THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

OCTOBER 2013

 

 

Another month of above average temperatures, very windy and lots of rain.

By the end of the month Thurlestone Marsh was at mid-winter water level and the scrape outside my garden was holding TEAL, MALLARD and WIGEON.   Many days of strong to gale force winds predominately from the Westerly direction – some were up to force 9 and 10 with gusts at Force 11 on 28th.

 

Whilst the total species recorded was only 118 (c/f 2011-110 – 2012- 130) there were 5 new species for the year – WHOPPER SWAN, STORM PETREL, LEACH’S PETREL, CORNCRAKE and CROSSBILL, this takes the year list to 190 (c/f 2011 – 184 – 2012 – 193)

 

Highlights for the month

WHOOPER SWAN – Bob B had 6 Juv flying off the sea on 10th (first patch record for some years).

BRENT GOOSE – 1 flew east on 11th.

CANADA GOOSE – Up to 200+ feeding on the Marshes. Among them were 2 large WHITE GEESE together with up to 5 hybrid WHITE/CANADA. If you see any large GREY GOOSE with big white wing patches, pink bills and legs they are the hybrids.

 

DUCKS

WIGEON – Only 2 days with passage birds with 42 on 8th and 70 on 9th.   Only small numbers on the Marshes – max 26 on 9th but present all month.

TEAL – Months max on the marshes 110 on 2nd.

PINTAIL – The passage at the end of September continued with 8 on 2nd. On 29th 2 were with a small flock of WIGEON which flew east.

SHOVELER – Present throughout the month but only a max of 2 on 15th.

COMMON SCOTER – Irregular – max of 5 on 8th.

 

SHEARWATERS, GANNET and PETRELS

BALEARIC SHEARWATER – Only record – a single on 21st.

GANNET – Highest count of the year on 21st when 980 logged in 3 ½ hours.

STORM PETREL– On 22nd – 4 together flew east.

LEACH’S PETREL – During the severe gale on morning of 28th, 1 watched close inshore flying west.

 

GREBES

LITTLE GREBES – Up to 2 present on Thurlestone Marsh until 22nd, also 1 on South Milton for 2 days mid-month.

 

RAPTERS

HOBBY – Last seen at South Huish Marsh on 2nd.

MERLIN – Single bird flying over South Huish Marsh on 6th.

SPARROWHAWK – Up to 3 birds regularly recorded

 

WADERS

OYSTERCATCHER – Monthly maxima 55 on 23rd.

RINGED PLOVER – Numbers on the rocks built up to a max of 6 on 18th on 21st.

GOLDEN PLOVER – Only 1 record, a single bird on 11th.

LAPWING – Singles on 19th and 30th were first of the Autumn.

SANDERLING - - 5 on 1st with 2 from 18th on the rocks.

DUNLIN – Months max 11 on 1st , last were 2 on 21st.

RUFF– Only record this autumn was 1 on South Huish Marsh briefly on 6th.

JACK SNIPE – Only record was a single on 15th.

SNIPE – Small numbers only with a max of 18 on 6th.

BAR TAILED GODWIT – a single bird recorded on several dates up to 19th.

WHIMBREL – A lone bird on 3rd.

TURNSTONE – Gradually built up from 5 on 18th to a max of 10 on 23rd.

 

SKUAS, TERNS, GULLS

GREAT SKUA – 1 on 2nd and 3 on 20th flew east.

ARCTIC SKUA – 1 on evening of 16th.

SANDWICH TERN – A count of 16 together on the rocks at low tide on 1st was highest autumn numbers for some years.   4 on 2nd were the last recorded.

COMMON TERN – A single bird flew west on morning of 4th.

ARCTIC TERN – A juv on the beach at evening high tide of 4th.

SABINES GULL – A juv flew east close inshore at 9.30 on 27th (second patch record the year)

LITTLE GULL – An adult on 3rd with 4 on 4th.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Singles on several dates with a max of 4 (2ad 1 - 2nd w

1 -1st w) on 20th.

YELLOW LEGGED GULL – A juv on the beach at high tide on 16th.

 

SHORT EARED OWL – 1 reported flying over the Golf Course early afternoon of 11th.

 

WARBLERS

BLACKCAP – Still regularly recorded around South Milton Ley and Thurlestone Marsh.

CHIFFCHAFF – Up to 10 mostly at the sewage works

REED and SEDGE WARBLER – Again small numbers mostly at South Milton Ley.

GRASSHOPPER WARBLER – Last of the year, a single bird at South Milton Ley on 5th.

 

CORNCRAKE – Bob B flushed 1 along the path at South Milton Ley on the 5th and 6th and then remarkably again on 14th – first site record for more than 20 years.

 

HERINDINES – last big autumn movement was on 1st when 200+ SWALLOW and 110 HOUSE MARTIN were recorded. Latter tailed off by 20th whilst small numbers of SWALLOW for the end of the month.

 

WHEATEAR – Regular up to mid month with a maxima of 17 on 4th and 10 on 7th.

WHINCHAT – Best autumn for many years with 13 recorded on 4 dates with a max of 5 on 8th.

 

VIZ MIGRATION – On a clear morning with only light winds the 24th was the outstanding day of the month.   With Bob B at Huxton Cross myself at Thurlestone up to 8.30 we then met up in the car park with birds continuing to move through until 12.45. Totals recorded were

FIELDFARE – 5.   REDWING – 75+.   MEADOW PIPIT – 320.   SKYLARK – 420.

SISKIN – 23. GOLDFINCH – 75.   CHAFFINCH -125. BRAMBLING – 3.

YELLOWHAMMER – 11. REDPOLL – 2. REED BUNTING – 8. GREY WAGTAIL – 2

ALBAS WAGTAIL – 30+ and finally – CROSSBILL – a single flock of 18.

 

YELLOW WAGTAIL – Recorded daily until 4th when a max of 5.

 

 

With 2 months left of 2013 the target is still to try and achieve the magical total of 200 species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RINGING REPORT

THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

OCTOBER 2013

 

 

Another month of above average temperatures, very windy and lots of rain.

By the end of the month Thurlestone Marsh was at mid-winter water level and the scrape outside my garden was holding TEAL, MALLARD and WIGEON.   Many days of strong to gale force winds predominately from the Westerly direction – some were up to force 9 and 10 with gusts at Force 11 on 28th.

 

Whilst the total species recorded was only 118 (c/f 2011-110 – 2012- 130) there were 5 new species for the year – WHOPPER SWAN, STORM PETREL, LEACH’S PETREL, CORNCRAKE and CROSSBILL, this takes the year list to 190 (c/f 2011 – 184 – 2012 – 193)

 

Highlights for the month

WHOOPER SWAN – Bob B had 6 Juv flying off the sea on 10th (first patch record for some years).

BRENT GOOSE – 1 flew east on 11th.

CANADA GOOSE – Up to 200+ feeding on the Marshes. Among them were 2 large WHITE GEESE together with up to 5 hybrid WHITE/CANADA. If you see any large GREY GOOSE with big white wing patches, pink bills and legs they are the hybrids.

 

DUCKS

WIGEON – Only 2 days with passage birds with 42 on 8th and 70 on 9th.   Only small numbers on the Marshes – max 26 on 9th but present all month.

TEAL – Months max on the marshes 110 on 2nd.

PINTAIL – The passage at the end of September continued with 8 on 2nd. On 29th 2 were with a small flock of WIGEON which flew east.

SHOVELER – Present throughout the month but only a max of 2 on 15th.

COMMON SCOTER – Irregular – max of 5 on 8th.

 

SHEARWATERS, GANNET and PETRELS

BALEARIC SHEARWATER – Only record – a single on 21st.

GANNET – Highest count of the year on 21st when 980 logged in 3 ½ hours.

STORM PETREL– On 22nd – 4 together flew east.

LEACH’S PETREL – During the severe gale on morning of 28th, 1 watched close inshore flying west.

 

GREBES

LITTLE GREBES – Up to 2 present on Thurlestone Marsh until 22nd, also 1 on South Milton for 2 days mid-month.

 

RAPTERS

HOBBY – Last seen at South Huish Marsh on 2nd.

MERLIN – Single bird flying over South Huish Marsh on 6th.

SPARROWHAWK – Up to 3 birds regularly recorded

 

WADERS

OYSTERCATCHER – Monthly maxima 55 on 23rd.

RINGED PLOVER – Numbers on the rocks built up to a max of 6 on 18th on 21st.

GOLDEN PLOVER – Only 1 record, a single bird on 11th.

LAPWING – Singles on 19th and 30th were first of the Autumn.

SANDERLING - - 5 on 1st with 2 from 18th on the rocks.

DUNLIN – Months max 11 on 1st , last were 2 on 21st.

RUFF– Only record this autumn was 1 on South Huish Marsh briefly on 6th.

JACK SNIPE – Only record was a single on 15th.

SNIPE – Small numbers only with a max of 18 on 6th.

BAR TAILED GODWIT – a single bird recorded on several dates up to 19th.

WHIMBREL – A lone bird on 3rd.

TURNSTONE – Gradually built up from 5 on 18th to a max of 10 on 23rd.

 

SKUAS, TERNS, GULLS

GREAT SKUA – 1 on 2nd and 3 on 20th flew east.

ARCTIC SKUA – 1 on evening of 16th.

SANDWICH TERN – A count of 16 together on the rocks at low tide on 1st was highest autumn numbers for some years.   4 on 2nd were the last recorded.

COMMON TERN – A single bird flew west on morning of 4th.

ARCTIC TERN – A juv on the beach at evening high tide of 4th.

SABINES GULL – A juv flew east close inshore at 9.30 on 27th (second patch record the year)

LITTLE GULL – An adult on 3rd with 4 on 4th.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Singles on several dates with a max of 4 (2ad 1 - 2nd w

1 -1st w) on 20th.

YELLOW LEGGED GULL – A juv on the beach at high tide on 16th.

 

SHORT EARED OWL – 1 reported flying over the Golf Course early afternoon of 11th.

 

WARBLERS

BLACKCAP – Still regularly recorded around South Milton Ley and Thurlestone Marsh.

CHIFFCHAFF – Up to 10 mostly at the sewage works

REED and SEDGE WARBLER – Again small numbers mostly at South Milton Ley.

GRASSHOPPER WARBLER – Last of the year, a single bird at South Milton Ley on 5th.

 

CORNCRAKE – Bob B flushed 1 along the path at South Milton Ley on the 5th and 6th and then remarkably again on 14th – first site record for more than 20 years.

 

HERINDINES – last big autumn movement was on 1st when 200+ SWALLOW and 110 HOUSE MARTIN were recorded. Latter tailed off by 20th whilst small numbers of SWALLOW for the end of the month.

 

WHEATEAR – Regular up to mid month with a maxima of 17 on 4th and 10 on 7th.

WHINCHAT – Best autumn for many years with 13 recorded on 4 dates with a max of 5 on 8th.

 

VIZ MIGRATION – On a clear morning with only light winds the 24th was the outstanding day of the month.   With Bob B at Huxton Cross myself at Thurlestone up to 8.30 we then met up in the car park with birds continuing to move through until 12.45. Totals recorded were

FIELDFARE – 5.   REDWING – 75+.   MEADOW PIPIT – 320.   SKYLARK – 420.

SISKIN – 23. GOLDFINCH – 75.   CHAFFINCH -125. BRAMBLING – 3.

YELLOWHAMMER – 11. REDPOLL – 2. REED BUNTING – 8. GREY WAGTAIL – 2

ALBAS WAGTAIL – 30+ and finally – CROSSBILL – a single flock of 18.

 

YELLOW WAGTAIL – Recorded daily until 4th when a max of 5.

 

 

With 2 months left of 2013 the target is still to try and achieve the magical total of 200 species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RINGING REPORT

THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

OCTOBER 2013

 

 

Another month of above average temperatures, very windy and lots of rain.

By the end of the month Thurlestone Marsh was at mid-winter water level and the scrape outside my garden was holding TEAL, MALLARD and WIGEON.   Many days of strong to gale force winds predominately from the Westerly direction – some were up to force 9 and 10 with gusts at Force 11 on 28th.

 

Whilst the total species recorded was only 118 (c/f 2011-110 – 2012- 130) there were 5 new species for the year – WHOPPER SWAN, STORM PETREL, LEACH’S PETREL, CORNCRAKE and CROSSBILL, this takes the year list to 190 (c/f 2011 – 184 – 2012 – 193)

 

Highlights for the month

WHOOPER SWAN – Bob B had 6 Juv flying off the sea on 10th (first patch record for some years).

BRENT GOOSE – 1 flew east on 11th.

CANADA GOOSE – Up to 200+ feeding on the Marshes. Among them were 2 large WHITE GEESE together with up to 5 hybrid WHITE/CANADA. If you see any large GREY GOOSE with big white wing patches, pink bills and legs they are the hybrids.

 

DUCKS

WIGEON – Only 2 days with passage birds with 42 on 8th and 70 on 9th.   Only small numbers on the Marshes – max 26 on 9th but present all month.

TEAL – Months max on the marshes 110 on 2nd.

PINTAIL – The passage at the end of September continued with 8 on 2nd. On 29th 2 were with a small flock of WIGEON which flew east.

SHOVELER – Present throughout the month but only a max of 2 on 15th.

COMMON SCOTER – Irregular – max of 5 on 8th.

 

SHEARWATERS, GANNET and PETRELS

BALEARIC SHEARWATER – Only record – a single on 21st.

GANNET – Highest count of the year on 21st when 980 logged in 3 ½ hours.

STORM PETREL– On 22nd – 4 together flew east.

LEACH’S PETREL – During the severe gale on morning of 28th, 1 watched close inshore flying west.

 

GREBES

LITTLE GREBES – Up to 2 present on Thurlestone Marsh until 22nd, also 1 on South Milton for 2 days mid-month.

 

RAPTERS

HOBBY – Last seen at South Huish Marsh on 2nd.

MERLIN – Single bird flying over South Huish Marsh on 6th.

SPARROWHAWK – Up to 3 birds regularly recorded

 

WADERS

OYSTERCATCHER – Monthly maxima 55 on 23rd.

RINGED PLOVER – Numbers on the rocks built up to a max of 6 on 18th on 21st.

GOLDEN PLOVER – Only 1 record, a single bird on 11th.

LAPWING – Singles on 19th and 30th were first of the Autumn.

SANDERLING - - 5 on 1st with 2 from 18th on the rocks.

DUNLIN – Months max 11 on 1st , last were 2 on 21st.

RUFF– Only record this autumn was 1 on South Huish Marsh briefly on 6th.

JACK SNIPE – Only record was a single on 15th.

SNIPE – Small numbers only with a max of 18 on 6th.

BAR TAILED GODWIT – a single bird recorded on several dates up to 19th.

WHIMBREL – A lone bird on 3rd.

TURNSTONE – Gradually built up from 5 on 18th to a max of 10 on 23rd.

 

SKUAS, TERNS, GULLS

GREAT SKUA – 1 on 2nd and 3 on 20th flew east.

ARCTIC SKUA – 1 on evening of 16th.

SANDWICH TERN – A count of 16 together on the rocks at low tide on 1st was highest autumn numbers for some years.   4 on 2nd were the last recorded.

COMMON TERN – A single bird flew west on morning of 4th.

ARCTIC TERN – A juv on the beach at evening high tide of 4th.

SABINES GULL – A juv flew east close inshore at 9.30 on 27th (second patch record the year)

LITTLE GULL – An adult on 3rd with 4 on 4th.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Singles on several dates with a max of 4 (2ad 1 - 2nd w

1 -1st w) on 20th.

YELLOW LEGGED GULL – A juv on the beach at high tide on 16th.

 

SHORT EARED OWL – 1 reported flying over the Golf Course early afternoon of 11th.

 

WARBLERS

BLACKCAP – Still regularly recorded around South Milton Ley and Thurlestone Marsh.

CHIFFCHAFF – Up to 10 mostly at the sewage works

REED and SEDGE WARBLER – Again small numbers mostly at South Milton Ley.

GRASSHOPPER WARBLER – Last of the year, a single bird at South Milton Ley on 5th.

 

CORNCRAKE – Bob B flushed 1 along the path at South Milton Ley on the 5th and 6th and then remarkably again on 14th – first site record for more than 20 years.

 

HERINDINES – last big autumn movement was on 1st when 200+ SWALLOW and 110 HOUSE MARTIN were recorded. Latter tailed off by 20th whilst small numbers of SWALLOW for the end of the month.

 

WHEATEAR – Regular up to mid month with a maxima of 17 on 4th and 10 on 7th.

WHINCHAT – Best autumn for many years with 13 recorded on 4 dates with a max of 5 on 8th.

 

VIZ MIGRATION – On a clear morning with only light winds the 24th was the outstanding day of the month.   With Bob B at Huxton Cross myself at Thurlestone up to 8.30 we then met up in the car park with birds continuing to move through until 12.45. Totals recorded were

FIELDFARE – 5.   REDWING – 75+.   MEADOW PIPIT – 320.   SKYLARK – 420.

SISKIN – 23. GOLDFINCH – 75.   CHAFFINCH -125. BRAMBLING – 3.

YELLOWHAMMER – 11. REDPOLL – 2. REED BUNTING – 8. GREY WAGTAIL – 2

ALBAS WAGTAIL – 30+ and finally – CROSSBILL – a single flock of 18.

 

YELLOW WAGTAIL – Recorded daily until 4th when a max of 5.

 

 

With 2 months left of 2013 the target is still to try and achieve the magical total of 200 species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RINGING REPORT