South Devon, 24 March 2017

A cold and grey day dawned, all six of us were not put off in the slightest.

Our first stop of the day was at Powderham Church where the first bird of the day award went to two Cattle Egrets. This winter, especially late winter/early spring has seen an influx of this species involving record numbers in the SW. Our egret du0 had a couple of Little Egret and a flock of sheep for company. Walking down t0 the railway bridge we used the height advantage to scan the Exe at low tide. Flocks and small parties of Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Shelduck, Dunlin, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, Redshank, Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Crested Grebe, Little Egret, Cormorants and various gull species were on show.

Next stop was nearby at Powderham park where c15 Sand Martin fed over the pools, Shelduck and other common wildfowl were also roosting or perhaps sheltering from the cold NE wind. We made a couple of stops at Cockwood/Starcross to scan the estuary. Highlights included 3 Greenshank, a drake Goosander, 2 Shag, 2 Slavonian Grebe and Turnstones among the wader flocks.

Moving on to Dawlish Warren we had a short lunch stop and then scanned the sea from the seawall. A party of 3 and 6 Common Scoter, 2 Great Crested Grebe, a few Shag, two flyby Fulmar, Guillemot and a Red-throated Diver were noted albeit distantly. The six scoter flew in closer which gave us a better view. Parties of Meadow Pipit and an alba wagtail flew in off the sea. Turnstones did a tightrope walk act along the groynes.

A short drive beyond Teignmouth and we were able to park and then scan the clifftop fields at Labrador Bay RSPB, we located a flock of 25+ Cirl Bunting as they fed close to the hedgerow. It was great to watch them and listen to the contact calls. A nervous flock of Linnets proved why when Sparrowhawk went through. A few Chiffchaff were also grubbing about in the fields and hedgerows for insects, no doubt newly arrived. From the lower path we enjoyed listening to singing Cirl Buntings and watching a pair of Kestrel below us. Attention was drawn to the sea, a party of six Long-tailed Duck, 111 Common Scoter also harboured two larger and darker 2cy Velvet Scoters. A few Gannets streamed by and Peregrine had a look at us before it cruised along the cliffs.

Back up at the car park we saw a Sparrowhawk over sea before it headed inland. A group decision was to reject plans to look for the Humpback Whale that was resident in Start Bay the preceding month. It had got itself tangled in crab pot ropes a couple of days before and needed a rescue party to cut if free. It wasn’t seen the day before so we stuck with the birding.

Our last stop of the day was at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB which also had c30 Sand Martin as well as 4 Little Grebe, Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Shoveler, Black-tailed Godwit flock, Redshanks, a Green Sandpiper, Sparrowhawk and calling Cetti’s Warbler. At the Clyst viewing platform we had a large flock of Redshank but it was clear many of the wader species had departed for the summer, especially the Avocets, we saw none!

To top the day off the group saw their first two Swallow of 2017 in sunshine as I was off collecting the car.

Thank you to all who joined me, it was a very good day out. Some images of the day follow.

Martin

Cirl Buntings at Labrador Bay RSPB