THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS DECEMBER 2019 A relatively quiet month both weather and bird wise.   Only morning with a light frost was 2nd,rain on relatively few days but windy particularly 8th to 10th - up to F10. 3 new birds for the year. - WOODCOCK, LITTLE AUK, TUFTED DUCK taking the years final total to 203 (c/f 2018 - 205, 2017-204). A total of 110 species recorded this month (c/f 2018 - 108,2017 - 108). Highlights GEESE, DUCKS and DIVERS BRENT GOOSE - 2 Pale Bellied last seen on 1st on South Huish Marsh. A Dark Bellied flew NW on 2nd. SHELDUCK - 2 on South Huish Marsh on 1st and a single on 7th. WIGEON - Max on South Huish Marsh 130 on 21st, 82 on South Efford Marsh on 7th. TEAL - Maxon South Huish Marsh, 65 on 17th, on South Efford Marsh 76 on 7th. TUFTED DUCK - A male flew SE across the Bay on 4th - only record this year. COMMON SCOTER - Only recorded on 3 days with a max of 3 on 4th. RED BREASTED MERGANSER - A pair landed on the sea on 10th and spent an hour feeding. RED THROATED DIVER - Recorded on 5 days with 3 on 3rd, 2 on 4th and 21st. GREAT NORTHERN DIVER - Singles on 4 days. GANNET and FULMAR GANNET- A max of 185 on 8th. FULMAR - Singles on16th and 19th. WADERS - 14 species recorded. OYSTERCATCHER - Max of 33 on 21st. RINGED PLOVER - Up to 12 on South Huish Marsh all month. LAPWING- Only  2 records both at South Huish Marsh, 2 on 1stand 1 on 4th. KNOT - 2 on South Huish Marsh on 10th. BLACK TAILED GODWIT -A max of 8 on South Huish Marsh on 3rd. DUNLIN - A max of 3 on South Huish Marsh on 1st. JACK SNIPE1 on South Efford Marsh on 7th. SNIPE - Max of 36 on South Huish Marsh on 4th,on South Efford Marsh max of 17 on 1st. WOODCOCK  - 1 seen in flight at South Milton Village on 1st. CURLEW - Max on South Efford Marsh of 27 on 7th.  COMMON SANDPIPER  - Only 1 record of a single on River Avon on 4th. GREENSHANK - Max on South Efford Marsh of 5 on 1st REDSHANK - Max of 9 on South Efford Marsh on 7th. TURNSTONE - A max of 2 on the rocks on 16th. GULLS and AUKS KITTIWAKE -  A max of 85 on 16th. HERRING GULL - A max of 1000 in the Bay on 2nd. BLACK HEADED GULL - A max on South Huish Marsh of 350 on 2nd. MEDITERRANEAN GULL - A max on South Huish Marsh of 5 on 8th. COMMON GULL - On South Huish Marsh a max of 8 on 6th. YELLOW LEGGED GULL - A first Winter on South Huish Marsh on 10th. AUKS - Plenty of them flying SE, best totals 215on 9th and 200 on 19th. LITTLE AUK - 1 flew SE across the Bay on 5th in company of a RAZORBILL. CRESTS and WARBLERS GOLDCREST - Max of 8 at South Milton Ley on 27th a total of 6 ringed this month. FIRECREST - By far the best ever Winter records - 5 ringed at South Milton Ley - 4 at Aveton Gifford on 25th, where also 2 on 29th with 3 at South Milton Ley. CHIFFY - Less birds in total this Winter - A max of 28 ringed at South Milton Ley on 17th, up to 6 at Aveton Gifford all month. BLACKCAP - A pair visiting an  Aveton Gifford garden on 16th and 22nd. THRUSHES -  Very few this winter. REDWING - A max of 20 at South Milton Ley on 7th. FIELDFARE - Only record of 5 near South Milton Ley on 5th. BUNTINGS,FINCHES, STARTS, PIPITS CIRL BUNTING - Only 1 record a male in Thurlestone on 3rd. REED BUNTING - A male by the footbridge on 3rd, 1 ringed on South Milton Ley on 17th. YELLOWHAMMER - 2 male in the lanes on 3rd. BULLFINCH - 1 at South Milton Ley on 14th. SISKIN - 3 over Thurlestone Marsh on 17th. BLACK REDSTART - A female by flats on 2nd,both male and female separately at Aveton Gifford on 18th and 27th. WATER PIPIT - Recorded on both Marshes with a max of 2 on 1st. Another year when over 200 species recorded on the patch for the third consecutive year. thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk