Add Heading

DECEMBER 2018

 

THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

DECEMBER 2018

 

A month of relatively mild weather - particularly the last week.

Only one day of gales and storms up to F9 SSW On 18.   Plenty of heavy rain mid month produced highest water level on both marshes.

Only 1 light frost - dawn on 28th.

 

Only 1 new bird for the year - MANDARIN - but it did take the total to a record 205 species for the year.  (c/f 2017 - 204, 2016 - 202).    

During the month a total of 108 species recorded (2017 - 108, 2016 - 112)

 

Main Highlights

SWAN and GEESE

BLACK SWAN - An unringed Bird On South Marsh from 13th - 31st

GREYLAG GOOSE - 2 on South Huish Marsh on 4th and 5th.

BRENT GEESE - DB - 3 flew SE on 14th and 1 NW on 20th.

 

DUCKS

SHELDUCK - 2 on South Huish Marsh on 27th.

WIGEON - On Avon Estuary Max of 200+ on 12th.  On South Huish Marsh a max of 75 on 28th.

TEAL - On South Efford Marsh a max of 120 on 11th, on South Huish Marsh 90+ on 28th.

SHOVELER - A pair on a small pond in South Milton Village on 3rd.   7 Juv on the sea on 13th.

EIDER - On 17th, 1 1w Male and 2 female flew SE across the Bay.   (3rd record this year) 

COMMON SCOTER -  Only Reported On 5 days - Max 8 on 28th.

MANDARIN -A male on River Avon from 3rd - probably only the second record in 10 years.

A male on South Huish Marsh on 29th ( site first record)

 

DIVERS and GREBES

RED THROATED DIVER - Recorded on 5 days - on 16th a flock of 7 flew NW with another single later -3 observed on 28th.

BLACK THROATED DIVER - 2 flew SE on 13th.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER - Recorded on 4 days - 4 on 14th, 2 on 16th, 17th and 28th.

LITTLE GREBE - Up to 3 on South Huish Marsh all month.  On River Avon  a max of 6 on 12th.

 

GANNET, FULMAR and AUKS

GANNET - 3 figure counts on 13th and 16th max of 245 on 17th.

FULMAR - first returning bird on 11th.

AUKS - Max passage of 85 SE on 11th.

 

CATTLE EGRET - reported from South Efford Marsh with 3 on 3rd, 2 - 11th, 4 - 16th and 18th.

SPOONBILL - An adult on South Efford Marsh 16th and 18th.

 

WADERS - 12 species recorded

OYSTERCATCHER - Max of 33 on 3rd.

RINGED PLOVER - Max of 11 on 28th on South Huish Marsh.

LAPWING - Max 27 at Huxton Cross on 20th.

DUNLIN - 2 on South Efford Marsh on 16th.

JACK SNIPE -2 at South Efford Marsh on 11th.

SNIPE - Max of 60+ on South Huish Marsh on 28th.

BLACK TAILED GODWIT - Max of 37 on South Efford Marsh on 12th.

CURLEW - 25 on South Efford Marsh on 4th.

COMMON SANDPIPER - Singles on River Avon on 3rd and 12th

GREENSHANK - Max of 8 on South Efford Marsh on 4th.

REDSHANK - Max of 6 on South Efford Marsh on 4th.

TURNSTONE - Max of 16 on And I’ve sent it but I’ve now got transferred can’t rememberthe rocks on 11th.

 

GULLS

BLACK HEADED GULL - 460 in the Bay feeding on 5th is a large count for Winter.

KITTIWAKE- Max of 25 on 11th.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL - 3 different birds flew SE on 16th and 17th.

 

WARBLERS

CETTIS WARBLER -  2 Ringed At South Milton Ley on 10th (a total of 14 Ringed since 1st October)

CHIFFCHAFF - 21 Ringed on 4th and 8 on 10th.

SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF - 1 at South Milton Ley on 10th and on 27th.

BLACKCAP - 1 Male in a Thurlestone Garden on 26th.

 

FINCHES, PIPITS, BUNTING and MISCELLANEOUS 

BRAMBLING - A female at Aveton Gifford on 1st.

CIRL BUNTING - 7 near South Huish Marsh on 13th, 4 in a South Milton Garden fro. 20th.

BLACK REDSTART - 3 different birds - Aveton Gifford on 3rd and 11th and on the rocks on 17th.

WATER PIPIT - Up to 3 present on both marshes all month.

REED BUNTING - Reported fro. 3 different sites.

SKYLARK - Max of 35 at Huxton Cross on 4th. 

LINNET -  A flock of 100+ at Huxton Cross on 20th.

GREY PARTRIDGE - Of interest a covey of 12 watched near South Milton Ley on 4th - probably released birds.

 

 

Another year comes to a close -as in previous years some very interesting records.

The number of visitors recorded accessing the blog was again a record, a total of 117.530.