Shiphay Birder
@shiphaybirder.bsky.social
South Devon. Trying to keep it relatively local.
South Devon's #DesertWheatear hunkered down in gorse on a clifftop at #BolberryDown yesterday. By 1.00pm it had dried out a little in the strong wind. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #RareBirdUK
December 8, 2025 at 8:36 PM
South Devon's #DesertWheatear hunkered down in gorse on a clifftop at #BolberryDown yesterday. By 1.00pm it had dried out a little in the strong wind. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #RareBirdUK
The male #DesertWheatear in challenging conditions at South Devon's #BolberryDown this lunchtime. Many thanks to the finders, relocators, and local birders on site today. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @birdtrack.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social
December 7, 2025 at 5:41 PM
The male #DesertWheatear in challenging conditions at South Devon's #BolberryDown this lunchtime. Many thanks to the finders, relocators, and local birders on site today. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @birdtrack.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social
Hope's Nose/Thatcher Point, Torquay, Devon this AM. Very pleased to find 2 #VelvetScoters together (a good species for N Tor Bay!) near the oyster beds. Nearby, 25+ Comm Sco, 14 GNDs, Purp Sand, Ad & 2w Med Gulls, 25+ Comm Gulls, Harb Porp. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
December 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Hope's Nose/Thatcher Point, Torquay, Devon this AM. Very pleased to find 2 #VelvetScoters together (a good species for N Tor Bay!) near the oyster beds. Nearby, 25+ Comm Sco, 14 GNDs, Purp Sand, Ad & 2w Med Gulls, 25+ Comm Gulls, Harb Porp. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
Cockwood Steps, Exe Estuary, Devon this PM. Lucky to be able to go midweek and see the #LesserCrestedTern fishing and perched on a buoy towards #DawlishWarren. Thanks to the finder, my Dad, and Mike P. @warrenbirding.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #UKBirding #DevonBirds
December 3, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Cockwood Steps, Exe Estuary, Devon this PM. Lucky to be able to go midweek and see the #LesserCrestedTern fishing and perched on a buoy towards #DawlishWarren. Thanks to the finder, my Dad, and Mike P. @warrenbirding.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social #UKBirding #DevonBirds
I 1st saw this #VelvetScoter from Hope's Nose, S Devon. It showed better from nearby Thatcher Point late morning. It then flew off strongly SW into the bay. I then found a 2nd bird close to the oyster beds. A good bird for the site 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @backwardbirder.bsky.social
November 29, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I 1st saw this #VelvetScoter from Hope's Nose, S Devon. It showed better from nearby Thatcher Point late morning. It then flew off strongly SW into the bay. I then found a 2nd bird close to the oyster beds. A good bird for the site 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @backwardbirder.bsky.social
Dawlish Warren, Devon. 13.00. Good to catch up with the 5 #VelvetScoters loafing on the sea NE of Langstone Rock. Just the 2nd time I've seen this species this year. They spent much of their time separate from the larger Common Scoter flock nearby. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @warrenbirding.bsky.social
November 23, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Dawlish Warren, Devon. 13.00. Good to catch up with the 5 #VelvetScoters loafing on the sea NE of Langstone Rock. Just the 2nd time I've seen this species this year. They spent much of their time separate from the larger Common Scoter flock nearby. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @warrenbirding.bsky.social
Beesands Ley, S Devon. 12.20. Super views of this drake #RingNeckedDuck. 'The Baron of Beesands' likely returned for another winter. A G W Egret glided past to provide a nice backdrop too 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social
November 22, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Beesands Ley, S Devon. 12.20. Super views of this drake #RingNeckedDuck. 'The Baron of Beesands' likely returned for another winter. A G W Egret glided past to provide a nice backdrop too 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @birdguides.bsky.social @rarebirder.bsky.social
Slapton Ley, Devon. 11.35. It took a bit of finding in the rain, but I was pleased to locate the Greenland #WhiteFrontedGoose. It was high on a hillside to the W of the Ley, N of Stokeley Bay with Canada Geese. A good bird for the area. 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
November 22, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Slapton Ley, Devon. 11.35. It took a bit of finding in the rain, but I was pleased to locate the Greenland #WhiteFrontedGoose. It was high on a hillside to the W of the Ley, N of Stokeley Bay with Canada Geese. A good bird for the area. 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
An unexpected encounter with this #Garganey at Devon's #BowlingGreenMarsh this morning. It showed well for a couple of minutes before vanishing. Great pick up by @mrianb.bsky.social 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
November 9, 2025 at 7:06 PM
An unexpected encounter with this #Garganey at Devon's #BowlingGreenMarsh this morning. It showed well for a couple of minutes before vanishing. Great pick up by @mrianb.bsky.social 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
Hope's Nose, S Devon this AM. Great to find just my second site #DartfordWarbler on the lower slope. This probable immature was vocal and showed well several times between Sandy Point and the Quarry. A rare bird there. Glad Mike P & @backwardbirder.bsky.social saw it. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
November 8, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Hope's Nose, S Devon this AM. Great to find just my second site #DartfordWarbler on the lower slope. This probable immature was vocal and showed well several times between Sandy Point and the Quarry. A rare bird there. Glad Mike P & @backwardbirder.bsky.social saw it. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
Hope's Nose, S Devon this afternoon. Pleased to find the site's first #BlackRedstart of the 🍂 autumn on the south side boulders. Typically distant views there of this imm/fem in ☀️ sunny but 🍃 windy conditions. Always an autumnal highlight 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding #BirdMigration
November 2, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Hope's Nose, S Devon this afternoon. Pleased to find the site's first #BlackRedstart of the 🍂 autumn on the south side boulders. Typically distant views there of this imm/fem in ☀️ sunny but 🍃 windy conditions. Always an autumnal highlight 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding #BirdMigration
Shiphay, Torquay, Devon. 11.20. Brilliant 5 mins in the back garden 🏡with the first, long-overdue #Firecrest foraging in the olives, acer, and honeysuckle. Better followed when I looked up to see a wheezing, flyover Brambling heading NE! 2 firsts from home 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
October 29, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Shiphay, Torquay, Devon. 11.20. Brilliant 5 mins in the back garden 🏡with the first, long-overdue #Firecrest foraging in the olives, acer, and honeysuckle. Better followed when I looked up to see a wheezing, flyover Brambling heading NE! 2 firsts from home 👍. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
Migrant #RingOuzels were still passing through Devon's #Dartmoor this morning. A nice mixture of immatures and adults, with 7 birds seen in blustery conditions. #MountainBlackbird #DevonBirds #UKBirding #BirdMigration
October 28, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Migrant #RingOuzels were still passing through Devon's #Dartmoor this morning. A nice mixture of immatures and adults, with 7 birds seen in blustery conditions. #MountainBlackbird #DevonBirds #UKBirding #BirdMigration
Call me old-fashioned but I still think seeing 3 #Spoonbills together in South Devon has something of a wow factor about it.👍. At #PassageHouse #TeignEstuary this morning. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Call me old-fashioned but I still think seeing 3 #Spoonbills together in South Devon has something of a wow factor about it.👍. At #PassageHouse #TeignEstuary this morning. #DevonBirds #UKBirding @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
This clip of today's #Brambling at Devon's, Hope's Nose, has the bird give the distinctive nasal 'wheeze' call. A sound often associated with coastal flyovers. It was this that alerted me to its presence on the headland's extremity this morning. #DevonBirds #UKBirding #BirdMigration
October 23, 2025 at 6:47 PM
This clip of today's #Brambling at Devon's, Hope's Nose, has the bird give the distinctive nasal 'wheeze' call. A sound often associated with coastal flyovers. It was this that alerted me to its presence on the headland's extremity this morning. #DevonBirds #UKBirding #BirdMigration
A male #Brambling in this morning's sunshine ☀️, on the rocks below the Point at S Devon's, Hope's Nose. Likely in off the sea and recently arrived from Fennoscandia or Russia. A scarce bird for the site. #Migration #DevonBirds #UKBirding
October 23, 2025 at 1:03 PM
A male #Brambling in this morning's sunshine ☀️, on the rocks below the Point at S Devon's, Hope's Nose. Likely in off the sea and recently arrived from Fennoscandia or Russia. A scarce bird for the site. #Migration #DevonBirds #UKBirding
An amazing morning watching passage #RingOuzels on Devon's #Dartmoor today. This adult was one of at least a dozen individuals seen. It won't be long until they are on wintering grounds in S Spain and N Africa. Stunning birds. #DevonBirds #UKBirding
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
An amazing morning watching passage #RingOuzels on Devon's #Dartmoor today. This adult was one of at least a dozen individuals seen. It won't be long until they are on wintering grounds in S Spain and N Africa. Stunning birds. #DevonBirds #UKBirding