GNDs

A quick lunch-break look around Teignmouth revealed four Great Northern Divers sheltering from the elements in the harbour, with a further four birds opting for a more adventurous life on the stormy sea. No unusual gulls noted but there was a steady stream of Kittiwakes heading south offshore.

New Year's Day

An encouraging start to the year with 79 species recorded. The Yellow-browed Warbler put in another appearance along Whitelake Channel with a male Blackcap and several Chiffchaffs in the same area. At Arch Brook presumably the same Spotted Redshank is back for another winter, but there was no sign of the two Spoonbills reported a couple of days ago. In the Passage House area 16 Avocets, two Wigeon, one Common Sandpiper, one Black-tailed Godwit and a calling Cetti's Warbler were noted.

Rackerhayes provided all of the expected wetland and woodland species including 23 Tufted Ducks, two Mandarins, Siskin, Bullfinch, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch and Treecreeper, plus one of four Firecrests recorded throughout the day (others were at Golvers Hill and Hackney Marshes). Off Teignmouth seafront there was pod of 10+ Common Dolphins and at least one Harbour Porpoise but few birds - just one Red-throated Diver, one Gannet and a handful of Shags, Cormorants and Guillemots. 

Spotted Redshank

Mistle Thrush

Yellow-browed Warbler

First reported yesterday, the Yellow-browed Warbler was still present along the Templer Way in Newton Abbot this afternoon. It favoured vegetation alongside Whitelake Channel between B&Q and the racecourse, only a hundred metres or so from where another YBW appeared in January 2021. 

WeBS

Another very wet day with poor visibility that hampered this morning's survey and cloaked the Oystercatcher and Curlew roosts in mist. What could be seen included c.40 Redshanks, nine Greenshanks, four Dunlin, two Common Sandpipers, 61 Mallards, 18 Teal, 15 Shelducks, 11 Mute Swans, eight Red-breasted Mergansers, six Little Grebes, two Wigeon, 14 Cormorants, three Shags and a good total of five Kingfishers. The congregation of large gulls in the Passage House area contained 380 Herring Gulls, 67 Great Black-backed Gulls, four Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 15 Common Gulls.

Avocet

Off Passage House this afternoon one Avocet (November records uncommon), one Common Sandpiper, two Greenshanks, six Little Grebes, one Mediterranean Gull (adult) and one Kingfisher noted. Another Kingfisher was at Polly Steps, Teignmouth along with three Turnstones. Not a lot of interest offshore other than a couple of Red-throated Divers and Great Northern Divers, and lots of auks.

Avocet

Turnstones

Late news from Teignmouth with a Dark-bellied Brent Goose on the Salty on 17 November.

Probable Pallid Swifts

An immensely frustrating morning on Saturday. After reports of at least one unidentified swift between Shaldon and Labrador Bay, I headed up to the high ground above Coast View holiday park - the same place where at least one Alpine Swift gave great views two years ago - and picked up two swifts high above the village (looking back towards Teignmouth). They looked good for Pallid Swift - apparent stockier structure, more deliberate gliding flight, paler brown colour (although this may have been accentuated by the low sunlight) - but they were just too distant to be 100% sure. They disappeared from view after a couple of minutes; I put the news out and several other birders soon arrived to look, but there was no sign of any swifts for the rest of the day.

Today's WeBS count featured a very high tide, and several species (notably Curlew and Greenshank) were not present at their usual roosts. Totals included 326 Oystercatchers, 54 Turnstones, c.30 Dunlin, just 26 Curlew, five Ringed Plovers, three Common Sandpipers, 15 Little Egrets, five Little Grebes, 22 Mute Swans, six Teal, four Shelducks, one Wigeon, 14 Cormorants, six Shags and two Kingfishers. It was good to see the first six Red-breasted Mergansers of the winter off Arch Brook. An influx of gulls to the Passage House area included a high count of 63 Great Black-backed Gulls along with 12 Common Gulls, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and an adult Mediterranean Gull. On the sea three Great Northern Divers, seven Razorbills and a male Common Scoter were off Teignmouth seafront (a Black-throated Diver was reported on Thursday).

Triple Spoon

There was little overhead movement at Bundle Head first thing on Monday morning, so I changed plan and headed down to the estuary where presumably the same Spoonbill from earlier this month had been joined by a further two birds - my first multiple count of this species on patch. Thirteen Greenshanks was the only other notable tally.

WeBS

A nice variety but a feeling of winter encroaching on the estuary this weekend. Totals included 326 Oystercatchers, 47+ Curlew (an undercount due to roost location), 39 Turnstones, 24 Redshanks, 17 Greenshanks, five Ringed Plovers, four Dunlin, three Common Sandpipers, one Spoonbill (still in the Passage House area), c.50 Little Egrets, nine Cormorants, seven Shags, 48 Mallards, 21 Mute Swans, six Teal, five Little Grebes, four Canada Geese, and two Kingfishers. Notable passerines included two Rock Pipits on Flow Point and at least one Redpoll over Bishopsteignton.

Cormorant

Spoonbill returns

The Spoonbill was back on the estuary yesterday lunchtime and showed really well in the channel right outside Passage House Inn. Hopefully it will now stick around for a few days at least.

Spoonbill & Cattle Egret

A Spoonbill reported at Passage House early afternoon remained until 2.30 when it, a juvenile, was seen flying over the marshes before heading NE towards Kingsteignton. A Cattle Egret amongst 16 Little Egret added to the southern feel despite the conditions.

Cattle Egret - Kevin Rylands

Also present 150+ Black-headed Gull, 51 Mallard and two Common Sandpiper.