Mark Bailey

Ad Med Gull Marine Parade Preston, Torbay 1245pm at least on rocks

Caspian Gull still 1220pm at least in Brixham Harbour and showing well on pontoons viewed from c100m along the breakwater - only the third one I’ve seen in Devon!

And relax …….

Adult Little Gull Teignmouth sea front at north end off Teign Bean cafe showing well c830am-850am at least (2 GND)

Cheers James - i remember sitting with you in a fog bound Newquay airport and we couldn’t get across for the Agnes bird - I believe you stayed over and went the next day

Cheers Martyn - a long time coming !

Must have just missed you as well

Killdeer today! Having dipped 7 previously (Norfolk, Wales, Cornwall, 2 x Scilly, 2 x Devon) showed well but distantly 150-250pm at Ripley Farm Reservoir

Saltram early morning - at least 7 Ring Necked Parakeets showing well- also Egyptian Goose on Blaxton Meadow (very rare in Plymouth), Bar Tailed Godwit and an adult LBB Gull

Black Throated Diver showing well off Meadfoot beach Torquay 1pm viewed from shelter towards north end of road - cheers to @shiphaybirder.bsky.social for the heads up and good find Tom B- also adult Med Gull on rocks

Torquay harbour -outer wall- mid am- 10 Purple Sands and a fem type Black Redstart on end rocks

Glad you had a great day Leon 👍

Plus a flock of 14 Common Scoter

The Black Necked Grebe still Stoke Gabriel millpond 1115am at least showing ridiculously well from car park- nearby c6 Fieldfare at Waddeton

Red Necked Grebe off Broadsands this morning off headland - also c15 GND, 7RTD, Razorbill, 5 GCG, plenty of Fulmars , 2 female Reed Buntings in second car park with Cirl Buntings

1+ Presumed Siberian Lesser Whitethroat still 1130am at Seaton Bowling Club and showing well feeding on apples by clubhouse ( also fem type Black Red and 2 Blackcap) cheers @beerbirder.bsky.social and @stevewaite.bsky.social for the extra info

And a Common Sand

2 Lesser Scaup still 10am Helston Boating lake and showing very well at south end

The Velvet Scoter still 1020am at least Thatcher Point, Torquay looking straight out from point (right of Thatcher Rock and left of the Mussel beds) and GND- cheers to @shiphaybirder.bsky.social for the heads up

Kingsteignton 250pm -found a fem type Black Redstart in Woodmere Way

Met up with @wisebirding.bsky.social at the LORP and he showed me his patch late morning - Slav Grebe was my first since 2023, Little Stint my first ever one in January, 2 redhead Goosanders, Sanderling , 12 Ringed Plovers, Grey Plover, 2 Common Sands

A lovely stroll around Exminster this morning - 3 Pochard (1m) are probably the only ones in Devon atm ? 2 Marsh Harriers, 3 Greylag Geese, Water Rail, 2 Pintail, Kingfisher - earlier 3 Cattle Egrets flew south over Starcross

Modbury - in fields by the Flete Estate in the large Canada Goose flock- at least 6 Russian White Fronted Geese, 3 Barnacle Geese and 2 Egyptian Geese

Beesands - mid morning- the drake Ring Necked Duck still present for its 9th winter - plus c20 Gadwall and also a very showy fem/imm Black Redstart along the front

Slapton- a fantastic morning, Black Necked Grebe on ley from Stokeley bay hide(my first one for 3 years)! GWFGoose Ireland Bay, fem Ring Necked Duck north of Torcross( presumably the returning bird I found at Beesands in Nov 24), 3GWEgrets Higher Ley,2 fem Goldeneye, ad Med Gull

5 Green Sandpipers in the Ludwell Valley, Exeter this afternoon

Out & about locally this morning-the Yellow Browed Warbler still c11am in Newton Abbot also 2-3 Chiffchaff. At Broadsands 2 Firecrest, 3GND, 4RTD, 4m Cirl Bunt, 2f Reed Bunt. At Paignton a cracking male Black Redstart at Alta Vista Road. At Arch Brook(Teign)-Spot Red &Kingfisher

I put the theory to the test and with none of the reports from Budleigh this morning including the Spoonbill- I went to the River Teign and found them literally under the Coombe Cellars pub at c1230pm- about a c10 mile commute between rivers-and they obviously don’t like the Exe!

Lesser Crested Tern ?

2 Tundra Bean Geese still 1250pm at least at Bowling Green Marsh in field before viewing platform and showing very well - the first Bean Geese in Devon since June 2022 and first record in winter since Dec 2021- also 18 Russian White Fronted Geese ( plus 6 Swan Geese types)