Vis mig

Yesterday morning there was a fair bit of movement going on over Bundle Head first thing; totals from 07:30 - 08:30 comprised 185 Goldfinches, 141 Meadow Pipits, 55 Linnets, 29 Siskins, 16 Chaffinches, 35 Swallows and 22 Pied/White Wagtails, mostly heading south. Two Peregrines were seen working together to take down a Woodpigeon just offshore. Today was quieter in terms of numbers although there was a bit more variety with another Crossbill, a House Martin and a couple of Grey Wagtails overhead. The bushes held very little except for a good total of three Firecrests; two in hedgerows at Bundle Head and one in The Ness.

Spot the Firecrest

Crossbill

 An enjoyable couple of hours between Bundle Head and The Ness this morning produced one Crossbill (over the conifer plantation just inland), one Firecrest (possibly Laurie's bird from Wednesday in The Ness), one Stonechat, 10 Blackcaps, seven Chiffchaffs, seven Goldcrests, nine Swallows and a House Martin. Overhead, small numbers of Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Siskins and Linnets were on the move and butterflies still on the wing included Red Admiral, Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood.

Stonechat

Firecrest

The trees at The Ness seemed alive with birds when I visited at midday. A Firecrest was in sycamore and holm oaks at the top of the golf course, and walking down the path to The Ness there were around five Chiffchaffs, three Goldcrests amoung numerous species of tit.

WeBS

 A belated count between Passage House and Salcombe Dip on Sunday afternoon was fairly productive with totals including 350 Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, 23 Mute Swans, three Wigeon, 32 Little Egrets, 12 Cormorants, three Shags, 355 Oystercatchers, 32 Curlew (probably an underestimate), nine Ringed Plovers, nine Greenshanks, four Redshanks, two Common Sandpipers and a Grey Plover. The Med Gull and Wigeon were off Passage House and the Grey Plover was associating with Ringed Plovers roosting up against the railway east of Flow Point.

Wigeon (Laurie Allnatt)

Redpolls

There was a fair bit of audible migration going on overhead at Bundle Head this morning, although it was almost impossible to pick most birds out against the clear blue skies. Redpolls were heard on at least half a dozen occasions and were joined by by regular movements of Linnet, Siskin, Meadow Pipit and Chaffinch, plus two Swallows. In the bushes was fairly typical late September fare - 17 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackcaps, five Goldcrests, four Song Thrushes and single Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

Uncommon waders on the Teign

An hour spent at Flow Point yesterday morning failed to show the Osprey which had been seen the previous afternoon, however reward came in the form of a Knot in with the Oystercatcher flock. Knot is scarce on the Teign, with only a few records in the last 20 or so years. A Bar-tailed Godwit, found by Kev on The Salty this morning is another less than annual bird on the Teign. On Friday Kev also found a White Stork flying over Teignmouth; likely one of the re-introduced birds from the Knepp Estate in West Sussex.

Bundle Head

Early morning visits to Bundle Head both yesterday and today in sunny conditions with a gentle northerly breeze revealed a few birds in the bushes and hedgerows. The highlights came today, with a Spotted Flycatcher in an ash tree briefly, and a Tree Pipit flushed from long grass. Around 15 Chiffchaffs were seen on both mornings, many of which were following a roving Long-tailed Tit flock. Other counts included one Willow Warbler, two Whitethroat and seven Blackcap. Very little passed overhead, however singles of Meadow Pipit and Grey Wagtail were recorded today with a trickle of Swallows.

Spotted Flycatcher

Whitethroat

Bundle Head in morning sunshine with recent scrub clearance

WeBS

Totals from today's WeBS count included 60 Curlew, three Whimbrel, three Black-tailed Godwit, two Dunlin, one Snipe, 12 Greenshank, nine Common Sandpiper, 304 Oystercatcher, seven Turnstone, 30 Mute Swan, 29 Little Egret and c.18 Sandwich Tern.

Yellow-legged Gull?

Waders at Passage House this morning included three Greenshank, three Common Sandpipers and four Whimbrel, with a handful of Sandwich Terns, including a couple of juveniles, fishing down river.

This gull caught my eye when it took flight:

The dark wings, inner primaries, and pale white rump looked spot on for Yellow-legged Gull, however, when it landed, the notched tertials and speckling in greater coverts, as well as the rather 'soft' look suddenly left it looking like 'just' a Herring Gull. I'd be grateful for any opinions.

Med Gull influx

At least 23 Mediterranean Gulls - comprising five juveniles, a first-summer and 17+ second-summers and adults - were with the Black-headed Gull flock off Passage House on the falling tide this afternoon. This is probably a record for the Teign, and coincides with a record count this evening on the upper Exe Estuary at Topsham Rec where 62 have been counted. At the other end of the patch Kev recorded two juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls on the Salty.