And relax...#westernreefheron

Long session at Ashclyst this morning with 34 bird, 4 mammal and 8 butterfly species.

Finally found a Tree Pipit at Ashclyst after 4 years of birding there. My 60th species for that site 😀.

"Desolation" continues to do well and is flapping its wings now.

Had my very own springwatch happening outside my office window these past weeks. Looks like my Carrion Crow chick nicknamed "desolation" 🤣will soon be ready to fledge.

Always a pleasure to see one of these beauties. Fast becoming my all time favourite UK bird.

Three Red Kites in Mid Devon in about the last week or so. There must be a big movement for them to even appear in my birding desert 🤣.

A solid 28 species at Ashclyst mid morning with Red Kite being a new tick for my survey area 🙂. Takes me up to 50 species for the year there and only missing one species someone else has seen there.

A stunning morning at Ashclyst, with just the normal species, but great to see the Crossbill are still hanging in there, with 4 seen today.

Not a bad (but not my very best) visit to the Blackdowns on a very chilly early morning visit - 3 Garden Warblers and a Tree Pipit 😀.

Not so much about the birds at Ashclyst today with 2 Bank Voles and a Weasel seen, along with the masses of Grey Squirrels.

Grafting Ashclyst again today. Mid Devon is hard work compared to North and South Devon but managed to eventually find 3 Crossbills there today - my first of the spring 🙂.

30 species on a Ashclyst Forest survey this morning, including this Tawny which was being kept awake by the Blackbirds and two Mistle Thrush dive bombing it continually. Two new patch ticks there this week 💪 with Grey Heron flying over two days ago and a Common Whitethroat today.

2nd lifer of the year for me with Lesser Kestrel today, which was unexpected 😀.

My first Garden Warblers of the year in the Blackdowns on the way home from a gliding experience for the other half

A nice half day trip out of Mid Devon this morning to meet up with my good friends @birdssophie.bsky.social and @34fgsg.bsky.social to see a few Dartmoor specialities 😀.

Went to Winterbourne Down today but dipped Gregory and the Lesser Sported Leprechaun

First spring visit to Ashclyst today. Plenty of Chiffchaffs around plus a few Blackcap and one Willow Warbler in sub song. The Highland Cattle are a forest tick for me 🤣

A Mad Devon Birder and Mid Devon Birder meet up on a chilly but beautiful morning. No migrant birds, but you can't score ticks all the time and it didn't matter with plenty of other things to see including Hares and the stunning views.

Bonaparte's finally on my Devon list today at Saltram after dipping it yesterday when it decided to take a day trip to South Huish.

Experienced my second dip of the year. Wonder what my third will be.....?🤔

My third attempt at a Hooded Merganser Will it be accepted? I asked it if it was wild and it replied that it was 🤣. #wishfulthinking #youneverknow

After a fraught couple of days of not being able to go to the Killdeer finally managed to go today phew!! Grackle added as a bonus world tick.

Still can't get over how "little" they really are.

First visit to Ashclyst Forest for the year. Virtually no Siskin or Redpoll to be found but a couple of Crossbills, some Marsh Tits and several Nuthatches making their presence known.

New year new list and a big multi site day from dawn till dusk with @birdssophie.bsky.social @34fgsg.bsky.social @southdevonbirds.bsky.social and in the end with some glaring omissions I managed 84 species. Going to have a lie in tomorrow 🤣.

Well, that's it for this year's birding. My total based on full BOU species only, not including released birds, finished on 239. 15 were new for me in Devon with 2 of those being lifers. It could have been higher if I'd chased around more but I relaxed mid year for some reason 🤣.

Goose fest at Bowling Green Marsh today.

Added a few species to my newly formed 2025 Devon year list in the past couple of days including Slavonian Grebe. Now on 196 but with just a day left there is no chance I can get to 200 so am just relaxing 🤣 #shouldhavestartedearlier

After dodging around the yummy mummies and charging Tesla's in the Darts Farm Car park a quick brisk walk and I joined the Russian White Fronted Geese party.🎉🥳🤣

Two Black-Necked Grebes briefly at Cheddar Reservoir this morning and then just one, which showed nicely.

I was out of County a long way away when it came up but I just got back in time to see it #lessercrestedtern

Lesser Whitethroat (and a Black Redstart) near Seaton Bowling Green this morning with @leonwr.bsky.social

Nice to get my second Black Redstart in two years in Mid Devon. First one was at a Catholic Church and this one at a Protestant Church 🤣.

Our birdwatching in Extremadura video is live! Our first birdwatching trip abroad and what a time to remember! youtu.be/g4ntM_NxR88 #birds

Incredible pics of the Pallid Swifts at Dawlish Warren today by Luke H shared with his permission

Pallid Swift is a bird I have wanted to see in the UK for many years and today was the day with two over Dawlish Warren. Thanks to @markrabailey.bsky.social for the updates. This is the first lifer I have had in Devon for over 11 years, so, very chuffed 😃.

Peregrine wearing its best trousers to church and tucking into its delicious fresh breakfast.

I made the annual pilgrimage to Emsworthy Mire for migrating Ring Ouzel this afternoon and saw 5 in challenging conditions 🌧️😱.

Did my first ever guided bird watch today for two ladies at Ashclyst. Was a bit nervous but they loved it and really enjoyed seeing Nuthatch for the first time 😀.

Week 42 of my 2025 200 bird year. Now at 228 after a couple of trips Scilly. Will I reach 230? Can I be bothered? There are a few obvious species that I could chase after.....🤔🤣

Hello Scilly again - didn't think I'd be back again so soon but it had to be done #scillybirds

A farewell to Scilly yesterday. We won't be back next year due to other holiday commitments but may be back the year after.

Scilly Day 6:- Bit of a grey old day. Don't mention the Mourning Dove again 😥. Consolation birds were Turtle Dove and Red-breasted Flycatcher.

Scilly Day 5:- T-Shirt weather again. Don't mention the Mourning Dove 😥. Best bird for me today was Common Rosefinch.

Scilly Day 4:- Another fine day. This time spent on St Agnes. Hoopoe, Spotted Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail and Curlew Sandpiper. #scillybirds

Scilly Day 3:- A beautiful sunny day with the wind gradually easing. Paid homage to the Wilson's Phalarope again. Also Yellow-Browed Warbler and American Pipit. #scillybirding

Scilly Day 2:- Very blowy and therefore challenging but not a bad day with Short-Eared Owl, Glossy Ibis, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, Pied Flycatcher and Rosy Starling. #scillybirding

Scilly Day 1:- A bit blowy and rainy, so only managed to catch up with the Wilson's Phalarope, but what a bird. #scillybirds

Early afternoon sea watch off Otterton with @leonwr.bsky.social gave us lots of Sarnies and 2-3 Arctic Skuas then a dash back down the M5 for the Baird's at LORP this evening.