THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

SEPTEMBER 2016

With the demise of Thurlestone Marsh following the repair and improvement to the drainage system decision taken in consultation with Eric Wotton to extend the patch boundary to include the Avon Estuary which incorporates the very much improved South Efford Marsh (a Devon Wildlife Trust site).

As a result the 2016 year species total now includes SPOTTED SANDPIPER, OSPREY, and LITTLE STINT.

The total species recorded this month was 124 (c/f 2015-122, 2014-132)

New for the year were – PECTORAL,SANDPIPER, BRENT GOOSE – LB, WRYNECK, WOODCHAT SHRIKE and GREAT SHEARWATER, taking the total to 181 (c/f 2015-179, 2014-173)

An unusually warm month with no gales reported – strongest winds were F6 W on 6^th and 29^th.  Also a relatively dry month with appreciable rain on 13^th and 28^th/29^th.

Highlights for the month

GEESE – BRENT GOOSE – LB – An unusually early record of 4 on the sea off Warren Point on 6^th – an influx of these birds reported from South Coast sites in Devon and Dorset.

DUCKS

TEAL – On South Huish Marsh built up from 6 on 4^th to a max of 40 on 20^th.

On South Efford Marsh from 40 on 6^th to 150+ on 28^th.

WIGEON – first returning bird a female on the sea on 15^th. 

Max on South Efford Marsh 8 on 18^th.

PINTAIL – On 29^th 3 Juv flew onto South Huish Marsh.

COMMON SCOTER – Only 2 records with a max of 3 on 19^th.

SHEARWATERS, FULMAR, GANNET and SKUA

MANX SHEARWATER – Only a single record of 2 on 8^th.   .

GREAT SHEARWATER – On 29^th after a night of strong winds and thunderstorms there was a strong passage of sea birds, at 11.55 picked up a large SHEARWATER,         flying east 250yds offshore, with good views of the dark bill, white neck collar, distinct cap and the white band above the tail.   Only the second patch record.

FULMAR – Max 6 on 4^th.

GANNET – Max 240 on 29^th.

GREAT SKUA – Only 1 record flying east on 29^th.

RAPTORS

HOBBY – One over South Efford Marsh on 18^th.

OSPREY – Record flying down the River Avon on 5^th and 7^th.

BUZZARD – Max 8 on 23^rd.

During the month reports of PEREGRINE, SPARROWHAWK, KESTREL, and TAWNY OWL.

WADERS – a total of 22 species recorded, particularly good range of species at South Efford Marsh.

OYSTERCATCHER – Max 50 on 6^th and 21^st.

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER – One on South Huish Marsh on 1^st.

RINGED PLOVER – Max in Thurlestone Bay 32 on 14^th, at South Efford Marsh max 35+ on 5^th.

GOLDEN PLOVER – One in off the sea on 15^th and a flock of 35 flew high to the east on 28^th.

GREY PLOVER – 2 on the Avon Estuary mid-month.

KNOT – Max 4 on 4^th on South Efford Marsh.

SANDERLING – Max on the beach 21 on 15^th.

LITTLE STINT – At South Efford Marsh singles on 4^th and 5^th and 23^rd.

One flew through South Huish Marsh on 21^st.

CURLEW SANDPIPER – Record on 7 days at South Efford Marsh max 3 on 5^th and 7^th,last a single on 23^rd.   On South Huish marsh one on 14^th.

DUNLIN – On South Efford Marsh max 40 on 5^th.   At South Huish Marsh max 11 on 7th and 28^th.

RUFF – An impressive month at South Efford Marsh – starting with 9 on 4^th, 5 on 6^th, 16^th and 18^th and 4 on 20^th, singles on 5^th and 24^th to 30^th.

SNIPE – Max 11 on 6^th on South Efford Marsh

BLACK TAILED GODWIT – 1 on South Huish Marsh from 1^st to 19^th, at South Efford Marsh max 4 on 24^th.

BAR TAILED GODWIT – On 14^th 2 flew east across the Bay.

 On South Efford Marsh max 3 on 20^th.

WHIMBREL – 2 on South Efford Marsh on 1^st.

CURLEW – Max on South Efford Marsh 32 on 20^th.

PECTORAL SANDPIPER – One on South Efford Marsh seen intermittingly from 14^th to 24^th.

COMMON SANDPIPER – On South Efford Marsh built up from 5 on 6^th to 8 from 11^th to 25^th.

GREEN SANDPIPER – On South Efford Marsh – 2 on11th, 4 on16th with 2 through to the month end.

GREENSHANK – On South Efford Marsh throughout the month with a max of 6.

REDSHANK– 2 at South Efford Marsh on 20^th.

TURNSTONE – Only 1 record a single on the rocks on 4^th.

GULLS AND TERNS

MED GULL – Max on the coast 3 on 4^th.

SANDWICH TERN – Only a single record 1 on 12^th.

MISCELLANEOUS

WATER RAIL – 1 at South Milton Ley on 17^th

KINGFISHER – 1 at South Milton Ley on 11^th, at least 2 on South Efford Marsh throughout the month.

NUTHATCH – present around Aveton Gifford.

HIRUNDINES – Largest passage was between 13^th and 15^th.

SWALLOW – 1605 logged on 13^th with 650 on 15^th.

HOUSE MARTIN – Max 1990 on 13^th with 415 on 15^th.

SAND MARTIN – Max 30 on 14^th and 15 on 15^th.

WARBLERS – With both ringing teams away for the month following species were sighted –

CHIFFCHAFF, WILLOW WARBLER, BLACKCAP, WHITETHROAT, SEDGE WARBLER, REED WARBLER.

CHATS, REDSTART, WHEATEAR, WRYNECK and SHRIKE

STONECHAT – Present throughout the month max 12 on 5^th.

WHINCHAT – Max 2 on14th.

REDSTART – 1 at Aveton Gifford on 14^th.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER – 3 at Aveton Gifford on 14^th and 2 in a South Milton garden on 25^th.

WHEATEAR – Present throughout the month – high counts – 20 on 14^th and 14 on 15^th.

WRYNECK – At South Efford Marsh Eric found one on 5^th, still present on 6^th and 7^th and then 2 together on 8^th.

WOODCHAT SHRIKE – On 24^th Eric found a Juv at South Efford Marsh at 09.30 watched until 11.45 when it flew up the Valley (NB – Refound by Dave Pakes on Monday 3^rd October.)

WAGTAILS, PIPITS, LARKS and BUNTINGS

PIED/WHITE WAGTAIL – Good numbers at South Huish Marsh throughout.

GREY WAGTAIL – Max 8 on 13^th.

YELLOW WAGTAIL – Max South Huish Marsh 18on 1^st and at South Efford Marsh 15 on 6^th.

MEADOW PIPIT – Max moving through 70 on15th.

SISKIN – first for autumn were 3 flying north on 23^rd.

SKYLARK – max passage 14 on 14^th.

CIRL BUNTING – 2 Juv on 10^th and 1 on 12^th in a village garden.

With winter visitors starting to be reported including a large influx of YELLOW-BROWED WARBLERS along the East Coast the remainder of the year will be interesting.

Mike Passman

thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk

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