I thought it would be a good time to start the new thread for Spring 2016 as we are now seeing bird movements along the Devon coast. Our first Sand Martins were recorded yesterday with individuals seen in South Devon, on the Exe and in North Devon near the River Taw. ChiffChaffs have been seen in growing numbers with large numbers of Meadow Pipits seen on both coastlines. A few Wheatears have been reported in the South West none in Exmouth to date but could be any time soon. Interestingly several Red Kites have been reported locally which is a rarity for Devon however this time of year we tend to get continental birds drifting over to the UK. It is understood these birds are Male in search of females. There in no local population of Red Kite so these birds will probably drift on thro' our area. Our Exe Brent Geese are now dispersing and heading north on their epic journey of 3000 miles back to Northern Siberia where they'll stay on their breeding grounds until September when hopefully they will return with more youngsters than last year. Our Avocets will be off soon back to Holland and the low countries on the continent. Widgeon, Teal, Pintail Redshank, Godwits, and other Waders will be also heading north for the long days of summer to all return again from September for yet another winter with us in Devon. We have plenty to look forward to in the coming few months with increasing numbers of migrants hitting our shores... a very interesting and exciting time ahead. Please feel free to add to thin thread when migration hits your area. Thanks for reading.
We had great views of both Yellow Wagtail and White Wagtails and our first Common Redstart of the year on our local reserve yesterday. The Yellow Wagtails looked beautiful in their bright yellow plumage,as someone said "looks like your grans Canary".
Plenty of Migrants coming through with a female Montagu's Harrier Continental Red Kites in off the sea seen locally, Sedge, and Reed warbler's now on territory, and a Grasshopper warbler reported with plenty of Whitethroat seen in the area. Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns now being seen around the Estuary. Hirundines are now a common sighting with a first Swift seen over the Exe. Wheatear still coming through to. Portland have had a couple of Hoopoe seen at the weekend (lucky people) Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers are now at their breeding grounds around the Dartmoor oak woodlands and in the combes on Dartmoor. A lot of birds now heading north too... so enjoy the migration.
We had an easy walk this afternoon down the side of the local River Sell (more a stream than what I think of as a river) hoping for Kingfisher. No Kingfisher but the area was just full of bird song. A few warbler species are making their way this far North by now so we we were having to re learn our warbler calls and songs. Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were fairly easy,Blackcap had us thinking until we saw it and of course the noisy ones were our residents like Mistle and Song Thrush and at least one Blackbird never shut up all the time we were out.Love the Spring migration when the air is full of birdsong even if we have to think a bit.