THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

JANUARY 2019

An interesting start to the New Year, a frost on 10th, Gales up to F9/10 on 26th and 27th with a cold snap from 28th to 31st.  Below average rainfall.

A total of 116 species recorded (c/f 2018 - 117, 2017 -115)

Outstanding species - LONG TAILED DUCK, GOLDENEYE, RED BREASTED MERGANSER, CATTLE EGRET, MARSH HARRIER, GREAT SKUA, LITTLE OWL.

Main Highlights

SWAN, GOOSE, DUCKS and GREBES

BLACK SWAN - 1 present all month on South Huish Marsh.

BARNACLE GOOSE - 1 with the CANADA flock on River Avon on 24th.

BRENT GOOSE - DB - 4 flew SE on 4th, 2 SE on 18th.   1 on South Huish Marsh from 8th- 31st.

SHELDUCK - 1 on the sea on 10th, 5 on South Efford Marsh on 24th.

WIGEON - Max On South Efford Marsh 200 on 23rd, on South Huish Marsh 110 on 30th.

GADWALL - A Male On South Huish Marsh from 4th.

TEAL - Max on South Huish Marsh - 70 on 13th.   70 on South Efford Marsh on 19th.

LONG TAILED DUCK - A female with a COMMON SCOTER flock on the sea from 10th - 25th.

Only the 3rd record in the last 10 years -December 2011, November 2014.

COMMON SCOTER - Max on the sea 33 on 24th.

PINTAIL - A Female on the sea on 30th.

GOLDENEYE - A Female in the Bay on 9th.

RED BREASTED MERGANSER - 2 flew NW on 8th.

GOOSANDER- 2 on River Avon on 4th.

LITTLE GREBE - On River Avon max of 4 on 22nd.  Up to 3 on South Huish Marsh all month.

DIVERS

RED THROATED DIVER - Recorded on 12 days total of 21 birds logged.  Max were 3 on 4th, 14th and 23rd.

BLACK THROATED DIVER - Singles on 4th, 6th and 21st.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER - Recorded On 9 days with 13 birds logged max of 3 on 15th.

GANNET, FULMAR, EGRETS

GANNET - A max of 110 on 18th.

FULMAR - first returning bird on 13th with a max of 4 on 21st.

LITTLE EGRET - small Numbers on both marshes.

CATTLE EGRET - 3 on South Efford Marsh on 3rd and 1 on 30th.

RAPTORS

SPARROWHAWK - Recorded from 3 sites.

BUZZARD - A kettle of 11 over Horswell Woods on 11th.

MARSH HARRIER - 1  watched flying off the sea at Hope Cove on 23rd

PEREGRINE - Male At Huxton Cross on 30th.

BARN OWL - Reported At Aveton Gifford on several dates.

TAWNY OWL -Heard calling at South Milton Ley.

LITTLE OWL - Calling in Aveton Gifford on 14th.

WADERS - 11 species recorded.

OYSTERCATCHER - Max of 31 on 23rd.

RINGED PLOVER - Max 11 on 24th.

LAPWING - Only Recorded On 4 days max 10 at South Efford Marsh on 23rd.

DUNLIN - 1 on the beach on 23rd.

SNIPE - Max of 75 at South Huish Marsh on 19th.

BLACK TAILED GODWIT - Flock At South Efford Marsh max of 38 on 23rd and 30th

CURLEW - Max at South Efford Marsh of 27 on 13th.

COMMON SANDPIPER - Only 1 this winter on River Avon on 8th and 11th.

GREENSHANK - Max at South Efford Marsh 7 on 8th.

REDSHANK - Max at South Efford Marsh 7 on 22nd.

TURNSTONE - Max on the rocks of 12 on 28th.

GULLS

BLACK HEADED GULL - Flocks On South Huish Marsh of 400 on 15th and 29th.

MED GULL - A max of 3 on South Huish Marsh.

COMMON GULL - 3 on South Huish Marsh on 29th.

SCANDANAVIAN HERRING GULL - Adult photographed on South Huish Marsh on 26th (same bird - club foot - as seen in November 2017).

YELLOW LEGGED GULL -2 W  on South Huish Marsh on 19th.

WARBLERS

CETTIS WARBLER - 2 at South Milton Ley on 11th.

CHIFFCHAFF - 30 ringed at South Milton Ley on 11th, 30+ there on 30th.

SIBERIAN CHIFFY - 1 at South Milton Ley on 1st, 2 on 30th.

BLACKCAP - 1 female in a Thurlestone Garden on 1st.  Up to 3  at Aveton Gifford all month.

MISCELLANEOUS

WATER RAIL - 3 at South Milton Ley on 11th

TREE CREEPER - 1 at Aveton Gifford on 8th.

BLACK REDSTART - A female in a Thurlestone Garden on 8th .  Single bird reported at the flats on 4th and 9th.

THRUSHES - No indication of any cold weather movement - yet.

BLACKBIRD - 25 logged around the lanes on 30th

SONG THRUSH  - A max of 3 on 1st and 30th.

FIELDFARE - At Huxton Cross 25 on 25th.  On North Marsh a flock of 50 on 22nd.

REDWING - Small flocks of up to 20 birds at several sites.

MISTLE THRUSH - 3 at Aveton Gifford on 23rd.

PIPITS, FINCHES, LARKS and BUNTINGS

ROCK PIPIT - Up to 25 on the beach all month.

WATER PIPIT - Max of 7 at South Huish Marsh on 6th

CHAFFINCH  -  A max of only 50 near Huxton Cross on 25th.

BRAMBLING - A female in a Thurlestone Garden on 20th and 28th (scarce this winter)

SISKIN - 4 at Aveton Gifford on 10th.

LINNET - flock at Huxton Cross max of 100 on 25th

SKYLARK - At Huxton Cross a flock of 100 on 30th.

BUNTINGS - A mixed flock feeding in a winter barley field near South Milton Ley all month - max counts - YELLOWHAMMER 25 on 30th, CIRL BUNTING 20 on 10th, 

REED BUNTING 10 on 30th.

Mike Passman

thurlestinebaybirds.co.uk