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THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS
OCTOBER 2018
Another month of relatively dry weather with some Indian Summer temperatures, particularly from 18th to 25th. Storm “Callum” on 12th produced S winds gusting up to F9 produced some good passage. First cool spell from 26th
With 9 new species for the Year - WHOPPER SWAN, LITTLE STINT, PURPLE SANDPIPER, GOSHAWK, ROSEATE TERN, RING OUZEL, YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER, REDPOLL. - finished with a totally of 201 for the year - (c/f 2017 - 201, 2016 - 192) Another year where total species recorded on the patch exceeds 200.
Total species for the month was 138 (c/f 2017 - 122, 2016 - 133) a record for the month of October.
Special mention must be made of the 1W ISABELLINE SHRIKE found by Ian McTeague whilst out walking along the coast path on 10th. Last reported on the 16th having been watched by several hundred birders. This is the second record for this rare visitor to the UK in the last 3 years, previous one was found on 14th October 2015.
Highlights - SWANS, DIVERS, DUCKS, GREBES and GEESE
WHOPPER SWAN- 2 flew W at 07.50 on 27th - only 3rd record in last 7 years.
BLACK SWAN - A Juv with MUTE SWAN on River Avon at Aveton Gifford on 20th.
GREAT N DIVER - 2 watched flying E high over Bolt Tail on 23rd.
RED T DIVER - 1 flew into the Bay and landed on the sea on 28th, 1 south on 29th.
WIGEON - Only singles recorded on 6 days, max 3 on 28th.
TEAL -At South Efford Marsh a flock of 80 throughout, only up to 40 at South Huish Marsh.
EIDER - F flew in landed on sea on 29th.
COMMON SCOTER - recorded on 6 days max 29 on 15th.
RED BREASTED MERGANSER - A male flew E on 25th, also 5 Juv flew E on 29th.
GREAT CRESTED GREBE - One in the Bay on 25th.
LITTLE GREBE - 2 on South Huish Marsh most of the month.
BRENT GOOSE - 3 DB on 29th through Bay.
GANNET, SHEARWATERS and EGRETS.
GANNET -Some large feeding flocks, best passage 1000+ in 2 hours on 12th.
FULMAR - Singles E on 2nd and 12th (Scarce here in October).
SOOTY SHEARWATER - One E on 12th.
BALEARIC SHEARWATER - Max of 10 flew E on 12th.
CATTLE EGRET - 4 reported on South Efford Marsh on 21st
RAPTORS and OWLS - a total of 11 species recorded,
MARSH HARRIER - One in off the sea at Hope Cove on 22nd.
MERLIN - 1 at Bolt Tail on 15th, 1 at South Huish Marsh 21st - 26th.
HOBBY - 1 over South Milton Ley on 13th.
GOSHAWK - A F flew over the footbridge on15th.
no change in status of KESTREL, PEREGRINE, SPARROWHAWK and BUZZARD.
BARN OWL - Reported from Aveton Gifford and Thurlestone Marsh.
TAWNY OWL - Calling heard at 3 sites.
SHORT EARED OWL - 1 in off the sea over the Golf Course on 10th.
WADERS - 18 species recorded.
OYSTERCATCHER - Max 25 on 13th.
RINGED PLOVER - Max 11 on 3rd and 12th.
GOLDEN PLOVER - 2 over Bolt Tail on 22nd.
LAPWING - 1 over Thurlestone Marsh on 21st.
KNOT - 1 on Beach on 3rd.
LITTLE STINT - A Juv on South Huish Marsh fro. 18th to 22nd.
PURPLE SANDPIPER - 1 amongst a flock of waders on the Beach on 12th
DUNLIN - Max 22 on the Beach on 12th.
SNIPE-Max on South Huish Marsh 15 on 21st.
BLACK TAILED GOTWIT - A flock of 20 on South Efford Marsh all month, a max of 7 on South Huish Marsh on 22nd.
BAR TAILED GODWIT - 2 on South Efford Marsh all month.
CURLEW - Max of 22 on South Efford Marsh on 18th.
COMMON SANDPIPER - 1 on River Avon on 1st
GREEN SANDPIPER - Singles on South Efford Marsh on 11th and 18th.
GREENSHANK - On South Efford Marsh max of 9 on 11th.
REDSHANK - Max at South Efford Marsh of 6 on 11th. 2 on the rocks on 19th.
TURNSTONE - Max on the rocks/beach of 9 on 12th.
PECTORAL SANDPIPER- A Juv on South Huish Marsh from 18th to 31st (2nd patch record this year after one in May).
SKUA, GULLS and TERNS
GREATSKUA - Storm ‘Callum” produced the best ever Autumn records - On 12th a total 32 flew passed Hope Cove, 5 flew through the Bay. On 13th another 8 off Hope Cove.
ARCTIC SKUA - recorded on 4 days - 3 flew E on 8th, 6E on 12th, singles on 13th and 15th.
POMERINE SKUA. - One off Hope Cove on 12th.
KITTIWAKE - Impressive passage total of 80 on 1st and highest of the year - 396flew SE in 1 hour 10 mins on 31st.
LITTLE GULL - 1 by the footbridge on 20th.
MED GULL - Max of 3 on the rocks on 13th.
SANDWICH TERN - 2 in the Bay on 7th.
COMMON TERN - 4 in the Bay on 12th and 13th.
ROSEATE TERN -1 briefly on South Huish Marsh on 12th.
HIRUNDINES
SAND MARTIN - 2 flew S on 14th.
SWALLOW - Recorded on 6 days max of 27 on 15th, last Report 1 on 16th.
HOUSE MARTIN - 2 on 1st and 13 on 15th.
WARBLERS
CETTIS WARBLER - 5 Ringed At South Milton Ley. 1 at Thurlestone Marsh on 20th and 24th
YELLOW BROWED WARBLER - 1 in a Thurlestone garden with LONG TAILED TITS on 22nd.
CHIFFY - a max of 4 on 1st through a Thurlestone Garden. A total of 43 new birds ringed at South MIlton Ley.
BLACKCAP - Max of 5 in a Thurlestone Garden on 1st, 11 ringed at South Milton Ley
GROPPA - 1 by the Hide at South Efford Marsh on 26th.
THRUSHES
BLACKBIRD - A max of 20 on 21st.
FIELDFARE - first of the Autumn 2 flew north on 14th.
REDWING - 1 on 19th, 2 on 27th.
MISTLE THRUSH - 2 flew E on 19th.
SONG THRUSH - A max of 7 on 21st.
RING OUZEL - 1 at Hope on 22nd.
STARTS, CHATS, WAGTAILS and CRESTS
BLACK REDSTART - A F in a Thurlestone Garden on 9th.
STONECHAT - Up to a max of 10 around the patch
WHEATEAR - Max on 18th - in the morning 8 on South Huish Marsh and 6 on the Golf Course in the afternoon.
YELLOW WAGTAIL - Last record 1 on South Huish Marsh on 18th.
GREY WAGTAIL - Max 3 over Thurlestone Marsh on 26th.
PIED/WHITE WAGTAIL - A total of 81 recorded on 1st. On 10th 60 watched going to roost.
FIRECREST - 1 by the Car Park At Aveton Gifford on 28th.
GOLDCREST - Total of 9 Ringed At South Milton Ley.
LARKS, PIPITS, FINCHES and BUNTINGS
SKYLARK - Max passage 65 on 9th and 56 on 19th.
MIPIT - Max of 110 on 10th and 90 on 15th.
WATER PIPIT - 1 at South Huish Marsh from 19th, 2 At South Efford Marsh on 20th.
BRAMBLING -A male flew N on 1st.
CHAFFINCH - Max of 24 on 29th.
GREENFINCH - Max of 15 on 19th.
GOLDFINCH - Noteable passage of 115 on 10th and 305 on 14th.
SISKIN - Max passage 33 on 10th.
CHAFFINCH - Max of 34 on 14th.
LINNET - Flock At South Huish Marsh built up to 300+ on 7th.
CIRL BUNTING - Reported from 3 sites.
REED BUNTING - Present At 3 sites, 4 in a garden on 29th.
REDPOLL - 1 flew on 27th and 3 on 28th.
Having achieved a total of 201 species what can the next 2 months provide.?
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