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.
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| Mistle Thrushes and Fieldfare |
