Mark Bailey
@markrabailey.bsky.social
Lifelong birder- South Devon
Incredible pics of the Pallid Swifts at Dawlish Warren today by Luke H shared with his permission
November 7, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Incredible pics of the Pallid Swifts at Dawlish Warren today by Luke H shared with his permission
2 Pallid Swifts showing fantastically well over roof tops 1145am-1325pm at least at Dawlish Warren village at junction of Mount Pleasant Road and Warren Road - great find by James M- iPhone vid attached - others have great pics
November 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
2 Pallid Swifts showing fantastically well over roof tops 1145am-1325pm at least at Dawlish Warren village at junction of Mount Pleasant Road and Warren Road - great find by James M- iPhone vid attached - others have great pics
Snow Bunting still 320pm at least on the beach at Dawlish Warren between groynes 10 and 11 and showing very well
November 5, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Snow Bunting still 320pm at least on the beach at Dawlish Warren between groynes 10 and 11 and showing very well
5 Ring Ouzels eventually found on Dartmoor this morning plus c12 Fieldfare, 4 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Blackbird and 2 Reed Buntings
October 24, 2025 at 9:31 AM
5 Ring Ouzels eventually found on Dartmoor this morning plus c12 Fieldfare, 4 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, 3 Blackbird and 2 Reed Buntings
Happy 40th anniversary to “Cuckoo day” on St Mary’s - 12/10/85- one of the most famous days in birding history - pics YBC- D Cotteridge and BBC - P Wheeler (plus Parula, Yellow-Rumped W, RB Grosbeak etc etc)
October 12, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Happy 40th anniversary to “Cuckoo day” on St Mary’s - 12/10/85- one of the most famous days in birding history - pics YBC- D Cotteridge and BBC - P Wheeler (plus Parula, Yellow-Rumped W, RB Grosbeak etc etc)
The Spotted Sand still at St Warna’s Cove , St Agnes this afternoon and showing well
October 11, 2025 at 7:33 PM
The Spotted Sand still at St Warna’s Cove , St Agnes this afternoon and showing well
The Buff Bellied Pipit showing very well on St Agnes this afternoon at the end of Barnaby Lane
October 11, 2025 at 7:32 PM
The Buff Bellied Pipit showing very well on St Agnes this afternoon at the end of Barnaby Lane
The Hoopoe on Periglis Beach St Agnes showing well this afternoon
October 11, 2025 at 7:31 PM
The Hoopoe on Periglis Beach St Agnes showing well this afternoon
The Mourning Dove still on St Agnes this afternoon on continual view and showing well
October 11, 2025 at 7:30 PM
The Mourning Dove still on St Agnes this afternoon on continual view and showing well
Firecrest in the garden late afternoon - Torquay- phone pics only
October 6, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Firecrest in the garden late afternoon - Torquay- phone pics only
Spoonbill still 315pm on the River Teign from Passage House Inn car park and showing well
October 4, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Spoonbill still 315pm on the River Teign from Passage House Inn car park and showing well
Pec Sand at Bowling Green Marsh from Hide mid afternoon and showing well on edge of main lake- found early afternoon by @backwardbirder.bsky.social
September 28, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Pec Sand at Bowling Green Marsh from Hide mid afternoon and showing well on edge of main lake- found early afternoon by @backwardbirder.bsky.social
A non birding holiday in Ibiza for the last week but still saw 4 Balearic Warblers,2 Med flys,Z Cisticola, BRThrush, c300Flamingo,2 Hoopoe,Stone Curlew, c25Audoiuns Gulls(4 sites),Eleonoras Falcon,Turtle Dove,Many Sards, c100 BN Grebes,Nightingale heard, 3YellowW-huge thanks to @sferguk.bsky.social
September 27, 2025 at 4:15 PM
A non birding holiday in Ibiza for the last week but still saw 4 Balearic Warblers,2 Med flys,Z Cisticola, BRThrush, c300Flamingo,2 Hoopoe,Stone Curlew, c25Audoiuns Gulls(4 sites),Eleonoras Falcon,Turtle Dove,Many Sards, c100 BN Grebes,Nightingale heard, 3YellowW-huge thanks to @sferguk.bsky.social
Berry Head 720am-930am- very quiet with hardly any seabirds moving - 5 Balearic Shears, 1 Manx, 2 Sandwich Terns, c400 Kittiwakes plus 2 Atlantic BF Tuna- also Grey Wagtail and Common Sand
September 17, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Berry Head 720am-930am- very quiet with hardly any seabirds moving - 5 Balearic Shears, 1 Manx, 2 Sandwich Terns, c400 Kittiwakes plus 2 Atlantic BF Tuna- also Grey Wagtail and Common Sand
An afternoon dog walk found me at Countess Weir and the ridiculously confiding 4 Glossy Ibis still c5pm on the flooded pools right next to the footpath - c100-200 yards north of the car park/bridge
September 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM
An afternoon dog walk found me at Countess Weir and the ridiculously confiding 4 Glossy Ibis still c5pm on the flooded pools right next to the footpath - c100-200 yards north of the car park/bridge
Dawlish Warren this morning - c150 Common Terns, c100 Sandwich Terns, 6 Knot, 10 Bar Tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, c70 Dunlin, 14 Wigeon, 2 Med Gulls, Peregrine over the bight, 31 Mute Swans and 2 Wheatears
September 8, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Dawlish Warren this morning - c150 Common Terns, c100 Sandwich Terns, 6 Knot, 10 Bar Tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, c70 Dunlin, 14 Wigeon, 2 Med Gulls, Peregrine over the bight, 31 Mute Swans and 2 Wheatears
The juv Rose Coloured Starling still Wembury Mewstone Avenue/Brownhill Lane 815-830am with Starling Flock and showing well in dead tree- this is the 22nd Rose Coloured Starling I’ve seen in Devon and interestingly exactly half have been juvs and half summer birds
September 2, 2025 at 7:38 AM
The juv Rose Coloured Starling still Wembury Mewstone Avenue/Brownhill Lane 815-830am with Starling Flock and showing well in dead tree- this is the 22nd Rose Coloured Starling I’ve seen in Devon and interestingly exactly half have been juvs and half summer birds
The Grey Phalarope still 315pm at least at the back of the pool at South Huish Marsh going backwards and forwards in front of the far reeds- The first Grey Phal I have ever seen in August in Devon ! And the third one I have seen at South Huish in recent years
August 31, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The Grey Phalarope still 315pm at least at the back of the pool at South Huish Marsh going backwards and forwards in front of the far reeds- The first Grey Phal I have ever seen in August in Devon ! And the third one I have seen at South Huish in recent years
Berry Head-1250pm-4pm-an exciting afternoon with 11 Great Shears(day total 13) and 2 Corys Shears (day total 3)- most relatively close in - also c6Balearic Shears, 2 Arctic Skua, Common Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns with @clennonvalley.bsky.social @exmoorbirder.bsky.social @jacob-wood.bsky.social
August 30, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Berry Head-1250pm-4pm-an exciting afternoon with 11 Great Shears(day total 13) and 2 Corys Shears (day total 3)- most relatively close in - also c6Balearic Shears, 2 Arctic Skua, Common Tern, 2 Sandwich Terns with @clennonvalley.bsky.social @exmoorbirder.bsky.social @jacob-wood.bsky.social
Glossy ibis-Powderham Marsh mid am then flushed by a train at 1018am & flew over railway line & landed on/near lagoon on Exminster Marsh-it was only 2002 when the famous River Otter bird was there- this is now my 71st Glossy Ibis in Devon since & I’ve enjoyed seeing every one!
August 29, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Glossy ibis-Powderham Marsh mid am then flushed by a train at 1018am & flew over railway line & landed on/near lagoon on Exminster Marsh-it was only 2002 when the famous River Otter bird was there- this is now my 71st Glossy Ibis in Devon since & I’ve enjoyed seeing every one!
Juv Curlew Sand at Bowling Green Marsh on the high tide roost this morning - also 2 Knot, Whimbrel ,Green Sand ,Common Sand, sev Bar T Godwits - nearby at Powderham Marsh - 6 Ruff and 1+ Yellow Wagatail plus a mixed flock of c40 Dunlin/Ringed Plover
August 28, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Juv Curlew Sand at Bowling Green Marsh on the high tide roost this morning - also 2 Knot, Whimbrel ,Green Sand ,Common Sand, sev Bar T Godwits - nearby at Powderham Marsh - 6 Ruff and 1+ Yellow Wagatail plus a mixed flock of c40 Dunlin/Ringed Plover
The most confiding and approachable Wryneck that I can ever remember in Devon still showing well at the Turf Hotel mid afternoon on the grass and path by the lock gates - My first one for 11 years!!! Nearby at Powderham Marsh - 3 Wood Sands, 3 Little Stints, 5 Ruff, Green Sand
August 27, 2025 at 4:32 PM
The most confiding and approachable Wryneck that I can ever remember in Devon still showing well at the Turf Hotel mid afternoon on the grass and path by the lock gates - My first one for 11 years!!! Nearby at Powderham Marsh - 3 Wood Sands, 3 Little Stints, 5 Ruff, Green Sand
Berry Head-7-1130am-a better than expected seawatch-2 Sooty Shears,3 Black Terns,Little Gull, 6 Arctic Skua,c300 ComTerns, c100 Balearics, c100 Manx,c30 Sandwich Terns,c20 Common Dolphins, (Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Painted Lady on walk back up) with @clennonvalley.bsky.social @exmoorbirder.bsky.social
August 27, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Berry Head-7-1130am-a better than expected seawatch-2 Sooty Shears,3 Black Terns,Little Gull, 6 Arctic Skua,c300 ComTerns, c100 Balearics, c100 Manx,c30 Sandwich Terns,c20 Common Dolphins, (Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Painted Lady on walk back up) with @clennonvalley.bsky.social @exmoorbirder.bsky.social
Early morning dash to Black Hole Marsh- the fantastic juv Marsh Sandpiper showing well till 835am at least from Island Hide (only the 4th for Devon and first for 17 years and only my 2nd in Devon)- great find by @seatonbirder.bsky.social also 2 Little Stints and a Ruff- wonder where it was yday?
August 22, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Early morning dash to Black Hole Marsh- the fantastic juv Marsh Sandpiper showing well till 835am at least from Island Hide (only the 4th for Devon and first for 17 years and only my 2nd in Devon)- great find by @seatonbirder.bsky.social also 2 Little Stints and a Ruff- wonder where it was yday?
Black Winged Kite still 633am sat on side of bush viewed from 100 yards north of Splatt Bridge then flew north -
August 21, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Black Winged Kite still 633am sat on side of bush viewed from 100 yards north of Splatt Bridge then flew north -