THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS JULY 2016   A poor month for number of species with only 95 recorded (c/f 2015 – 104, 2014 – 101) with 3 new species for the year GREEN SANDPIPER, CORYS SHEARWATER and SOOTY SHEARWATER taking the total to 170 (c/f 2015 – 168, 2014 – 162). Not helped by my visit to La Brenne from 10th – 18th.   Weather for the month was mainly dry only 15mm  of rain, with one spell of settled warm sun between 15th – 21st.  Winds mostly light and from South Westerly/Westerly direction nothing above F5 recorded.  Some days offshore visibility poor due to low cloud and mist.   Without any notification the South Huish Marsh was completely drained from Monday 14th July.  Transpires there is some maintenance work planned before the end of August subject to the Marsh being dry enough to take heavy machinery.  From the 5th to 31st July there were only 3 records of Waders (all singles) DUNLIN, BLACK TAILED GODWIT and a flyover, GREEN SANDPIPER.   My comments have been well voiced and documented If the Marsh remains dry for most of August this is going to have a significant impact on the returning wader passage.   Highlights for the month:-   SWANS AND DUCK MUTE SWAN – 2 adults flew west on 5th. SHELDUCK – Pair bred on the Marsh, last seen on 6th were 2 adult and 7 young. TEAL – first returning bird a single on 3rd. MALLARD – Max 7 on 15th. COMMON SCOTER – 15 flew west on 20th and 14 on 27th.   FULMAR and SHEARWATERS, GANNET FULMAR – max 7 on 26th. MANX SHEARWATER – Big passage on 25th – 600+ in 3 hours and 480 on 29th. BALEARIC SHEARWATER – 5 recorded on 27th and 4 on 29th. SOOTY SHEARWATER – One flew through at 09.40 on 20th off Warren Point. CORYS SHEARWATER – One flew east at 11.05 on27th off Warren Point. GANNET – Numbers picked up from 25th – 115, 27th – 217 and 29th – 330 reasonable number of juveniles recorded. CORMORANT – On 26th a total of 27 recorded, must have been some post breeding movement , normally no more than 10 -15 recorded.   MOORHEN AND COOT MOORHEN – pair bred at South Huish Marsh up to 3 young.  Also 1 young on small pond in Buckland Valley. COOT – pair bred on the Marsh with 3 young.   WADERS – Only 9 species recorded. OYSTERCATCHER – Max 18 on 31st. RINGED PLOVER  - Max 6 on31st. SANDERLING – 2 on 25th and 3 on 31st. DUNLIN – 1 on 16th and 2 on 31st. BLACKTAILED GODWIT – 1 on 16th on the Marsh. WHIMBREL – Up to 4 on the beach/rocks from 24th – 31st. CURLEW – 1 on 3rd. GREEN SANDPIPER – 1 heard over South Huish marsh on 16th. TURNSTONE – first returning bird  1 on 20th.   GULLS AND TERNS KITTIWAKE – Only 1 record a single on 27th. BLACK HEADED GULL – first returning birds were 18 on 5th which included 1 juv. MED GULL – Only records 2 on 5th and 1 on 30th. YELLOW  LEGGED GULL – 2 Juvs on 27th. SANDWICH TERN – Only record a single on 27th.   WARBLERS – Ringing activity at South Milton Ley from 25th confirmed birds commencing their return passage – all record below are those which were ringed. CHIFFCHAFF – 25th – 8, 26th – 8,30th – 8. WILLOW WARBLER – 25th – 7, 26th  – 2, 30th – 15. BLACKCAP – 25th – 11, 26th – 2, 30th – 2. GARDEN WARBLER – 25th – 1. GROPPA – 25th – 2, 26th – 1. WHITETHROAT – 26th – 2 SEDGE WARBLER – 25th – 17, 26th – 26, 30th – 48. REED WARBLER – 25th – 12, 26th – 6, 30th – 10. REED BUNTING – 25th – 2, 26th 2, 30th – 2   SPOTTED FLYCATCHER – Singles in Thurlestone Village and Buckland Valley. STONECHAT – Several pairs with young around the patch. YELLOW WAGTAIL – 1 heard over the Marsh on 22nd. GREY WAGTAIL – 4 at the sewage works on 23rd (they do not breed on the patch)   FINCHES, PIPITS and BUNTINGS. BULLFINCH – 4 in Buckland Valley on 4th included 2 Juvs YELLOWHAMMER – Several males along the hedgerows. CIRL BUNTING – Present at 3 sites. ROCK PIPIT – Up to 15 including juvs on the beaches late month.   Two interesting ringing recoveries to repot.   SEDGE WARBLER – ringed at SOUTH MILTON LEY  on 23rd May, 2015, controlled on 28th April 2016 at ESSEX FARM, ALDERNEY.   WILLOW WARBLER – ringed at SOUTH MILTON LEY on 29th July 2014, killed by a cat on  20th March 2015 at BIARRITZ, PYRENEES-ATLANTIQUES, FRANCE.   thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk