Med Gulls galore, Storm Petrels, Balearics

Seawatching from the yacht club 05:50 - 12:10 failed to produce any large shearwaters but the variety was pretty decent by Teignmouth standards for late July. Totals were as follows:

Mediterranean Gull - 64+
Storm Petrel - 2 (one close in at 11:40, another briefly and more distant 10 minutes later)
Balearic Shearwater - 4 (all single birds)
Manx Shearwater - 51
Yellow-legged Gull - 2 (juveniles)
Arctic Skua - 10 (several very close in chasing Kittiwakes)
Whimbrel - 3
Common Tern - 6
'Commic' Tern - 9
Sandwich Tern - 50+
Kittiwake - 107

Plus a slow trickle of Gannets and Fulmars. Unfortunately the visibility was often poor so no doubt many birds were missed further out. The Med Gull total comprised approximately 80% juveniles and is almost certainly a record count locally.

Arctic Skuas

Storm Petrel

WeBS

A juvenile Little Ringed Plover at Passage House was the highlight of this morning's count. It took flight as the tide pushed it off, giving its distinctive call. Other totals from around the estuary included 41 Mute Swans, 31 Canada Geese, three adult Shelducks with a total of 13 young, 21 Little Egrets, c.500 Black-headed Gulls, one juvenile Mediterranean Gull, two Sandwich Terns, 69 Oystercatchers, 63 Curlew, 6 Whimbrel, 6 Common Sandpipers and singles of Redshank and Greenshank.

The ants are back

The first large emergence of flying ants this saw hundreds of gulls hawking offshore and over the estuary at Teignmouth, including three Mediterranean Gull, two adults and a first summer. Also feeding high above the estuary a flock of at least 95 Swift, a very welcome sight although sadly very few of them will have been local birds.

Et 2 brute

The second juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was on the Salty this evening, this one a beast of a bird dwarfing adjacent Herring gulls.

Autumn arrivals

The birding seasons are changing even if the weather isn't. The first juvenile Yellow-legged Gull of the year was on the Salty, fresh in from continent. The other sure-fire sign of autumn was a returning Common Sandpiper also at the east end of the estuary.