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.