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THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS
AUGUST 2019
An unusual August for weather - a really unsettled period from 3rd to 18th with Gales on 10th and 16th and heavy rain 8th and 9th. A warmer sunny period from 20th to 30th finally showers on 31st.
9 new species for the year - CORYS SHEARWATER, SABINES GULL, WRYNECK, LITTLE STINT, KNOT, BARRED WARBLER, TREE PIPIT, WHINCHAT, PIED FLYCATCHER taking the total to 181 (c/f 2018 - 186, 2017 - 191).
A record total of 130 species for August (c/f 2018 - 124, 2017 - 128)
Highlights
DUCKS
TEAL - from 2 on South Huish Marsh on 4th increased to a max of 15 on 30th.
SHOVELER - On 21st a flock of 14 Juv/eclipse on South Huish Marsh (Only 2 previous records in August in last 10 years) 1 remained through to 31st.
COMMON SCOTER - A pair seen on several days, Max of 20 on 21st.
FULMAR, SHEARWATER, GANNET, RAILS and GREBE
FULMAR - 14 on 18th and 13 on 19th were highest totals.
CORYS SHEARWATER - 1 flew SE on 17th gave good views.
SOOTY SHEARWATER - A total of 8 birds logged a max of 3 on 14th and 29th.
MANX SHEARWATER - A max of 355 (in 20 mins) on 28th And 290 on 31st.
BALEARIC SHEARWATER - Logged on 5 days with best totals of 11 on 9th and 6 on 31st.
GANNET - 3 high totals 500+ on 20th, 1150 on 14th and over 1200 in 2 hours on 31st included a feeding flock of 700+.
WATER RAIL - One adult on South Huish Marsh on 8th and a fully grown Juv on South Milton Ley on 29th.
LITTLE GREBE - first returning bird on South Huish Marsh on 27th.
RAPTORS
OSPREY - 1 seen on River Avon at Aveton Gifford on 19th and 20th.
HOBBY -Not many records this year -n1 flew over South Huish Marsh on 23rd.
No change in status of other species.
WADERS - 21 species recorded this month with 15 on the patch on 27th.
OYSTERCATCHER - A max of 31 on 18th.
LITTLE RINGED PLOVER - 1 on South Huish Marsh on 20th.
RINGED PLOVER - A max of 65 on 8th and 55 on 10th - good numbers of Juveniles.
LAPWING - A Juv on South Efford Marsh on 27th.
KNOT - a total of 9 flew over South Huish Marsh on 27th with a Juv on 28th and 29th.
SANDERLING - 22 on the beach on 10th and 20 on 14th.
LITTLE STINT - An adult on South Huish Marsh on 28th, 29th and 30th.
DUNLIN - A max of 71 on South Huish Marsh on 8th.
RUFF - A moulting adult on South Efford Marsh on 14th.
SNIPE - Singles o. South Huish Marsh on 3rd and 27th.
BLACK TAILED GODWIT. - on South Efford Marsh , 14 briefly on 12th. On South Huish Marsh 13 on 27th with 11 remaining up to 31st.
BAR TAILED GODWIT - 1 flew N on 14th.
WHIMBREL - 3 roosted on South Huish Marsh on 20th, singles at South Efford Marsh on several dates and on beaches.
CURLEW - flock of 29 on South Efford Marsh on 29th.
COMMON SANDPIPER - Max on South Efford Marsh of 4 on 14th.
GREEN SANDPIPER - Singles on both Marshes on several dates. 1 flew over the Golf Course calling on 25th.
WOOD SANDPIPER - recorded on 6 dates with 2 on South Huish Marsh on 3rd, 4th, 6th and 28th and 1 on 19th. 2 on South Efford Marsh on 5th.
GREENSHANK - max on South Efford Marsh of 12 on 20th 9 on 28th.
REDSHANK -on South Efford Marsh 9 on 20th and 7 on 28th.
TURNSTONE - 2 on South Huish Marsh on 8th, 4 on the rocks on 10th and a max of 5 on the beach on 25th.
SKUAS, GULLS, TERNS
ARCTIC SKUA - single on 4 days with a max of 4 flying SE together on 31st.
GRAEAT SKUA - 1 in the Bay on 9th.
SABINES GULL - A juv flew SE close inshore on 14th.
KITTIWAKE - 1 max of 17 on 17th and 16 on 18th.
MEDITERRANEAN GULL - 4 Juv in the Bay on 1st otherwise just singles recorded.
HERRING GULL - a flock in excess of 1100 on the sea on 1st and 800+ on 25th.
YELLOW LEGGED GULL - A Juv in the Bay on 6th.
SANDWICH TERN - Only records were singles on 16th and 24th.
HIRUNDINES and MISCELLANEOUS
SAND MARTIN - Max of 7 on South Huish Marsh on 23rd with 1 still on 31st.
SWALLOW - Max of 100 on 23rd.
HOUSE MARTIN - Max of 80+ on 3rd with 60 on 23rd.
SWIFT - Largest flock was 22 on 21st, last was 1 on 26th.
KINGFISHER - first returning bird on South Huish Marsh on 21st.
WRYNECK - 1 seen in a bush on the Golf Course on 26th with another in a local garden on 27th (first records for 7 years).
WARBLERS, FLYCATCHERS and CHATS
Highlight of the month was a patch life tick of a Juv BARRED WARBLER briefly in a local garden on 30th.
CHIFFCHAFF - up to 3 at many sites.
WILLOW WARBLER -A max of 20 at South Efford Marsh on 13th,
WHITETHROAT - 5 in a local garden on 5th with 5 on the coast path on 7th.
LESSER WHITETHROAT - A scarce bird on the patch 1 along the coast path on 27th.
GROPPA -Singles at South Efford Marsh on 27th and 29th.
SPOTTED FLYCATCHER - 2 in local village on 12th, at South Milton Ley. 5 on 22nd, 3 on 23rd, with 2 on South Efford Marsh on 26th.
PIED FLYCATCHER - A juv in a local garden on 25th with another at South Milton Ley on same day - 1 ringed there on 29th.
WHINCHAT - 1 at South Efford on 26th when 1 also on the Golf Course with another on 27th.
STONECHAT - high numbers passing through with 14 on 25th and a max of 18 on 26th (many were Juvs).
WHEATEAR - first returning bird a Juv on 2nd with a max of 14 on the Golf Course on 26th.
WAGTAILS and PIPITS
YELLOW WAGTAIL - numbers built up from 1 on 20th to 12 on 27th and 14 on 29th.
GREY WAGTAIL - 2 at South Milton Ley on 22nd.
WHITE WAGTAIL - singles recorded amongst the ALBA WAGTAILS at other Marshes.
TREE PIPITS - In addition to those ringed 6 at South Milton Ley on 12th.
RINGING TOTALS - 6 ringing mornings at South Milton Ley produced the following totals -
CHIFFCHAFF - 40
REED WARBLER - 31
SEDGE WAR BLER - 80
BLACKCAP - 20
WILLOW WARBLER - 57
GARDEN WARBLER- 6
GROPPA - 4
WHITETHROAT - 5
TREE PIPIT - 8
SPOTTED FLYCATCHER 1
PIED FLYCATCHER - 1
BULLFINCH - 5
GREAT SPOTTED FLYCATCHER - 5
One of the best months of the year and certainly didn’t disappoint this year. September can produce some interesting sea watches and Wader passage.
thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk
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