Mark Bailey
@markrabailey.bsky.social
Lifelong birder- South Devon
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
January 21, 2026 at 6:38 PM
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
January 20, 2026 at 9:29 AM
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
January 18, 2026 at 1:10 PM
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
January 17, 2026 at 10:37 AM
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
January 16, 2026 at 11:21 AM
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
January 16, 2026 at 11:21 AM
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
January 12, 2026 at 11:38 AM
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
January 11, 2026 at 10:04 AM
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
January 10, 2026 at 10:43 AM
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
January 6, 2026 at 4:12 PM
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
January 6, 2026 at 4:11 PM
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
January 6, 2026 at 4:09 PM
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
January 5, 2026 at 4:54 PM
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
January 5, 2026 at 4:53 PM
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
January 5, 2026 at 4:52 PM
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
January 3, 2026 at 2:10 PM
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
January 2, 2026 at 1:34 PM
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!
January 2, 2026 at 1:34 PM
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)
December 31, 2025 at 1:00 PM
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)
31 Russian White Fronted Geese South Huish - by far the largest flock I have ever seen in Devon - seen on both the grass fields to the south of the marsh and on the front pool by the car park
December 30, 2025 at 10:54 AM
31 Russian White Fronted Geese South Huish - by far the largest flock I have ever seen in Devon - seen on both the grass fields to the south of the marsh and on the front pool by the car park
The drake Green Winged Teal at South Huish Marsh on both the pool by the overflow car park and the main pool
December 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM
The drake Green Winged Teal at South Huish Marsh on both the pool by the overflow car park and the main pool
A fantastic morning at South Huish-the drake Green Winged Teal showing well, 31 Russian White Fronted Geese,the Greenland WFG with the Canada Goose flock,2 Brent Geese & 7 Med Gulls- maybe the first time in Devon that both races of WFG have been at the same site at the same time
December 30, 2025 at 10:50 AM
A fantastic morning at South Huish-the drake Green Winged Teal showing well, 31 Russian White Fronted Geese,the Greenland WFG with the Canada Goose flock,2 Brent Geese & 7 Med Gulls- maybe the first time in Devon that both races of WFG have been at the same site at the same time
Yellow browed warbler still showing very well 11am Newton abbot south of B&Q roundabout along river by mobile phone mast
December 29, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Yellow browed warbler still showing very well 11am Newton abbot south of B&Q roundabout along river by mobile phone mast
3 Velvet Scoters still 10am Torquay by the mussel pots south of Thatcher Rock viewable from either the road or Thatcher point
December 29, 2025 at 10:08 AM
3 Velvet Scoters still 10am Torquay by the mussel pots south of Thatcher Rock viewable from either the road or Thatcher point
The male Desert Wheatear still at the west end of Bolberry Down at c1pm showing well around it’s favoured gorse bush - walk c1 mile west of car park and go through gate at far end
December 7, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The male Desert Wheatear still at the west end of Bolberry Down at c1pm showing well around it’s favoured gorse bush - walk c1 mile west of car park and go through gate at far end