THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

MAY 2019

An unusual month with only 1 good seawatching day on 8th with F6/7, SW wind.  A spell of E winds mid month did not produce any expected SKUA or SEA DUCK passage.   Plenty of sunshine.

8 new species for the year - HONEY BUZZARD, KENTISH PLOVER, BALEARIC, SHEARWATER, POMARINE SKUA, LESSER WHITE THROAT, GARDEN WARBLER, SPOT FLY, BLUE HEADED WAGTAIL taking the total to 168 (c/f 2018 - 175, 2017 - 180)

125 species logged in the month (c/f 2018 - 119, 2017 - 126).

Highlight of the month was the 4th patch record of a Kentish Plover (this was an adult) and a HONEY BUZZARD (less than annual here).

Interesting records were

GEESE, DUCKS, GREBE and DIVER

BARNACLE GOOSE - A pair on South Huish Marsh up to mid month.

TEAL - Last record were 5 on South Huish Marsh on 4th.

SHOVELER - A male and female on South Huish Marsh from 14th to 19th.

COMMON SCOTER - Very poor passage this year - only decent flocks were 80 on 22nd and 30 on 24th.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE - A first May record for years - 1 flew SE on 8th.

BLACK THROATED DIVER - Only 1 record which flew SE on 23rd.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER - 2 flew NW morning of 31st.

GANNET, FULMAR and SHEARWATER

GANNET - Max on 140 on 8th.

FULMAR - Max 20 on 8th.

MANX SHEARWATER - Only Recorded On 5 days a max of 80 on 22nd.

BALEARIC SHEARWATER - 2 flew SE on 8th.

RAPTORS

HONEY BUZZARD - 1 flew over gardens at Aveton Gifford on 14th (only 2 previous records in the last 10 years).

RED KITE - 1 Reported over South Milton on 15th.

HOBBY - 1 over Aveton Gifford on 9th.

WADERS - Only 15 species recorded.

OYSTERCATCHER - Max 25 on 19th.

AVOCET - 1 on South Huish Marsh all day on 13th (2nd Record this year).

RINGED PLOVER - A max of only 3 on 24th.

GREY PLOVER - 6 on 15th only record.

KENTISH PLOVER - A superb Male watched for only 10 minutes on the beach evening of 15th - Only the 4th patch record since 1970.

SANDERLING - Passage in the middle of the month with 31 on 13th, 57 on 15th and 28 on 16th, smaller numbers on many days.

DUNLIN - Very few until 23 on 23rd, 54 on 24th and 35 on 25th, all on South Huish Marsh.

RUFF - An adult Male almost in full summer plumage on South Huish Marsh from 9th - 11th.

BLACK TAILED GODWIT -Max of 10 on the Marsh on 1st and 2nd.

BAR TAILED GODWIT - Max of 12 on 7th.

WHIMBREL - Max of 26 on Marsh on 6th.

CURLEW - Singles on 4 days.

COMMON SANDPIPER - 1 on the Beach on 2nd.

GREENSHANK - 1 over South Huish Marsh on 19th.

REDSHANK - 1 on South Efford Marsh on 19th.

SKUAS, GULLS, TERNS and AUKS

POMARINE SKUA - 3 flew SE on 8th (1 with spoons)

 GREAT SKUA - 5 flew SE on 8th

ARCTIC SKUA - 1 flew SE on 8th.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL - 2 on the Marsh on 8th, Singles on several dates.

YELLOW LEGGED GULL - 1 first summer on the Marsh on 26th.

SANDWICH TERN - Very few Recorded - Max of 18 on 8th.

COMMON TERN - Only Record a single on 8th.

PUFFIN - A single record 1 flying SE on 8th.

SWIFT and HIRUNDINES - No large passage recorded.

SWIFT - Small Numbers on several days max of 8non 19th.

SAND MARTIN - A group of 6 at the only breeding site on the patch

HOUSE MARTIN -Breeding confirmed at 3 sites totaling 25 pairs (more than previous years).

SWALLOW - A max of less than 30 over South Huish Marsh.

WARBLERS - 10 species recorded.

CETTIS WARBLER - At least 3 males at South Milton Ley (Had been absent last year at this site).

CHIFFCHAFF - At least 20 around the patch - first juveniles recorded at 2 sites by the end of the month.

WILLOW WARBLER - 1 near Hatch Bridge on 21st.

BLACKCAP - Plenty of males singing at 5 sites around the patch - appears to be commoner than recent years.

GARDEN WARBLER - Singles At 2 sites on 4 days, 1 bird ringed on 25th.

LESSER WHITETHROAT - Single At four sites with at least 1 male singing - not known to breed.

WHITETHROAT - At least 6 pairs along the coast path.

GRASSHOPPER WARBLER - Singles At South Milton Ley on 11th and 12th.

SEDGE WARBLER - Singing At 4 sites, around 20nat South Milton Ley.

REED WARBLER - Singing At 2 sites - 8 Ringed at South Milton Ley on 18th and 9 on 25th.

MISCELLANEOUS

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER - Singles Recorded At 4 sites with 2 along the River at Aveton Gifford on several dates.

STONECHAT - At least 3 pairs with fledged young.

WHEATEAR - Last migrant was a female on 1st.

YELLOW WAGTAIL - Very poor passage with only singles on 3 evenings.

BLUE HEADED WAGTAIL - 1 at South Huish Marsh on evening of 10th.

GREY WAGTAIL - Juveniles At 2 sites already.

June is traditionally a quiet month - hopefully some breeding records will make it interesting.

Mike Passman - thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk