Back to work benefits

The first day back at the laptop provided a long awaited patch tick, when a female type Marsh Harrier was found flying low north over Teignmouth beach early afternoon, presumably driven into the coast by the foggy conditions.

More surprises followed after dark when in the space of 15 minutes a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover and a Greenshank flew over after 10pm.

WeBS

Despite the large number of people milling around the estuary it felt good to be out doing the WeBS count yesterday afternoon, after the April survey was suspended due to Covid-19. Totals included 23 Oystercatchers, 28 Mute Swans, 36 Shelducks, nine Mallards, eight Canada Geese, seven Cormorants, 12 Little Egrets, 70 Herring Gulls, 10 Great Black-backed Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a Common Gull (unusual for May) and a Ringed Plover.

After the wintering population has departed, small numbers of Ringed Plovers 

stop by on passage during May.

On 12th May Alan Ford remarkably heard a Cuckoo calling from the middle of Teignmouth. Although regularly recorded only a few miles away, it is an exceptionally scarce bird around the estuary.

Red Kites

Two separate Red Kites flew south over Kingsteignton at 09:45 and 10:30 this morning; a bigger movement was anticipated but did not materialise with no further sightings by 13:00. Several Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and small parties of Swifts and House Martins were also noted overhead before the cold front pushed through this afternoon. Yesterday's walk around Hackney Marshes and Passage House was uneventful with a very high tide pushing most birds off the estuary, although an increased number of invertebrates were on the wing including this female Orange-tip.

Swifts return

Five Swifts were foraging over Fore Street in Kingsteignton yesterday morning, forming a mixed flock with at least a dozen House Martins and one or two Swallows. Nearby an adult Grey Wagtail was feeding a juvenile in the churchyard, and on Sunday nine Reed Warblers, two Sedge Warblers and two Ravens were around Hackney Marshes and the racecourse.

Another garden first

A further addition to the Teignmouth garden list with a Little Ringed Plover calling over the estuary early on Monday morning. Recently a flock of 20 Whimbrel on the Salty on 2nd May were notable with birds heard most nights,  33 Manx Shearwater south offshore in half an hour late on 1st May and up to seven Sandwich Tern around the estuary mouth throughout.

Sedge Warblers

A Sedge Warbler was performing its display flight over an isolated patch of reeds on the racecourse this morning, and presumably a different bird was singing on the northern side of Hackney Marshes on Wednesday. Sedge Warblers are scarcer than Reed Warblers locally and also seem to arrive later, so these may still be birds passing through rather than establishing territories. Other sightings today included five Shelducks flying high west, a Common Sandpiper and a Whitethroat, and up to three pairs of Reed Buntings (male below) between Hackney Marshes and Passage House.

Like buses...

Not only blog posts but lockdown and garden firsts. Early morning saw single House Martin and Swift but before them a long awaited garden first, Firecrest. I can see an area of Holm Oaks and some trees by the docks that have both held wintering birds in the past and always expected one to eventually pass through the garden. I didn't however expect a singing bird in late April to be my first!

Shortly after a single Yellow Wagtail flew north, perhaps flushed off the rugby pitch. Another garden first, two in an hour after three in two years - and my first two tick day since September 2013. 123 for the garden, 72 for the year and 65 during lockdown. 

Lockdown update - Teignmouth

Some clear wader passage on Sat 25 Apr with two summer plumaged Dunlin on the Salty on the morning tide and a Ringed Plover there in the evening. These combined with a vocal Common Sandpiper at 10pm moved the lockdown tally up to 61.

Recent days have seen up to half a dozen Sandwich Tern around the estuary mouth, a distant Jay in Shaldon and a pair of breeding Swallow back around the Rugby Club. Although reported in Teignmouth no Swifts overhead yet.

Wheatears, Yellow Wagtail

The past two mornings have produced single Wheatears on the racecourse - a female yesterday and a fine ochre-breasted male this morning. On Thursday a Yellow Wagtail flew over the rapeseed fields north of Passage House, a Green Woodpecker was calling at Hackney Marshes and Reed Warblers reached double figures (eight singing, plus two presumed migrants 15ft up an oak tree). Up to 24 Mute Swans have been congregating around Passage House.

Some photos from this week:

Early Purple Orchid

Bar-headed Goose

There were a couple of additions to the various weird and wonderful waterfowl that frequent the Passage House area this morning in the form of a Bar-headed Goose and its companion, a presumed Swan Goose x Greylag Goose hybrid. Both were first seen at Teigngrace a couple of weeks ago and had obviously decided to broaden their horizons, but clearly didn't like what they saw and soon took off up the estuary, possibly heading back to Teigngrace.

Bar-headed Goose

Presumed Swan Goose x Greylag Goose hybrid 

"The Three Amigos"

Following the return to high pressure and north-easterly winds, migrants have been thin on the ground so far this week. A kettle of eight Buzzards was over Kingsteignton yesterday and small numbers of Swallows and House Martins have been seen moving north.