WeBS, more kites

Quiet on the estuary on Sunday morning, with second-year Mediterranean Gull at Passage House the only bird of note. Totals included 34 Mute Swans, 20 Shelducks (no juveniles seen), eight Mallards, four Cormorants, 14 Little Egrets, 52 Herring Gulls, four Black-headed Gulls, two Great Black-backed Gulls, 24 Oystercatchers, two Turnstones and singles of  Red-breasted Merganser (female, possibly an injured bird) and Whimbrel. There was also a small movement of Red Kites noted from mid-morning, with four west over Kingsteignton from 09:30 - 09:45.

On Friday a White Stork was circling over Kingsteignton (details here although unclear as to whether it was ringed or not). Last Wednesday a Wheatear was on the racecourse and a Bar-headed Goose was associating with the Canadas at Rackerhayes.

Patch mega...

 ...is sadly now the status of Cuckoo on patch, one calling at dusk from Broad Meadow, Teignmouth on 2 May was just the third record in the last ten years. 

Nocturnal wader migration was also notable on the 2nd with a Whimbrel calling over Teignmouth early morning and a Bar-tailed Godwit over late evening. On the dropping overnight tide both Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit were vocal on or over The Salty with a couple of Dunlin and a Sanderling. The latter a scarce bird on the Teign, but the second this year after one at Passage House on 12 April. 

The bank holiday weather did not finish there, with the first Lesser Whitethroat of the year singing occasionally in Bitton Park, Teignmouth on the morning of the 3rd and the year's first Swift over the town