THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS  AUGUST 2020 A month of varied weather - a period of hot sunny weather from 9th to 12th - Thunderstorms on 10th, wet days 14th to 20th with some unseasonal gales on 20th, 21st and storm F11 conditions on 25th. Total species recorded was 119 (c/f 2019 - 130, 2018 - 124) 7 new species for the year - GREAT WHITE EGRET, TREE PIPIT, LITTLE STINT, GREY PHALAROPE, CURLEW SANDPIPER, PIED FLYCATCHER, BLUE-HEADED WAGTAIL taking the total to 179 (c/f 2019 - 181, 2018 - 186). One of the poorest wader passage for South Huish Marsh because the outflow pipe was blocked finally water flowed out from 27th as soon as shores became muddy the waders turned up. Highlights:- DUCKS SHELDUCK  - 2 fledged juv’s at South Efford Marsh from 18th. TEAL - Slow build up this year at South Huish Marsh from 7 on 13th to a max of 20 on 27th. COMMON SCOTER - best were 15 on 5th, 14 on 19th and 15 on 25th. SHEARWATERS, GANNETS, CORMORANT and EGRETS SOOTY SHEARWATER - 1 on 22nd. BALEARIC SHEARWATER - After record totals in July, down to earth with just singles on 3 days, 19th, 21st, 24th. MANX SHEARWATER - Max of 150 on 19th also 62 on 21st and 58 on 2nd. GANNET- 2 of the largest totals for a few years with 1260 on 2nd and a fantastic total of 2220 on 20th which included a feeding frenzy flock of 800. GREAT WHITE EGRET - 2 flew over Aveton Gifford on 8th. LITTLE EGRET - at least 15 at South Efford Marsh on 10th. CATTLE EGRET. - 2 at South Efford Marsh on 7th and 4 flew up the valley at South Huish Marsh on 24th. CORMORANT - Not often we comment on these, however a total of 53 on 22nd was impressive. RAPTORS HOBBY - 2 Juv’s at South Efford Marsh on 11th and 1 at South Huish Marsh on 16th. PEREGRINE - Several records of birds on feeding trips. OSPREY - On the River Avon at Aveton Gifford singles on 6th and 7th and a different bird on 22nd (Blue ring on left leg indicated a Scottish bred bird). WADERS -18 species recorded ( compares with 21 in 2019) OYSTERCATCHER - A max of 20 on 4th. RINGED PLOVER - A max of 44 on 15th. KNOT -  4 records this month - singles on 2nd 19th and 28th with 2 on 14th. SANDERLING - A max of 22 on14th. CURLEW SANDPIPER - A single on South Huish Marsh on 30th and 31st. LITTLE STINT - 1 on South Huish Marsh on 24th. DUNLIN - a max of 50 on South Efford Marsh on 15th with a max of 30 on the beach on 24th. RUFF - Singles on South Huish Marsh on 14th, 30th and 31st, also a single on South Efford Marsh on 27th. SNIPE - A max of 9 on South Huish Marsh on 11th. BLACK TAILED GODWIT - A max of 18 on South Huish Marsh on 14th. WHIMBREL - A max of 6 on the beach on 19th. CURLEW - the flock at South Efford Marsh built up to 27 on 24th. COMMON SANDPIPER - 7 was the max at South Efford Marsh on 2nd.  4 on the rocks on 14th was unexpected. GREEN SANDPIPER - 5 on South Huish Marsh on 27th, at South Efford Marsh Max was 4 on 15th. GREENSHANK -  3 over South Huish Marsh on 27th with 5 at South Efford Marsh from 6th. REDSHANK - A flock of 20 landed on the rocks on 29th - this is the largest total for at least 20 years, at South Efford Marsh 8 on 5th, 11 on 15th. TURNSTONE- Max was 17 on the rocks on 25th. GREY PHALAROPE - One on the rocks and then swimming in some of the pools on 30th was the first August record for the patch. SKUAS, GULLS and TERNS GREAT SKUA - Only 1 record a single in the Bay on 19th. KITTIWAKE - A max of 11 on 21st. MEDITERRANEAN GULL - 5 in the Bay on 31st. YELLOW LEGGED GULL - 1 on South Huish Marsh on 25th. SANDWICH TERN - A max in the Bay of 8 on 20th. COMMIC TERN - 4 in the Bay on 20th. HIRUNDINES and SWIFTS SWIFTS - No large passage to report with the latest 6 on 27th. SWALLOW - Max of 125 on 14th No large roosting flocks  HOUSE MARTIN - Max of 80 over South Huish Marsh on 14th. SAND MARTIN - Max of 5 on 11th. FLYCATCHERS, WHEATEAR and WAGTAILS SPOTTED FLYCATCHER - 2 at South Efford Marsh on 30th. PIED FLYCATCHER - A Juv at Aveton Gifford on 24th. WHEATEAR - Max of 8 along the coast on 29th. YELLOW WAGTAIL - At South Huish Marsh from 15th with a max of 12 on 31st. BLUE HEADED WAGTAIL -  1 at South Huish Marsh on 31st. Ringing totals- 4 Visits by Alan Pomroy - totals ringed are:- SEDGE WARBLER            22 REED WARBLER            17 WILLOW WARBLER            20 CHIFFCHAFF                45 GARDEN WARBLER             1 BLACKCAP                29 CETTIS WARBLER             1 WHITE THROAT             1 TREE PIPIT                 3 REED BUNTING             1 September is always one of the most looked forward to months of the year - hope the sightings are as good as previous years. mikepassman@modbury.me.uk