Kittiwake passage, Arctic Skuas, Common Terns

Seawatching from Teignmouth yacht club from 07:15 - 08:45 this morning produced a heavy passage of 1050 Kittiwakes, with birds moving south at a rate of 100 every five minutes from 07:20 - 08:05 before tailing off. Just one Balearic Shearwater went through but eight Arctic Skuas was a good total, the majority of which were following the trail of Kittiwakes. Also two late Common Terns, an adult Mediterranean Gull, five Common Scoters, 200+ Gannets and 30+ auks.

News from the East

A second winter Caspian Gull was on the Salty this evening, the third patch, and Salty, record and the first since 2018. Recent seawatching counts include six Balearic Shearwater, three Arctic Skua and 40 Kittiwake south past Teignmouth in 20 minutes mid evening on 27 Sep and on 29th, 11 Balearic Shearwater, an Arctic Skua, 80 Kittiwake in just half an hour mid afternoon. 

Other recent Teignmouth highlights include a Moorhen on 25 Sep and a Coot on 1 Sep, both calling overhead at night.

Little Stint, Spot Fly, WeBS

A productive morning started with a look around Bundle Head, which revealed singles of Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear and Whitethroat, plus numerous Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. Overhead passage showed signs of getting going with three Grey Wagtails, c.30 each of Swallow and House Martin and a trickle of Meadow Pipits, Chaffinches and Goldfinches.

Onto the WeBS count, where the standout bird was a flighty Little Stint at Passage House, although the bizarre sighting of a Grey Squirrel swimming across from the spit as it became stranded by the rising tide also caught the attention. Other (bird) totals included 377 Oystercatchers, 68 Curlew, 15 Greenshanks, 10 Turnstones, six Dunlin, five Common Sandpipers, four Black-tailed Godwits, two Ringed Plovers, 30 Mallards, 21 Mute Swans, 24 Little Egrets, 16 Cormorants, a Kingfisher, a Whimbrel and a Wigeon. 

At least one Yellow Wagtail and a couple more Grey Wagtails were heard overhead while counting at Flow Point. 

Spotted Flycatcher

Little Stint

Dolphins up close

A wildlife cruise of Labrador Bay with Devon Sea Safari this morning produced outstanding views of a pod of six Common Dolphins, which swam around and under the boat and followed in its wake for some time. Few seabirds were noted, with just a few Kittiwakes, Gannets and a Mediterranean Gull, and no terns which was surprising given the numbers around the Exe recently. Later on, a couple of Turnstones were roosting off Teignmouth back beach and just outside the patch, two Tree Pipits flew over Holcombe.

Wryneck

 A Wryneck was photographed in a Teignmouth garden today (photo here).

Very quiet on a breezy Bundle Head this morning, the best being two Grey Wagtails overhead and a Green Woodpecker.

WeBS

Last Sunday's count produced 215 Oystercatchers, 66 Curlew, 14 Greenshanks, five Whimbrels, three Dunlin, three Common Sandpipers, two Turnstones, 71 Mute Swans, 27 Canada Geese, 12 Mallards, 11 Cormorants, 30 Little Egrets, two Sandwich Terns, 600 Black-headed Gulls, 150 Herring Gulls, three Great Black-backed Gulls and a Kingfisher. A White Wagtail was also noted.

Hobby, butterflies

An afternoon stroll through Kingsteignton was enlivened by a Hobby chasing Swifts and House Martins over the centre of the town. 

There has been an increase in butterflies in the 'wilded' front garden recently, including Gatekeeper and Common Blue.

WeBS

Totals from Sunday morning included 70 Mute Swans, 60 Canada Geese, 14 Mallards, 53 Little Egrets, 108 Oystercatchers, 37 Curlew, 11 Greenshanks, five Turnstones, three Whimbrels, three Common Sandpipers, two Sandwich Terns, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a Common Gull and a Moorhen. 

Turnstone (Alan Ford)

Returning waders, swan-fest

A nice selection of waders at Passage House on Sunday evening confirmed that return passage is well underway, with two adult Little Ringed Plovers, five Common Sandpipers, four Greenshanks, three Redshanks, 47 Curlew and a Whimbrel noted. The annual summer buildup of Mute Swans is reaching its peak with an impressive 71 recorded; based on WeBS data this appears to be the highest estuary count since 1983/84.

WeBS, Osprey

On the estuary yesterday morning were 10 Curlew, eight Oystercatchers, 68 Canada Geese, 55 Mute Swans, 25 Shelducks, eight Mallards, six Little Egrets, 11 Cormorants and one Shag. Later an Osprey flew east over Kingsteignton at 5.50pm; sightings are unusual in June, and are perhaps linked to wandering birds from the Rutland and/or Poole Harbour translocated populations.