Today I went for a look around Aylesbeare Common in glorious weather and I managed to see the following birds. 2 Common Buzzard , a European Green Woodpecker , a Great Spotted Woodpecker a Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher.
Also heard was a reeling Common Grasshopper Warbler and European Nightjar was also heard .
Saturday, 30 May 2020
Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Tuesday 26th May
Golden Oriole are words that you do not here very often down in this neck of the woods !! So when I received a message from local birder Chris Townend this morning telling me one was calling on Duldich Common I got there as fast as I could . I arrived to find no one there at all as Chris had gone of to another area to look for it , but after a while another birder Dave White turned up and we settled in waiting to here it call and after a bit of a wait we were rewarded around 10 am with a male bird calling to the left of us , a few other birders turned up but the bird never called again and I left around 11.30 . I heard that the bird was calling again in the evening so I went again in hope of seeing it but I had no luck but it was seen by one lucky birder .
Many Thanks Chris
Many Thanks Chris
Monday, 25 May 2020
Haldon Forest
A morning walk on Haldon Forest today got me the following birds , 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker , a Eurasian Jay , 2 Tree Pipit , at least half a dozen Garden Warbler , 4 Willow Warbler , 2 Common Chiffchaff , 3 male and a female Eurasian Siskin , 6 Common Linnet and 4 Common Crossbill .
Wednesday, 20 May 2020
Aylesbeare Common
A walk around Aylesbeare Common this morning got me a pair of Dartford Warbler , 6 Common Linnet , a European Green Woodpecker , a Common Buzzard , a pair of Common Stonechat and a displaying Tree Pipit .
Also seen were the following Butterflies , Green Hairstreak , Small Heath , Brimstone & Small White .
Also seen were the following Butterflies , Green Hairstreak , Small Heath , Brimstone & Small White .
Monday, 18 May 2020
Saturday 16th May
I went out early this morning to Budleigh Salterton to see if yesterdays European Bee-Eater`s would come out of their roost and show again . And after a bit of a wait they came out and showed for a short spell before heading out towards Lyme Bay .
I then went to a spot near Sherford where I got nice views of a European Turtle Dove a very rare bird in Devon now . My next stop was at the Colyford Common where a Lesser Whitethroat was showing quite well on and off .
I then went back to the Exminster Marshes as a Wood Sandpiper had been reported there and I managed to see it but it was very distant and as I was looking at it a Yellow Wagtail flew past so that was a nice end to a good days birding .
I then went to a spot near Sherford where I got nice views of a European Turtle Dove a very rare bird in Devon now . My next stop was at the Colyford Common where a Lesser Whitethroat was showing quite well on and off .
I then went back to the Exminster Marshes as a Wood Sandpiper had been reported there and I managed to see it but it was very distant and as I was looking at it a Yellow Wagtail flew past so that was a nice end to a good days birding .
Saturday, 16 May 2020
Friday 15th May
European Bee-Eater is a bird that I have always dreamed about getting on my county of Devon list and in the 35 years that I have been birding I have come close a couple of times but I have just missed out on them . So when I had a call in the evening telling me that there was quite a few showing near Whites Bridge at Budleigh Salterton I got there as fast as I could and after a bit of a walk I got the amazing site of 13 of them in the air together , as you can see they were a bit distant to get a shot of but I didn`t care a jot and was just over the bloody moon to see these superb birds in my own county .
Thursday, 14 May 2020
Yarna Wood
A look around Yarna Wood this morning got me European Green Woodpecker , a Great Spotted Woodpecker , a Spotted Flycatcher , 3 male & 2 Female Pied Fycatcher , a Tree Pipit , a male Common Stonechat , 3 Willow Warbler and a female Common Redstart .
Wednesday, 13 May 2020
Haldon Forest
A walk on Haldon Forest today got me a Common Cuckoo that shot past me , a Common Whitethroat , 5 separate Garden Warbler , 6 Willow Warbler , 2 Common Chiffchaff , a Great Spotted Woodpecker , a Tree Pipit , 3 male Eurasian Siskin and 2 Eurasian Jay .
Monday, 11 May 2020
Good Birding
Out early this morning for my daily walk and the first bird that I saw was a male Garganey one of our best looking ducks . also seen were 3 Red Kite , a Common Kestrel , numerous hirundine with Common Swift , Barn Swallow and Common House Martin , Cetti`s Warbler , Sedge Warbler , 2 Common Skylark and a Sandwich Tern was heard calling on the Exe Estuary .
Sunday, 10 May 2020
Raptor Watch
This mornings walk with nice weather turned into a bit of a raptor watch with the icing on the cake being a European Honey Buzzard that was first picked up by another birder but I soon was able to get on to it , it slowly drifted across the marsh allowing us to pick out the main features on it and it hardly flapped its wings at all and just glided through on the thermals . It was the 4th one that I have seen on the marsh with the last one being in 2014 .
Also seen today were 5 Common Buzzard , 2 Red Kite , 2 Common Kestrel , a Peregrine Falcon and 3 Eurasian Hobby .
Also seen today were 5 Common Buzzard , 2 Red Kite , 2 Common Kestrel , a Peregrine Falcon and 3 Eurasian Hobby .
Friday, 8 May 2020
Firecrest
On my walk today I came across a spot where there was at least 5 Firecrest and I was over the moon with that as it is one of my favourite birds .
Also seen today was a Common Raven , a Eurasian Nuthatch , a Mistle Thrush , a few Blackcap , a Common Chiffchaff and a Garden Warbler . But again no sign of any Willow Warbler...very strange !
Also seen today was a Common Raven , a Eurasian Nuthatch , a Mistle Thrush , a few Blackcap , a Common Chiffchaff and a Garden Warbler . But again no sign of any Willow Warbler...very strange !
Thursday, 7 May 2020
A nice walk !
I met up with my mate Andy for my daily walk today and it was good to see him after quite a while , even though we kept our distance from each other . And the walk turned out to be quite rewarding as the first area we looked we got a few Blackcap , 2 Eurasian Treecreeper , a Eurasian Sparrowhawk , a Firecrest and 2 Spotted Flycatcher our first for the year .
We then went to another area where we saw a Little Ringed Plover , an inquisitive Dartford Warbler , numerous Common Sand Martin , a female Whinchat ( another new one for the year ) , a male and female Northern Wheatear , 2 Common Buzzard , a Common Kestrel and a few Common Linnet .
We then went to another area where we saw a Little Ringed Plover , an inquisitive Dartford Warbler , numerous Common Sand Martin , a female Whinchat ( another new one for the year ) , a male and female Northern Wheatear , 2 Common Buzzard , a Common Kestrel and a few Common Linnet .
Wednesday, 6 May 2020
Great White Egret
The star bird of my walk today was a Great White Egret that I just picked up as I was searching for Eurasian Hobby and Common Swift , the bird flew over the marshes quite high and then headed south Perhaps it is a new bird or the one that was seen around the Exe Estuary earlier in the year .
also seen today were 50+ Common Swift and a Eurasian Hobby .
Away from the birds these were also seen . Quite a few Large Red Damselfly , a Beautiful Demoiselle , Brimstone and Green-Veined White Butterflies and a Slow Worm
also seen today were 50+ Common Swift and a Eurasian Hobby .
Away from the birds these were also seen . Quite a few Large Red Damselfly , a Beautiful Demoiselle , Brimstone and Green-Veined White Butterflies and a Slow Worm
Friday, 1 May 2020
Pom Skua
On my walk this morning I saw 20+ Northern Gannet , a nice Dark Phase Pomarine Skua that was chasing the Sandwich Tern`s , 3 Rock Pipit , 4 Barn Swallow , numerous Common Whitethroat , 3 Blackcap , a Common Chiffchaff and an Atlantic Grey Seal .
