birds

Checklists of Exmoor's Wildlife

In 1996 ENHS produced The Flora and Fauna of Exmoor National Park listing 8243 species which had been recorded. (Now out of print). Since then there have been a number of additions published annually in Exmoor Naturalist magazine. The following lists show what we have recorded so far and it is hoped there will be future updates.

Algae	Amphibians	Beetles
Birds	Bryophytes	Diptera
Fish	Fleas	Fungi
Hymenoptera	Lepidoptera	Lichens
Mammals	Maritime	Other Creatures
Plants	Reptiles	Spiders

Birds
Alpine Swift	Apus melba	Vagrant. Just 3 records 1954 - 1980
American Bittern	Botaurus lentiginosus	One record of an immature shot on Earl Fortescue's moorland near Parracombe in Oct 1875.
American Wigeon	Anas americana	Vagrant. Male Wimbleball winters 1987 and 1988.
Arctic Skua	Stercorarius parasiticus	Autumn passage visitor to coastal waters.
Arctic Tern	Sterna paradisaea	Fairly frequent on autumn passage but less so than Common Tern.
Avocet	Recurvirostra avosetta	Vagrant. Records include 8 Porlock Bay 1987.
Baillon's Crake	Porzana pusilla	A single record of one at Minehead in Nov. 1912.
Baird's Sandpiper	Calidris bairdii	Vagrant. One Porlock Marsh 1973 and possibly 1979.
Bar-headed Goose	Anser indicus	One regularly seen with Canada Geese at Minehead/Dunster Marshes 1989-1992.
Bar-tailed Godwit	Limosa lapponica	Spring and autumn passage migrant. Occasional in winter.
Barn Owl	Tyto alba	Resident. Now very scarce with only a few breeding pairs.
Barnacle Goose	Branta leucopsis	Winter visitor. A few most years with Canada flocks.
Barred Warbler	Sylvia nisoria	Vagrant. One record of an immature male at Porlock Marsh 1969. A 1st for Somerset.
Bean Goose	Anser fabalis	Vagrant. Occasional records at Minehead or Porlock marshû1947 on. the most recent being 1 Porlock Marsh Mar-Apr 1973.
Bearded Tit	Panurus biarmicus	Vagrant. Winter visitor/passage migrant. First record was of 3 Porlock Marsh 1972, since when there have been a handful of records.
Bee-eater	Merops apiaster	One seen Porlock Hill 1997.
Bewick's Swan	Cygnus columbianus	Rare winter visitor to Minehead and Porlock Marshes. Highestû8 at Minehead March Feb. 1976.
Bittern	Botaurus stellaris	Rare winter visitor to coastal marshes. One photographed at Chetsford Bridge in 1989.
Black Grouse	Tetrao tetrix	umbers were decreasing in 18th cent. 4320 shot Holnicote and Winsford estates 1836-1906 and up to 40 shot in a day at Oare Manor estate. Palmer & Ballance (1968) stated "On Exmoor now restricted mainly to N.Trust property in N.E. where up to 13 at lek in 1965. A few may survive on Molland Common but now probably extinct on Winsford Hill & Culbone Hill. A (1964) estimate put the Exmoor stock at c45. Causes of decrease seem to be enclosure, disturbance, overburning and increase in predators after 1914. The last lek on the Moor was in 1972, last breeding record 1975 and last sighting was a female at Lucott Moor at dusk 29.7.1981.
Black Guillemot	Cepphus grylle	Vagrant. Only two records to date 1954 and 1991. Both Dunster Beach.
Black Redstart	Phoenicurus ochruros	Mainly autumn passage and winter visitor.
Black Swan	Cygnus atratus	Escape. 1 Porlock Marsh 1998.
Black Tern	Chlidonias niger	Rare passage visitor, mainly coastal but has been recorded at Wimbleball also.
Black-headed Bunting	Emberiza melanocephala	Exotic. 1 Bird Table Old Cleeve, Oct. 2000.
Black-headed Gull	Larus ridibundus	Winter visitor also present spring and summer.
Black-necked Grebe	Podiceps nigricollis	Rare winter visitor. Recorded 2 Porlock Marsh Feb 1985 and Wimbleball Apr 1995. (One Minehead claypits 1959 probably a stray passage bird; site now Butlins boating lake)
Black-tailed Godwit	Limosa limosa	Spring or Autumn passage migrant. Less frequent than Bar-tailed Godwit.
Black-throated Diver	Gavia arctica	Scarce winter visitor to coastal waters. 2 Wimbleball Feb.û1985.
Black-winged Stilt	Himantopus himantopus	One record of single bird Porlock Marsh 1960.
Blackbird	Turdus merula	Resident, nests.
Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla	Summer visitor with some over-wintering birds. Nests.
Blue Tit	Parus caeruleus	Resident, abundant and widespread. Nests, frequently in nest boxes.
Blue-headed Wagtail	Motacilla flava flava	Passage visitor, Recent records only from Porlock Marsh. Bred at Porlock Marsh 1951 and 1965.
Blue-winged Teal	Anas discors	Vagrant. North American. 1 Porlock Marsh 1981.
Brambling	Fringilla montifringilla	Winter visitor. Exceptional flocks of up to 600 have been seen c.Simonsbath but usually just a few in mixed flocks with chaffinches. Visits gardens. One summer report of a singing male at Culbone Woods 1956.
Brent Goose	Branta bernicla	Scarce winter visitor, usually dark bellied race but pale bellied forms occur very occasionally.
Bullfinch	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Resident
Buzzard	Buteo buteo	Resident, widespread and common. Nests. Although commonûagain now, numbers became very low during myxamatosis epidemic in rabbits, their staple diet.
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	Resident. Breeds Wimbleball and Minehead. Up to 400 in winter. Cackling Goose: single birds, probably escapes, occasionally with main flocks.
Carolina Wood Duck	Aix sponsa	One on Dunster Hawn 1987 for several months. One on R. Exe Brushford 1988. Possible female + 4 young R. Barle Castle Bridge 1988. Exotics.
Carrion crow	Corvus corone corone	Resident. Nests.
Cetti's Warbler	Cettia cetti	Very scarce but probably now resident and breeding
Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	Resident and winter visitor. Nests.
Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita	Summer visitor. Occasionally winters. Nests.
Chough	Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax	Bred occasionally on Exmoor cliffs until 1910. Since then just a few sightings, usually single birds offshore but 3 inland 1991.
Cirl Bunting	Emberiza cirlus	Previously a rare resident which bred Porlock Vale, Minehead and Combe Martin. May now be extinct on Exmoor.
Coal Tit	Parus ater	Resident. Nests.
Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Was breeding in Minehead by 1963 (D. Ballance). Now resident and common in towns and villages. Nests. Winter flocks of up to 50 have been seen.
Commic Tern	Sterna hirundo/paradisea	Due to difficulties in identification Common and Arctic Terns are often dealt with together under this name. Frequent on Autumn passage.
Common Gull	Larus canus	Passage and winter visitor to coasts and inland.
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	Regular spring/autumn passage visitor. Sometimes winters.
Common Scoter	Melanitta nigra	Passage and winter visitor to coastal waters. Recorded at Wimbleball 1983. Coastal numbers usually less than 10 although 30+ at Dunster Beach Aug. 1987.
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo	Regular spring and autumn passage visitor.
Coot	Fulica atra	Nests. Resident and winter visitor. Main winter refuge is Wimbleball lake.
Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	Nests. Resident and winter visiters. On coast and inland on reservoirs. Birds shot at Wimbleball included ringed ones from Solway Firth, the Dyfed Coast and Ulster.
Corn Bunting	Miliaria calandra	Used to be recorded on the Brendons and around Minehead, but the only record for many years is of a juvenile on Minehead Golf Links, Sept. 1989. Vagrant.
Corncrake	Crex crex	Rare passage visitor. One found dead at Porlock Oct 1982.
Cory's Shearwater	Calonectris diomedea	Rare vagrant. Off-shore records 1986 4 off Lynmouth, 1987 and 1994.
Crane	Grus grus	One shot at Watchet 1897; One Allerford 2002.
Cream-coloured Courser	Cursorius cursor	A single record of one Minehead Golf Links, 1941. This was the first Somerset Record.
Crossbill	Loxia curvirostra	Irregular visitor to conifer woods, probably now resident. Breeds occasionally.
Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus	Earliest date 15th March, Porlock 1938 (D.Ballance). Usually arrived mid April. Fairly common summer visitor with Meadow Pipit being the commonest host on the moors, also tree pipit. May have declined in recent years.
Curlew	Numenius arquata	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002: territories at Goosemoor Common, Exford Common, Wilmersham Common and one in N.D. Resident, passage and winter visitor. Up to 260 on beaches.
Curlew Sandpiper	Calidris ferruginea	Rare passage visitor to coast.
Dark-bellied Brent Goose	Branta bernicla bernicla	The commoner of the two races.
Dartford Warbler	Sylvia undata	In excess of 70 pairs/territories in 2002. A rare visitor to Exmoor to 1995 when it bred for first time.
Dipper	Cinclus cinclus	About 75 pairs estimated to be on Exmoor (1994). Resident of fast flowing streams and rivers. Nests.
Dotterel	Charadrius morinellus	Passage visitor, usually seen on the moors.
Dunlin	Calidris alpina	Regular winter and passage visitor to the coast. Rarely more than 200.
Dunnock	Prunella modularis	Resident. Nests.
Egyptian Goose	Alopochen aegyptiacus	Feral breeder at Wimbleball 1982-86. Commuted with Canadas between there and Dunster Marsh.
Eider	Somateria mollissima	Rare winter visitor to coastal waters.
Emperor Goose	Anser canagicus	Up to 5 seen with Canada Geese Dunster Marsh/Wimbleball 1987 - Exotics.
Feral Pigeon	Columba livia (feral)	Fairly common. Nests.
Ferruginous Duck	Aythya nyroca	Two published records, neither wholly satisfactory. One, Pinkworthy Pond 1943 has generally been accepted. Other Quantocks area.
Fieldfare	Turdus pilaris	Winter visitor.
Firecrest	Regulus ignicapillus	Winter visitor, usually recorded near the coast.
Fulmar	Fulmarus glacialis	Mainly spring/summer visitor. First bred Devon Exmoor 1958; and Somerset Exmoor 1981 when N.V. Allen recorded 2 pairs at Glenthorne. c400 nesting pairs between Lynmouth and Heddons Mouth in 1994. Also occur off coast out of breeding season following gales.
Gadwall	Anas strepera	Scarce winter visitor, Wimbleball/Dunster Beach.
Gannet	Sula bassana	Regularly seen offshore Apr - Sept. Outside this usually storm blown birds. Nearest gannetry S.W.Wales. Commoner some years presumably related to fish stocks, esp. mackerel.
Garden Warbler	Sylvia borin	1987 was a particularly good year for this sp. on Exmoor. Summer visitor, open woodland, thickets.
Garganey	Anas querquedula	Vagrant. An unusual Spring passage migrant which has nested in N. Somerset and S. Devon but not Exmoor.
Glaucous Gull	Larus hyperboreus	A small number of records of this vagrant gull.
Goldcrest	Regulus regulus	Resident. Nests. Favours conifer plantations. Hard hit in severe winters.
Golden Eagle	Aquila chrysaetos	Although not accepted as having ever been recorded on Exmoor, there are one or two early reports c1905 of birds having been seen.
Golden Oriole	Oriolus oriolus	Spring and summer passage visitor.
Golden Pheasant	Chrysolophus pictus	One nr Lynton 1942 (present some years); one adult male in Allerford Plantation Nov. 2001.
Golden Plover	Pluvialis apricaria	Winter, spring and autumn passage visitor. Flocks of 3-4 hundred may occur but much declined from the thousands which occurred at one time (e.g.6000 Minehead 1967). Probably bred on Exmoor in 1910 but not proven.
Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	Regular winter visitor to Wimbleball; occasional elsewhere.
Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis	Resident. Nests. Winter flocks of c50 occasionally seen.
Goosander	Mergus merganser	Rare resident. First bred Exmoor 1993. Regular winter visitor to Wimbleball, occasionally to Nutscale and the coast.
Goshawk	Accipiter gentilis	Rare resident. A few breeding season records since 1990.
Grasshopper Warbler	Locustella naevia	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 located 52 territories; ENHS records suggest a further ten males may have been present. This was an exceptionally good year. Summer visitor. Nests.
Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus	Nests. Resident and winter visitor. A few cliff-nesting pairs.
Great Crested Grebe	Podiceps cristatus	A winter visitor but more or less resident at Wimbleball Lake where it has bred since 1982. Otherwise most records are coastal.
Great Grey Shrike	Lanius excubitor	Irregular autumn and winter visitor, usually to moorland areas.
Great Northern Diver	Gavia immer	Offshore winter visitor
Great Shearwater	Puffinus gravis	Rare vagrant. 2 off Lynmouth Aug 1986. Only record to date.
Great Skua	Stercorarius skua	Autumn passage visitor. A few off-shore most years.
Great Snipe	Gallinago media	An old and unauthenticated record of one shot at Warren ridge in 1903. 4 shot nr Parracombe 1868 during an influx to the SW. A couple of other unauthenticated records.
Great Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos major	Nests. Resident. Breeds in all suitable woods. Visits garden peanut holders.
Great Tit	Parus major	Resident. Nests, occasionally in nest boxes.
Great White Egret	Egretta alba	One, Wimbleball Lake 7 - 12 Oct 2002. Record accepted by British Birds Rarities Committee. New Exmoor Record.
Greater Flamingo	Phoenicopterus ruber	Exotic. One flying west off Dunster Beach Sept 1969.
Green Sandpiper	Tringa ochropus	Regular, mainly autumn passage visitor to reservoirs and marshes.
Green Woodpecker	Picus viridis	Resident. Nests. Visits lawns.
Green-winged Teal	Anas crecca carolinensis	Porlock Marsh Dec. 1998. Oct. 1951. Vagrant.
Greenfinch	Carduelis chloris	Resident. Nests. Scarce on high moor but autum and winter flocks on stubble of c200 may be seen.
Greenland Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe leucorrhoa	Small numbers of this larger race of wheatear are seen on passage most years.
Greenland White-fronted Goose	Anser albifrons flavirostris	Single birds, Minehead Marsh Dec. 1952 & Mar 1995.
Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	Scarce but regular spring and autumn passage migrant.
Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea	About 25 breeding pairs at 5 heronries. Regularly seen along rivers and on coast at Dunster.
Grey Partridge	Perdix perdix	Resident, scarce. Some records may refer to hand-reared birds. Nests.
Grey Phalarope	Phalaropus fulicarius	Passage visitor to the coast. Occasionally storm blown.
Grey Plover	Pluvialis squatarola	Winter visitor. Small numbers Minehead and Dunster Beach.
Grey Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 est. 65 pairs. + (ENHS) c 30 other pairs at other sites. Resident and fairly common on streams and rivers. Nests.
Greylag Goose	Anser anser	Rare winter visitor. There is always doubt as to whether the birds are genuine wild birds or if from feral population on Chilton Moor. However timing (all in winter) suggests they could be genuine wild.
Guillemot	Uria aalge	About 500 nesting pairs Lynmouth to Heddons Mouth in 1994. Not uncommon passage and winter visitor off-shore.
Gull-billed Tern	Gelochelidon nilotica	The only Somerset record (to 2002) is a first winter bird at Dunster Beach Oct 1997.
Gyrfalcon	Falco rusticolus	Vagrant. One Foreland Point 1972. Greenland race.
Hawfinch	Coccothraustes coccothraustes	Very rare visitor to Exmoor. Onetime nested at Selworthy.
Hen Harrier	Circus cyaneus	Scarce but regular winter visitor to moorland areas.
Herring Gull	Larus argentatus	Nests. Resident. Notable decline in breeding population since early 1980s.
Hobby	Falco subbuteo	Scarce summer visitor, may breed occasionally.
Honey Buzzard	Pernis apivorus	Vagrant. Single birds 1990, 1994, 1995. Probably a regular if scarce summer visitor to the older wooded areas in the early part of the last century.
Hooded crow	Corvus corone cornix	Vagrant. Single birds recorded a few times since 1970.
Hoopoe	Upupa epops	Passage visitor, usually in spring. 14 records between 1956 and 1994.
House Martin	Delichon urbica	Summer visitor and passage migrant. Nests.
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	Resident. Nests around human habitations. Flocks in autumn/winter. Numbers may have decreased.
Iceland Gull	Larus glaucoides	Only a handful of records mainly in winter. Vagrant.
Icterine Warbler	Hippolais icterina	Vagrant. Two records to 1994 (Heddon Valley 1972 and Withypool 1975).
Isabelline Shrike	Lanius isabellinus	First Somerset record of this Asian species Minehead 1989. Attracted many visitors! Vagrant.
Jack Snipe	Lymnocryptes minimus	Winter visitor to freshwater marshes, lakes and pools.
Jackdaw	Corvus monedula	Resident. Nests on coastal cliffs, buildings, quarries and trees. Large flocks may be seen.
Jay	Garrulus glandarius	Common resident of wooded areas. Nests. Occasional large influxes from the continent such as 1983 when acorn crop failed in Europe due to knopper gall.
Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus	Resident and common. Nests.
Kingfisher	Alcedo atthis	Resident. Breeds on a few rivers. Frequent sightings by coast and reservoirs in winter.
Kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla	First Exmoor breeding record was 6 pairs Woody Bay cliffs in 1972. Increased up to 1984 with c200 pairs. Since then they have declined and no breeding records in 2002 but non breeding birds are still around.
Knot	Calidris canutus	Autumn passage visitor to beaches.
Lapland Bunting	Calcarius lapponicus	Passage visitor, usually to the coast.
Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus	Resident, nests, winter and passage visitor. Flocks up to 200 on lowland fields and a few pairs breed.
Laughing Gull	Larus atricilla	Vagrant. Recorded Bossington Beach Sep. 1980.
Leach's Petrel	Oceanodroma leucorhoa	Rare storm vagrant. 1 Porlock Bay May 1928. Only 2 records in Porlock Bay 1967 - 1994.
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Larus fuscus	Passage and winter visitor. Has bred on Devon cliffs.
Lesser Grey Shrike	Lanius minor	One record of one nr Exford on 8.4.1967.
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker	Dendrocopos minor	Resident. Nests in the larger deciduous woods.
Lesser Whitethroat	Sylvia curruca	Scarce summer visitor. Has bred in Porlock Vale but no recent breeding records. Singing males heard.
Linnet	Carduelis cannabina	Resident. Usually near the coast. Nests. Winter flocks of up to 50 frequent but sometimes several hundred.
Little Auk	Alle alle	Rare storm vagrant.
Little Bunting	Emberiza pusilla	Bossington Beach Nov. 1997 Porlock Marsh 2001. Passage migrant.
Little Egret	Egretta garzetta	First noted by A.E.Coles on 12.5.79 on Porlock Marsh where it remained until 14th when it was observed from 6 - 8pm by Noel Allen. It walked across pool but only once seen to swallow something. It is now regularly seen in the area.
Little Grebe	Tachybaptus ruficollis	Winter visitor to reservoirs, coast and ponds. Has bred in the past.
Little Gull	Larus minutus	Rare passage visitor, recorded most years. but probably under recorded.
Little Owl	Athene noctua	Following the introduction of this species into the Midlands, it reached Dunster in 1914 and Dulverton in 1917. Now very scarce. Has nested.
Little Ringed Plover	Charadrius dubius	Rare passage visitor. Coast and Wimbleball.
Little Stint	Calidris minuta	Autumn passage visitor
Little Tern	Sterna albifrons	A few turn up most years on autumn passage.
Long-billed Dowitcher	Limnodromus scolopaceus	Vagrant. One record, Porlock Marsh 1973.
Long-eared Owl	Asio otus	Vagrant. Has bred in the past and in 1996.
Long-tailed Duck	Clangula hyemalis	Vagrant. One Nutscale March 1995.
Long-tailed Skua	Stercorarius longicaudus	Vagrant. Recorded autumn 1991, 1993, 1994.
Long-tailed Tit	Aegithalos caudatus	Resident. Visits gardens. Nests.
Magpie	Pica pica	Resident. Common. Numbers increased in some areas such as Minehead 1950s on but seem to have peaked. Some culling takes place, usually by individuals. There is controversy over the toll they take on small birds.
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Resident and winter visitor. Nests. Widespread.
Mallard hybrid	Anas platyrhynchos x	Many between Minehead and Dunster Beach in 1980s and 1990s originating from crosses with ducks at Butlins Holiday Camp. Most have now been eliminated.
Mandarin	Aix galericulata	Vagrant or feral resident. Origin on Exmoor uncertain.
Manx Shearwater	Puffinus puffinus	Passage visitor. Feeding parties in coastal waters, spring to autumn. Breeds in Wales. 1225 counted flying up channel off Porlock Bay 1988. P.yelkouan mauretanicus MEDITERRANEAN SHEARWATER. Vagrant. Race of Manx S. breeding in Mediterranean and recently split from P. puffinus. One off Minehead 1994 and 1996. Later works record this as BALEARIC SHEARWATER P. mauretanicus. V.Rare passage migrant.
Marsh Harrier	Circus aeruginosus	Rare passage migrant usually to coastal areas.
Marsh Tit	Parus palustris	Resident. Nests.
Marsh Warbler	Acrocephalus palustris	Pair Minehead Claypits (now Butlins lake) summer 1929. One or 2 pairs bred there 1947-1961.
Meadow Pipit	Anthus pratensis	Exmoor Moorland Survey 2002. Population estimate of 2640 pairs, the most common & widespread species on the moor. Common resident, passage, and winter visitor. Nests. Chief host of cuckoo.
Mediterranean Gull	Larus melanocephalus	Passage and winter visitor now recorded annually. First Somerset record was December 1956 at Dunster Beach.
Merlin	Falco columbarius	Resident but scarce with only a few breeding pairs.
Mistle Thrush	Turdus viscivorus	Resident. nests.
Montagu's Harrier	Circus pygargus	Rare passage migrant. There are 4 breeding records for Exmoor, all before 1920.
Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus	Nests. Resident and local around reservoirs and ponds.
Mute Swan	Cygnus olor	Resident. Minehead/Dunster Marshes where it breeds and has bred at Porlock Marsh. Cases of cygnets not reaching maturity for various causes. Very rare at Wimbleball.
Nightingale	Luscinia megarhynchos	Passage visitor. Nests on outskirts of ENP. Bred at Bossington up to c1940.
Nightjar	Caprimulgus europaeus	Survey by D.K.Ballance 2002 located c52 churring males. Breeds at about five main sites. Summer visitor.
North Scandinavian race Lesser Black-Backed Gull	Larus fuscus fuscus	Vagrant. An old record of c30 off Glenthorne 1950s otherwise very rare.
Nutcracker	Nucifraga caryocatactes	Vagrant. One West Luccombe 1985 and about 3 previous records.
Nuthatch	Sitta europaea	Resident in deciduous woodland. Nests, occasionally in nest boxes.
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	Irregular spring and autumn passage visitor.
Oystercatcher	Haematopus ostralegus	Nests. Resident and winter visitor. Breeds Devon Exmoor.
Pale-bellied Brent Goose	Branta bernicla hrota	Less common than the Dark-bellied race.
Pectoral Sandpiper	Calidris melanotos	Vagrant. A handful of records from the coast.
Peregrine	Falco peregrinus	Resident. Nests. Locally frequent on the coast, also hunts inland.
Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	Resident and common. Nests. Thousands bred each year for the shoots.
Pied Flycatcher	Ficedula hypoleuca	Summer visitor, locally common in mature oak woodland. ENHS nest box scheme aimed at Pied Flycatcher is usually successful. Nests. ENHS emblem.
Pied Wagtail	Motacilla alba yarrellii	Resident, nests.
Pink-footed Goose	Anser brachyrhyncus	Vagrant. One Wimbleball Dec. 1991.
Pintail	Anas acuta	Rare winter visitor.
Pochard	Aythya ferina	Winter visitor to Wimbleball, rarely the coast.
Pomarine Skua	Stercorarius pomarinus	Autumn passage visitor. Exceptional: 33 off Dunster Beach 1985.
Puffin	Fratercula arctica	Storm vagrant along the coast.
Purple Sandpiper	Calidris maritima	Rare Winter visitor, mainly between Lynmouth and Heddons Mouth. One Dunster Beach 1994.
Quail	Coturnix coturnix	Once bred widely, may nest occasionally. Now a scarce and irregular summer visitor.
Raven	Corvus corax	Resident. Nests on coastal cliffs and moorland combes. Flocks of over 100 have been recorded.
Razorbill	Alca torda	About 450 breeding pairs N.Devon cliffs. Passage and winter visitor off-shore.
Red Grouse	Lagopus lagopus	Introduced on Exmoor in 1800s and established by 1900s. In 1976 about 40 prs. bred in area from Robin How to Black Barrow but decreased drastically and thought extinct in 2002. However 2 or 3 reports in 2003 were received and they may have been bred again by one of the shoots.
Red Kite	Milvus milvus	Most frequent as a spring passage visitor. One or two over Exmoor most years. One in Timberscombe area 1989/90 was wing tagged and was a released bird part of a NCC/RSPB project.
Red-backed Shrike	Lanius collurio	Passage visitor.
Red-breasted Merganser	Mergus serrator	Winter visitor mainly to the coast.
Red-crested Pochard	Netta rufina	A record of 5 at Nutscale, Nov. 1995 was not confirmed and is considered incorrect.
Red-legged Partridge	Alectoris rufa	Nests. Resident, locally common, usually reared and released.
Red-necked Grebe	Podiceps grisegena	Very rare winter visitor. One Porlock Marsh 1956 and one Wimbleball 1993 & 1996.
Red-necked Phalarope	Phalaropus lobatus	Vagrant. One Porlock Marsh 1970. and 3 previous records here
Red-rumped Swallow	Hirundo daurica	Vagrant. One record of a single bird at Porlock, Oct 1987 at the time when there was an influx into Britain.
Red-throated Diver	Gavia stellata	Winter and passage visitor to Exmoor coast; occasional Wimbleball Lake.
Red-throated Pipit	Anthus cervinus	A bird in summer plumage at Dunster Beach 1996. This was 3rd Somerset record.
Redpoll	Carduelis flammea	Resident. Nests. Now breeds annually but numbers fluctuate. Winter parties on lower moorland.
Redshank	Tringa totanus	Resident and winter visitor. Breeds Porlock Marsh but numbers decreased.
Redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 est 131 pairs. Regular summer visitor and passage migrant. Nests.
Redwing	Turdus iliacus	Regular winter visitor.
Reed Bunting	Emberiza schoeniclus	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 est. 165 pairs. ENHS recorded about another 10 pairs elsewhere. Resident, nests. ENHS Survey in yr 2000. Nests in coastal marsh and moorland combes.
Reed Warbler	Acrocephalus scirpaceus	Regular summer visitor to Porlock and Dunster Marshes. Nests.
Richard's Pipit	Anthus novaeseelandiae	Vagrant. 3 records of single birds 1977, 1980, 1991.
Ring Ouzel	Turdus torquatus	Summer visitor to moorland combes, formerly nested but no breeding records found in survey in 2003 and may now only occur on passage.
Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	Vagrant.
Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	Vagrant. Wintering males have been seen infrequently at Wimbleball.
Ring-necked Parakeet	Psittacula krameri	One presumed this species, Dunkery area 1985 (possible escape). Another Dunster Beach 1989 and 1990 all considered escapes rather than feral birds.
Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula	Resident. Passage and winter visitor. Bred Dunster Beach 1993.
Robin	Erithacus rubecula	Resident. Nests.
Rock Dove	Columba livia	Wild form unlikely to have occurred.
Rock Pipit	Anthus petrosus	Resident. Nests rocky shores.
Rook	Corvus frugilegus	Resident. Most rookeries used to occupy high elms until these trees were lost to dutch elm disease in 1970s, they now occupy any tall trees mostly near habitation. Highest rookery is at Simonsbath at 400m.
Rose-coloured Starling	Sturnus roseus	Vagrant. Only 4 Exmoor sightings 1945 - 1994.
Roseate Tern	Sterna dougallii	Autumn passage visitor. Only records to date were 3 Minehead Beach in Aug 1971.
Rough-legged Buzzard	Buteo lagopus	Vagrant. Recorded winters of 1973, 74 and 87.
Ruddy Duck	Oxyura jamaicensis	Winter visitor to Wimbleball. First recorded 1985.
Ruddy Shelduck	Tadorna ferruginea	Vagrant. Two old records from Porlock Marsh - 2 1915 and 1 1928.
Ruff	Philomachus pugnax	Scarce spring and autumn passage visitor to coast and Wimbleball. 15 Porlock Marsh 1987 was an exception.
Sabine's Gull	Larus sabini	Vagrant. Occasionally recorded on the coast after gales.
Sand Martin	Riparia riparia	Summer and passage visitor. Scarce as a breeding bird but nests in one or two places. Earliest ENHS record 2nd March.
Sanderling	Calidris alba	REgular passage/winter visitor along coast.
Sandwich Tern	Sterna sandvicensis	Small numbers on spring/autumn passage most years on coast.
Scandinavian Rock Pipit	Anthus petrosus littoralis	Possibly one Porlock Marsh, 1996.
Scaup	Aythya marila	Scarce winter visitor to Wimbleball, occasionally on the coast.
Scaup X Tufted Duck Hybrid	Aythya marila x fuligula	Hybrid ducks at Wimbleball may have included this.
Sedge Warbler	Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	Summer visitor to the coastal marshes, rare elsewhere. Nests.
Shag	Phalacrocorax aristotelis	Has bred between Lynmouth and Heddons Mouth. Resident. Much rarer than cormorant.
Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna	Resident winter visitor. Breeds but much fewer than in early 1900s. Numbers build up along the coast in winter.
Shore Lark	Eremophila alpestris	Winter visitor to coastal beaches. Only a handful of records.
Short-eared Owl	Asio flammeus	Winter visitor occurring annually, usually on moorland.
Shoveler	Anas clypeata	Regular winter visitor to coast and Wimbleball.
Siskin	Carduelis spinus	Resident and winter visitor. First nested in conifers near Luccombe in 1979.
Skylark	Alauda arvensis	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 recorded a population of 1290 pairs Somerset/Devon. Resident and common passage and winter visitor. Nests. Large flocks of several hundred may be seen in winter on lowland fields.
Slavonian Grebe	Podiceps auritus	Very rare winter visitor. One Minehead Clay Pits Jan 1960 (This site is now Butlins boating lake); one Dunster Hawn Oct 1972.
Smew	Mergus albellus	Winter visitor. Single birds Wimbleball 1984, 86 & 87.
Snipe	Gallinago gallinago	Moorland Bird Survey estimate 9 territories on Exmoor inc. 3 in N. Devon. Resident, winter visitor. Breeds moorland bogs. In the past up to 250 on Minehead Marsh but not since Butlins.
Snow Bunting	Plectrophenax nivalis	Scarce passage/winter visitor to the coast, occasionally on the moors.
Snow Goose	Anser caerulescens	One regularly seen Dunster Marsh and Wimbleball 1989 with Canada Geese - Exotic.
Snowy Owl	Nyctea scandiaca	Vagrant. No current records although one 1972 at North Molton was close. Previous record nr Simonsbath 1945 and 3 earlier records.
Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos	Resident, nests. Also autumn and winter visitor.
Sooty Shearwater	Puffinus griseus	Rare offshore passage migrant. 7 off Minehead 1979.
Sparrowhawk	Accipiter nisus	Resident and fairly common. Nests.
Spoonbill	Platalea leucorodia	Vagrant. One Porlock Marsh 1994, 1998 and 1999.
Spotted Crake	Porzana porzana	Vagrant. Only recorded 3 times up to 1994, each time from Porlock Marsh in 1958, 1959 & 1971.
Spotted Flycatcher	Muscicapa striata	Summer visitor. Nests usually around buildings. Numbers fluctuate from year to year.
Spotted Redshank	Tringa erythropus	Autumn passage visitor.
Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	Resident. Passage and an abundant winter visitor also. Nests.
Stock Dove	Columba oenas	Resident and fairly common. Nests.
Stone-curlew	Burhinus oedicnemus	No records for many years. Single birds at Minehead 1912 and Great Hangman 1944.
Stonechat	Saxicola torquata	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 est 468 pairs, an increase on previous 1992/3 survey. Resident, nests. Gorse and heather on moorland.
Storm Petrel	Hydrobates pelagicus	Vagrant. Coastal waters summer/autumn. Some probably go unrecorded in Porlock Bay.
Swallow	Hirundo rustica	Summer visitor and passage migrant. Nests. Earliest (exceptional) record 3 19.1.1975, Selworthy.
Swift	Apus apus	Summer visitor. Nests. Exceptionally late sighting 1 Porlock Marsh 29.11.95. Breeds in old buildings and church towers. Feeding flocks occur over the moor.
Tawny Owl	Strix aluco	Resident. Widespread in woods and farmland. Nests.
Tawny Pipit	Anthus campestris	This species joined the Exmoor list on 4.8.1993 with a moulting juvenile at Dunster Beach.
Teal	Anas crecca	Regular winter visitor, coastal marshes and Wimbleball. Has bred in the past (1945) Over 600 at Porlock Marsh very unusual.
Temminck's Stint	Calidris temminckii	Vagrant. One Porlock Marsh 1972.
Terek Sandpiper	Xenus cinereus	Vagrant. One Porlock Marsh May 1987.
Tree Pipit	Anthus trivialis	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 est. 129 pairs. Summer visitor in scattered trees along hillsides and woodland fringes. Nests.
Tree Sparrow	Passer montanus	Visitor. Used to breed at Monksilver until 1920s. Now rarely reported.
Treecreeper	Certhia familiaris	Resident, woodland and parkland. Nests. Numbers may fluctuate in hard winters.
Tufted Duck	Aythya fuligula	Winter visitor and scarce resident. Bred Wimbleball 1989.
Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	Common passage and winter visitor, recorded most months.
Turtle Dove	Streptopelia turtur	Summer visitor, recorded most years. Nests.
Twite	Carduelis flavirostris	Winter visitor. Just a few sightings of one or two birds in recent years but small flocks (10-20) recorded 1975 and 1986.
Velvet Scoter	Melanitta fusca	Vagrant. Male Dunster Beach Dec. 1985; 2 Minehead Nov. 1994.
Water Pipit	Anthus spinoletta	Very rare passage and winter visitor. One Porlock Marsh Jan 1988.
Water Rail	Rallus aquaticus	Regular but scarce winter visitor to marshy habitats on coast and inland.
Waxwing	Bombycilla garrulus	Irregular winter visitor.
Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe	Earliest date 24 Feb. 1998, Porlock Marsh Average 10th March. (D. Ballance). Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 found 57 pairs. Summer visitor and passage migrant. Stony outcrops, walls, coast and moors. Nests.
Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus	Regular spring and autumn visitor to coast and Wimbleball.
Whinchat	Saxicola rubetra	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 est 292 pairs; a decline of nearly a third of the previous RSPB survey in 1992/3. However, a personal survey by DKB located 363 pairs although some variation in areas. Summer visitor common in moorland combes but may have decreased (2003)
White Pelican	Pelecanus onocrotalus
White Stork	Ciconia ciconia	A single record of one roosting on the church at Withiel Florey in June 1971 may refer to an escaped bird, and not to a genuine vagrant.
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba alba	Spring and autumn passage visitor along the coast.
White-fronted Goose	Anser albifrons	Irregular winter visitor to Minehead and Porlock Marshes and Wimbleball. Greenland race not recently recorded; one Minehead 1952.
White-rumped Sandpiper	Calidris fuscicollis	Rare visitor, one Dunster Beach 1995.
White-tailed Eagle	Haliaeetus albicilla	here have been no recent records, the only four are from the period between 1811 and 1912. The only certain one being shot in Badgworthy Deer Park "some years before 1874. It was mounted with a Black Grouse which it had killed, for the landowner Nicholas Snow, and was long preserved at Oare Village Hall (Malmsmead Field Centre) but has now disappeared.
White-winged Black Tern	Chlidonias leucopterus	Vagrant. Only record to date Porlock Marsh 1986.
Whitethroat	Sylvia communis	Nests. Summer visitor.
Whooper Swan	Cygnus cygnus	Rare winter visitor to the coast.
Wigeon	Anas penelope	Winter visitor. Common on the coastal marshes and at Wimbleball. As many as 1000 have been seen. The most common wintering duck along the coast.
Willow Tit	Parus montanus	Resident and local, nests in damp woodlands.
Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus	Summer visitor. The commonest warbler. Nests.
Wilson's Phalarope	Phalaropus tricolor	Vagrant. Female Porlock Marsh 1995.
Wood Sandpiper	Tringa glareola	Scarce autumn passage visitor.
Wood Warbler	Phylloscopus sibilatrix	Summer visitor of mature deciduous (mainly oak) woodlands). Nests. ENHS survey in 2003.
Woodchat Shrike	Lanius senator	One record near Bossington May 1926. One Exford 1989.
Woodcock	Scolopax rusticola	Regular autumn/winter visitor. Nested 1981.
Woodlark	Lullula arborea	Irregular visitor. Nested around Porlock to Dunster until 1946. Hard winters in 1946 and 1962 appeared to wipe out local population. Since then only scattered records mainly of winter birds.
Woodpigeon	Columba palumbus	Resident. Also a passage and winter visitor. Large flocks often seen in winter.
Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes	Resident. Nests.
Wryneck	Jynx torquilla	Autumn passage migrant. Three reports 1975 to 1994.
Yellow Wagtail	Motacilla flava	Spring/autumn passage visitor mainly on the coast.
Yellow Wagtail	Motacilla flava flavissima	Spring/autumnh passage visitor mainly on the coast. (See under M. flava for records)
Yellow-browed Warbler	Phylloscopus inornatus	Vagrant. 3 records; spring 1970 and 1990; autumn 1993.
Yellowhammer	Emberiza citrinella	Exmoor Moorland Bird Survey 2002 est. 73 pairs. ENHS survey in yr 2000. Resident. Nests.

Home l Foundation and History l Publications l Key Dates and Achievements l People l Malmsmead Field Centre l Conservation Work Current Programme l Current Survey l Exmoor and its Wildlife l Main Wildlife Habitats l Wildlife Portraits l Checklists l Submit Records
Membership l Acknowledgements