Blog

14 December 2024

Dartmoor

Had a quickish visit to Dartmoor today starting off at Yarner.

Apart from all the normal stuff around the feeders there was little else. No Siskins or Redpolls seen also no Woodpeckers seen or heard of any species.

A few humans about, all with dogs, some off the lead some on, interesting a lot of signs taken down??

Around Dartmoor it was the same, very quiet and little to see.

03 December 2024

Out and about

Went around a few inland water bodies today, Beesands, Slapton Leys and Stover Lake.

Plenty of stuff to see, Beesands the busiest by far for the size of water, large numbers of Tufted Duck, Coot and Mute Swans with Gadwall and a couple of Mallard. The Ring-necked Duck was on the far side and never came close to the hide, a few Moorhen, Great crested and Little Grebes, noisy Water Rail in the reeds and Canada Geese in the back Field. Lots of Gulls with Herring Gull being the biggest number. Other birds seen on the path were Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Great and Blue Tits, Goldcrest, Wren, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Magpies.

Good to see a small flock of Greenfinch, havnt seen these in a while. In the back field Rabbits also seen which was nice as not seen this mammal in a while.

Slapton Ley was quiet and nothing new here except a Cettis Warbler otherwise very little to see.

Off to Stover where it looks as the work on the lake has finished but more to be done on the outside. Saw the stunning male Pochard as well as Widgeon, Mandarin, Tufted and Mallard, all the usual birds around the feeders and plenty of fat Grey Squirrels, the sign of over feeding.

A few friendly humans about and a most enjoyable day

26 November 2024

Dartmoor

Went up on Dartmoor today after a couple of days of full on rain, loads to see but some were more notable by their absence such as Corvids, no Rooks, Jackdaws or Ravens seen or heard? Just a few Carrion Crows, Magpies and a single Jay, was it because of the soaked ground?

Loads of Blackbirds, everywhere over the moor where I went, also small flocks of Redwing, Fieldfare, Starling and Chaffinch. A few Wood Pigeon, Grey and Pied Wagtails, singles of Song and Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipit, Blue and Great Tits and a single Bullfinch.

Several Buzzard, stunning male Kestrel and Sparrowhawk also seen.

Had the moor almost to myself as very few humans about.

14 November 2024

Dartmoor

Spent a few visits on Dartmoor this last couple of weeks, mainly looking for Winter Thrushes and other visitors.

Did see a few flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare although always on the move, also lucky to see a Ring Ouzel in a Rowen tree with Blackbirds that seem to be everywhere.

Plenty of Corvids everywhere, all seen as well as Magpies and Jays.

Song and Mistle Thrushes, Meadow Pipits, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Greta and Blue Tits, Pied and Grey Wagtails, House Sparrows, Stonechats all seen.

Plenty of flocks of Birds with Wood Pigeons, Stock Doves, Starling, Linnet and Chaffinch all in large flocks around the fields.

Plenty of Buzzards seen as well as Kestrels, single Sparrowhawk and possible sighting of the visiting Pallid Harrier, defiantly a Harrier and the colour etc. leads me to think it's the Pallid.

I hear of reports of Merlin on the Moors, there will be some more visits looking for this bird as its one of my favourites.

02 November 2024

Dartmoor

I went up on Dartmoor today to see if I could find any Winter Thrushes or anything else interesting.

Dartmoor was covered in mist in most areas but still plenty to see, one thing that was striking was the lack of Rowen Berries? I had done the same journey about a week ago and plenty of berries but none today. Perhaps the rain had caused them to drop so not much food about.

Plenty of Blackbirds and a single Song Thrush, but no Mistle Thrush, Redwings or Fieldfare anywhere. I noted some birds starting to form flocks, Chaffinch in good numbers, Starling in several flocks with one big one, Linnet and Wood Pigeon, a few Stock Doves, House Sparrows, Robin, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Pied and Grey Wagtails, Dunnock and Great Tit.

Plenty of Corvids with Rook, Carrion Crow and Jackdaw looking for food on the ground with noisy Raven flying around with several Magpie perched up and a single Jay.

Several Raptors seen on this trip, 5 x Buzzard, 3 x Kestrel and a single Sparrowhawk.

Looking forward to the next trip!

30 October 2024

Snow Buntings

Spent some time yesterday over at Budliegh with the Snow Buntings, with kids and dogs running around they didnt seem to care.

Great to see them both, the last time I saw these was in Svalbard a few years ago so a nice catch up!

Nice to have some free time and the suns out. It would have been great if I had got there earlier and added a walk up the River Otter but as normal, life gets in the way.

20 October 2024

Lannacombe Beach

Managed to spend some time at Lannacombe Beach which is between Start Point and Prawle Point, its a bit of a pig to get to as the track to get there is full of pot holes and limited parking so you have to get there early.

Its a sandy beach that faces south which is why its popular with holiday makers but also with people like myself as it seems to trap plenty of goodies to see such as egg casings, this picture is only a quarter of what I found, Blonde, Spotted, Thornback, Small-eyed and Undulate Rays all found, large numbers of Cuttle Fish bones caught up in the large amount of seaweed that gets trapped here at high tide.

09 October 2024

River Exe

Totally different day today weather wise, started at the Hide at Bowling Green Marsh after a quick peek at Goosemoor, then down to the viewing platform. On the way home looked in at Powderham Church and around the Railway Bridge just up the cycle path by the river, then the River Kenn and the Outfall, Cockwood Harbour and the steps.

Had a good session and lots seen, at BGM plenty of ducks with Pintail, Mallard, Teal, Widgeon, Gadwall and Shoveler. Waders included Godwits, Curlew, Redshank Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and Dunlin, one was attacked, killed and eaten by the resident Lesser-black Backed Gull, down in one!

Other water birds included Grey Heron, Cattle and Little Egrets, Moorhens, Cormorant, Black Swans and Canada Geese.

Buzzard, Peregrine, Cettis Warbler, Wren, Robin, Blackbird and Pied Wagtail seen here.

Then off to the River Exe, plenty of Oystercatchers, Little Egrets, Gulls, Shelducks, Flock of about 40 Turnstones on the shoreline as well as 9 Great-crested Grebes on the water.

Quite a few humans about, all behaving themselves

08 October 2024

Dartmoor

In some appalling conditions I went up on Dartmoor to what was about, experience had shown me that plenty of birds are grounded and you can get some great views from the car. There had been reports of large flocks of Golden Plover on the moor so off I went, sadly no Waders of any sort found but plenty of other stuff seen.

Plenty of Rooks, Carrion Crow, Jackdaws and Ravens on the pastures digging up food in the soft soil, Gulls also.

Gangs of Magpies, Jays bouncing around the hedgerows and trees, several Buzzards sat on poles and fence posts, flocks of Chaffinch, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, House Sparrows, Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Pied Wagtails, Robin, Mistle Thrushes, Dunnocks and Wren all seen.

Also popped into Yarner to see what was on the feeders, all the normal stuff, looks like the Marsh Tits had a good year as there was plenty around the feeders.

While the weather was crap, some good stuff seen while sat in the car with my trusty Flask!

07 October 2024

Stover

Inbetween rain showers I managed a visit to Stover in Newton Abbot.

There is a lot of work going on here to reclaim the lake after all the vegetation was polluted from run off from the A38 causing all the lillys etc to die off. So now they are De-Silting the lake, with the machinery in the lake obviously caused some disruption but still many Mallard, Mandarin and Tufted Ducks, Great-creasted Grebes, Mute Swans, Moorhens and Coots, not forgetting the Gulls on the water.

Around the edge and feeders are Great, Coal and Blue Tits, Nuthatch, Woodpigeons, Blackbird, Dunnock, Robin, Magpie and Jays.

Plenty of humans about enjoying the place and very few dogs about and none off the leads which is a first here!

© Simon Thurgood 2024
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