Morning at the Ness

An early morning look for the Yellow-browed Warbler at the Ness was unsuccessful with just a few Goldcrest around the wood and a group of 17 Redwing dropping in from high. A walk round to the viewpoint proved worthwhile though with a group of eight Eider sat offshore, an excellent patch record. The lone Wigeon sat with them was also looking slightly out of place.

Yellow-browed Warbler

A brief, unseen, but very vocal Yellow-browed Warbler was around the entrance to Shaldon Zoo at 2.40pm this afternoon. It then presumably disappeared like a needle into the haystack that is The Ness and wasn't seen or heard thereafter. Also one Firecrest.

WeBS

Totals from between Passage House and Salcombe Dip this morning included a Pintail, four Wigeon, eight Little Grebes, 27 Little Egrets, 103 Curlew, 38 Redshanks, nine Greenshanks, eight Ringed Plovers, five Lapwings, four Snipe, three Turnstones, three Common Sandpipers and singles of Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Kingfisher. Oystercatchers were again conspicuous by their absense with just seven noted.

Firecrests

There were at least two Firecrests at The Ness this afternoon (Will had three on Wednesday) keeping well hidden in the Holm Oaks. Apart from that, just three Goldcrests.

Brents

Yesterday, there were two Wigeon on the estuary off Netherton. One Black-tailed and two Bar-tailed Godwit remain with 90 Curlew, and other counts include eight Greenshank, five Redshank, three Common Sandpiper, four Lapwing and five Lesser Black-backed Gull. The first three Tufted Duck of the autumn were also on Decoy Lake.

Juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull

Wildfowl on the Teign

This morning, a check of Teigngrace didn't produce many birds, just a small flock of Canada Geese and a few gulls.

This afternoon, a look around The Ness was quiet at first, but soon a tit flock moved through containing two Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, two Goldcrest and five Coal Tits. A quick scan over the sea revealed three Dark-bellied Brents flying around distantly offshore, the first of the year.

Brent Geese

Spoonbills

Robin Shute found two Spoonbills roosting at Passage House this morning, the first record since 2009. I managed to whizz down to see them at midday, and they were later reported at 14:15 having just been flushed by another Osprey! Whether or not they'll have stayed on the estuary, we'll have to see.

Osprey catches a fish

Wader counts from the high tide roost at Passage House included 14 Greenshank, six Bar-tailed Godwits, four Black-tailed Godwits, two Common Sandpipers and 81 Curlew.

At 14:25, all the gulls and waders flushed and a glance up revealed an Osprey overhead, seemingly having just flown in from the west. It circled around for a couple of minutes before diving down and catching a fish in the shallow water just off the bottom of Hackney Lane. It then flew off down estuary and up towards the hills to the north, presumably to find a quiet perch to enjoy its meal away from crows and gulls.

WeBS

Nothing outstanding but a good variety present during this morning's count: 105 Curlew, five Bar-tailed Godwits, 14 Redshanks, three Greenshanks, 10 Dunlin, seven Ringed Plovers, four Common Sandpipers, three Turnstones, 43 Little Egrets, three Grey Herons, 20 Mute Swans, four Little Grebes and three Kingfishers (including one that flew over the road by McDonalds). The only notable absentee was the usual large flock of Oystercatchers with only seven noted at Flow Point; one wonders if they've been flushed one too many times by the recent Osprey and temporarily relocated.

Raptor fest

A rare five raptor day around the patch, with the Osprey in the dead tree at Netherton Point just before 09.00 this morning and Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Peregrine all recorded over Netherton Park cricket ground at various points this afternoon.

Osprey again

A juvenile Osprey was circling over the upper estuary from 09:20-09:30 this morning before landing out of sight in a tree near Netherton Point. At least five Whinchats remain on Newton Abbot Racecourse and a Tree Pipit flew over calling.