Little Ringed Plover

Waders continue to trickle through Passage House with a Little Ringed Plover on Friday morning the pick of recent days. On Saturday there were four Greenshanks, and yesterday two Whimbrels had joined the Curlew flock which stood at 43. 

'Autumn' begins

Returning/migrant waders are now starting to appear on the estuary, with four Common Sandpipers and a Greenshank at Passage House on Sunday morning. Several Mallard and Shelduck family parties and a whopping 335 Canada Geese were also in the area. No Mediterranean Gulls but Kev had 15 on The Salty last Wednesday.

WeBS

This month's totals included 42 Oystercatchers, seven Curlew, 45 Little Egrets, 110 Canada Geese, 56 Mute Swans, 17 Mallards, six adult Shelducks with two successful broods, three Cormorants and five Black-headed Gulls (including a juvenile). 

WeBS

An unremarkable count this morning. Totals included 49 Oystercatchers, six Whimbrels, 38 Mute Swans, 10 Mallards, eight Canada Geese, seven Shelducks, 24 Little Egrets, seven Cormorants, 65 Herring Gulls, one Great Black-backed Gull and one Lesser Black-backed Gull. 

Shelducks - ringed bird 'A41' and one having lost most of its neck feathering

Whimbrels

Below some of the 14 Whimbrels at Flow Point today. Also two Greenshanks, and two Little Ringed Plovers remain at Passage House.

Swifts

The Kingsteignton Swifts have arrived back early this year, with the first bird reported at the church on 18th April, nine days earlier than last year. On Saturday up to 10 House Martins over the town were hopefully a sign that the small local breeding population has returned once more.

WeBS

A variety of waders on the estuary on Saturday morning comprised three Little Ringed Plovers, four Common Sandpipers, 25 Turnstones, 66 Oystercatchers, three Curlew, two Whimbrel, six Greenshanks and one Redshank. Other totals included four Sandwich Terns, 15 Shelducks, 14 Mute Swans, 13 Little Egrets, eight Cormorants and one Common Gull. A female Wheatear and a singing Sedge Warbler were on the racecourse.

Warblers, LRPs

Three singing Reed Warblers were back on territory at Hackney Marshes this morning, but there was not a lot else of note there and nothing on the adjacent racecourse. Rackerhayes was also pretty quiet except for three migrant Willow Warblers. A Little Ringed Plover was off Passage House car park, with three present there yesterday. 

Little Ringed Plover

Coot

Sparrowhawk (4-Apr)

Osprey

An early Osprey at Passage House this evening was very welcome after a somewhat slow start to spring. It hovered a few times over the channels before drifting down the estuary, mobbed by gulls. 

Osprey

Curlew ring recovery

In the absence of anything else interesting to report, the WWT have provided background details of a ringed Curlew at Passage House on Sunday morning. '2J' was a headstarted bird released on Dartmoor in 2024 and subsequently seen around the Tamar Estuary last year.

Late news from Teignmouth; two Red Kite N on 20th with one N next day and three Sandwich Tern offshore on 25th.