White-tailed Eagle

Today was definitely a case of right place, right time. Whilst I was idly scanning the sky for raptors from the front garden just before midday, a White-tailed Eagle suddenly appeared quite low coming in from the north, causing the local gulls to kick off. It gave great views almost directly overhead for several minutes before gaining height and drifting east. Looking at the plumage it appears to be a 2nd calendar year individual, probably originating from the Isle of Wight reintroduction project (and clearly a younger bird to the one that showed up at Powderham in January)

Blackcap

Not a great deal to report over the last week. Rackerhayes held a male Shoveler on the 19th, and a male Blackcap was by the entrance gates there this morning. The Bar-headed Goose continues to associate with the Canada Geese, but Tufted Duck numbers have declined with just six present today. Many of the resident woodland species are now approaching full song, with one Song Thrush doing an excellent impression of a Willow Tit as part of its repertoire (the latter's cousin the Marsh Tit continues to be conspicuous by its absence).

WeBS, Goosander

Another dull grey morning, this time with a cold easterly wind, but fortunately plenty of birds on the estuary including a few bits of quality. It was nice to catch up with the female Goosander which has been present in the Passage House area since late January, often showing just alongside the car park. The Spotted Redshank was on Flow Point at high tide, alongside a good count of 18 Teal. Other totals included 246 Oystercatchers, 67 Curlew (the best count this winter), 21 Turnstones, c.30 Redshanks, six Greenshanks, six Ringed Plovers, five Avocets, two Common Sandpipers, one Dunlin, 36 Shelducks, 25 Red-breasted Mergansers, 24 Mallards, seven Little Grebes, five Canada Geese, four Mute Swans, six Little Egrets, five Shags, four Cormorants and one Great Crested Grebe.  Not a great number of gulls but eight Common Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Mediterranean Gull provided some interest.

Elsewhere today 28 Mute Swans, 70 Canada Geese and the Bar-headed Goose were at Teigngrace, and six Fieldfares and two Lapwings were on the racecourse. A Black Redstart has been present in the Morrisons/Broadmeadow area of Teignmouth over the past week. 

Goosander

Common Sandpiper

Jetty Marsh

A trip to Newton Abbot hospital on Saturday afternoon was tied in with a rare visit to the adjacent northern fringes of Jetty Marsh. Four Teal, two Chiffchaffs, two Stonechats, a Grey Wagtail and a Jay were noted, with 22 Mute Swans and 28 Canada Geese present in nearby Teigngrace fields. 

This morning's very high tide pushed almost everything off Passage House but eight Avocets and 16 Redshanks were clinging on, and one of the Little Grebes has developed breeding plumage already. Two Lapwings and two Stonechats continue to winter on the racecourse.

Little Grebe

WeBS

Following the national trend the numbers of Curlew on the estuary have declined in recent years, and so far this winter there hasn't been a count that's exceeded 50 birds; this morning only 31 could be located. In contrast there has been an uptick in Turnstone numbers, with at least 56 present today. Other totals included 312 Oystercatchers, 35+ Redshanks, six Greenshanks, seven Avocets (11 were present on Tuesday), five Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, one Lapwing, 14 Little Egrets, five Little Grebes, two Great Northern Divers (by Polly Steps), 30 Shelducks, 26 Red-breasted Mergansers, four Teal and a Kingfisher.

Another two Great Northern Divers were off Teignmouth seafront with four Red-throated Divers, and at least three Razorbills were among the more numerous Guillemots.

Avocets (14 Jan)

Greenshank

Spotted Redshank

Having escaped detection at the end of 2024, presumably the same Spotted Redshank is back for its fourth winter and today roosted at Flow Point during the morning high tide, although true to form it remained too distant for a photo. Five Ringed Plovers and a half a dozen Turnstones were on the sea wall and 25 Teal flew out of the saltmarsh. 

Elsewhere Hackney Marshes and Passage House were pretty quiet in the freezing conditions but provided a few year ticks including Reed Bunting, Raven and Bullfinch. Farmland east of Bishopsteignton still held 15+ Cirl Buntings, c.100 Skylarks and a few Linnets and Meadow Pipits.

Bullfinch

Cirl Bunting

New Year's Day

Rain for most of the day and strong winds for the first half offered less than ideal conditions to start the year list, but 71 species were still recorded with highlights including Avocet, Firecrest, Green Sandpiper and Mediterranean Gull.

Kicking things off with an hour's seawatch from Teignmouth yacht club, pulses of Kittiwakes, Gannets and auks were moving south - most of the latter that were sufficiently close to ID were Guillemots, although two Razorbills passed relatively near. Six Red-breasted Mergansers, two Curlew and singles of Fulmar and Great Crested Grebe were also noted, but strangely no divers.

The tide was getting fairly low by the time Passage House was covered but Avocet (four), Kingfisher, Little Grebe and Wigeon were among the species added; a later visit produced 27 Snipe. Singles of Mediterranean and Lesser Black-backed Gull, and three Common Gulls made it a rare seven gull species day on patch. At Arch Brook, three Greenshanks were foraging and 15 Red-breasted Mergansers were close to the water's edge.

Decoy Country Park provided some shelter from the elements and a range of woodland species including Firecrest, with Coot, Moorhen and Tufted Duck on the lake.  Recent tree clearance at Teigngrace has opened up visibility to the flooded fields north of Newton Abbot hospital, where a Green Sandpiper, six Teal and 11 Little Egrets were foraging.

The wind and rain had eased after lunch, but not before dropping a selection of soggy-looking thrushes onto the racecourse including four Mistle Thrushes and five Fieldfares. The two Lapwings from the end of 2024 were still present, along with a Stonechat, a Buzzard and a Green Woodpecker. A couple of Grey Wagtails and a male Peregrine flew low overhead.

Lastly a quick circuit around Rackerhayes in the fading light added Greenfinch, Siskin, Grey Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker and two Chiffchaffs to the list, with a further 22 Tufted Ducks spread out on the ponds. 

Mistle Thrushes and Fieldfare