Goosanders

A group of eight juvenile Goosanders on the estuary just east of Passage House this afternoon was unexpected and by far the largest number I've recorded on patch. Perhaps they are all siblings that fledged on the upper reaches of the Teign this summer. Also in the Passage House area 10 Greenshanks, nine Whimbrels, four Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers (flushed below the car park), two juvenile Shelducks and an adult Mediterranean Gull. 

Goosanders

WeBS

A pair of Black Swans at Passage House added a touch of antipodean exoticism to yesterday's count, which was otherwise unremarkable. Totals included 74 Oystercatchers, 41 Curlew, eight Greenshanks, six Common Sandpipers, one Whimbrel, one Black-tailed Godwit, 23 Little Egrets, 221 Canada Geese, 60 Mute Swans, 40 Mallards, two Shags, two Mediterranean Gulls (juveniles), one Sandwich Tern and one Kingfisher. 

Black Swans

Manxies, YLG

A loose flock of c.200 Manx Shearwaters was circling back and forth off Teignmouth between 07:45 and 08:15 this morning, frequently alighting on the sea and then taking flight en masse. Also four adult Mediterranean Gulls flew south, and two Arctic Skuas were together harassing an unfortunate Kittiwake. Yesterday Kev had at least one juvenile Yellow-legged Gull on the Salty.

Passage House waders

Signs of return wader migration getting underway this morning at Passage House. It was good to see an adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover, indicating successful breeding nearby, but a summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit also stood out; most godwits that appear the Teign are in non-breeding dress. Also present three Common Sandpipers, two Redshanks, 16 Curlew and a Whimbrel. 

Black-tailed Godwit

Little Ringed Plover (adult)

WeBS

June is usually the dullest month in the WeBS calendar and this morning's count proved no exception, with 208 Canada Geese (including a pair with three young), 47 Mute Swans, 20 Mallards, eight Shelducks (plus two young), 14 Oystercatchers, one Curlew, 14 Little Egrets, three Grey Herons, 22 Black-headed Gulls, four Cormorants and one Shag noted. A Firecrest was heard singing in a new location, further highlighting this species' change in fortune locally. 

WeBS

Wader passage is still just about ongoing, with a Dunlin and a Turnstone on Flow Point and a further six Turnstones at Teignmouth, but otherwise it was typical summer fare on the estuary on Sunday afternoon. A pair of Shelducks was overseeing a creche of 14 juveniles at Passage House, with a further 15 adults between there and Flow Point. Other totals included 16 Little Egrets, 35 Mute Swans, 32 Canada Geese, 10 Mallards, eight Cormorants and four Oystercatchers. Off Teignmouth small parties of Manx Shearwaters were circling back and forth distantly in the evening.

There's not been much to talk about over the past few weeks, although a Little Ringed Plover was on the spit at Passage House on the 10th. 

Oystercatcher

Cattle Egret, Pale-bellied Brent

Three Sedge Warblers were singing at Hackney Marshes this morning, with several more in the Passage House area. Whilst some south coast sites record this species as early as March, local birds don't tend to appear until after the Reed Warblers have arrived in mid-April. Also at Passage House a Cattle Egret was in the main channel until 07:15 when it flew off westwards, followed by three Whimbrel. Nearby a Whitethroat is holding territory with a pylon as its centrepiece, overlooking clusters of Early Purple Orchids. 

Whitethroat

Early Purple Orchid

Last Wednesday Kev had a Pale-bellied Brent Goose on the Salty, a very rare bird locally. The following day at least 15 Swifts were back over the middle of Kingsteignton, hopefully ahead of successful breeding season. 

Wheatear-fest

It's been many years since there was last a double-figure fall of Wheatears on patch, so today's arrival of at least 11 on the racecourse was most welcome. The majority of birds were on the northern side (visible from Leisure Lounge cafe), wisely avoiding the area being used by model aeroplane enthusiasts. Unsurprisingly not a lot else noted there but two Whimbrels and five Common Sandpipers were at Passage House later in the afternoon. 

Mandarins, Barnacle Goose

After a promising start to spring it's been a poor month so far for migrants, and it was left to three male Mandarins looking somewhat out of place on the Teigngrace pools to provide some value this morning. Reed Warblers are now back at Hackney Marshes and Jetty Marsh, with a male Reed Bunting at the former and a couple of Willow Warblers singing at the latter.

Last week Robin had a Barnacle Goose among Canada Geese on the clay pit between Rackerhayes and the Stover Canal, but there was no sign of it today.

Reed Bunting

WeBS

Sunday's count provided a couple of spring migrant year ticks with two Whimbrels on Flow Point (later at Passage House) and two Sandwich Terns, but there wasn't a lot else about, perhaps due to the preceding long spell of settled sunny weather. Totals included 40 Turnstones, 25 Oystercatchers, four Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers, 12 Little Egrets, four Grey Herons, seven Cormorants, four Shags, 18 Shelducks, six Mute Swans, two Teal and a lone Red-breasted Merganser. 

Distant Whimbrels

Wren (6 April)