if you can get dropped off at the motorway services near Exeter, I can take you from there. Paula and Stuart, and anyone else from Devon, how about it?
MikePearson
Well-known member
Hi peter,
thats something that I hadn't considered as yet but as the numbers are growing rapidly it may be that local groups could be formed. I can see some real advantages as each group could then hold a birdbash at a good time of year for their 'patch'.
Mike
thats something that I hadn't considered as yet but as the numbers are growing rapidly it may be that local groups could be formed. I can see some real advantages as each group could then hold a birdbash at a good time of year for their 'patch'.
Mike
Andrew
wibble wibble
Peter,
Brilliant! Glad someone has boldness to get it going. Believe me I'm a bit of a wimp in that area! I can easily get to M5 Services by taxi or bus if there's one around. Imagine Berry Head in April or May plenty flying past, a good idea would be for anyone to check past records for certain seawatching sites like Hartland Point Berry Head or Hope's Nose on Birdguides and assess best chance in percentages game for catching plenty of birds. I feel Berry Head or Hartland would be good because if there's a disappointment on the Sea Watching front then there's plenty of scrub and stuff to catch passerines and all. I ain't got a clue about Hope's Nose, although I trust you all have Norman & Tucker's Where to Watch Birds in Devon & Cornwall.
Andrew
:hippy:
Brilliant! Glad someone has boldness to get it going. Believe me I'm a bit of a wimp in that area! I can easily get to M5 Services by taxi or bus if there's one around. Imagine Berry Head in April or May plenty flying past, a good idea would be for anyone to check past records for certain seawatching sites like Hartland Point Berry Head or Hope's Nose on Birdguides and assess best chance in percentages game for catching plenty of birds. I feel Berry Head or Hartland would be good because if there's a disappointment on the Sea Watching front then there's plenty of scrub and stuff to catch passerines and all. I ain't got a clue about Hope's Nose, although I trust you all have Norman & Tucker's Where to Watch Birds in Devon & Cornwall.
Andrew
:hippy:
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peter hayes
Guest
Hi Andrew
Yes, all good suggestions. I think we need someone with us who knows what they're doing, however. Stuart, how about it?!!
As for transport: if we are going to North Devon, then I could pick you up from Tivvy itself. It'll be a doddle.
Watch this space, hopefully..............
Yes, all good suggestions. I think we need someone with us who knows what they're doing, however. Stuart, how about it?!!
As for transport: if we are going to North Devon, then I could pick you up from Tivvy itself. It'll be a doddle.
Watch this space, hopefully..............
Andrew
wibble wibble
That is a good idea, aiming for the north coast would be best. I have checked the Birdguides records and wowee! Berry Head explodes into action in April with nine Sea birds. Hartland had one species in April, two in May, nowt in June, four in July and a mind blowing ten in August. But, I agree we need an expert on hand with us especially one that knows the north Devon coast. What about starting a new thread with the title 'North Devon Seawatch' or summat? That way we may attract more Devonian birder's attentions.
Andrew
Andrew
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peter hayes
Guest
Andrew
That could work, but let's put the idea on hold at the moment as we're changing things around a bit on the site including the regional section. Let's see the final shape of things and then talk again.
That could work, but let's put the idea on hold at the moment as we're changing things around a bit on the site including the regional section. Let's see the final shape of things and then talk again.
Sorry folk's, with xmas and my pc playing up, I havent been online for awhile!! Yeah, im up for a meet sometime,but..... I work weird hours at B&Q, and my girlfriend keeps me busy, on my weekend's off.Im looking forward to those lighter evening's!!I will try and squeeze some birding in soon, hopefully!! South Devon is far better for me, as I live in Exeter(Hartland was a hotspot when I was living in Bideford, a few years back) and it may be wise to go local, perhap's Dawlish Warren or Exminster maybe??
Perhaps we can band a few date's around and see if we can get a few people interested!!
Stu
Perhaps we can band a few date's around and see if we can get a few people interested!!
Stu
P
peter hayes
Guest
DevobBash
Stuart
Nice to have you back! You're in luck, we have an unofficial BF outing on Saturday 15 February. Have a look in Members Meetings. I do hope you can join us for Bowling Green Lane, Exe marshes and the River Exe..........
Stuart
Nice to have you back! You're in luck, we have an unofficial BF outing on Saturday 15 February. Have a look in Members Meetings. I do hope you can join us for Bowling Green Lane, Exe marshes and the River Exe..........
