Spring's not over yet

A couple of visits to the patch over the past few days haven't yielded a great deal although there was enough to suggest that spring migration isn't quite over yet. On Friday a summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwit had joined the 3 Curlew at Passage House, and 37 Oystercatchers were at Flow Point. Yesterday 25 Common Scoters flew south past Shaldon, a male Wheatear was on the rocks beneath The Ness and a Willow Warbler was singing at Coombe Cellars. Mute Swan numbers have begun to increase with 34 at Passage House where there was also a Lesser Black-backed Gull. The Dark-bellied Brent Goose has remained in the upper estuary, generally present between Netherton Point and Passage House.

Unseasonal Brent Goose

I watched Passage House over the falling tide this morning and again on the rising tide late afternoon/ early evening. The most unexpected sighting was a Dark-bellied Brent Goose that flew in from the lower estuary at around 9am and was still present off Wear Farm at 5.30pm. Two Little Ringed Plovers were again on the spit off Passage House but the only other waders were four Oystercatchers and two Curlew. Breeding success was confirmed for Shelduck, Mallard and Moorhen.

Recent Easterly Highlights

It has been quiet of late at the Teignmouth end of the patch, with a peak of 12 Sandwich Tern the best the Salty has had to offer, but a few random flyovers have just about kept it ticking over, two of them welcome house ticks.

Overnight on 8th May at least two Common Sandpiper were attempting to migrate through the low mist- more expected here in autumn. Early(ish) morning on the 11th May a couple of Siskin west over Bitton Park were unseasonal, totally unexpected though was a vocal Moorhen calling overhead on the night of 12th May. Finally, and a long awaited house tick, a single Red Kite flew North over the town at roof height late morning on the 16th May.

Med Gull

This first-summer Mediterranean Gull was off Passage House this morning with c30 Black-headed Gulls. Also present were two singing Sedge Warblers and a Little Grebe.

The Big (Wet) Day

Yesterday I had a go at trying to see/hear as many species as possible on the Teign patch i.e. within 1km of the tidal limit, despite the forecast for rain for much of the day. I began just before 5am at Hackney Marshes, where all the anticipated species joined in the dawn chorus and a flyover Kestrel was an unexpected bonus - they've been scarce here this year. Nearby a lone female Wheatear and two Stock Doves were on the racecourse.

On to Teignmouth for the first seawatch of the day, and despite the moderate easterly and rain it was pretty dire with just a Great Northern Diver being the highlight although Gannet, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern, Fulmar, Shag and Guillemot wee all added to the day list. I gave it an hour before heading to Flow Point, where three Teal were on the lagoon behind the railway and a male Red-breasted Merganser was still present. Two Swifts were picked up high over Bishopsteignton, three Linnets showed well on the saltmarsh and a Whimbrel flew down the estuary.

Decoy Country Park was the next stop, where around 30 Swallows were foraging low over the lake, joined by a couple of House Martins. On the water were 5 Tufted Ducks alongside an ever increasing selection of hybrid waterfowl. The surrounding woodland produced Coal Tit, Jay and Green Woodpecker though I was unable to locate Nuthatch or Treecreeper. By now the rain was getting quite heavy so I went home for an hour's rest and a chance to dry out.

After lunch the rain had begun to clear and I headed out to the farmland surrounding Bishopsteignton, where a singing male Cirl Bunting was quickly located and a Whitethroat gave its scratchy song from a bramble patch. A second seawatch off Teignmouth followed, and although conditions had improved nothing better than three Manx Shearwaters were seen in over an hour. Afterwards three Turnstones and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were added to the day list at nearby Polly Steps.

The final port of call was Passage House, where on the rising tide a reasonable (for the Teign) selection of waders were present including three Whimbrel, two Common Sandpipers, the year's first Bar-tailed Godwit and best of all a pair of Little Ringed Plovers. I ended the day with a decent total of 75 species; the full list is below.

Mute Swan	Great Crested Grebe	Black-headed Gull	Goldcrest	Blackbird
Canada Goose	Buzzard	Lesser Black-backed Gull	Blue Tit	Song Thrush
Shelduck	Kestrel	Herring Gull	Great Tit	Mistle Thrush
Teal	Moorhen	Great Black-backed Gull	Coal Tit	Robin
Mallard	Coot	Feral Pigeon	Skylark	Wheatear
Tufted Duck	Oystercatcher	Stock Dove	Swallow	Dunnock
Red-breasted Merganser	Little Ringed Plover	Woodpigeon	House Martin	House Sparrow
Great Northern Diver	Whimbrel	Collared Dove	Cetti's Warbler	Pied Wagtail
Fulmar	Curlew	Swift	Long-tailed Tit	Chaffinch
Manx Shearwater	Bar-tailed Godwit	Green Woodpecker	Chiffchaff	Greenfinch
Gannet	Turnstone	Magpie	Blackcap	Goldfinch
Cormorant	Common Sandpiper	Jay	Whitethroat	Linnet
Shag	Guillemot	Jackdaw	Reed Warbler	Bullfinch
Little Egret	Sandwich Tern	Rook	Wren	Cirl Bunting
Grey Heron	Kittiwake	Carrion Crow	Starling	Reed Bunting

Red Kites

There have been several sightings of Red Kites around the patch today. I had one over Netherton Park this afternoon at the same time two were seen from Teignmouth, so at least three birds were around. The first Swift of 2015 also flew over, and Green Woodpecker and Pheasant were finally added to the year list.

WeBS count

Totals from around the estuary on a blustery morning included 3 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 13 Turnstones, 23 Oystercatchers, 31 Shelducks, 12 Teal, 10 Little Egrets and singles of Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe.

A brief lunchtime visit to Jetty Marsh produced the first patch Willow Warbler of the year along with a Reed Warbler, 2 Treecreepers and several Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.

Whimbrel arrival

The first three Whimbrel of the year were off Passage House this afternoon. Wintering waders were just about hanging on, with eight Oystercatchers and singles of Curlew, Redshank and Common Sandpiper noted.

Whimbrel (r) with Curlew

Reed Warblers return

Three Reed Warblers were back singing at Hackney Marshes this morning. Other warblers included 4 Blackcaps and 7 Chiffchaffs.

Jetty Marsh Pool

On a wonderfully bright, crisp spring morning there was once again very little of note around Newton Abbot Racecourse and Hackney Marshes, so I spent more time exploring an area just to the north of nearby Jetty Marsh, behind the hospital. Largely inaccessible and obscured by vegetation is a pool of water, possibly a former clay pit, surrounded by wet woodland and reedbeds that doesn't appear to have a title on any maps, so I named it Jetty Marsh Pool. Apart from a pair of Coots, 2 Mute Swans and 3 Teal there was little to see today but it does have potential for warblers and other waterfowl.

Jetty Marsh Pool

Seawatching from Teignmouth from 16:45-17:45 this afternoon was reasonably productive with two Sandwich Terns, a Red-throated Diver, a Great Crested Grebe, 5 Razorbills, 8 Guillemots and the first 7 Manx Shearwaters of the year.