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Blog
09 January 2026
Bowling Green Marsh
Went to Bowling Green today at high tide
(txt and pics to follow )
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. 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. ( more txt and pics to follow)
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!
02 December 2025
Dorset
The main path was good but many of the side paths were flooded so you couldn't get to certain areas, still managed several distant views of marsh Harriers quartering across the reed beds.
You could hear several Cettis Warblers and see Blackbirds, Robin, Wren, Great and Blue Tits, Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows, Cormorants, big raft of Coots, Moorhen, Grey Heron, sound of Water Rail, Little Grebe, Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted, Mute Swan and plenty of Gulls but couldn't see any Med Gulls.
Also stopped off at Maiden Castle to see what farm birds were about but due to a lot of disturbance as they were replacing fencing not a lot to see.
Further up the road a couple of Red Kites were good to see.
30 November 2025
Looking for Brents
Had a couple of hours and relised I hadn't seen any Brent Geese yet, reports that they were back on the Exe.
As it was high tide it would be ideal to see them on the fields and in previous years, Starcross golf course was a favorite for them but today there was only 2 and distant, a few Canada Geese, singles of Curlew, Godwit and a Lapwing and that was it?
Had a look in Cockwood harbour and plenty of Black-headed Gulls, Herring Gull, Little Egret and some Redshank.
25 November 2025
Dartmoor
Been up to Dartmoor another couple of times since my last Blog entry looking for Redwing, they apparently have been seen by others but sadly not me!
Getting cold on the moor and with none to few insects about, birds like Meadow Pipits where scarce. Berries still about and flocks of Starling and Fieldfares in good numbers with Blackbird, Song and Mistle Thrushes, Great and Blue Tits, Robin, Dunnock, Chaffinch and Wren around these trees and bushes.
Around the water, Pied and Grey Wagtails, Grey Heron and Moorhen all seen, a couple of Herring Gulls on one of the fields with Rooks, Carrion Crows, Raven, Magpie and Jays all seen.
Several Buzzards and Kestrels all seen hunting.
Might need to look in new areas but determined to find some Redwing!
© Simon Thurgood 2026
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