SUN 30 SEPT 2012

PECTORAL SANDPIPER on the back of T'stone Marsh all day along with 40 TEAL, 18 WIGEON, 11 STOCK DOVE .

On South Huish marsh 30 TEAL, 1 WHEATEAR, 4 GREY WAGTAIL.

1 YELLOW WAGTAIL 0n the golf course

SAT 29 SEPT 2012

The PECTORAL SANDPIPER relocated on the back of Thurlestone marsh where it  gave good views for most of the day, 25 WIGEON  and 2 COAL TIT

Viz mig - 1000+ SWALLOW, 500 HOUSE MARTIN ( one flock of over 200 ) 100 MEADOW PIPIT, 30 SKYLARK, 1 YELLOW WAGTAIL., 8 SISKIN

On South Huish Marsh - 3 RINGED PLOVER, 2 DUNLIN

FRI 28 SEPT 2012

My earlier comment that Vic & Nick would get their rewards for the work to improve South Huish Marsh bore friut this morning. At 10.30 I picked up a wader flying into the marsh -after landing amongst a sleeping flock of TEAL took sometime to get good views - a very nice looking PECTORAL SANDPIPER (188 ) Alan D arrived at 11.40 with the bird in flight , then landed much closer to us and gave vey good views.

Also on the Marsh - 47 TEAL, 3 SNIPE, 1 YELLOW WAGTAIL.

Lookout for Al's photo on the Devon Birds log

 

Offshore 4 COMMON SCOTER flew east

THURS 27 SEPT 2012

Viz mig well to the fore this morning- 09.00- 13.00- 500+ MEADOW PIPIT ( flocks of 100 & 150 flying through )  300 SWALLOW, 200 HOUSE MARTIN, 1 SAND MARTIN, 85 GOLDFINCH, 15 LINNET, 4 SISKIN, 1 YELLOWHAMMER, 3 WHINCHAT, 7 WHEATEAR, 9 SKYLARK,

Waders- 2 RINGED PLOVER, 1 SNIPE.

At 11.50 BOB B picked up a raptor flying accross the Bay , came in over Warren Pt and flew over to the AVON Est - a nice OSPREY

At 16.40 a flock of 13 WIGEON flew around T'stone Marsh and then west

WED 26 SEPT 2012

With less wind and threrfore a calmer sea offshore movement could be picked up easier. An hours sea watch from Beacon Pt produced the first BALEARIC SHEARWATER of the month with 2 flying east at 10.10 ( paled into insignicance when I picked up the numbers past Prawle Pt -only 6 miles east , need to remember we are not a headland ! )A BONXIE east at 10.55, in the bay 2 RAZORBILL, 1 ad MED GULL, 2 KITTIWAKE .

South Huish Marsh is looking so good I spent an hour this am and another hour plus at 17.00- 45 TEAL, 2 WIGEON, 1 DUNLIN, 5 YELLOW WAGTAIL, 1 GREY WAGTAIL, 35 ALBA WAGTAIL ( WAGTAILS coming in to roost )

1 WHEATEAR, 45 HOUSE MARTIN, 7 SAND MARTIN , 30 SWALLOW.

 This am Bob B had a NUTCHATCH at S M Ley

Surprising the people who stop to talk to you when you have one eye down a scope - This morning 2 walkers from Oregan who commented they did not know our UK birds - they were completing the second leg of their walk around the Coast path - this year from Port Isaac to Salcombe .

TUES 25 SEPT 2012

Another fairly quiet day- only GANNET offshore with 1 COMMON TERN in the Bay.

Since the work on South Huish Marsh was completed last week the rain on Sunday has seen the pools return- Vic T and Nick T have done a superb job - the next few weeks should see a return on their efforts.

This morning there were 48 TEAL, 1 1st w MED GULL, 3 DUNLIN, 2 Wheatear and a SKYLARK over..

 

Last night the Alba Wagtail roost produced around 100 birds at 19.15

Also late news for SOUTH H Marsh 4 DUNLIN, 2 RINGED PLOVER

MON 24 SEPT 2012

An improvement in the weather resulted in a big drop in the number of birds- only 1 DUNLIN on South H Marsh and 1 on T'stone Marsh On the marshes were a total  of 45 TEAL, 4 WIGEON, 2 LITTLE GREBE.

In the Bay 6 SANDWICH TERN, 1 COMMON TERN, 3 KITTIWAKE, 3 jv COMMON GULL 2 MED GULL ( ad + 1st w )  175 GANNET.

1 YELLOW WAGTAIL and 2 SAND MARTIN flew through

SUN 23 SEPT 2012

Poor viz, driving rain and a F6/7 E wind produced one of the best Sept wader passages for some years as well as some other very good birds. As expected offshore only GANNET.

First good wader was a flyover GREY PLOVER, then on the beach a small group flew in which contained 2 LITTLE STINT and a CURLEW SANDPIPER. .next were a flock of 15 GOLDEN PLOVER ( 2 more later )First 4 SNIPE flew straight up the valley, then 1 more accompanied by a JACK SNIPE ( a very early record ) another 5 SNIPE went through later. A GREENSHANK landed briefly on South Huish Marsh where there were 26 TEAL.3 RINGED PLOVER, 26 DUNLIN, 9 SANDERLING on the beaches / marsh.Bob B picked up  a BAR TAILED GODWIT,

2 KNOTT 4 TURNSTONE and 5 WIGEON 

In the Bay 7 COMMON SCOTER flew east and at 12.00 Bob B had 4pb BRENT GOOSE fly through ( earlest autumn record) 3 groups of TERN during the morning comprised - 3 ARCTIC, 2 COMMON 3 SANDWICH.

also seen , 1ad MED GULL, 1 ad COMMON GULL, 1 YELLOW WAGTAIL, 1 WHEATEAR 3 SAND MARTIN

 

With the regular OYSTERCATCHERS a total of 15 species of Wader- could be a site day record

 

Roll on Tues to see what may have got left behind

SAT 22 SEPT 2012

Woke up this morning to the sound of shooting- 2 wildfowlers in the stubble field on the far side of the marsh. What at first looked like 30 corpses were in fact decoys- Canada Goose and mallard  ,at least 10 birds shot. This resulted in all the birds flying off - 200+ MALLARD, 20 TEAL 5 WIGEON , 4 MUTE SWAN. 500+ SWALLOW and 200+ HOUSE MARTIN flew through.

On South Huish marsh 9 TEAL, 2 DUNLIN. 250+ MEADOW PIPIT over,

Bob B ringed 8 CHIFFCHAFF.

FRI 21 SEPT 2012

What a difference a day makes !

 

Early on T'stone Marsh- 3 BLACK TAILED GODWIT , 2 LITTLE GREBE , 250 + HOISE MARTIN

At 09.15 on Leasfoot Beach - 2 SANDERLING, 2 DUNLIN, and the wader I have been waiting for - a juv CURLEW SANDPIPER ( 186 ), a GREY WAGTAIL flew west, 50 + Meadow Pipit feeding on the golf course, a WHEATEAR on the beach and 6 Blackbird in the bushes ( first for a few weeks ) 

At 10.00 from Warren Pt there started a fantastic passage of Hirundines - feeding over a flat calm sea , in the next hour a conservative estimate of 4000+ HOUSE MARTIN, 1500 + SWALLOW flew through

2 YELLOW WAGTAIL . 6 GREY WAGTAIL, 50+ ALBA WAGTAIL, Bob ringed 3 SEDGE and 2 REED WARBLER.

another group of waders onthe beach were3 DUNLIN and a juv RINGED PLOVER.

There is an unusual juv CORMORANT in the BAY- almost leucistic- grey head and neck and upper wings with black underwing and black belly- you could get really excited if this bird was on its own a mile offshore .

THURS 20 SEPT 2012

Probably the quietest day of the autumn migration so far - 4 GREY WAGTAIL , 60 MEADOW PIPIT, 3 WHEATEAR, 50+ ALBA WAGTAIL and an ad MED GULL are  the only birds worth reporting

WED 19 SEPT 2012

 Another day of good viz mig even if the best was outside the patch.

A 45 min watch at 08.30 from my garden saw 4 BLACK TAILED GODWIT fly in  to join the LITTLE GREBE . 4 GREY WAGTAIL flew over. Both Bob B and I had SKYLARK ( first on the patch for 8 weeks) Bob also had a TREE PIPIT 2 WATER RAIL 3 SNIPE , 3 SISKIN, 20 + MEADOW PIPIT , a SEDGE WARBLER', also a YELLOW WAGTAIL

 

From 09.30 walked from Bolberry Down to Soar and back via the valley . Very few grounded migrants - only 1 WHEATEAR, 9 CHIFFCHAFF, 1 BLACKCAP. It was the viz mig which really caught attention. In 90 mins around 5000 SWALLOW and 1500 HOUSE MARTIN, 195  MEADOW PIPIT, 30 SKYLARK, 50 GOLDFINCH, 1 SISKIN, 2 GREAT SP WOODPECKER, 5 YELLOW WAGTAIL all flying west

TUES 18 SEPT 2012

Some viz mig this morning particularly Hirundines- HOUSE MARTIN  totalled 745 over c4hrs with200+ SWALLOW, 45 MEADOW PIPIT, 2 WHEATEAR. . 3 WIGEON in off the sea , ad MED GULL , 15 RAZORMOTT and 100 + GANNET offshore

Only waders were 48 OYSTERCATCHER.

 

3 JAY over my garden were the first for some weeks

Bob B this am had a GROPPA and a SEDGE WARBLER at South MIlton Ley

MON 17 SEPT 2012

Late news for Sun evening - Bob B was the ID guide on a Salcombe Ferry trip last night - he had good views of an OSPREY,  23 GREENSHANK, 100+ DUNLIN,         

1 SPOTTED REDSHANK, 6 MED GULL all adult.

 Between 18.30 - 19.00 the T'stone Marsh roosts were - 400 STARLING, 135 ALBA WAGTAIL, 100 SWALLOW and 100 LINNET. A HOBBY also few through

 

At 07.45 this am an adult SPOTTED REDSHANK ( 185 ) was briefly on the back pool along with 17 TEAL, 2 SNIPE, 40 SWALLOW ,30 HOUSE MARTIN. a LITTLE GREBE on the front pool. Whist searching for the Spot Red the first SISKIN of the autumn flew over.

Around the Bay were a WHEATEAR, 1 GREY WAGTAIL  ,10 MEADOW PIPIT , 20 LESSER B B GULL and 10 TEAL

 

On 1st January the target for the year was set at 185 - stll 3.5 months to go will this be the year we can reach the magical 200 ?

SUN 16 SEPT 2012

Still no real viz mig movement over the Bay.

This morning a COMMON TERN & an ad MED GULL on the rocks . A SAND MARTIN and a WHEATEAR flew through.

 

On T'stone Marsh 2 BLACK TAILED GODWIT, 2 WIGEON, 22 TEAL, 215 MALLARD.

 

Bob B had the first large flock of 50 GOLDFINCH and a GOLDCREST. Yesterday he had 2 SANDWICH TERN in the Bay

FRI 14 SEPT 2012

Another quiet day - only decent bird was a WHINCHAT at South Huish Marsh this morning . Offshore only GANNET, 10 FULMAR and a sole KITTIWAKE

Thurlestone Marsh has been invaded by CANADA GEESE - over 200 today. A visit to Huxton Cross found nothing in the fields .

 

At present the best activity takes place between 19.00- 19.30. Last night there were 3 different roosts- first to go down are STARLING - around 400,

then ALBA WAGTAIL which numbered 250+ and included at least 2 YELLOW , then 700+ SWALLOW. In between a SPARROWHAWK and then a HOBBY caused panic.  

THURS 13 SEPT 2012

A day off patch with Vic T to see the SHORT BILLED DOWITCHER at Lodmoor

very good views down to 150yds for more than 2 hrs.

 

Bob B was in charge of the patch and produced - 1 WHINCHAT, 3 TREE PIPIT, 3 YELLOW WAGTAIL, 6 GREY WAGTAIL. Earlier he had ringed

18 SEDGE, 1 REED WARBLER, 2 CHIFFCHAFF.

At 16.00 the Huxton Cross field did not have any waders but 15+ WHEATEAR in the stubble field .

South Huish marsh is looking good for wagtails now the grass has been cut back.

WED 12 SEPT 2012

Mosy activity this morning took place on South Huish Marsh - the ground was dry enough to start the work to cut back a lot of the grass . Some further work to be carried out next week .

On the bird front an ad MED GULL, 3 SANDERLING, 2 RINGED PLOVER, only GANNET offshore.

Around the marsh were 5 WHEATEAR, 1 YELLOW WAGTAIL, 10 WHITE WAGTAIL

3 CHIFFCHAFF.10 MEADOW PIPIT 6 SAND MARTIN

BOB B this am ringed 8 SEDGE, 3 REED WARBLER and a REED BUNTING.

At 15.30 the field at HUXTON CROSS held 28 RINGED PLOVER, 2 DUNLIN, 1 WHEATEAR.

Finally a report from the Kingsbridge to Salcombe ferry- an OSPREY sat in a tree

TUES 11 SEPT 2012

 A few more birds moving through my garden at 07.30- 3 BLACKCAP, 3 CHIFFCHAFF, 6 LONG T TIT , 1 REED BUNTING .

On the Marsh 3 WIGEON.

Around the Bay-  5 MEADOW PIPIT, 30 LINNET, 10 GOLDFINCH 1 WHEATEAR. Movement of SWALLOW and HOUSE MARTIN along the coast. 4 GREY WAGTAIL,

A juv and a 2nd S MED GULL on the beach

MON 10 SEPT 2012

Managed to get out this am- the Bay was not as productive as Start Pt!.

On the back of the golf course 3 juv WHEATEAR and only 3 WHITE WAGTAIL- no Mipits .

Only wader on the beach was a single SANDERLING. Offshore in 2.5 hrs - 220+ GANNET, 9 FULMAR, 2 KITTIWAKE, 5 WIGEON flew east and also a BONXIE.

 

Very little around on Sunday although a new patch record - a single flock of GREY WAGTAIL at the sewage works of 10.

SAT 8 SEPT 2012

A visiting birder reported an OSPREY flying west over the Bay at around 11.30.

Bob B had 20 RINGED PLOVER over and ringed 6 SEDGE, 2 REED WARBLER, 3 YELLOW WAGTAIL and a WHINCHAT on the Marsh .At 17.30 12 WIGEON flew onto the back marsh

A GOLDCREST in the village

Omitted to log a CLOUDED YELLOW  watched on the path by the 2nd tee on the golf course yesterday.

FRI 7 SEPT 2012

No waders in the field at Huxton Cross but a very nice juv MERLIN.

 Waders on the beach this am - 50 OYSTERCATCHER, 27 RINGED PLOVER, 6 SANDERLING, 2 DUNLIN.

3 YELLOW WAGTAIL on the golf course with at least 50 ALBA WAGTAIL, around the coast path - 1 WHEATEAR, 2 WHITETHROAT and a GREY WAGTAIL.

A SPOTTED FLYCATCHER was in a South Huish garden

Thurlestone marsh this pm - 20 TEAL, 1 LITTLE GREBE, 1 TREE PIPIT and a WHINCHAT . at 17.30 15 WIGEON flew over

THURS 6 SEPT 2012

Viz Mig watch from 07.00-08.00 over T'stone Marsh  produced-

145 HOUSE MARTIN, 20 SWALLOW, 4 YELLOW WAGTAIL , 1 GREAT SP WOODY, 10 CHAFFINCH, 2 STOCK DOVE, 1 DUNLIN, 1 WILLOW WARBLER, 1 PEREGRINE

On the marsh - 23 TEAL, 4 BLACK TAILED GODWIT flew in at 07.40, 3 Different BTW at 17.00 .

 

Walked around Mid Soar Farm / Bolt Head and East Soar- For Sept very very quiet, surprisingly I did not see any Blue or Great Tit or Wheatear.

A Merlin was in the field by the runway car park along with some Meadow Pipits and 50 Alba & 6 Yellow Wagtail.

By the Willows and cafe there were - 2 Whitethroat, 7 Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, 20 Yellow Wagtail and in the pines a juv Pied Flycatcher. A visiting birder i met in the car park had a Spotted Flycatcher.

Bob B ringed just 5 Chiffchaff., 1 REED and 1 SEDGE Warbler, there was a Spotted Fly by the sewage works

WED 5 SEPT 2012

 Summer is with us - not conducive to seawatching but some good wader passage today

 

First the ploughed fields at Huxton Cross at 8.30 still 60 RINGED PLOVER and 120

DUNLIN- very restless so could not go through them to seek any other species. 1 YELLOW WAGTAIL over.

 

Earlier at 08.00 a flock of 28 BLACK TAILED GODWIT flew into T'stone Marsh- they were accompanied by a juv KNOTT. 2 WIGEON 20 TEAL and the LITTLE GREBE.still

When the CANADA GEESE flew in 14 BLACK TAILED GOWIT and the KNOTT moved over to South Huish Marsh and joined by a DUNLIN .A juv WHINCHAT in the reeds.

Wadres on the beach were - 4 TURNSTONE, 6 SANDERLING 3 DUNLIN, 4 RINGED PLOVER.

 

OFFSHORE usual GANNETS and FULMAR also 6 COMMON SCOTER. on the coast path were 3 WHEATEAR and 3 GREY WAGTAIL over.

 At 19.45 last night the SWALLOW roost was 10k with a HOBBY in amongst them

 

TUES 4 SEPT 2012

Started off at the Huxton Cross field this morning - only 1 RINGED PLOVER , however the best bird was a TURTLE DOVE which flew through at 08.45  going south - that was a surprise !

Waders in the Bay - 3 RINGED PLOVER, 2 DUNLIN, 1 REDSHANK with 3 BLACK TAILED GODWIT on S H Marsh where Nick T had 9 WHIMBREL fly up the valley.

A juv SANDWICH TERN  and a WHEATEAR around .

Good movement of Hirundines before 12.00- 260 SWALLOW, 50 + HOUSE MARTIN and Bob B had a SWIFT over S M Ley.

100+ CANADA GOOSE on T'stone Marsh which included 2 'SNOW ' GOOSE with 4 hybrid juvs x CANADA GOOSE- they have pinkish bill and legs and have white flashes on wing tips , not seen them here before.

Marsh also held a SNIPE , WATER RAIL LITTLE GREBE and WIGEON

Bob B ringed 4 WILLOW, 3 CHIFFCHAFF, 4 REED W and 2 SEDGE

MON 3 SEPT 2012

A visit to the ploughed field at Huxton Cross at 08.30 produed a lot more waders than yesterday so I spent over 2 hours going through them and watching more flocks flying over. Totals were - DUNLIN 175, RINGED PLOVER 120, could not find any other species. These numbers are site maxima for Sept- in the last 4 years the maxima were  85   &  84 respectively . .More visits planned this week to see if this a roosting spot . At 10.05 a SPARROWHAWK spooked them- Visits at 13.00 and 16.45 resulted in no birds .

 

Other birds flying over were 8 STOCK DOVE ,a RAVEN, an ad WHEATEAR,  , single YELLOW WAGTAIL and YELLOWHAMMER. 25 LINNET and 7 GOLDFINCH.

Only change to birds on T'stone Marsh / garden- REED and SEDGE Warbler, BLACKCAP, GREEN WOODY and a REDSHANK over.

 

This afternoon a quick visit to the sewage works  produced 3 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, 3 BLACKCAP and 2 GREY WAGTAIL .

Nick T reported a GARDEN WARBLER and a SPOTTED FLy in his garden this morning

 

SUN 2 SEPT 2012

Having watched the patch for a number of years the build up of waders on the beaches in Sept has always been one of the yearly highlights - until 2012 . They just have not arrived . At 8.00 this morning Bob B rang to say he had not found any skylarks in the fields but he did have some waders. Only yesterday we had talked about a field which looked good for a dotterel- Just off the Haxton Cross the field held 70 RINGED PLOVER , 35 DUNLIN and a LITTLE STINT (184 ), the farmer confirmed the birds had been there on Sat and he also confirmed ther are some Partridge in the fields .

 

On Thurlestone Marsh this morning the WIGEON increased to 3 , 20 TEAL, and the LITTLE GREBE.

 

Offshore quite a few GANNET, 6 MANX S'WATER, 1 TURNSTONE and 2 DUNLIN

SAT 1 SEPT 2012

Rather quiet day for waders and offshore but good records from Marshes and S M LEY.

An hour from 07.00 looking at  the back of T'stone marsh produced 2 WIGEON , 125 MALLARD, 13 TEAL , a LITTLE GREBE ( first since Feb ) GREEN and GREAT SP WOODY and 2 TREE PIPIT over

Waders - 2 DUNLIN, 2 BLACK TAILED GODWIT and a CURLEW ( over ) 1 RINGED PLOVER

South Huish Marsh - 3 YELLOW WAGTAIL, 1 jv WHINCHAT ( first this passage )

 

Ringing team this am -  13 SEDGE, 5 REED, 9 CHIFFCHAFF, 2 WILLOW , 1 WHITETHROAT, 1 REED BUNTING, 1 MARSH TIT ( 183 )- first of the year and according to Bob B only the second to be ringed in 30 years .