THURLESTONE BAY BIRDS

JUNE 2013

At last a month with below average rainfall but summer temperatures were few and far between. Only 1 day of strong winds 13^th W 7/8 winds from the west dominated.

Monthly total of species recorded was only 98 (c/f 102-2012) however two main reasons – Bob was in Thailand from 3^rd so no ringing undertaken and I was in France until 9^th.

3 new species for the year were recorded – PUFFIN, SOOTY SHEARWATER, SHORT EARED OWL.

A very interesting ringing recovery included in the brief ringing report.

Significant sightings for the month:

MUTE SWAN – 3 cygnets on Thurlestone Marsh now growing quickly.

DUCKS:

SHELDUCK – 2 pairs have bred – one with 8 almost fully fledged young and another with 4. This is probably the largest total that will fledge for a number of years.

MALLARD – second broods continue to hatch but like the first broods very few get beyond the first week.

TEAL - first returning bird a female on 10^th, 4 flew in the Bay on 22^nd.

GARGANEY – AJL had a female briefly on 4^th.

COMMON SCOTER – 3 on 13^th, 20 on 17^th and a remarkable 75 on 26^th.

SEA BIRDS

MANX SHEARWATER – 3 figure totals on 4 days – 522 on 13^th, 345 on 24^th, 101 on 24^th and 115 on 30^th.

SOOTY SHEARWATER – an early record – one found resting on the sea before flying off west on 24^th.

GANNET – Good totals of 300+ on10th and 295 on 22^nd – seen daily.

FULMAR – another seen almost daily – max 27 on 13^th.

KITTIWAKE – max passage 22 on 13^th.

TERNS

SANDWICH TERN – only recorded with singles on 2 days and 2 on 19^th.

SKUAS – A total of 20 records covering 3 species.

POMARINE SKUA – An adult flew east on 11^th.

ARCTIC SKUA – Singles on 3 days, 5 on 13^th and a max of 8 on 11^th.

GREAT SKUA – 3 flew east on 13^th.

WADERS

OYSTERCATCHER – Max 22 on 26^th.

SANDERLING – 4 on 12^th.

DUNLIN – 1 on 14^th and 3 on 30^th.

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT – 1 in non-breeding plumage from 10^th to 29^th. Joined by another from 14^th – 19^th.

WHIMBREL – max 4 on 11^th, last migrants 2 on 13^th.

CURLEW – first returning birds 2 over Thurlestone Marsh late evening of 30^th.

TURNSTONE – AJL had the only record a single on 18^th.

GULLS

MEDITERRANEAN GULL – first passage birds 2 – 1^st summer on 14^th and an adult on 21^st.

BLACK HEADED GULL – recorded 3 days at the end of the month.

AUKS

Small numbers of GUILLEMOT and RAZORBILL all month. 2 PUFFIN flew east early on 13^th.

OWLS

A Barn owl watched hunting over the Golf Course at 19.00 on 3^rd.

SHORT EARED OWL – A surprising summer record (one was reported from nearby Bolt Tail) of one feeding over fields behind the Church on the afternoon of 13^th.

HIRUNDINES – By the end of the month juveniles starting to feed over the marshes max counts –

SWALLOW – 45 on 23^rd and then on 30^th first roost – 120 at 20.45.

HOUSE MARTIN – 50+ on 23^rd.

SAND MARTIN – first retiring migrants (none breed locally) 2 on 28^th.

SWIFT -30 on 23^rd.

WARBLERS

WHITETHROAT – several pairs breeding in the hedgerows.

CHIFFCHAFF and BLACKCAP – both breeding at South Milton Ley and in West Buckland Valley.

REED WARBLER and SEDGE WARBLER – juvs on both marshes by months end – best counts of adults around 15 of each.

CETTIS WARBLER – present on South Milton Ley.

MISTLE THRUSH – evidence of 2 pairs breeding in West Buckland Valley.

WOODPECKERS – Both GREEN AND GREAT SPOOTED holding territory in at least 3 separate sites.