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 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. 

WeBS

The wintering Spotted Redshank made an appearance at Passage House on Sunday morning, roosting with 41 Redshanks. Also at Passage House at least 61 Common Gulls was a good total for this stage in March. Other totals from around the estuary reflected departure to breeding grounds but included 40 Oystercatchers, 36 Turnstones, 14 Curlew, two Common Sandpipers, 20 Mute Swans,16 Shelducks, 10 Red-breasted Mergansers, 18 Little Egrets, five Cormorants and three Shags.

I somehow missed any Red Kites but good numbers of Common Buzzards and a couple of Sparrowhawks put on a good show overhead in the warm and sunny conditions.

Sand Martins

Great to see a dozen or so Sand Martins at Rackerhayes on Saturday morning, about a week earlier than normal. On the estuary still 16 Red-breasted Mergansers and another Goosander, with singles of Red-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebe and Razorbill off Teignmouth seafront.

Goosanders

Despite the apparent suitability of the habitat, Goosanders are highly infrequent at Rackerhayes so the presence of three redheads this morning was noteworthy. Other waterfowl included 17 Tufted Ducks, six Great Crested Grebes, three Mandarins, one Shoveler and the usual Bar-headed Goose. 

Goosander