WeBS

Totals from Passage House to Salcombe Dip yesterday morning comprised 77 Oystercatchers, 33 Curlew, five Redshanks, three Greenshanks,16 Mute Swans, 39 Shelducks, 11 Red-breasted Mergansers, three Mallards, two Cormorants, two Shags, 12 Little Egrets, 205 Herring Gulls, six Black-headed Gulls and singles of Common Sandpiper and Great Crested Grebe.

On Sunday afternoon the first Osprey of the year was reported fishing between Shaldon Bridge and Coombe Cellars.

Sand Martins

It was heartening to see three Sand Martins over the fields at Teigngrace this morning, battling against the hail showers. Five Little Egrets, eight Mute Swans and 85 Canada Geese were also present. Hackney Marshes produced two singing Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap in sub-song and overhead a Buzzard so pale that it had me briefly dreaming of light-morph Booted Eagle. Lastly an Eider, a Razorbill, three Great Northern Divers and 15 Common Scoters were off Teignmouth yacht club around midday.

Yesterday two Sandwich Terns flew south past Teignmouth and on Friday Laurie had another Green Sandpiper at Teigngrace.