James Diamond

X46 is a Dutch bird which was ringed as a chick in 2024.

Well done the counters.

Fantastic achievement. More needed. Well done Exeter Cycling Campaign and Devon County Council.

Male House Sparrow sat on a fence facing left with a beakful of sawfly larvae

Lovely that we still have a nice House Sparrow colony around The Turf, Exminster Marshes RSPB.

This male was feeding just fledged youngsters with sawfly larvae (I think)

#devonbirds

Over 1,000 people a day, including over 300 children, are using the new Rifford Road separated pedestrian and cycle path and safe crossings, a new survey shows – that’s over half a million miles of safe and easy journeys on bikes, scooters, wheelchairs and mobility scooters every year. 🚶‍♀️👨‍🦽🚴‍♀️🛴🧵

Given it is now in its third year, I guess it might have tried to breed this year & failed, and is back for the winter

Yes that's the one. Link was to Devon & Cornwall Wader Ringing Group site, which has the details for that bird.

That third book looks lile this one, from Dorset?

Devon and Cornwall Wader Ringing Group - Curlew FJ89842 share.google/tFxRMVuqNvu3...

A female Shoveler with a brood of very small young swimming on shallow water with short grass in the background

A female Shoveler with a brood of small young swimming on shallow water with green grass in the background

Female Shoveler with a brand new brood of ten lovely mini-diggers at RSPB Exminster Marshes this evening #devonbirds

Pair of Oystercatchers plus two well-grown chicks June 2025

Colour-ringed Curlew RG at Exminster Marshes. Last seen exactly three months ago on 14 March. Presumably a failed breeder.

That time of year when waders start to move.

Wader chicks still running around at Exminster Marshes RSPB, whilst the first migrant colour-ringed Curew are returning from breeding grounds.

Hi Simon
What were the tags? Was it a Dutch bird with a white leg flag?

20mph limits in London linked to sharp fall in road injuries and deaths, new report finds A new study published by Transport for London (TfL) has shown that the introduction of 20mph speed limits and zones on local authority-managed roads in London between 1989 and 2013 led to significant…

Study on London 20 mph limits shows:
- collisions ⬇️ 35%
- casualties ⬇️ 36%
- fatal/serious injuries ⬇️ 34%
- child casualties ⬇️ 46%
- child deaths ⬇️ 75%
- walkers, cyclists, motorcyclists killed/seriously injured ⬇️ 28%

etsc.eu/20mph-limits...

Could you do your bit & email your Councillors this weekend to ask what has happened since the original motion was passed?

A female Shoveler, the focus of attention for five drakes at a wetland in Northumberland this week. She appeared to be paired with one, so that’s a ‘probable breeding’ record.

DUCKS: by this time of spring most ducks will have settled at potential breeding sites. So all records of scarce & rare breeding ducks, including Shoveler, Wigeon, Garganey, Pintail, Pochard and Red-breasted Merganser, should be submitted, with breeding evidence, to the relevant county recorder

Three bicycles locked to a bike rack next to a blue RSPB sign

Think there was a Temminck's twitch on this evening, bike parking full....

Yellow post-it note saying "In case you missed it"

One evening social
Two cuddly 🐶
One🌛
Two fellow campaigners from North & South Devon
One newly elected Councillor
Heaps of💡ideas

If you missed our May Meet Up, join our next one:
Friday June 6th 7-9pm, venue tbc. Put it in your diary and see you there.

#Exeter #cycling #friends

Two bike riders wait on a slipway as bikes are loaded onto ferry. The river is calm and muddy.

Families wait on slipway to board ferry. The sky is blue.

The great Topsham Ferry took me part way home from physio & swimming today & my family home from haircuts & shopping.

The ferryman told me that in 2025, the Ferry carried over 8000 people & 2800 bikes across the River Exe.

Great active travel service from Exeter City Council 👌

Distant view of male Shelduck sat on top of a pylon tower

Zoomed in view of Shelduck sat on top of pylon tower

A Lapwing brooding three chicks, with their legs visible under her. The fourth chick is to the left on the edge of a shallow pool.

Lovely early morning checking out breeding birds at Exminster Marshes RSPB.

A Shelduck on a pylon- the probable nest site is below.

And a Lapwing mum with four gorgeous chicks about 4 days old.

#devonbirds

Congratulations to newly elected Exeter city & Devon County Councillors.
We work with all political parties to help make Exeter journeys safer, easier & cheaper for all ages & abilities.
You can sign up to our newsletter (link below) & if you want to know what we care about have a look at this ⏬️

It's this Friday.

We'd 😍 you to join us there.

Poor shot of 3 Wood Sandpipers and a sleeping Spoonbill

Distant, poor light & raining but 3 Wood Sandpipers around Spoonbill legs at Exminster Marshes RSPB today.

Late April, high tide & light rain combined to dump waders inc Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Greenshank, Com Sandpiper & Bar-tailed Godwits.

#devonbirds

Wood Sandpiper stood on small island at Exminster Marshes RSPB

A distant male Garganey swimming away with Curlew. Shelduck & Shoveler on water at Exminster Marshes RSPB

Two hours of pre-work dawn birding & three of the loveliest Spring migrants appeared.

-Wood Sandpiper (pic)

-Garganey (pic)

-Lesser Whitethroat (no pic)

Exminster Marshes RSPB #devonbirds

A runner in yellow shirt & purple hat, with Exminster Marshes in the background

Bar chart of records of Short-eared Owl at Exminster Marshes, with clear peak in April

It is not very often that I run to see a bird.

But I was already out running when the Short-eared Owl reappeared this evening at RSPB Exminster Marshes.

A short diversion & lovely views in the evening light.

Overwhelmingly an Apri bird here.

It would. Make sure you fill in the consultation and tell DCC. Thx if you have already. 🚲 🚶‍♂️ 🚲

Male Cirl Bunting sat on top of bare hedge against a green background

Woodlark were rather scarce in my @btobirds.bsky.social Woodlark survey today.

But lovely as ever to see at least four singing male Cirl Bunting along the lanes.

This one was singing from a very heavily flailed Devon bank hedge.

Summer plumage Spotted Redshank in lovely black plumage with silvery spots.

Summer plumage Spotted Redshank, balck body with bright white eye crescents

Bar chart showing monthly reporting rate of Spotted Redshank at RSPB Exminster Marshes. January & November-December are peak months, with a small autumn peak in September.

The rather gorgeous summer plumage Spotted Redshank at RSPB Exminster Marshes today.

Spring passage birds here are exceptionally rare & this may have been a lingering wintering bird from the Estuary.

Either way, it was lovely.

#devonbirds

Three boiled eggs decorated like billionaires

The smashed egg heads of billionaires

Smashing the Billionarchy one egg at a time on Easter Sunday in Devon.

Do you live, work or travel through Newtown?

Take ten minutes to make Newtown a better place for cycling, walking and wheeling.

Devon County Council are consulting on Traffic Regulation Orders to make Newtown safer for people on foot, bikes and wheels.

Bar chart showing occupied nests counts at Wracombe Farm rookery since 2016. Counts are shown as blue bars against white background

A silver van drives away on the A379 with Wracombe Farm woods to the right showing extensive area of recent tree felling

The bare tree canopy at Wracombe Farm woods, showing occupied Rook nests

Did my annual Rookery count this week.

Site has seen extensive tree felling over the past winter due to Ash Dieback creating H&S and road safety risk.

Occupied nests have dropped to lowest level since at least 2016.

#devonbirds