THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS
OCTOBER 2019
A month of very disturbed weather with lots of rain particularly in the last 10 days, very windy.
6 new birds for the year - POCHARD, JACK SNIPE, BLACK TERN, GREAT WHITE EGRET, WOODLARK, YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER, taking the total to 196 (c/f 2018 - 201, 2017 - 201). A total of 131 species this month ( c/f 2018 - 138, 2017 - 122)
Highlights
GEESE, DUCKS, DIVERS AND GREBES
CANADA GOOSE - A record count for South Huish Marsh of 700+ on 6th.
BRENT GOOSE (DB) - Recorded on 3 days - 2 on the sea on 3rd, 1 on the sea on 30th, 15 flew SE on 31st.
SHELDUCK - 1 Juv remained on South Efford Marsh on 2nd.
WIGEON - Max on 31st - 60 on South Efford Marsh and 17 on South Huish Marsh.
TEAL - Max on 31st - 100+ on South Efford Marsh and 40 on South Huish Marsh.
SHOVELER - On South Huish Marsh a F on 1st with 3 on 31st. A male flew SE on 31st.
POCHARD - A male flew SE across the Bay on 7th.
COMMON SCOTER - Max 32 flew SE on 3rd, with 28 on 21st and 22 on 30th
RED THROATED DIVER - Singles on 16th and 20th.
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER - singles on 17th and 20th with 4 on 31st.
LITTLE GREBE - One on South Huish Marsh most of the month.
GANNET, SHEARWATER, PETREL AND EGRETS
GANNET - Best counts were 300 on 1st and 400 on 4th.
BALEARIC SHEARWATER - Recorded on 4 days - 3 on 4th, 1 on 14th, 2 on 16th and 4 on 17th.
STORM PETREL - A rare Autumn record - 1 in the Bay on 23rd.
GREAT WHITE EGRET - A single flew NW across the Bay on the 20th.
RAPTORS
MERLIN -Single at South Huish Marsh on 7th, 8th and 16th.
OSPREY - 1 came in off the sea and flew up South Huish Valley on 26th.
WADERS - 17 species recorded
OYSTERCATCHER - Max of 26 on the rocks on 4th.
RINGED PLOVER - Max of 13 on 30th.
GOLDEN PLOVER -1 flew SE on 17th.
GREY PLOVER - 1 flew SE on 8th.
LAPWING - On South Huish Marsh - 3 on 7th and 18 on 31st.
DUNLIN - Max on South Huish Marsh of 8 on 5th.
SNIPE - Max at South Efford Marsh - 32 on 21st.
JACK SNIPE - 1 in flight at South Efford Marsh on 21st.
BLACK TAILED GODWIT - Max of 12 on South Huish Marsh on 1st had reduced to 3 on 31st.
BAR TAILED GODWIT - 1 on South Huish Marsh on 8th.
CURLEW - Winter flock of up to 30 on South Efford Marsh.
COMMON SANDPIPER - On 15th 1 on the rocks on 15th when also 3 on South Efford Marsh.
GREEN SANDPIPER - 1 on North Marsh at South Efford on 17th and 20th.
GREENSHANK -Max of 7 on South Efford Marsh on 21st.
REDSHANK - Max of 8 on South Efford Marsh on 21st.
TURNSTONE - Max of 11 on the rocks on 9th.
GREY PHALAROPE - 1 flew SE passed Bolt Tail on 10th.
SKUAS, GULLS AND TERNS
POMARINE SKUA - Singles off Hope Cove on 1st and 16th.
ARCTIC SKUA - A total of 27 logged in the Bay on 1st, 3 on 3rd, 5 on 10th, 1 on 14th and 7 on 16th.
GREAT SKUA - Recorded on 4 days - singles on 3rd, 14th and 16th with 2 on 10th.
KITTIWAKE -Very good totals for the Bay of 150 on 1st and 135 on 4th.
BLACK HEADED GULL - Max in the Bay of 200 on 7th.
LITTLE GULL - An adult on South Efford Marsh on 15th.
MEDITERRANEAN GULL - A patch total of 19 on 1st with 15 on South Huish Marsh on 30th and 16 on 31st.
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL - 70 sheltering from the gales on South Huish Marsh on 31st.
LITTLE TERN - 1 offshore at Hope on 1st.
BLACK TERN - 1 on South Huish Marsh briefly on 1st - only the second record at this site.
SANDWICH TERN - A total of 4 recorded on 1st included 1 with the BLACK TERN on South Huish Marsh.
COMMIC TERN - 3 in the Bay on 1st.
HIRUNDINES, LARKS, CRESTS, STARTS AND FLYCATCHERS
SWALLOW - A max of 270 moving South on 7th, with 90 on 14th.
HOUSE MARTIN - A total of 70 moving South on 14th.
SAND MARTIN - 5 at South Huish Marsh on 7th.
SKYLARK - Highest viz migration totals - 75 on 21st. At Huxton Cross a flock of over 220 on 16th.
WOODLARK - 1 flew N over the Golf Course with 2 SKYLARK on 21st.
FIRECREST - 1 ringed at South Milton Ley on 15th and 1 near South Efford Marsh on 31st.
GOLDCREST - 5 at South Milton Ley on 5th, 3 at South Efford Marsh on 31st.
BLACK REDSTART - A male at Aveton Gifford on 24th and 29th.
WHINCHAT - Singles at South Huish Marsh on 3rd and 14th.
STONECHAT - Max of 4 at South Huish Marsh on 1st.
WHEATEAR - Only recorded on 3 days - singles at South Huish Marsh on 4th and 5th with 2 on 6th.
SPOTTED FLYCATCHER -1 in the Hotel grounds at Thurlestone on 3rd.
WARBLERS - Apart from Ringing report.
CETTIS WARBLER - 2 at South Milton Ley on 2nd.
CHIFFCHAFF -Up to 4 in a Thurlestone Garden on 1st, 6 at South Efford Marsh on 2nd and 5 on 3rd.
WILLOW WARBLER - 1 in a Thurlestone Garden on 3rd.
YELLOW BROWED WARBLER - 1 seen in a Thurlestone Garden by 2 different observers on 15th and 16th.
THRUSHES AND WAGTAILS
REDWING - Max were 10 over a Thurlestone Garden on 20th.
MISTLE THRUSH - Singles at 3 sites at the beginning of the Marsh.
PIED WAGTAIL -Pre roost counts at South Huish Marsh of 75 on 5th and 200+ on 16th.
YELLOW WAGTAIL - A single female at South Huish Marsh on 2nd, 14th, 15th and 16th.
PIPITS, FINCHES AND BUNTINGS
MEADOW PIPIT - Highest total was 145 over South Huish Marsh on 13th.
WATER PIPIT - 4 at South Efford Marsh on 21st.
SISKIN - A total of 10 flew north over the patch on 15th.
REDPOLL - 1 flew north on 21st.
YELLOWHAMMER - 2F near South Milton Ley on 21st.
REED BUNTING - 2 on the footbridge on 6th.
CIRL BUNTING - A max of 8 in a local stubble field on 5th.
BULLFINCH - 6 at South Milton Ley on 15th.
Ringing Report - Only 2 ringing sessions undertaken due to the very poor weather conditions - totals.
MEADOW PIPIT - 3
CETTIS WARBLER - 2
BLACKCAP - 3
CHIFFCHAFF -13
GOLDCREST - 6
FIRECREST - 1
November has started with very heavy rain - South Huish Marsh is flooded and up to F10/11 gale force winds. Expectations for a very interesting month are high.
mikepassman@modbury.me.uk
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