TUES 12 FEB 2013

A very cloudy day with poor viz offshore, NE wind f1/2.

Another reduction in Wigeon overnight - whilst they are moving out nothing is moving into either on the marshes or the bay .

On T'stone marsh - 30 TEAL, 5 SHOVELER, 1m 5f WIGEON.

Over at South H marsh - 95 TEAL, 6 WIGEON, 13 SHOVELER, 50 SNIPE, 1 JACK SNIPE, 3 LAPWING.

On the rocks 5 TURNSTONE, 3 SANDERLING, 2 RINGED PLOVER .

Returned home via Upton Cross  where there were 15 REDWING and a vey nice female BRAMBLING  (112 )  amongst a small group of CHAFFINCH..

Have just packed my bins and scope as we leave at 06.30 for a holiday at Paphos. If I can pick up wi-fi will update what we have found - having been several times at least i now know where the best sites are. Look out for a new heading- Cyprus 2013 for details .

Patch list is now up to 112- Arthur Livet and Nick Townsend will be trying to add to it in the next 2 weeks

MON 11 FEB 2013

A very nice sunny morning even with a frost early.

On T'stone Marsh the female MARSH HARRIER flew out at 08.15 , also 30 TEAL,

5 SHOVELER, 3 WIGEON , 2 SHELDUCK ( flew off at 08.20), 1 LITTLE GREBE.

On South H Marsh - 100+ TEAL, 32 WIGEON, 13 SHOVELER, 3 SHELDUCK, 25 SNIPE , 3 LAPWING.

Waders on the rocks - 13 RINGED PLOVER, 4 SANDERLING, 4 TURNSTONE

SUN 10 FEB 2013

Heavy rain overnight cleared through by 10.00. A brisk NW wind increasing to F5/6 by noon.

Usual Sunday walk around the Bay with Graham Daw .

On T'stone marsh another reduction in Ducks , now only 25 TEAL, 8 SHOVELER and 5 WIGEON. A GREEN WOODPECKER  just outside my garden was a nice surprise.

An hours seawatch produced a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER , 3 COMMON SCOTER (on the sea then flew east ), 2 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 1 FULMAR 15 GANNET and a few distant AUK's .

Having spent some time counting the birds on South Huish Marsh it was only when a MERLIN (111 ) flew through did we realise what was hiding in the reeds- 60 WIGEON, 80 TEAL, 9 SHOVELER  1m GADWALL, 100 SNIPE , the RUFF, and single ad MED GULL and COMMON GULL .

John King joined us for a while and confirmed a female BLACKCAP on his feeders with a particular liking for Stilton Cheese .

This afternoon 10 REED BUNTING at my feeders .

SAT 9 FEB 2013

Another cloudy day but with little wind still a flat sea

On the sea still the GREAT CRESTED GREBE also 2 RED T DIVER, and a GREAT N DIVER.  Around 20 RAZORBILL feeding near a small pod of 4 Dolphin. 25 WIGEON and a male SHOVELER.

South Huish marsh big reduction in WIGEON - now 20, 75 TEAL, 7 SHOVELER. 100 SNIPE feeding with the RUFF showing well .

Imm m BLACK REDSTART on the rocks and 4 TURNSTONE.

T'stone marsh - 40 TEAL, 25 WIGEON, 14 SHOVELER, 6 GADWALL

FRI 8 FEB 2013

Sunny periods , light N wind with a flat sea .

In the Bay a sp GREAT CRESTED GREBE was a new arrival, on the sea - 30 WIGEON, 2 GADWALL., .

On the rocks 4 TURNSTONE, 2 RINGED PLOVER, .The imm male BLACK REDSTART returned

On South Huish marsh 60 TEAL, 35 WIGEON, 5 SHOVELER, 70 SNIPE., 1 JACK SNIPE, the RUFF ( now been here for 14 days ). An ad MED GULL with a flock of BLACK HEAD's.

At Upton Cross15 LAPWING, 20 LINNET, 60+ REDWING, 5 FIELDFARE. Nearby 3 MISTLE THRUSH ( not an easy bird to find on the patch )

During the day Thurlestone Marsh held-  30 TEAL, 25 WIGEON, 14 SHOVELER, 10 SNIPE . At 16.40 female MARSH HARRIER arrived , still on site at 17.15. - Have e-mailed Perry Sanders as he reported the female at Slapton earlier- from desciptions we are confident this is the Slapton bird

THURS 7 FEB 2013

AJL and I walked round the patch yhis am . Although cloudy the absence of any wind ensured a flat sea which enabled us to pick the best birds of the day - Divers

Offshore at least 100 AUKS on the sea and some flying east Of the 60 we could id 59 were RAZORBILL and 1 GUILLEMOT. 5 COMMON SCOTER flew east ( first this month )  At 10.05 a RED T DIVER flew west , then at 11.30 we picked up 2 more on the sea -one was in partial summer plumage. From the car park we also picked up on the sea a GREAT N DIVER

On the rocks 3 SANDERLING, 8 TURNSTONE .

On South H Marsh - 70 WIGEON, 50 + TEAL, 3 SHOVELER, 35 SNIPE.

On Thurlestone Marsh - 40 TEAL, 30 WIGEON, 11 SHOVELER, 10 GADWALL, 30 REDWING and a GREY WAGTAIL.

AJL confirmed he had an imm BLACK REDSTART in his garden yesterday

WED 6 FEB 2013

A very sunny but cold day with a strong N wind , sea rough but viz great.

On South H Marsh this am - 130 WIGEON, 75 TEAL, 11 GADWALL, 12 SNIPE and the RUFF.

Offshore large number of KITTIWAKE -105 + , 20 GANNET, 2 FULMAR, 

12 GUILLEMOT (on sea ) 17 AUKsp flew east. At 11.35 picked up a BLACK THROATED DIVER on the sea about 70 yds off still there when I left at 12.25.

On the rocks - 9 TURNSTONE, 4 SANDERLING, 2 RINGED PLOVER.

At Huxton Cross 15 LAPWING.

On T'stone Marsh - 15 WIGEON, 60 TEAL, 12 SHOVELER

TUES 5 FEB 2013

A dark dank morning got much brighter when at 07.50 a 1st winter BEWICKS SWAN (110)  flew onto T'stone Marsh - spooked by the resident Mute's and flew off west

.( Eric W at Avt'n Gifford couldn't find it on the Avon  )  Also an incease in Duck numbers - 24 SHOVELER, 60 TEAL, 25 WIGEON , 2 GADWALL.

On South Huish Marsh  100+ WIGEON, 50 TEAL, 9 GADWALL, 7 SHOVELER ( later seen flying onto T 'stone Marsh ) 15 SNIPE, 4 LAPWING and very good views of the RUFF ( now resident for 10 days )

A 2hr sea watch in an increasingly windy and cold morning only produced - A RED T DIVER ( on sea ), 78 KITTIWAKE, 10 GANNET, 7 FULMAR , 10 AUK sp.

On the rocks 7 TURNSTONE

MON 4 FEB 2013

A cloudy morning with a F6 WNW wind good viz at sea.

On T'stone Marsh this am - 40 TEAL, 5 SHOVELER, , 2 WIGEON, 1 m GADWALL.

Over at South Huish marsh - 65 WIGEON, 45 TEAL, 15 SHOVELER, 9 GADWALL, 

7 LAPWING, 3 SNIPE. Amongst a flock of Gulls were an ad MED and an ad COMMON GULL.

A seawatch for 1.5 hrs produced 2 RED T DIVER, 10 GANNET, 37 KITTIWAKE, 2 FULMAR, 2 RAZORBILL, 1 GUILLEMOT and 26 AUK sp.

On the rocks were 13 TURNSTONE

SUN 3 FEB 2013

Back to rain, cleared by 11am  but 100% cloud , brisk F5 WNW wind.

Only new arrivals on T'stone marsh were a LITTLE GREBE, 2 GADWALL, whilst TEAL increased to 65. 20 REDWING flew over ( largest flock on the patch this year )

Walked round Warren Pt at 12.00 -on the rocks 4 PURPLE SANDPIPER ( highest count for 2 years )  and 3 SANDERLING

SAT 2 FEB 2013

Weather wise one of the best days of the year - continuous sunshine although a cool NNW wind .

Shooting taking place at the far end of T'stone Marsh from first light so all the duck either moved off or down to the front pool- 50 TEAL, 5 SHOVELER, 30 WIGEON.

With Bob away in Thailand until mid March I went over to South Milton Ley- 10+ CHIFFCHAFF, WATER RAIL, CETTIS WARBLER .

On South Huish marsh - 105 WIGEON, 100+ TEAL, 12 SHOVELER, 11 GADWALL, 5 SNIPE, 3 LAPWING.

Offshore a GREAT N DIVER flew east.

AJL did the high tide wader count which produced 1 PURPLE SANDPIPER ( 109 )

14 RINGED PLOVER, 1 SANDERLING, 7 TURNSTONE .

At West Buckland 5 SISKIN feeding in the Alders.

A lunchtime visit to TOPSHAM BRIDGE   found 3 MARSH TIT and a NUTHATCH on

local garden feeders-

FRI 1 FEB 2013