UN 31 JULYA fine sunny morning with little breeze later increasing to F3/4 W . Joined by Graham today . Seawatching produced - 150+ GANNET (a number of Juv's ) 140 + MANX SHEARWATER, 1 FULMAR. Waders  on the rocks and beach - 18 OYSTERCATCHER, 6 RINGED PLOVER, 2 DUNLIN, 3 SANDERLING, 3 WHIMBREL Over at South Efford Marsh Eric reports - 6 GREEN SANDPIPER, 2 BLACK T GODWIT, 6 DUNLIN, 2 SNIPE, 1 RINGED PLOVER, 28 CURLEW, 3 WHIMBREL, 2 2s MED GULL and an ad YELLOW L GULL Yesterday Alan P caught and ringed at South Milton Ley - 48 SEDGE WARBLER, 10 REED WBLR, 15 WILLOW WBLR, 8 CHIFFY, 2 BLACKCAP, 2 REED BUNTING FRI 29 JULY A bright sunny morning , clear horizon, brisk F5/6 W wind. Spent the morning seawatching from Warren Pt . Main passage again SHEARWATERS and GANNET ,over 3 hours the totals were - 330 GANNET inc feeding flocks of 50,60,75 . 330 MANX SHEARWATER, 4 BALEARIC SHEARWATER all singles, 2 FULMAR, 19 BLACK H GULL flew west plus 10 in the Bay. Only waders were 8 OYSTERCATCHER and 4 WHIMBREL WED 27 JULY Initially a cloudy morning with limited viz offshore , a brisk F4/5 WSW wind .Spent from 09.15 - 12.30 seawatcing from the car park ( still free parking ). This was the best Shearwater passgae of the year with some variety. Best was a single CORY'S SHEARWATER (170 ) which flew east across the Bay at 11.05, 5 BALEARIC and 485 MANX completed the log . A total of 220 GANNET, 1 KITTIWAKE , 2 FULMAR ( inc a very dark bird west 12.20,) 14 COMMON SCOTER . A SANDWICH TERN on the rocks , 2 WHIMBREL and 2 juv YELLOW L GULL flew west Reports from yesterday - Eric had 2 GREEN SANDPIPER and a MED GULL on the Avon Est. Alan Pomroy ringed at South Huish Marsh - 26 SEDGE Wblr, 6 REED Wblr, 8 CHIFFY, 2 WILLOW Wblr, 1 GROPPA, 2 BLACKCAP and 2 REED BUNTING MON 25 JULY Joined by Graham this morning , sunny then turned cloudy with a brisk F4 W wind .Seawatching for a total of 2.5 hours in 2 spells produced - 115 GANNET, 600+ MANX SHEARWATER, 5 FULMAR, 17 CORMORANT , 4 SHAG,6 OYSTERCATCHER and 2 SANDERLING . Looked over South Huish Marsh- yeserdays light rain showers has resulted in a small amount of water on the back pool . If this needs to fully dry out before the maintenace work can be carried out I hope we don't get any thunderstorms . Birds on the Marsh this morning - 1 MALLARD, 3 HERON, 1 LITTLE EGRET, 1 COOT , 1 SEDGE WARBLER, only hirundines wer 15 HOUSE MARTIN. Roger and Helen had a very productive ringing session this morning with - 2 REED BUNTING, 8 CHIFFY, 7 WILLOW WARBLER, 11 BLACKCAP, 12 REED WARBLER, 17 SEDGE WARBLER and singles of GARDEN and GRASSHOPPER WARBLER ( another was reeling on site ). Evidence of return passage .   SAT 23& SUN 24 JULY With little activity at present a  combined report for the patch and South Efford Marsh - Short visit on Sat to South Milton Ley - 4 GREY WAGTAIL ( 1ad & 3juv ) 1m REED BUNTING, a few CHIFFY, 1 GREAT Sp WOODY and a SPARROWHAWK. This morning before the drizzle and mist arrived a short seawatch  from Warren Pt - 15 OYSTERCATCHER, 2 WHIMBREL, 8 GANNET , 3 MANX S'water. Steady passage offshore of BLACK H GULL 35 in small groups in less than an hour   At South Efford Marsh Eric reports on Friday - a RED KITE over , 1 GREENSHANK, 3 WHIMBREL, 24 CURLEW . This morning still 1 GREENSHANK, WHIMBREL, CURLEW also 1 REDSHANK and 1 GREEN SANDPIPER THURS 21 JULY   After yesterdays report of an OSPREY at South Efford Marsh decided to visit this site this morning . Very nice to sit in a hide overlooking the Marsh. On the marsh - 3 COMMON SANDPIPER, 1 GREENSHANK, 3 DUNLIN, 5 LITTLE EGRET, 5 jv BULLFINCH, 1 jv BLACKCAP, 2 SEDGE WARBLER, 1 TEAL, 3 STOCK DOVE, 80 BLACK H GULL. Rod Bone earlier 2 GREEN SANDPIPER, 2 REDSHANK, 4 WHIMBREL, 26 CURLEW.On the mudbank by the creek another 6 COMMON SANDPIPER Report from Nick  - on Yarmer Beach a TURNSTONE ans a WHIMBREL. Temp repairs completed at Beesands Hide WED 20 JULY A brisk WNW f4/5 wind made it feel much cooler on the coast . With good viz spent 2.5 hours seawatching from Warren Pt. which produced some passage - 80 GANNET ( inc 15 Juv's) 2 FULMAR, 35 MANX SHEARWATER ( in 2 flocks west ), at 0940 a SOOTY SHEARWATER ( 169 ) flew west. 15 COMMON SCOTER - west, 1ad MED GULL , 30 BLACK H GULL ( flew west in small groups ) Steady stream of HERRING GULL total over 200.moving west. 3 SWIFT flew west . On the rocks 14 OYSTERCATCHER and the first returning TURNSTONE.   At Averton Gifford Eric and Rod Bone had an OSPREY between 11.30-13.00, also a GREEN SANDPIPER. Message from Nick T - anyone paying a visit to the hide at Beesands needs to take care, a herd of cows have broken through the fence and have damaged the ramp entrance to the hide. Attempts being made this afternoon to carry out some emergancy repairs   TUES 19 JULY Back on the patch this morning - very little to report . Offshore around 120 GANNET feeding and 1 SANDWICH TERN On South Huish Marsh a MALLARD, 1 COOT and 1 young MOORHEN . Looks as though charging will start soon at Bobs Car Park . The Gastro Bus moved in this morning ! Whist I was away only sightings I am aware of - 1 DUNLIN, 1 BLACK T GODWIT , 1 WHIMBREL, 1 GREEN SANDPIPER ( 168 ). On 16/7 Roger & Helen ringed 72 birds  mostly Warblers - 11 CHIFFY, 19 BLACKCAP, 4 SEDGW, 23 REED , 1 WHITETHROAT La BRENNE Vist 11-18 July Anne and i with Graham & Daphne Daw returned to our favourite site in central France - around 340 miles from Roscoff ( 7hrs driving ) This year our trip list totalled 131 species with some outstanding sightings . My 4th and Grahams 3rd visit . The oustanding bird was an adult BLACK WINGED KITE watched for 40 mins at 08.15 on 15/ 7 . Whilst they are breeding in SW France the Brenne only get between 2-4 sightings a year and this was the first for 2016. This was one of 11 Raptors recorded ( inc SHORT T EAGLE), 6 species of HERON / EGRET, 9 of Waders , at least 20 Turtle Dove, 30+ Red  B SHRIKE , 20 BEE EATER and just outside Plymouth  from the Ferry 2 very close SOOTY SHEARWATER along with 300+ MANX Will post a full report later .     SAT 9 JULY Another very quiet morning - In the Bay 25 BLACK H GULL ( inc 1 juv ), 1 1sts MED GULL . Some water has returned to the Marsh - the back pool has the most .However only 2 MALLARD plus 2female with a total of 6 ducklings . A juv + an adult HERON flew in , 2 LITTLE EGRET . No sign of the SHELDUCK family , hopefully the adults took the round the Bay to Bantham . Nick is going to organise a meeting for local birders to discuss the proposed maintenace work and what drainage will be required . Flock of 50 + STARLING inc many juv's FRI 8 JULY Went down to Cornwall with Eric and Graham , arrived at Wacker Quay at 10.00 with low cloud, mist and rain. The Dalmation Pelican was perched on a tree stump on the far side of the river  Obtained some good scope views paticularly as the light improved. A nice lifer . Off Marine Drive at Torpoint 4 ad MED GULLS. As we drove along the Ivybridge to Ermington a HOBBY flew over the car . THURS 7 JULY Visited South Huish 'Marsh '- very few birds around - 10 MALLARD , 2 COOT ( still 3 yng ) 3 MOORHEN ( 3yng ) , 2 LITTLE EGRET, 1 HERON , 20 STARLING, 20 HOUSE MARTIN, 2 SAND MARTIN, 5 SWALLOW  In the copse 4 juv CHIFFY + 1 ad , 2 WHITETHROAT, , GOLDFINCH, GREENFINCH, ROBIN , GREAT TIT .   Because of the action taken by Devon Birds ( Vic Tucker ) to drain the marsh some 6 weeks before any maintenace work is to be carried out, likely my daily blog reports will become less regular.  Would welcome any comments through the message service page Photo of South Huish Marsh taken on Tues 5July after the marsh drained the previos day TUES 5 JULY Quite an eventful day , A short seawatch produced 6 GANNET, 18 BLACK H GULL ( first Juv ) 2 MED GULL ( 1 1st S , 1 2nd S ) 2 MUTE SWAN flew west . Walked over to South Huish marsh to find a catastrophic situation - the marsh had been completely drained ! Right in the middle of the breeding season and just as the return wader passage is about to commence . The difference  in water level from Mon morning was difficult to believe . It appears a decision taken yesterday to dry the marsh out ready for some maintenace work which invoves machinery due to take place at the end of August . Whist this work may be necessary the site is managed by the Devon Bird Club surely some notice can be given to local birders who visit the site almost daily . I think a local committee  is going to be needed . After a couple of telephone calls  a  decision was reached to raise the levels of the drainpipes. Hopefully some water will be accumulated over the rest of this week.Time will tell Report rec'd from John Ward who lives cloe to the lane leading to the sewage works - both BARN and TAWNY OWL around . A pair of GREY PARTRIDGE in the field either side of the lane- been there at least a month MON 4 JULY A morning of low cloud/ mist with steady light drizzle. Poor viz offshore Through my garden - a m SPARROWHAWK, 10 LONG T TIT, 1 STOCK DOVE With the poor weather visited the Buckland Valley- 3 SONG THRUSH, 1 SPOTTED FLY, GOLDCREST, 1 GREEN WOODPECKER, 2 COAL TIT, 1 BLACKCAP, 4 CHIFFCHAFF, 4 BULLFINCH     SUN 3 JULY An overcast morning with a light E wind . Managed a short seawatch which produced - 38 MANX SHEARWATER flew west, 5 GANNET, 70+ HERRING GULL on the beach , on the rocks a CURLEW and 12 OYSTERCATCHER. ON the Marsh  the first returning TEAL. Fri 1 July Still confined to the house with this chest infection , hopefully normal service will resume from Monday., now 5 days off ! Only item of interest this morning was a SPOTTED FLYCATCHER in a village garden. Not aware of any recent breeding records in the village but would not be unexpected. Anyone using the link to Devon Birds will find it is not working , they have altered their news page , will try and sort out a new link 

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