THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

JANUARY 2016

Weather conditions certainly did not improve with the start of a New Year.   This month can be described as Wet, Wet, Wet Windy Wet!   I only logged 3 days of sunshine but still mild with a hard white over frost on 20^th.   6 days of gales all from a West direction, only 3 days (19^th - 21^st) of East direction.

The year has started exceptional well with a total of 110 species recorded whichis the highest January total since these detailed reports started in 2011. (c/f 2015 – 101, 2014 – 98)  A good team effort from all the regular observers.

Highlights this month.

SWANS AND GEESE

MUTE SWAN – A pair holding territory on South Huish Marsh, any new arrivals soon seen off.

GREYLAG GOOSE – One with the CANADA Flock on 18^th.

BRENT GOOSE – DB -  Nick had one with the CANADA flock on 21^st.

DUCK

MALLARD – A low max of around 45 from both marshes.

SHELDUCK   - Max 5 on 15^th.

RUDDY SHELDUCK – Present all month, mainly accompanying the CANADA flock, although Nick added it to his garden list  when it turned up on the pool at the bottom of his garden in South Milton.

WIGEON – Max of 85 on South Huish Marsh on 24^th.

TEAL – Total around the 100 mark throughout with a max of 115 on 20^th.

SHOVELER – Very few records this year with a max of 5 on 5^th.

TUFTED DUCK – A male on South Huish Marsh from 4^th – 8^th.

COMMON SCOTER – Only recorded on 1 day – 25^th when 5 flew W and a male close in shore flew east.

PARTRIDGE

RED LEGGED –many released for Baron Banthams shooting parties around West Buckland.

GREY – A pair near the sewage works at South Milton Ley on 5^th again certainly a locally released pair.

DIVERS,GANNET AND FULMAR

RED THROATED DIVER – Only one record – single in the Bay on 22^nd.

BLACK THROATED DIVER – Again only one recorded, flying east on 22^nd.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER – Singles in the Bay on 7^th, 19^th and 22^nd.

GANNET – Max only 25 on 6^th.

FULMAR – First record on 20^th.

IBIS, EGRETS, HERON, GREBE AND RAILS

GLOSSY IBIS – 1 found early morning of 5^th on Thurlestone Marsh, then recorded on South Huish Marsh until 13^th.

LITTLE EGRET – Up to 6 on both marshes

HERON – A total of 6 on Thurlestone Marsh on 25^th.

WATER RAIL – 3 at South Milton Ley on 6^th.

LITTLE GREBE – 2 on South Huish Marsh all month.

RAPTERS AND OWLS

MARSH HARRIER – Arthur had a immature female over Thurlestone Marsh on 19^th.

MERLIN – A male near the sewage works on 25^th.

BUZZARD, KESTREL, SPARROWHAWK AND PEREGRINE all recorded.

BARN OWL   - Alan had one near South Milton Village on 7^th.

TAWNY OWL – Several reported during the month.

WADERS – 12 Species recorded

OYSTERCATCHER – Max 50 on 15^th often up to 30 feeding on South Huish Marsh.

RINGED PLOVER – Max of 7 on the rocks on 19^th.

GOLDEN PLOVER – Alan had a flock of around 6 – 800 near South Milton same day that Eric reported 200+ near Elston Farm

LAPWING – Max of 35 on South Huish Marsh on 20^th/21^st

PURPLE SANDPIPER – Arthur had 2 on Warren Point Rocks on 15^th/

DUNLIN – Alan reported 1 on South Huish Marsh on 6^th.

SNIPE – Very low numbers this year – a max of 60 on 20^th (only frosty morning)

BLACK TAILED GODWIT -             Arthur had a single fly through on 15^th.

BAR-TAILED GODWIT – A rare winter record, a single on South Huish Marsh from16th to 18^th.

CURLEW – 4 flew over Thurlestone Marsh at dusk on 4^th

TURNSTONE – Max of 11 on the rocks on 21^st.

GREY PHALAROPE – A rare January record of a bird flying east close in shore over the rocks on 8^th.

SKUAS AND GULLS

GREAT SKUA – Arthur had 1 flying east on 6^th.

KITTIWAKE – Max 40 east on 8^th.

LITTLE GULL – Nick had an adult over South Huish Marsh afternoon of 19^th.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL – A second winter on several dates, with a max of 3 Ad on South Huish Marsh on 24^th.

YELLOW LEGGED GULL – A 1^st W on the Marsh on 19^th, with an adult reported by Alan on 28^th.

AUKS

LITTLE AUK – Arthur had 1 on the sea close inshore in Leasfoot Bay on 6^th (His first for the patch)

GUILLEMOT/RAZORBILL – On 8^th up to 100 on the sea feeding.

KINGFISHER – 1 around the marshes and often on the rocks.

WOODPECKERS, JAY AND CRESTS

GREEN WOODPECKER – A single in West Buckland Valley on 19^th.

GREAT SPOTTED WOODY – Reported from South Milton, Halwell Wood, West Buckland Valley.

JAY – Reported from South Milton Village gardens and West Buckland Valley.

GOLDCREST – Reported from at least 4 sites around the patch.

FIRECREST – 2 birds ringed at South Milton Ley, 1 in Mallards Lane on 11^th.

WARBLERS ETC

CETIS WARBLER – Only 1 record from South Milton Ley.

CHIFFCHAFF – 9 ringed at South Milton Ley with a regular sighting of at least 10 birds.

SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF – 2 birds ringed plus sighting a further bird on 25^th.

BLACKCAP – A male regularly reported in a Thurlestone Garden.

NUTHATCH – Nick had one on his garden feeders on 19^th.

TREE CREEPER – One on 7^th and 19^th at Grove Corner, West Buckland.

THRUSHES

FIELDFARE – Only 1 record by Nick near South Milton on 20^th.

REDWING – A flock of 50 near South Milton on 6^th, 10 in the lanes on the 20^th, 25 at South Milton Ley 15^th.

SONG THRUSH – Singles reported from 4 sites, much less common now.

MISTLE THRUSH – Singles from 2 sites and 2 from 1.

BLACK REDSTART – Only a single record of female at West Buckland on 7^th.

PIPITS, FINCHES AND LARKS

WATER PIPIT – Up to 2 at South Huish Marsh.

SISKIN – A flock of 15 at West Buckland on 28^th is the largest winter flock recorded.

BULLFINCH – 3 near South Milton Ley on 25^th.

SKYLARK – Max 20 at South Milton Ley on 6^th.

CHAFFINCH – Largest flock 50+ in the lanes on 7^th

GOLDFINCH – 2 flocks of up to 25 at Thurlestone and South Huish Marsh regularly.

GREENFINCH – Up to 20 at South Huish Marsh.

REED BUNTING – Max of 2 at garden feeders in Thurlestone.

With little prospect of any cold weather difficult to think what conditions will be required to bring any influx of birds in February.

Mike Passman

Thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk