More Curlew Sands

A quick pre-work check of Passage House from the car park yesterday morning produced two Curlew Sandpipers, two Dunlins, three Greenshanks and a Common Sandpiper on the spit.

Dunlin and two Curlew Sandpipers

Curlew Sandpiper

On the falling tide this morning a Curlew Sandpiper dropped in to Passage House where it foraged for a short while before departing down the estuary with a Dunlin. It was also a rare double-godwit day for the Teign with individuals of both Black-tailed Godwit and Bar-tailed Godwit present amongst the Curlew flock. 

Curlew Sandpiper (c)

Caspian Gull

A 1cy Caspian Gull was on the The Salty this evening with at least 950 Herring and 25 Lesser Black-backed Gull. Good to join in with the recent influx on the Axe & Exe estuaries, now for a Glossy Ibis...

 Also present 275 Oystercatcher and two Curlew.

Red-necked Grebe

The surprise discovery of a Red-necked Grebe off Teignmouth early afternoon saved an otherwise disappointing seawatch. Frequenting an area between the yellow buoys north of the yacht club, it wasn't too far out but didn't show especially well due to the choppy conditions and frequent dives. It was possible to make out some faint stripes on the face, suggesting this was a first-winter bird.

Earlier at Passage House nine Greenshanks, four Redshanks, four Ringed Plovers, four Dunlins, a Kingfisher and a Common Gull were noted.

Red-necked Grebe

Common Gull

Yellow-legged Gulls

An effort to scan various gull flocks around the estuary this afternoon paid off with a couple of first-winter Yellow-legged Gulls; a fairly hefty bird on The Salty, and a somewhat smaller proportioned individual on the racecourse. Earlier in the day an adult Mediterranean Gull was off Passage House. 

WeBS, Ruff, Little Gull

Combined totals from the estuary on Saturday afternoon and this morning included 308 Oystercatchers, 61 Curlew, 50 Turnstones, 14 Greenshanks, 13 Common Sandpipers, eight Ringed Plovers, seven Dunlin, one Ruff, one Redshank, 356 Canada Geese, one Bar-headed Goose, c.50 Mallards, 26 Mute Swans, two Moorhens, 39 Little Egrets, 10 Cormorants and one Water Rail.

The Ruff has been showing off Passage House for the past three days and is the first on patch for a decade. Yesterday a Little Gull was also seen in the Passage House area but there was no sign this morning

Ringed Plovers, Osprey

With near-record numbers of Ringed Plovers at Dawlish Warren recently, I headed to Flow Point this morning wondering if there had been an increase in the comparatively meagre population on the Teign. Walking westwards along the edge of the sea wall from near Salcombe Dip, I could see small groups of Ringed Plovers scattered about on the point and some diligent scanning eventually produced a total of 52, the highest count since August 2012. A Turnstone, a Teal and a Kingfisher were also noted.

On Wednesday the first Osprey of the year was between Passage House and Coombe Cellars.

Ringed Plovers

WeBS

Presumably the same Bar-headed Goose that spend much of last winter at Rackerhayes had joined the 133 Canada Geese at Passage House on Sunday morning. At the other end of the estuary Turnstones are already back in good numbers, with 32 between the Shaldon Bridge and Teignmouth Back Beach. Other totals included 262 Oystercatchers, 61 Curlew, five Whimbrels, seven Greenshanks, one Redshank, two Common Sandpipers,  32 Mute Swans, 450 Black-headed Gulls, five Cormorants, three Shags, three Kingfishers and two Sandwich Terns. 

Goosanders

A group of eight juvenile Goosanders on the estuary just east of Passage House this afternoon was unexpected and by far the largest number I've recorded on patch. Perhaps they are all siblings that fledged on the upper reaches of the Teign this summer. Also in the Passage House area 10 Greenshanks, nine Whimbrels, four Common Sandpipers, two Green Sandpipers (flushed below the car park), two juvenile Shelducks and an adult Mediterranean Gull. 

Goosanders

WeBS

A pair of Black Swans at Passage House added a touch of antipodean exoticism to yesterday's count, which was otherwise unremarkable. Totals included 74 Oystercatchers, 41 Curlew, eight Greenshanks, six Common Sandpipers, one Whimbrel, one Black-tailed Godwit, 23 Little Egrets, 221 Canada Geese, 60 Mute Swans, 40 Mallards, two Shags, two Mediterranean Gulls (juveniles), one Sandwich Tern and one Kingfisher. 

Black Swans