The highlight of a delayed WeBS count yesterday morning was a Little Ringed Plover on the spit at Passage House, although three Great Crested Grebes off Flow Point was perhaps more unexpected for the time of year. Other totals included 13 Oystercatchers, seven Cormorants, four Sandwich Terns, 45 Mute Swans, 42 Canada Geese, 36 Shelducks (plus seven young with one pair), 10 Mallards and a/the Bar-headed Goose.
Today a Red Kite flew north over Kingsteignton just after 10:00.
During a two hour seawatch this morning between 09:30 and 11:30, a pale-morph Arctic Skua flew south along with 110+ Manx Shearwater, c.20 Kittiwake, c.20 Fulmar, 200+ Guillemots and three Common Scoter. Three Great Northern Diver (including two in summer-plumage) were on the sea a fair way out, and four others flew south.
Kev reported a flock of 12 Sanderling and five Dunlin on The Salty on Monday after a heavy rain shower. Also a first summer Mediterranean Gull there today with 725 Herring Gull.
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| Fulmar |
Quantity over quality was the order of this morning's seawatch (07:05 - 08:45). Guillemots were a major feature with numerous small groups and occasional parties of up to 20 loafing on the sea and flying south, with 200+ recorded in total. Kittiwakes (c.100) were also on the move, joined by smaller numbers of Gannets (including two very close in) and a handful of Fulmars. Also noted were a Great Skua (flew north then lingered off Holcombe), a Common Scoter, two Manx Shearwaters, three Dunlin, nine Swallows and three Swifts.
News filtering through from social media indicated that there was an arrival of passerine migrants elsewhere along the South Devon coast, and Laurie suggested that the racecourse might hold something interesting. This proved to be a great shout as a pair of cracking male Whinchats were discovered early afternoon along the southern side by the footpath. Also present were four Whimbrels foraging near the grandstand.
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| Gannet |
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| Whinchat |
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| Whinchats |
A short seawatch on Monday between 13:30 and 15:00 was quiet, with five Sandwich Terns, 22 Fulmars, one Curlew and approximately 80-90 Manx Shearwaters, many of which kept streaming back north in the direction of the wind.
One of two Whimbrels present just before high tide at Passage House this morning. The other flew up from dense vegetation and both birds then flew down the estuary, calling loudly. Also four Dunlin and two Common Sandpipers on the spit.
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| Whitethroat back on territory at Bundle Head yesterday |
Very quiet at Bundle Head this morning with three Willow Warblers the only migrants noted; along the clifftops a pair Shelducks and a male Kestrel showed well. Yesterday the first couple of Reed Warblers were back at Hackney Marshes and single Common Sandpiper and Ringed Plover were on the spit at Passage House.
Totals from around the estuary this morning included 45 Oystercatchers, 25 Redshanks, six Greenshanks, 20 Turnstones, eight Curlew, two Dunlin, two Ringed Plovers, four Common Sandpipers, 29 Mute Swans, 24 Shelducks, eight Mallards, two Red-breasted Mergansers (down from nine on 4th April), 22 Little Egrets, six Shags, five Cormorants and five Sandwich Terns.
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| Shags (Alan Ford) |
On Wednesday there were five Willow Warblers and two Mandarins at Rackerhayes along with first broods of Mallard and Coot, and on Thursday an Osprey flew over Kingsteignton.
The first two Sandwich Tern of the year were fishing just inland of Shaldon bridge on Monday afternoon, with at least 13 off the seafront later on.
Very little of note around Hackney Marshes and the racecourse this morning, although this was hardly surprising at the latter since preparations were underway for the first race meeting of the year. A Water Rail showed well from the Hackney Marshes viewing screen and there were numerous territorial Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. Onto Rackerhayes for the first time since pre-lockdown three months ago, where a large flock of Sand Martins (c.100) were feeding low over the water, joined by two Swallows and a House Martin. Around the lakes three Willow Warblers were singing away from their namesake trees and two Roe Deer foraged in an adjacent meadow.
