Pom Skua

A dark Pomarine Skua was the highlight of a busy seawatch at Teignmouth yacht club from 07:30 - 09:00 on Sunday morning. It came at the end of a sustained period of southbound gull passage in the first 45 minutes, with over 200 each of Kittiwake and Black-headed Gull and seven Mediterranean Gulls moving through. Eight Arctic Skuas included three or four lingering birds hassling the Kittiwakes, and 24 Balearic Shearwaters was a good count this late in the season. Also noted 38 Sandwich Terns, 195 Gannets, 17 Common Scoters and c.50 Oystercatchers - the latter probably moving between the Teign and the Exe.

Away from the coast there has been a welcome increase in Kestrel sightings, with birds noted at Passage House and Bishopsteignton in recent days.