THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS MAY 2021 Another excellent months patch bird watching - a record May total of 127 species recorded with the most outstanding record of an adult LONG TAILED SKUA on 12th. Coldest and wettest May on record took until 27th before warmer days with sunshine to arrive, at least 7 days of gale force winds with F10 on 21st, a number of days with a ground frost. Record total of 127 species (c/f 2020 - 112, 2019 - 125).   8 new species for the year took the total to 178 (c/f 2020 - 167, 2019 - 168)/ POMARINE SKUA, LONG TAILED SKUA, SOOTY SHEARWATER, STORM PETREL, HOBBY, RED KITE plus 1 undisclosed for the time being will be revealed in the July report. Highlights GOOSE, DUCKS and DIVERS BARNACLE GOOSE - 1 with the Canada flock at South Huish Marsh on 1st. EGYPTIAN GOOSE - 2 on South Huish Marsh briefly on 6th. TEAL - Max were 10 on 2nd, last were 3 on 10th. COMMON SCOTER - Very poor spring passage this year - Max were 70 on 28th with 27 on 20th. GARGANEY - A male on South Huish Marsh on 29th. TUFTED DUCK - A pair flew SE on 16th. SHELDUCK - Max on South Huish Marsh 9 on 2nd, 1 pair bred. RED THROATED DIVER - 1 flew NW on 14th. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER - Recorded on 8 days all singles apart from 3 on 18th and 2 on 11th. SHEARWATER, PETREL, GANNET MANX SHEARWATER - regular if small early morning feeding flocks, max of 178 on 3rd. SOOTY SHEARWATER - 1 flew SE on 21st. FULMAR - Max of 18 logged on 3rd. STORM PETREL -  1 viewed from Hope flying SE on 3rd. GANNET -  3 figure totals on 3 days - Max of 250 on 10th. RAPTORS HOBBY - Singles reported on 8th, 15th and 27th. RED KITE - 2 near South Milton. On 28th, 1 on 29th, 2 over Aveton Gifford on 31st. WADERS - poor passage of small waders this year.   A total of 15 species recorded - max were:- OYSTERCATCHER - 12 on 14th. RINGED PLOVER - 8 on 7th. GOLDEN PLOVER - 1 over South Huish Marsh on 13th. SANDERLING - Max of 5on 19th and 22nd. DUNLIN -  13 on13th. SNIPE - 1 at South Milton Ley on 1st. BLACK TAILED GODWIT - Only record 2 on South Huish Marsh on 28th. BAR TAILED GODWIT - 1 with WHIMBREL on 3rd. WHIMBREL - Max of 100 on 3rd. COMMON SANDPIPER -  1 on South Huish Marsh on 5th - 7th. GREEN SANDPIPER - 2 on South Huish Marsh on 13th. WOOD SANDPIPER -  A second Spring record with 1 on South Huish Marsh on 14th/15th. GREENSHANK -  Up to 3 on Avon Estuary at beginning of month. REDSHANK - Up to 4 on Avon Estuary, 1 on South Huish Marsh on 13th. TURNSTONE -  3 on rocks on 21st,1 in full summer plumage on rocks on 26th. SKUA, GULLS and TERNS POMERINE SKUA - recorded on 3 days - 4 on 3rd, 2 on 10th, 1 on 17th. ACTIC SKUA -  A total of 24 recorded on 11 days, max of 5 on 17th, 4 on 8th. LONG TAILED SKUA - An adult flew up the valley on 12th at a height of 30 feet. Long time since the patch had a Spring record. GREAT SKUA - 3 on 10th and 1 on 4th were the only records. LITTLE GULL - 2 adults offshore with GULLS on 2nd. KITTIWAKE - Max of 45 flew SE on 17th. MEDITERRANEAN GULL - 2 first summer on 10th and 1 on 12th only records ICELAND GULL - An adult flew NW on 26th later found on Avon Estuary. SANDWICH TERN - Only record on 5 days, max of 34 on 8th. COMMIC TERNS - 2 flew SE on 15th. SWIFTS and HIRUNDINES SWIFT - Only sizeable flocks at South Huish Marsh of 40 on 17th and 20 on 28th. SAND MARTIN - Up to 3 on South Huish Marsh between 11th and 14th.   20+ in Buckland Valley all month. SWALLOW - 250+ at South Milton Ley on 13th with 90+ at South Huish Marsh, 160 in 1 hour over Thurlestone on 1st. HOUSE MARTIN -  60 over Thurlestone on 1st and 50 at South Milton on 13th. WARBLERS Plenty of BLACKCAP around the patch- at least 7 in Buckland Valley on 25th recorded at 5 other sites. GARDEN WARBLER - recorded at 3 sites. WILLOW WARBLER -  1 at Hatch Bridge singing on 7th. WHITETHROAT - At least 5 around the Coast Path. LESSER WHITETHROAT - 1 at South Huish Marsh on 9th and 1 at Aveton Gifford on 10th, plenty of CHIFFCHAFF, SEDGE WARBLER and REED WARBLER at the 4 main site. CETTIS WARBLER - Up to 4 at South Milton Ley. Miscellaneous CUCKOO - 1 calling near Aveton Gifford on 22nd. TREE CREEPER - recorded at 2 sites. STONECHAT - At least 3 pairs around South Huish Marsh/ Coast Path. YELLOW WAGTAIL - 1 female on the Marsh on 10th. WHEATEAR - At South Huish Marsh 2 on 20th and 1 on 27th. June is usually the quietest month of the year when we will also find out if the first breeding attempts have been successful. mikepassman@modbury.me.uk thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk