Thurlestone Bay Birds - September 2013

THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

SEPTEMBER 2013

A very mild month, particularly warm in the first week. Another relatively dry month only heavy rain on 17^th which was also the only date with gale force winds. From 22^nd winds from East until the end of the month.

The excellent year so far just keeps continuing – a total of 125 (c/f 2012 – 122) species recorded with 8 new additions for the year taking the years total to 185 (c/f 2012 - 188 and 2011 – 180), these included BLACK GUILLEMOT (a site first), HONEY BUZZARD, OSPREY, GREY PHALAROPE, GLOSSY IBIS, KNOT, SPOTTED REDSHANK and AQUATIC WARBLER.

Comment must be made on the low numbers of small waders passing through particularly SANDERLING, DUNLIN and TURNSTONE.

Highlights for the month are:-

BRENT GOOSE – Single dark bellied bird flew east on 28^th and 30^th (an early autumn record).

DUCKS

WIGEON – passage birds moving through from 27^th – 20, 28^th – 25, 29^th – 15.

GADWALL – A female on 2^nd was the only record.

TEAL – Small numbers on the marshes up to 19^th – then passage birds arriving, 63 on 20^th, 55 on 25^th, 65 on 27^th, 75 on 28^th and 50 on 29^th/30^th.

PINTAIL – Exceptional numbers compared with previous years – 6 on 27^th, 9 on 28^th and 1 on 29^th all moving east usually with WIGEON (another 8 on 2^nd October!)

SHOVELER – A female on the marsh from 19^th, 2 on 27^th and a pair on 29^th were new arrivals.

COMMON SCOTER – Only recorded on 3 days – max 20 east on 22^nd.

SHEARWATERS

FULMAR – Only small numbers recorded.

MANX SHEARWATER – Only 2 records 10 on 9^th and 2 on 23^rd all east.

BALEARIC SHEARWATER – 5 on 9^th and 4 on 15^th.

SOOTY SHEARWATER – 2 flew east on 23^rd.

GANNET – max 120+ on 18^th.

GREBES

LITTLE GREBE 1 ad and 1 juv on Thurlestone Marsh all month (don’t think they bred here).

EGRETS AND IBIS

GLOSSY IBIS – late evening on 22^nd a visiting birder watched 8 fly onto South Huish Marsh to roost (4 had earlier reported at Torpoint in Cornwall) On morning of 21^st at 9.30a.m. only 1 remained. This was seen to fly off at 11.30. At 13.00 10 birds flew into the Marsh with 7 staying until dusk – no sign of them the following day. This is the fourth site record with all the previous ones being singles. Considered to be 1 adult and 9 juvs.

RAPTORS

HONEY BUZZARD – AFD had one flying over his garden on the evening of 4^th (which he managed to photo) and one over Thurlestone Marsh on 9^th (not photographed)

OSPREY – A single record on 8^th watched gaining height and heading south out to sea.

HOBBY – One on 5^th and one at South Huish Marsh from 22^nd to 30^th providing superb views of catching dragonflies, reported to be 2 on 24^th.

MERLIN – first Autumn bird flying over hedges at Huxton Cross on 25^th.

SPARROWHAWK – Up to 3 around the sites.

WADERS

OYSTERCATCHER – max 41 on 9^th.

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER – AFD photographed one on South Huish Marsh on 9^th.

RINGED PLOVER – 25 on 8^th, 47 on 11^th, 19 on 12^th, 10 on 23^rd and 4 on 27^th. (much lower numbers than previous years).

GOLDEN PLOVER – Bob B had 3 on 29^th and 2 over Thurlestone on 30^th.

GREY PLOVER – 2 on the beach early on 24^th and 1 on 28^th.

KNOT – first for the year were 2 on 27^th with 1 on South Huish Marsh briefly on 29^th.

SANDERLING – Only records were singles on 6^th and 8^th, 2 on 9^th, 3 on 11^th, 2 on 16^th and 2 on 27^th.

LITTLE STINT – 2 on Thurlestone Marsh on 13^th/14^th and 1 on South Huish Marsh on 27^th/28^th.

CURLEW SANDPIPER – 1 flew through with DUNLIN on 28^th.

DUNLIN – Only low numbers recorded until 14 on 23^rd and 22 on 27^th.

SNIPE – 1 on 20^th, 4 on 23^rd and 5 on 24^th – up to 3 on South Huish Marsh from 20^th.

BLACK TAILED GODWIT – recorded on 8 days, max 8 on 8^th, 4 from 9^th-11^th otherwise singles.

BAR TAILED GODWIT – 1 flew west on 9^th. 4 in off sea and up the valley on 28^th.

COMMON SANDPIPER – 1 on the rocks on 6^th.

GREEN SANDPIPER – 1 flew over South Huish Marsh on 20^th.

SPOTTED REDSHANK – not an annual bird here so 1 flying over South Huish Marsh late afternoon of 28^th was a welcome addition to the year list.

TURNSTONE – Only record 3 on 13^th – where have they gone?

GREY PHALAROPE – After a day of westerly gales on 17^th Bob B found one sheltering Leasfoot Beach at 17.00 unfortunately did not stay overnight.

GULLS AND TERNS

MEDITERRANEAN GULL – recorded on 5 days – 3 on 18^th and a max of 6 on 30^th (4 adult, 1 2^nd W, 1 1^st W).

LITTLE TERN – a first Autumn record for some years, one feeding close inshore at 17.00 on 19^th.

SANDWICH TERN - sparse records – 4 on3rd, 1 on 13^th, 2 on 23^rd, 7 on 27^th and 4 on 30^th.

COMMON TERN – 7 flew west on 13^th.

ARCTIC TERN – A juv feeding in the Bay on 17^th (Bob B and AFD)

AUKS

Very few seen flying through this month.

BLACK GUILLEMOT – On morning of 19^th a 1^st Winter picked up flying east just outside the Thurlestone Rock, it did a sweep around before continuing east. A first site record (A few days later an adult going into Winter plumage recorded off the sea wall at Dawlish Warren).

WARBLERS

CETTIS WARBLER – A juv at Thurlestone marsh on 22^nd was the first at this site since early spring.

AQUATIC WARBLER – Bob B found one at the edge of the reed bed by the footbridge. Very elusive it was seen 3 times over a span of over 3 ½ hours. Maintains the almost annual records for this site for what is becoming a very scarce bird this was the first UK record for 2013.

SEDGE and REED WARBLERS – towards the end of the month small numbers (up to 6 of each) moving through daily.

WILLOW WARBLER and CHIFFCHAFF – Small numbers only – although 21 CHIFFY on 30^th was a good count.

HIRUNDINES

SAND MARTIN – Only moved through in small numbers – last were 2 on 24^th.

SWALLOW – No roosts this Autumn at Thurlestone Marsh. 2000+ roosted at South Milton Ley on 5^th. Daily movements of note were 385 on 18^th, 300 on 25^th and 305 on 30^th.

HOUSE MARTIN – Only significant movement was 500+ on 18^th.

MISC

KINGFISHER – One by the footbridge on 20^th.

RAVEN – In 2 hours during morning of 30^th at least 21 flew north.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER – At South Milton ley 1 on 4^th and 2 on 14^th.

BLACK REDSTART – AJL watched a juv at Warren Point on 30^th.

WATER RAIL – Present on all 3 sites but no more than 2 or 4 at each.

CHATS PIPITS AND LARKS

WHINCHAT – must have had a very successful breeding season on the moors more this year than recent ones – 2 on 2^nd, 3 on 8^th, 8 on 9^th, singles 10^th, 12^th and 24^th. 2 on 14^th and 3 on 30^th.

STONECHAT – Evidence of passage movement with 9 on 9^th, 16 on 11^th and 7 on 30^th.

WHEATEAR – Smaller numbers than previous years, max were 5 on 25^th, 8 on 29^th and 9 on 30^th.

TREE PIPIT – recorded most days by Bob B at South Milton Ley with a max of 3 or 4.

MEADOW PIPIT – passage from 10^th when 140, on 18^th - 235 and on 30^th – 250+.

SKYLARK – first passage birds were 9 on 22^nd with a max of 15 on 30^th when there were also 40+ at Huxton Cross.

FINCHES AND WAGTAILS

SISKIN – First passage birds on 22^nd with up to 4 later in the week.

GOLDFINCH – 35 flew over on 12^th. On 30^th – 25 over the Marsh with 30 in with a flock of 75+ LINNET at Huxton Cross (stubble field)

YELLOW WAGTAIL – present throughout the month, 10 on 9^th, 8 on 23^rd and 7 on 30^th, otherwise always less than 5.

GREY WAGTAIL – Up to 3 regularly at South Milton Ley. Coastal passage evident but only 3-4 on several dates.

ALBA WAGTAIL – no big roosts reported – up to 50 passing through South Huish Marsh with small numbers of WHITE.

Looking forward to the final 3 months of the year – will we get any serious gales which might bring in some PETRELS?

Need another 15 species to reach the magical 200 club – now that is going to require some very fortunate days birding.