THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS NOVEMBER 2018 A month of contrasting weather - mild at times some E winds providing cool sunny days, a wet and stormy last week. 3 new species for the year - LITTLE OWL, SCANDINAVIAN HERRING GULL and the bird of the year a WHITE-BILLED DIVER - Latter 2 are patch firsts.   Total for the year 204 (c/f 2017 - 202, 2016 - 199). Total species for the month 115. (c/f 2017 - 111), 2016 - 124)  Highlights - GEESE, DIVERS, DUCKS and GREBES GREYLAG GOOSE - 1 on South Huish Marsh on 19th/20th BRENT GOOSE - Dark bellied -  1 flew N across the Bay on 19th and 1 on South Huish Marsh on 20th. Pale Bellied - 1 flew over South Huish Marsh on 25th. RED THROATED DIVER - 2 flew south early on 26th, 1 south on 3rd. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER - 1 SE on 5th and 1 on 30th. WHITE BILLED DIVER - 1 flew across the Bay SE in clear sunny conditions at 11.05 on 30th.  Very good scope views of the large pale yellow bill.  A patch first and 5th record for Devon. WIGEON - Max , on South Efford Marsh 60 on  5th.  At South Huish Marsh 30 on 28th. GADWALL - 2m 1f On the sea on 19th. TEAL - 100 at South Efford Marsh on 15th.  At South Huish Marsh 110 on 26th and 28th. PINTAIL - A flock of 12 (3m) flew around the Bay then NW on 20th. SHOVELER - A Male on a pond at South Milton from 28th. COMMON SCOTER - A max of only 10 on sea on 20th. GOOSANDER - A female on South Efford Marsh on 25th, next day 26th a female flew over South Huish Marsh. LITTLE GREBE - Up to 2 on South Huish Marsh from mid month. GREAT CRESTED GREBE - 1 in the Bay on 26th. SHEARWATER, GANNET, EGRETS and RAILS MANX SHEARWATER - 1 flying around the Bay during afternoon of 23rd and 27th - latest records for the patch. GANNET - Max a raft of over 200 on 27th. LITTLE EGRET - At South Efford Marsh Up to 10, At South Huish Marsh a max of 3. CATTLE EGRET - 3 around South Efford Marsh on 11th and 20th.  At South Huish Marsh, 1 on 22nd and 23rd. WATER RAIL - Up to 3 At South Milton Ley, 1 calling at Thurlestone Marsh regularly. RAPTORS and OWLS MERLIN - 1 flying around South Huish Marsh on 1st and 7th. BARN OWL - 2 sightings over Thurlestone Marsh and at least 1 around Aveton Gifford. TAWNY OWL - Reported calling from 2 sites. LITTLE OWL - 1 calling at Aveton Gifford on 21st - has become a scarce bird around the patch.  Only record this year. WADERS OYSTERCATCHER - A max of 38 at high tide on 29th. RINGED PLOVER - Max of 10 on 27th. GREY PLOVER - 1 at South Huish Marsh on 28th. LAPWING - 16 over South Efford Marsh on 23rd and 4 on 25th. DUNLIN - High November max of 35 at South Efford Marsh on 21st. SNIPE - High counts at South Huish Marsh are when birds flushed by a  passing Raptor - a max of 100 on 27th. BLACK TAILED GODWIT - Max at South Efford Marsh of 24 on 23rd when Also 3 At South Huish Marsh. CURLEW - Max at South Efford Marsh of 30 on 2nd. COMMON SANDPIPER - 1 at South Efford Marsh on 23rd. GREEN SANDPIPER - 3  at South Efford Marsh on 8th.  1 flushed at South Milton Ley on 25th. GREENSHANK - Max at South Efford Marsh of 8 on 2nd. REDSHANK - Max at South Efford Marsh of 6 on 2nd.  On 20th 1 feeding on the rocks. TURNSTONE - Max on the rocks of 18 on 25th. PECTORAL SANDPIPER - the bird from October last seen at South Huish Marsh on 1st. SKUA and GULLS BONXIE - 2 flew south east on 3rd. MEDITERRANEAN GULL - Max of 8 around the Bay on 23rd. BLACK HEADED GULL - A feeding flock of 750+ in the Bay on 21st was a very large number for here. SABINES GULL - A report of 1 flying South East on 7th. GREAT BLACK BACKED GULL - following 2 days of storms a total of 66 flew South East in  90 mins on 30th. COMMON GULL - On 17th, 32 At South Efford Marsh - very high count for us. SCANDINAVIAN HERRING GULL - An adult photographed by Alan Doidge  At South Huish Marsh on 28th - another patch first. WARBLERS, THRUSHES and STARTS YELLOW BROWED WARBLER - Singles at South Milton Ley on 16th and at Aveton Gifford on 17th. CHIFFCHAFF - 26 ringed at South Milton Ley in 2  visits 16th and 26th.  On latter date at least 30 birds on site.    Regularly reported from 3 other sites  but only singles. CETTIS WARBLER - 1 ringed on 16th at South Milton Ley. BLACKCAP - Only sighting a male in a Thurlestone Garden on 16th. FIELDFARE - 15 at South Efford Marsh on 15th. REDWING -  20 over a Thurlestone Garden on 14th, 30 at South Milton Ley on 15th. BLACK REDSTART - At South Huish Marsh 1 on 7th, a female and 1 winter male around Thurlestone Gardens from 14th - 18th, a 1 winter male at Aveton Gifford from 22nd. PIPITS, LARKS, FINCHES and BUNTINGS SKYLARK - Max of 12 over Thurlestone on 13th. WATER PIPIT - At least 2 at both South Huish Marsh and South Efford Marsh all month. REED BUNTING - 2 regularly visiting feeders in a Thurlestone Garden. CIRL BUNTING - A female in a Thurlestone Garden on 21st and 22nd also reported from South Milton Ley. GOLDFINCH - Max 31 in a Thurlestone Garden on 14th. CHAFFINCH -  60 over a Thurlestone Garden in 45 mins on 19th. CHAFFINCH/LINNET - A combined flock of 400+ near Huxton Cross on 16th. BULLFINCH - 4 Ringed at South Milton Ley on 26th. GOLDCREST - Only Reported from 3 sites, best were 3 ringed at South Milton Ley on 16th. If there is a cold spell later in December possibility of some unusual GEESE and possibly sea DUCK  -  which would create a record patch total species recorded in a calendar year mikepassman@modbury.me.uk thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk heers