HURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

MAY 2014

Another month with relatively light winds (only up to F5) with S/SEon only 3 days producing a few SKUA’s.   Rainfall below average.

During the month 5 new birds for the year – FERAL PIGEON (at last!) GARGANEY, SPOTTED FLYCATCHER, GARDEN WARBLER and RED KITE – still no sign of HOBBY taking the total to 158 (c/f 2013 – 161)  The number of species recorded was 110 (c/f 2013 – 116) with no ringing undertaken this is a very reasonable total.

Significant solutions for the month

MUTE SWAN – A total of 8 on the patch on 15^th.  Pair at South Huish Marsh abandoned their nest and left the site.  Pair on Thurlestone Marsh produced 3 cygnets both parents and young on the water from 26^th.

DUCKS

SHELDUCK – The pair on South Huish Marsh down to 2 ducklings by 31^st.   Pair of 6 young and another pair plus 3 young on the sea on separate dates.   Max were 20 adults on 12^th.

TEAL – a male on South Huish Marsh all month.

MALLARD – Broods still being hatched – very few lasting more than a week.

TUFTED DUCK – A male flew up the valley off Thurlestone Marsh on 11^th.

GARGANEY – AFD found a male on South Huish marsh on 4^th.

COMMON SCOTER – Passage birds on 3 days max 9 on 25^th.  A flock of 35 on the sea from 19^th – 24^th when it increased to 55.

DIVERS

Only GREAT NORTHERN DIVER recorded – AJL had one flying through on 24^th  whilst on 30^th I had an adult in full sp only 30 yards offshore on the sea.

FULMAR, GANNET and SHEARWATER.

FULMAR – Only local breeding birds recorded with a max of 4 on 28^th.

GANNET – In the Bay most days – max 160 feeding flock on 15^th, best passage total 95 on 26^th.

MANX SHEARWATER – Only recorded on 3 days from 26^th max 20 west on 30^th.

BALEARIC SHEARWATER – A single bird flew east on 25^th.

EGRETS and HERON

LITTLE EGRET – Resident on both marshes, some movement to/from Avon Estuary max 5 on 16^th and 23^rd.

HERON – up to 6 recorded on both marshes.

RAPTORS

SPARROWHAWK continue to be elusive, again only 1 record.   Eric W had a BARN OWL late on 15^th on the outskirts of the village.  On 22^nd a visiting birder from Bath had a RED KITE fly over the fields again just outside the village.   June Higgins had a surprise visitor in her garden on 2^nd a female MERLIN.

RAILS and CRAKES

MOORHEN – Only 1 pair managed to hatch and then only 1.

COOT – Nest failed on South Huish Marsh – 3 birds last recorded on 11^th.

WADERS

13 species recorded during the month, no significant passage of BAR TAILED GODWIT a max of 22 on 6^th and singles on 3 other dates.

BLACK TAILED GODWIT – only 1 record 3 on 12^th.

A good passage (for us) of GREY PLOVER with 4 on 19^th, 3 on 18^th and 21^st and singles on 6^th and 24^th.   A single GOLDEN PLOVER in off the sea on 12^th was unexpected.

DUNLIN – passage highest on 6^th with 37, thereafter max of 6 on 19^th.

SANDERLING  - passage from 18^th max were 20 on 21^st and 19 on 24^th.

RINGED PLOVER – Very few this year, only recorded on 4 days with a  max of 6 on 15^th.

OYSTERCATCHER –  max 10 on 31^st.

WHIMBREL – present throughout the month, max 72 on 6^th fell back to 19 on 12^th reducing to 11 by the month end.

CURLEW -2 birds around for  a couple of days around 11^th.

COMMON SANDPIPER – 1 on the rocks on 22^nd/23^rd.

REDSHANK – 2 on South Huish Marsh on 6^th.

TURNSTONE – Recorded on 5 days, singles apart from 2 on 6^th and 3 on 20^th.

SKUAS

POMARINE SKUA – Perry S had 6 flying east on 6^th, a single also east on 25^th.

ARCTIC SKUA – Singles on 6^th and 25^th.

GREAT SKUA – Singles on 23^rd and 25^th.

GULLS

GLAUCOUS GULL – Bird which had been present for some weeks last seen on 13^th.

BLACK HEADED GULL – very few records from mid month.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL – Only record a single on 6^th.

KITTIWAKE – Again only recored on a few days in small numbers.

TERNS

SANDWICH TERN – passage of 17 birds on 21^st.

COMMON TERN -  a single on 21^st and 3 on 27^th.

HIRUNDINES

SWIFT – Passage of 40 on 12^th and 85 on 30^th.

SAND MARTIN – Only singles on 3 dates.

HOUSE MARTIN – 50 on 12^th and 45 on 30^th otherwise just the resident breeders.

SWALLOW – 60 on 12^th , roost at Thurlestone Marsh on 21^st reached 200+.

WARBLERS , FLYCATYCHERS AND CHATS

CHIFFCHAFF – plenty of birds calling throughout the patch.

BLACKCAP – 6 on 14^th, breeding at South Milton Ley and Buckland Valley.

GARDEN WARBLER – Only record a single on 14^th.

WHITETHROAT – Present in all areas of the patch, - at least 25 birds

SEDGE WARBLER – Plenty of breeding activity at both Marshes.

REED WARBLER – Probably no more than 4 singing males.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER – first record was in Buckland Valley on 14^th, with 1 in the copse on 15^th.

STONECHAT – At least 3 pairs have bred with fledged birds along the coast path.

WHEATEAR – Only 1 recorded at the beginning of the month.

BUNTING AND FINCHES

BULLFINCH at South Milton Ley,

GOLDFINCH – good breeding success, as have GREENFINCH.  

CHAFFINCH in several areas but no young recorded yet.

YELLOWHAMMER – several males in the hedgerows along the lanes.

REED BUNTING – Several pairs in the marshes.

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