Add HeadinThurlestone Bay Birds September 2019 A settled period of weather with some warm spells up to 20th then typical Autumnal weather with some heavy rain 27th/28th and gale force winds fro 25th. New species for the year - BLACK GUILLEMOT, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, CURLEW SANDPIPER, GREY PHALAROPE, MERLIN, GREENLAND WHEATEAR, REDSTART AND REDPOLL Taking the total to 190 (c/f 2018 - 192, 2017 - 198) A record total for September of 137 species (c/f 2018 - 134, 2017 - 131) Highlights DUCKS WIGEON  - A male at South Efford Marsh on 18th TEAL -  Numbers built up to a max on South Huish Marsh to 40 on 29th. SHOVELER - A female on South Huish Marsh all month. COMMON SCOTER - Max of 20 on 30th. FULMAR, SHEARWATERS, GANNET AND AUKS FULMAR - 3 on 17th was the Max. SOOTY SHEARWATER - 1 flew SE at Hope Cove on 18th. MANX SHEARWATER - 2 high totals - 250+ on 16th and 430on 18th. BALEARIC SHEARWATER - 5 on 23rd and 24 on 27th. GANNET - Impressive totals of 500 on 16th, 700 on 23rd and a max of 750 on 29th. BLACK GUILLEMOT  A 1W sat on the sea on 18th. RAPTORS MARSH HARRIER - A male flew off the sea on 20th. HOBBY -Singles recorded on 18th and 19th. MERLIN - 1 flew through South Huish Marsh on 30th. OSPREY - 1 Reported on River Avon on 9th. No change in status of BUZZARD, SPARROWHAWK, KESTREL or OWLS. WADERS - 20 species recorded. LESSER YELLOWLEGS - bird of the year so far, found on South Efford Marsh on 18th and present until 20th.   Only the second patch record, previous one was October 1981 on the same site. OYSTERCATCHER - Max of 17 on 29th. LITTLE RINGED PLOVER - 1 on South Efford Marsh on 20th. RINGED PLOVER - Max of 51 on 17th. KNOT - On South Huish Marsh. Singles on 13th and 17th. SANDERLING - A max of only 3 on the beach on 18th. CURLEW SANDPIPER - 1 on South Huish Marsh on 22nd. DUNLIN - A max of only 35 on both 17th and 18th. RUFF - Singles on South Huish Marsh on 8th and 12th. SNIPE - Max of 3 on South Huish Marsh on 23rd. BLACK TAILED GODWIT - Present on both Marshes all month with a max of 21 on 8th. BAR TAIKED GODWIT - Singles on South Huish Marsh on 1st and 23rd. WHIMBREL - 2 on South Efford Marsh on 20th. CURLEW - A max of 31 on South Efford Marsh on 16th. COMMON SANDPIPER - Singles on South Efford Marsh on several dates. GREEN SANDPIPER - Singles on South Efford Marsh on 4 days. GREENSHANK - A max of 11 on South Efford Marsh on 18th. REDSHANK - A max of 9 on South Efford Marsh on 1st. TURNSTONE - A max of 6 on the beach on 18th. GREY PHALAROPE - 1 on South Efford Marsh from 2nd to 6th. SKUAS, GULLS AND TERNS ARCTIC SKUA -Recorded on 5 days, 2 on 18th, 2 on 22nd, 1 on 27th, 4 on 28th and 14 on 29th. GREAT SKUA - 2 on 17th, 23rd and 24th and 1 on 29th. POMARINE SKUA - 1 Juv Close inshore on 24th. SABINES GULL -1 1W flew SE on 24th. KITTIWAKE - 2 impressive counts, 245 on 24th and 540 on 29th. BLACK HEADED GULL - 400+ on 24th and 430+ on 27th. MEDITERRANEAN GULL -  Max of 5 on 28th and 29th. SANDWICH TERN - 4 on 17th and 2 on 29th. COMMON TERN - A Juv on the rocks 26th to 28th.  COMMIC TERN - 4 Offshore on 29th. LITTLE TERN - 5 off Hope Cove on 24th and 1 on 29th. HIRUNDINES AND MISCELLANEOUS SWIFT - 2 re rods 1 on 3rd and 2 over Bolt Tail on 19th. SWALLOW - Large numbers of 450 on 17th, 650 on 18th, 500 on 19th a roost at Thurlestone Marsh on 17th was at least 1000 birds. HOUSE MARTIN - Large Numbers on 3 days - 17th - 500+, 19th - 1200 and on 18th over 3500 moves NW along the coast in 2 hours with several flocks in excess of 500. SAND MARTIN - A max of 20 on 20th. SKYLARK - 7 on the Golf Course on 18th. REDSTART - A 1 W caught and ringed at South Milton Ley on 14th. WHINCHAT - Singles on 2nd and 24th at South Huish Marsh. STONECHAT - Max of 11 on 16th along the coast path. WHEATEAR - 13 around the Golf Course on 18th. GREENLAND WHEATEAR - 1 at South Huish Marsh on 17th YELLOW WAGTAIL  - Max at South Huish Marsh 16 on 1st, last a single on 22nd. BLUE HEADED WAGTAIL - A single at South Huish Marsh on 1st GREY WAGTAIL - First migrant bird were 3 flying NW on 20th. REDPOLL - 1 flew over South Huish Marsh calling on 3rd. RINGING TOTALS FOR THE MONTH AT SOUTH MILTON LEY. MEADOW  PIPIT        27            WHITETHROAT        1 REDSTART              1            GARDEN WARBLER        1 CETTIS WARBLER          1            BLACKCAP            91 GROPPA              1            CHIFFY            45 SEDGE WARBLER         4            WILLOW WARBLER        4 REED WARBLER         9            GOLDCREST            8 After some impressive sea-watches in the last week of the month anticipation for October is high. mikepassman@modbury.me.uk thurlestonbaybirds.co.uk        g