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THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS MARCH 2018

An unprecedented month for weather – very cold from 1^st – 4^th with lying snow and blocked access roads, followed by periods of heavy rain and then another disruption caused by snow on 19^th.  One of the wettest March on record. Winds predominated from East.

Cold weather movements produced an influx of DUCK, WADERS and THRUSHES.

19 new birds for the year – including POCHARD, RED BREASTED,MERGANSER, GARGANEY, AVOCET, MANX SHEARWATER, WOODCOCK, ICELAND GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL and early spring migrants of LITTLE RINGED PLOVER, SAND MARTIN and WHEATEAR.   Total for the year 141 (c/f 2017 – 142, 2016 – 130)

A total of 125 species recorded during the month.

Main Highlights

GEESE, DUCKS, DIVERS and GREBE

BRENT GOOSE  - D.B. – One joined the CANADA flock at South Huish Marsh from 19^th with 2 on 24.

BRENT GOOSE – P.B. – One flew past Bolt tail on 25^th.

WIGEON – Max at South Huish Marsh. 130 on 5^th when also 80+ at South Efford Marsh.

HYBRID AMERICAN WIGEON/WIGEON – Present at South Huish Marsh up to 10^th.

TEAL -  On Thurlestone Marsh 32 on 3^rd was a year high/. On South Huish Marsh max of 65 on 4^th and 5^th whilst at South Efford Marsh 50+ on 5^th.

PINTAIL – On 4^th a pair on South Huish Marsh when also a male on South Efford Marsh.

GARGANEY – On 4^th 2 males on South Efford Marsh whilst also a pair on South Huish Marsh stayed until 6^th.    This is the earliest Devon record for this specie.

SHOVELER – 2 onThurlestone Marsh on 2^nd when also 5M 2F on the sea.   On South Huish Marsh 4on 4^th, 3 on 6^th with 2 females arriving on 27^th.

POCHARD – A male on South Huish marsh from 3^rd to 8^th and a pair on South Efford Marsh on 4^th – These are only the 3^rd  records in the last 5 years

COMMON SCOTER – 8 on 6^th and 4 on 29^th only records.

RED BREASTED MERGANSER – A male in the Bay on 25^th is the first spring record in

 the last 10 years.

RED THROATED DIVER – 1 on sea on 6^th, 2 m 22^nd, 1 on 24th and 2 on 26^th.

BLACK THROATED DIVER – Only record 1 on 23^rd.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER – 1 flew east on 3^rd , 2 on sea on 6^th, 3 on 22^nd and 1 on 24^th.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE – 2 on the Bay on 6^th, 3 on 9^th and 10^th and 1 on 31^st.

LITTLE GREBE – Last sighting on South Huish Marsh was 2 on 6^th.

SHEARWATERS, EGRET AND SPOONBILL

MANX SHEARWATER – An early spring record of 1 flying east on 25^th.

CATTLE EGRET – 2 on 2^nd reduced to a single up to 11^th.  Not recorded after the second fall of snow.

LITTLE EGRET – Up to 6 around the Marshes.

SPOONBILL – The bird which has overwintered seen regularly at both South Huish and South Efford Marshes.   On 4^th at South Huish Marsh whilst the regular bird asleep another watched flying south out to sea.

WADERS – A total of 21 species recorded during the month compared with 14 on 2017 – A new  Marsh record.

OYSTERCATCHER – Max 10 on 8^th.

AVOCET – A flock of 8 briefly on South Huish Marsh on 26^th.

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER – Singles on  24^th and 25^th on South Huish Marsh.

RINGED PLOVER – Max 6 on 3^rd.

GOLDEN PLOVER – Cold weather movement saw 90 on Thurlestone Marsh on 2^nd when a flock also at South Huish Marsh.  On 19^th 50 around South Huish Marsh.

GREY PLOVER – 3 on 3^rd, 4 on 4^th with 2 remaining until 8th at South Huish Marsh on 5^th.

LAPWING- Another cold weather movement specie – 150 on South Huish Marsh on 3^rd with a max of 275+ on 6^th.   At South Efford Marsh 120+ on 5^th

KNOT – A single on South Huish Marsh on 4^th.

DUNLIN – Max 15 on 3^rd

RUFF – At South Huish Marsh – 1 on 3^rd with 2 on 4^th and 6^th.   1 at South Efford Marsh on 4^th

JACK SNIPE – 1 watched feeding on South Huish Marsh on 4^th.

SNIPE -Cold weather brought 30 to Thurlestone Marsh on 1^st. Max at South Huish Marsh 35+ on 6^th.

WOODCOCK -  2 in garden at Aveton Gifford on 1^st.

BLACK TAILED GODWIT – Up to 6 at South Huish Marsh throughout a flock of 12 flew into roast on 30^th.

BAR TAILED GODWIT – 3 on South Huish Marsh from 3^rd to 6^th.

CURLEW – Up to 20 on South Efford Marsh.

COMMON SANDPIPER – Up to 3 along the tidal road at Aveton Gifford throughout the month.

GREEN SANDPIPER – 2 on north marsh at South Efford on 7^th and 8^th.

GREENSHANK – Max 3 along the tidal road on 8^th.

REDSHANK – Max 4 along the tidal road on 8^th, 1on South Huish Marsh on 19^th.

TURNSTONE – Max of 12 on the rocks on 5^th.

GULLS AND TERNS

MEDITERRANEAN GULL -  Max of 16 on South Huish Marsh on 10^th.

BLACK HEADED GULL – 400+ on South Huish Marsh on 10^th.

LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL – 100+ on 5^th increased to 150+ on 8^th at South Huish Marsh.

HERRING GULL – 600+ on South Huish Marsh 10^th.

COMMON GULL – Max of 35 on 10^th on South Huish Marsh is a record count for recent years.

GREATER BLACK BACKED GULL – Max of 35 on 10^th.

ICELAND GULL – An adult flew E across the Bay on 6^th.

GLAUCOUS GULL – A 1^st W roosted at South Huish Marsh on 24^th and seen daily to 30^th.

SANDWICH TERN – 1 amongst the GULLS on South Huish Marsh on 4^th. 2 on 23^rd and 3 on 28^th were spring migrants.

SPRING MIGRANTS – Due to the very cold weather very few records.

SAND MARTIN -  first at South Huish Marsh on 24^th.

CHIFFCHAFF -  most perished in the 2 periods of cold weather.

WILLOW WARBLER -  A male singing at South Milton Ley on 25^th.

WHEATEAR – 3 on 19^th were the first with 3 on 20^th and 24^th all around South Huish Marsh area.

THRUSHES, LARKS, FINCHES AND PIPITS

Cold weather movement produced the largest totals for some THRUSHES in the last 5 years.

FIELDFARE – In Thurlestone a total of 835 logged on 2^nd and 105 on 3^rd.

REDWING – Over Thurlestone  2500+ logged on 2^nd.   At South Huish Marsh 250 on 3rd and 200 on 4^th.

SONG THRUSH – Max of 16 in Thurlestone on 2^nd

BLACKBIRD – max of 9 on Thurlestone on 2^nd.

MISTLE THRUSH – 1 over Thurlestone on 2^nd.

WOODLARK – 2 spring records – very scarce at this time of the year, 1 flew north at South HuishMarsh on 11^th and 1 at Hope Cove on 19^th.

SKYLARK – A flock of 60+ flew over Thurlestone Marsh on 3^rd.

WATER PIPIT – 4 onThurlestone Marsh on 2^nd, singles regularly at South Huish Marsh.

BRAMBLING – 4 in a garden at Aveton Gifford on 2^nd, 3 in a Thurlestone  Garden on 3^rd  and singles on  8^th and  28^th.

CIRL BUNTING – A pair regularly visiting a Thurlestone garden throughout the month.

YELLOW HAMMER – 2 in a garden at Aveton Gifford on 2^nd.   A male on hedgerows in the lanes on 6^th.

REED  BUNTING – Max of 9 in a Thurlestone Garden on 1^st.

STARLING – 270  logged on Thurlestone Marsh on 3^rd.

BLACK REDSTART -  A female in a Thurlestone Garden on 3^rd.

A poor weather conditions have continued into the first few days of April with few spring migrants recorded so far.

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