Big Garden Birdwatch

 Ottery St Mary, Devon

As I now live in an area with decent bird activity I decided I would take part in the RSPB big garden birdwatch. I opted for early morning on Saturday. I have seen all of these species at different times since moving in but I've been so busy with the house and work that I haven't really spent a good amount of time simply sat enjoying the wildlife. So it was really nice to fully appreciate what's on offer. This is my full list of birds just in the boundary of my garden in an hours watch. 

• Common Wood Pigeon (31)
• Eurasian Collared Dove (1)
• European Herring Gull (1 in the garden and 28 in adjacent field)
• Eurasian Sparrowhawk (1)
• Great Spotted Woodpecker (1)
• European Green Woodpecker (1)
• Eurasian Jay (1)
• Eurasian Magpie (1)
• Carrion Crow (2 plus 16 flyovers)
• Coal Tit (5)
• Eurasian Blue Tit (5)
• Great Tit (3)
• Long-tailed Tit (6)
• Eurasian Nuthatch (1)
• Eurasian Treecreeper (1)
• Common Goldcrest (1)
• Common Chiffchaff (1)
• Eurasian Wren (1)
• Common Starling (11)
• Common Blackbird (3 male and 2 female)
• Redwing (6)
• Fieldfare (2 plus 3 in adjacent field)
• Song Thrush (1)
• European Robin (2)
• House Sparrow (6 male and 7 female)
• Dunnock (3)
• Common Chaffinch (10 male and 6 female)
• Eurasian Bullfinch (2 male and a female)
• European Greenfinch (1)
• Eurasian Goldfinch (5)

Not on the British list 

• Indian Peahen (2 male and a female)

Not counted as they were flyovers 

• Canada Goose
• Northern Raven

Red-legged Partridge

Ottery St Mary, Devon 

I haven't had any chance to make a dent in the 2022 year list, apart from the usual garden birds which has included Eurasian Jay, Redwing, Common Pheasant and a non tickable Indian Peafowl. I did pop to a few places late afternoon toady though. 

On the Road out of Ottery to Putts Corner (Hare and Hounds) in the first field on the left past the animal rescue centre were a group of 6 Red-legged Partridge. I was only on bins, so poor record shot below.

A few 100 metres south of St Saviours Bridge, wad a nice White-throated Dipper and 6 Common Merganser. 

Red-legged Partridge 

Missed This Song

Knapp Copse, Putts Corner, Devon 

I took a walk around this local reserve after work. I was welcomed by the song of a Common Chiffchaff. It felt great to hear that sound again in lovely sunshine. I have so missed that song. There were a total of 4 singing individuals on site. I was also treated to a pair of Eurasian Bullfinch and a Eurasian Jay. Oddly, the first sightings this year for me. On the feeders at the carpark was a lovely Eurasian Nuthatch but there was no sign of the Marsh Tit I saw there in the winter.

I have also signed up for the RSPB Turtle Dove survey and been given a pretty local area to survey between May and June. Its an area that has some suitable habit. With the current state of the species, I'm hot holding out too much hope but you never know. Maybe the whole lockdown situation throughout Europe helped the species last year? Any way, I will give it a try. 

Some Good Garden Birds

Butts Road, Ottery St Mary, Devon 
Spent some time watching the garden today and had my first Eurasian Jay (also my first of the year surprisingly). A Eurasian Nuthatch pottered about for a moment as did a European Green Woodpecker.

All About The Thrushes

Emsworthy Mire, Near Haytor, Devon
I had the afternoon and despite having pretty bad sciatica, I made the effort to go and have a little look around. Most of my time was spent sitting on walls to ease the pain. This worked rather well actually as I was able to watch a flock of around 60 Fieldfare and in amongst them were 2 Male Ring Ouzel and around 10 Redwing. I couldn't chase them down for a photo and they always remained distant. To back up the other Thrush species a few Song Thrush and Common Blackbird were on site. A Grey Wagtail was a nice surprise too. Also of note on site were 2 Eurasian Jay, Northern Raven and a Male Eurasian Bullfinch. A few Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Magpie and Carrion Crow made up the supporting cast.

Another Missed Yellow-browed Warbler

Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, Devon
After work I decided to take a look around the viewing platform area for the earlier reported Yellow-browed Warbler. After a decent look I drew a blank. Around the area though was a Male and Female Eurasian Bullfinch, 2 Eurasian Jay, 3 Somg Thrush and a Common Kestrel. I seem unable to connect with a Yellow-browed Warbler after missing Matts Exmouth bird and a bird in Exeter. There’s still some time left though.

More Winged Critters

Orcombe Point, Exmouth, Devon 

I thought I would have a look after work for some Butterflies but it was rather quiet apart from Meadow Brown and Large White. However a Common Whitethroat that was gathering food kept me entertained for a while. Followed by a very close Kit European Rabbit that duly done a runner when it clocked me.

Common Whitethroat   

 Common Whitethroat  

Kit Rabbit  

I’m off mate!   

Japanese Bindweed  

Pink Sorrel  

Spear Thistle 

Bystock Pools, Devon 

I then took a walk from the pool end of the reserve to the boardwalk. It was quiet on the bird front but a Eurasian Jay brightened things up. The task today was Dragonflies and Butterflies and it didn’t disappoint. Lots of Common Blue Damselfly and Small Red Damselfly around the pool with a Four Spot Chaser and Emperor Dragonfly. Along the path to the boardwalk were a good number of Beautiful Demoiselle, a few Keeled Skimmer and Black-tailed Skimmer. The Butterflies were quiet with only Large Skipper noted.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Male) 

Beautiful Demoiselle (Female) 

Small Red Damselfly (Male)

Keeled Skimmer 

Black-tailed Skimmer (Female)

Large Skipper

Refreshments And Red Kite

Halfway Inn, Aylesbeare, Devon
A refreshment stop off after a family day out to the beach was quite good on the wildlife front. From the pub garden was a fly over Eurasian Jay, the song of a Garden Warbler but didn’t see it and a distant call of a Conmon Whitethroat. A few butterflies on offer in the form of Brimstone, Speckled Wood and several Orange Tip. Driving across the common back to Exmouth I spotted a Red Kite that was sat on one on the dead trees in the area that suffered a fire a few years ago.

The Little Guys Made It

County Hall, Exeter, Devon
Whilst having a cigarette break in work, I watched a large party of mixed birds feeding. In the flock were, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Great Tit, 3 Eurasian Blue Tit, 1 Coal Tit, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Eurasian Wren. So it was very encouraging to see that the smaller species in that area had made it through the rough weather. Also around the site throughout the day were, 8 Common Blackbird, 2 Redwing, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 European Green Woodpecker, 1 Eurasian Jay and a few Eurasian Goldfinch.