![[Simon Thurgood Images]](images/image.jpg)
![[Simon Thurgood Images]](images/st-images.jpg)
Blog
18 January 2026
Out and about
1st day of a weeks holiday and no Grandad duties so early start down south to the South Hams to see whats about but sadly wet,grey and cloudy so not the best for taking pictures! As you can see from the pics, its a bit grey!!
So visited Beesands, Torcross, Modbury and everywhere in between. When I got down to Slapton it was starting to get light and wasn't expecting too many humans on the beach and possibly see some Gulls sat roosting on the beach but no, several dog walkers with dogs off the leads and Gulls in the air, nothing visible out to sea which was also a suprise. At this time you could see a raft of Coot and Mute Swans on the Ley, on further inspection Great-crested Grebes, Tufted and Mallards, lots of Black-headed Gulls, Coots, Mallard, Moorhen and Mute Swans at the Tank end, noted 4 species of Gulls with a couple of Lesser Great-black Backed Gulls to add to the years list.
At Beesands great to see a couple of Greenfinches which I hadn't seen in a while, used to be so common. Around the Ley a few Ducks with about 25 Tuffted flying in while I was there, also the Ring necked Duck was on the far side, couple of Gadwell and Mallard, Mute Swans and Canada Geese. Around the bushes Great and Blue Tits, Robin, Blackbird, Wren, Starling, Wren and Woodpigeon all seen.
The weather not getting any better thought I would try to see the geese on the west of Modbury, followed directions and sure enough they were there but had moved to the next field and through my bins i could see Canada, Egyptian, Barnacle and White-fronted Geese which was quite a collection of birds.
On the mammal front I saw plenty of Mole Hills and evidence of Rabbits although I didn't see any.
Years total now 83 species of birds and 8 mammal species but sadly most of them dead on the road.
16 January 2026
Dawlish Warren
After helping with the school run and some other domestic stuff went down to the Warren for a look around the bushes.
As normal for this time of year with all the rain a lot of the area was flooded and there was a bit of wind off the sea.
Greenland Lake area was empty of birds and all birds that were seen where on the Golf Course side of the bushes.
Fast moving Chiffchaff, Tit flock comprising of Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Magpie.
In the pond there was Shoveler, Mallard and Moorhen.
No mammal sightings or anything apart from birds seen.
A few humans about but nobody I knew.
13 January 2026
Brixham Harbour
Had an excellent visit to Brixham today, the weather was supposed to be rain but as I arrived it stopped and turned into a nice day.
It being a harbour plenty of Gulls with the usual Herring, GBB and Black-headed Gulls as well as 2 new ones for this year, Med Gull and Kittiwake that was putting on a show by the breakwater.
In the water which was a lot calmer than it had been for some time, there was Cormorants, Mute Swans and Great-northan Divers.
Around the rocks and edge there was a flock of Turnstone, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail and 4 Purple Sandpipers. That making the total so far for this year 73.
Also in the water and sat up where several Grey Seals, 2 very playful ones.
Plenty of humans about enjoying the nice weather and the antics of the seals.
09 January 2026
Bowling Green Marsh
Went to Bowling Green today at high tide, I had difficulty parking close to the reserve so had to park at Darts Farm and walk.
Because the tide was up there was not a lot to see and Goose Moor was a waist of time because the Reed beds had been left to grow and nothing was viewable.
The reserve itself was flooded and most stuff was distant, still viewable with my bins and managed to see quite a bit.
Stock Doves, Wood Pigeon, Avocet, Curlew, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Lapwing, Greenshank, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Snipe, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Black Swan, Canada Geese, Pintail,Widgeon, Teal, Mallard, Magpie, Kestrel, Jay, House Sparrow, Starling, Dunnock,Great and Blue Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow, Black-headed and Herring Gull.
The list has slowly climbed to 67, slow but sure, the way I like it!
Nice to meet up with a few humans, Steph, Rob Murphy and Dave Stone who I haven't seen in a while
06 January 2026
Feeding Stations
In this cold weather thought the best place to see some birds is around feeding stations so went to Yarner, Stover and Holden as they were close to each other.
This pushed my number up to 52 if I include other stuff I have seen, at work which is mostly at the Warren there are almost nightly sounds of Tawney Owls, its not something I have made much comment about before. Yarner was quite busy with birds but not as much as I was expecting, plenty of Tit species including the Marsh Tit, 1st of 3 sightings today of GSW, Nuthatch and Grey Wagtail around the water.
On to Stover which was iced over and apart from a few Mallard NO ducks, the feeding station also wasn't that busy and plenty of Fat Grey Squirrels around.
Off to Holden and these feeders where packed with Birds, loads of Siskins, Tits, Nuthatch, GSW, Chaffinch, Blackbird and Robin.
On the Mammal front as already said Grey Squirrels at Stover but also Holden and again sadly a couple of freshly killed Fallow Deer.
01 January 2026
Out and about
Went to the Bowling Club to see the Black-redstarts and the Lesser White throat that where there and was successful in seeing both male and female, didn't take pics though as they were close to children playing and didn't want to get accused of taking pics of kids, also saw Blackcaps, Robin, Wren and Blackbird so a good start to the day!
Then to LORP to see the Slav Grebe but given wrong info and went down the wrong side, great to see Rob and Steph Murphy who told me where it was but then it started to spit with rain so thought the better of walking very far, so missed that but did see Oyster catcher, Common Sandpiper, Widgeon, Carrion Crow, Herring, GBB and Black-headed Gulls.
As I drove back I saw a few Buzzards, Raven, Magpie, Jackdaws and a Little Egret.
Stopped off at Starcross and a good flock of Dark bellied Brent Geese sat on the field. Picked up notification that some White-fronted Geese where at Exminster which is just up the road so off I went.
Parked up in the RSPB car park and walked off towards the Discovery area, on the 2nd field on the left they were there about 20 mixed in with the Canada Geese but the far side, good views in the bins but crap pic! Also a Male Marsh Harrier and Buzzard flew over which was great to see, above us in the bushes were Long-tailed and Blue Tits making a racket.
On the way home saw about 30 Cattle Egrets amongst some Cows close to Cockwood, their normal over wintering place.
Sadly seen more dead Mammals than alive, saw 6 dead Deer, 5 Fallow and 1 Roe on the Roads, 1 dead Fox and Badger, last year I didn't see 1 live Badger and only 1 live Fox, there was 2 dead Squirrels and 1 live one, hoping to see more live mammals this year, its so depressing to see only dead stuff! On the mammal front lots of Mole hills about??
One of my new year resolutions is to do a list and record more of the stuff I see, I will never get a big number as I work and have Grand kids.
So a modest 32 species of Birds seen, I must remember to record all I see while at work and just walking around!
30 December 2025
Spoonbills
I was at Jacks Patch when a notification came through that there was a couple of Spoonbills and a Spotted Redshank on the otherside of the River Tiegn.
So after finishing off my Coffee I made my way over and sure enough there was 2 Spoonbills feeding, also a little Egret, about 30 Redshank, couple of Greenshank but I couldn't see a Spotted Redshank.
They didn't seem to mind a couple of fishermen on the shore but didn't like the couple of Sailboards going up and down and eventually flew off.
27 December 2025
Dartmoor
Went up on the moor today, again looking for Redwing, thought the cold weather might have driven them there but NO, none seen or Fieldfare.
It was clear but very cold, no birds flying as such, lots of stuff around the hedges and trees, nothing on the fields while I was there, all staying out of the biting wind.
Did see Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, House Sparrow, Great and Blue Tits, Woodpigeon, Starling, Chaffinch, Pied Wagtail, Carrion Crow, Raven, Jackdaw, Jay and Magpie. A couple of Buzzard in Trees and a lonely looking Herring Gull stood by himself looking lost!
A few well dressed humans walking around, nice trip around the moor.
24 December 2025
Out and about
Spent this last couple of weeks visiting places in between work, poor weather and my grandkids. Some for a short period as I was determined to get out, the shortened days didn't help ether.
I visited Dartmoor, Yarner, Parke, Stover, Beesands, Slapton and Brixham Harbour.
Yarner was very quiet on the Sunday afternoon as the feeders were nearly empty just saw a couple of Coal Tits, Stover had more of the usual stuff but didn't see any Mandarin Ducks, first time for years.
Beesands Ley was empty, where have all the Ducks gone? Slapton was a quick visit due to time constraints but that was busier, all the usual stuff here at the Torcross end of the Ley.
Spent time on the Moor and Parke looking for Redwings but failed to see any.
Best session was at Brixham Harbour, it was cold and rough so plenty in the harbour and the best being Great-northan Divers, counted 13 of them.
Merry Xmas to you all and hopefully a good 2026
03 December 2025
Looking for Redwings
Again up on the Moor, Redwings had been seen and I ventured in a few other places and they again have eluded me!
I did see plenty of other Birds, a good wide range with Blackbird, Song and Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Wren, Reed Bunting, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Raven, Rook, Magpie, Jay, Stonechat,Great and Blue Tits, Several Buzzard and Kestrel hunting.
Not many humans about but still one who cant reverse!
© Simon Thurgood 2026
Images on this website may not be put as any part of any collection without any prior written permission.