Western Reef Heron this evening showing well at Foryd Bay, North Wales - didn’t think that would happen after sea watching at Berry Head all morning!

Berry Head - 555am-11am personal totals Sooty Shear. 12 Puffins, 35 Storm Petrels , 40 Balearic Shears, 3 Common Terns, Sandwich Tern, 9 Gadwall, c2500 Manx Shears, 2 GND, Harbour Porpoise

Back from a non birding holiday to Rhodes-birding highlights Lallysos- Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, Bee Eater, Sard Warbler- Rhodes Town- Crag Martin, Scopolis Shearwater- Lindos Alpine Swifts, Lesser Kestrels-also saw Flying Fish, Starred Agama & Northern White Breasted Hedgehog

What a start to the day-an excited phone call from @robmurphy.bsky.social saying he had just found a Wryneck at Labrador Bay south of Shaldon, near the car park and it was still showing when I arrived - what a bird - the first one I’ve seen in the month of May- still showing c9am at least

Exciting tracking a Little Tern down the Devon coast today-in the estuary at Dawlish Warren at c830-then flew out to sea with 3 Sandwich Tern(Lee C) .Then seen off Hopes Nose at c930am with 2 Sandwich Tern(i must have missed one)! & then Finally off Berry Head at c1025am with 3 Sand T again (Mike L)

An exciting sea watch at Hopes Nose 650-1040am-little tern at 930(only the third time I’ve seen one here-1986 and 1991)- 5 Puffin(2 at 706am, 2 at 754am & 910am), 1+ad LP Pom Skua at 726am & 740am, 3 GND, 5 Eider(3m2f) 720am, 2 Whimbrel, 4 Turnstone, 350 Manxies, 4 Common scoter

3 Swift low over upper Cockington Valley this evening - wonderful to hear them calling - depressingly only the second time this spring of seeing a Torbay Swift

A lovely relaxed time at Exminster Marsh today - highlights - 2 Spoonbill including the ringed bird from the Netherlands, c30 Swifts, c20 House Martins, 6 Greenshank , 2 Ringed Plover, c12 Whimbrel, male Wigeon, male Teal

At least 6 Painted Lady around Armada Park, Chelston , Torquay at lunchtime today

My first Swifts of the year - 2 at 1224pm over Armada Park, Chelston, Torquay

A nice dog walk after work at South Milton Sands - on South Huish Marsh - 1-2 Yellow Wagtails, Cattle Egret, Whimbrel, 7 Bar-Tailed Godwits in off and continued up valley , Ringed Plover and c50 Swallows/House Martins

A Hobby north over my house in Torquay 810am!

I always struggle with seeing Treecreeper and this year it took me 100 days 😂- but finally one showed well late morning in these trees at Ideford Common

Hopes Nose -645-935am- c200 Manx Shearwaters lingering offshore - 3 Purple Sands on rocks at Sandy Point, GND on sea off point and 2 Whitethroats

Exminster this am-a Ruff showing well by the viewing platform for second day - only the second reported bird in Devon this year! Also the Continental Black Tailed Godwit still, Spoonbill, c20 Cattle Egrets, Red Kite north at 933am, plenty of Reed &Sedge Warblers, c400Sand Martins

Dawlish Warren- 2 Eider - adult male and female off the seawall still c145pm found earlier by Lee C- the first ones reported in Devon this year! Also c6 Sandwich Terns, 3 GCGrebes (dreadful pics taken with phone hand held to scope)!

Continental Black Tailed Godwit - Exminster for its 6th day-on pools in front of Lagoon with Black Tailed Godwit flock on and off from 930am -expertly found by @jamesrdiamond.bsky.social - the first confirmed record for Devon ! Also Spoonbill, Russian White Fronted Goose, Whimbrel, Swallows,Sedge W

Bonapartes Gull - Blaxton Meadow - possibly the first one actually seen on Blaxton Meadow - great find by @stuart17.bsky.social and 38 years ago to the month that Dick Filby found Devon’s first modern day bird alongside the Ross’s Gull

Bonapartes Gull still Blaxton Meadow 930am and showing well from Viewing area by hide

Bonapartes Gull still 905am Blaxton Meadow on the River Plym - (flew in 845am)- my first in Plymouth for 30 years- in the late 80’s/early 90’s Richard White, Mush, @westcoastbirds.bsky.social @debalmer.bsky.social use to find these for fun!

c25 Sand Martins at Bowling Green Marsh at c1pm low over the water in front of the hide - my earliest Sand Martins ever !

Took 2 attempts but the Ross’s Gull showed brilliantly flying around the harbour at Newlyn for c10 mins at 315pm-I believe the longest staying one in Cornwall by a day so glad it hung on today-my 8th Ross’s & 3rd in Cornwall- also now makes up for missing the 89 bird at Newlyn-happy days

Lesser Yellowlegs Truro on river behind Tesco 1125am

Drake Scaup still on Long Rock Pool, Marazion this morning

Lesser Yellowlegs still c11am Truro on river behind Tesco - near junction of rivers by Blewetts Wharf and showing well

As I was passing through Plymouth - stopped in at Saltram and the free flying - fully winged- Unringed - highly mobile female Red-Crested Pochard still on Cart Pond- now for its 10th year!

The female Brambling that was refound at Broadsands 4 days ago still this morning in fields behind beach at northern end with Chaffinch and Linnet flock but very elusive

35+ Mandarins (25+ males , 10+ females)- Queens Marsh Dartington this afternoon - the biggest flock I have ever seen in Devon - also a Green Sandpiper

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!

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

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

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

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!

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)