WeBS

Nothing exciting on the estuary this morning but some reasonable numbers and variety. Totals included 113 Oystercatchers, 45 Curlew, eight Greenshanks, six Whimbrels, five Common Sandpipers, 29 Little Egrets, four Grey Herons, two juvenile Water Rails, six Cormorants, 10 Sandwich Terns, 465 Black-headed Gulls, only one Mediterranean Gull, 140 Canada Geese, 63 Mute Swans, 20 Mallards and a Mandarin. Zero Shelducks was also noteworthy, perhaps indicating a lack of breeding success this year.

Sandwich Terns

Passage House

In drizzly conditions this morning at least two Mediterranean Gulls, four Black-tailed Godwits, four Common Sandpipers and three Dunlin from the Passage House car park. Also two juvenile Black-headed Gulls among a hundred or so adults.

Mediterranean Gull (centre)

WeBS, Night Heron

A quiet June count last Sunday produced 147 Canada Geese, 27 Mute Swans, 19 Shelducks, 22 Little Egrets, seven Oystercatchers, three Curlew, 300+ Herring Gulls, 15 Black-headed Gulls, two Great Black-backed Gulls, two Cormorants and one Shag. Late news for 6 June - Kev had a great house tick in the form of a Night Heron heard flying over Teignmouth at night.

Turnstones

It might be approaching the end of May but some of the Teignmouth Turnstones appear to be in no rush to reach their Arctic or Scandinavian breeding grounds. Or, the 15 birds present off the Back Beach this afternoon comprise passage birds that don't form part of the usual wintering population.  

Little else of note over the past week bar a handful of Red Kites over Kingsteignton on the 13th and 15th.

WeBS

Totals from around the estuary on Sunday morning included 47 Oystercatchers, 17 Turnstones, five Whimbrels, two Common Sandpipers, 14 Little Egrets, 30 Mute Swans, 10 Shelducks, six Cormorants, 100 Herring Gulls, three Great Black-backed Gulls and one Lesser Black-backed Gull. Later in the day a Red Kite flew over Kingsteignton at 17:45. 

Sparrowhawk

Male Sparrowhawk with sparrow lunch in my garden today

Arctic Skua

A fairly productive seawatch (by Teignmouth spring standards) from 07:30 - 08:30 this morning, although there was a sense that a lot more was passing just beyond view. Auks were constantly streaming south in loose flocks, with around 250 recorded in total; those close enough to identify were all Guillemots. Kittiwakes also just about made three figures, with a couple being harassed by a dark phase Arctic Skua. Also noted 50+ Gannets, 21 Manx Shearwaters, five Great Northern Divers, four Red-throated Divers, four diver sp., nine Fulmars, five Common Scoters and three Whimbrel. 

Birds of prey

Bundle Head was largely devoid of passage migrants on Saturday morning, but four species of raptor were noted including Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and this male Kestrel; also c.15 Linnets, a Willow Warbler, a Green Woodpecker and a Stock Dove. Not much at Passage House either with high tide approaching but six Common Sandpipers were on the spit. Later in the afternoon a Red Kite flew low over my house in Kingsteignton, the first of the year and making it a rare five-raptor day on patch.

WeBS

Totals from around the estuary this morning included 105 Oystercatchers, 45 Turnstones, 11 Redshanks, two Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers, one Black-tailed Godwit, just one Curlew, 22 Shelducks, 10 Mute Swans, seven Red-breasted Mergansers, one Great Crested Grebe, eight Little Egrets, 10 Great Black-backed Gulls and three Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The blustery conditions encouraged Sandwich Terns into the estuary, with at least eight noted including two as far up as Passage House. A couple of Swallows and Sand Martins were also seen battling the headwind up river.

Elsewhere a 45-minute seawatch from Teignmouth produced seven Fulmars (probable local breeders), two Great Northern Divers (one in full summer plumage), one Red-throated Diver, five Common Scoters, five Guillemots, three Sandwich Terns, one Great Crested Grebe and a couple of dozen Gannets and Kittiwakes. There had clearly been a bit of a fall of Willow Warblers at Rackerhayes with seven singing birds present, and at last a Wheatear (a male) was on the racecourse.

Turnstones (Alan Ford)

Spotted Redshank lingers

I figured the racecourse would be a good bet for a Wheatear on Saturday morning, but half an hour scanning revealed just two Stonechats and two Reed Buntings. Onto Passage House where the Spotted Redshank finally did the decent thing and allowed good views from the car park, in the company of four Redshanks and not a lot else. Rackerhayes was also quiet but three pairs of Great Crested Grebes, two Willow Warblers and a leucistic Greenfinch were noted. Lastly a scan of the estuary from Flow Point produced another Great Crested Grebe and at least six Red-breasted Mergansers still.

Redshank (l), Spotted Redshank (r)