THURS 16 JAN 

Cloudy morning, no breeze, dry, mild 

-9.30 South Huish Marsh -

100 WIGEON, 40 TEAL, 12 MALLARD, 10 MOORHEN, 2 MUTE SWAN 

175 CANADA GOOSE, 4 HERON, 1 LITTLE EGRET, 21 OYSTERCATCHER, 2 CHIFFY, 30 LINNET 

GULLS -

Lagest flocks of Gulls for a long time - liquid fertiliser being put on surrounding fields - in excess of 900

550+ BLACK HEADED, 350 HERRING, 12 COMMON ( probably a site record ), 4 ad MED, 1 LESSER B B 

Rocks -

14 TURNSTONE, 5 RINGED PLOVER, 1 SANDERLING, 3 OYSTERCATCHER, 1 HERON 1 LITTLE EGRET 

Bay - Gulls ( in additIon to Marsh ) 

120 BLACK HEADED, 8 AD MED, 2 COMMON, 25 HERRING 

2 CORMORANT. 

At 11.30 WIGEON flock had moved onto the sea 

Late afternoon a report from R Avon at Bantham of a GREAT WHITE EGRET 

TUES 14 JAN 

Brighter day, light W breeze , dry !

09.15 South Huish Marsh 

62 CABADA GOOSE, 2 MUTE SWAN, 11 MALLARD, 100 WIGEON, 

45 TEAL, 2 HERON, 15 MOORHEN, 1 WATER RAIL, 1 SNIPE, 2 OYSTERCATCHER, 3 REDWING, 1 WATER PIPIT, 5 MIPIT, 

2 STONE CHAT, 1 KESTREL , 1 M REED BUNTING 

GULLS - 60 HERRING,  70 BLACK HEADED, 1 COMMON, 1 GREAT B B 

Rocks- 

16 TURNSTONE, 7 OYSTERCATCHER, 1 LITTLE EGRET, 4 SHAG 

BAY-

2 GREAT N DIVER-NW @09.36, 1 GANNET-SE, 5 CORMORANT-SE

8 RAZORMOT-on sea, 2 SE, 1 GUILLEMOT-on sea, 1 RAVEN -SE 

GULLS - 

35 HERRING, 2 BLACK HEADED, 1 LESSER B B , 1 GREAT B B 

Aveton Gifford - late morning 

Eric had a M GOSHAWK over garden, 1 F BLACKCAP, 6 CHIFFY 

SUN 12 JAN

Visit to Gara Bridge -

1SPRAWK, 3 NUTHATCH, 8 COAL TIT , 2 LONG TAILED TIT, 

1 MARSH TIT, 1 TREE CREEPER

Huxton Cross - Late Morning -2 RED KITE

Aveton Gifford - 1 F BLACK CAP - on garden feeders 

SAT 11 JAN 

Cloudy morning, dry, 

Aveton Gifford- tidal road 

7 REDSHANK, 3 GREENSHANK, 3 CURLEW, 1 COMMON SANDPIPER, 

1 OYSTERCATCHER, 1 LITTLE EGRET, 2 LITTLE GREBE , NUTHATCH, 

GREAT SP WOODPECKER 

FRI 10 JAN 

Cloudy, light showers, cold - morning visit to _-

Kingsbridge Est - pumping station slip 

60 SHELDUCK, 150 WIGEON, 40 TEAL, 4 GREAT CRESTED GREBE, 

60DB BRENT GOOSE, 50 MUTE SWAN, 50 CURLEW, 1 WHIMBREL, 

10 DUNLIN, 25 OYSTERCATCHER, 2 LITTLE EGRET.

BOWCOMBE CREEK -

30 REDSHANK, 2 GREENSHANK, 20 SHELDUCK, 1 KINGFISHER, 

1 GREAT N DIVER, 5 COMMON GULL .

Wader numbers a lot lower than in previous winters 

Thurlestone Marsh-PM 

30 REDWING, MISTLE THRUSH, SONG THRUSH, 5 CHAFFINCH, 

10 GOLDFINCH, 6 GREENFINCH, 1 LONG T TIT, 1WATER RAIL, 

1 GREEN WOODY 

Aveton Gifford - 3 COAL TIT, NUTHATCH 

Churchstow - Report of a flock of GOLDEN PLOVER in flight 

THURS 9 JAN

No snow around Thurlestone, this morning a frost , sunny with a light NW breeze .

South Huish Marsh - Frozen until around 11.00 

110 WIGEON, 18 TEAL, 12 MALLARD , 2 MUTE SWAN, 110 CANADA GOOSE, 18 MOORHEN, 3 HERON, 1 LITTLE EGRET, 26 OYSTERCATCHER, 14 SNIPE, 5 MIPIT, 2 GREENFINCH, 

2 GOLDFINCH

ROCKS --

5 OYSTERCATCHER, 4 RINGED PLOVER, 12 TURNSTONE , 

5 CORMORANT 

BAY - 

3 RAZORBILL - ON SEA, 6 RAZORMOT-SE, 1 RED T DIVER- SE @ 10.25, only 5 HERRING GULL

TUES 7 JAN 

Bright periods with some light showers , NW F2 wind- cold 

First walk around West Buckland Valley for 2025 , 25 species recorded , inc-

3 SONG THRUSH, 9 GREAT TIT, 15 BLUE TIT, 1 COAL TIT, 1 LONG TAILED TIT, 2 WREN, 3 DUNNOCK, 50 GOLDFINCH, 2 CHAFFINCH, 1 PIED WAGTAIL, 1 RAVEN, 2 GREAT SPOTTED WOODY, 2 BUZZARD, 1 KESTREL, 1 GREY WAGTAIL, 12 BLACKBIRD 

Near Huxton Cross - flock of 35 CHAFFINCH

South Milton Ley - sewage works , still extensive rebuilding/ extension works going on which has impacted on the number of birds .

Only 25 CHIFFY, 8 BULLFINCH, 1 SONG THRUSH, 2 MISTLE THRUSH 

4 BLACKBIRD, 4 PIED WAGTAIL, 1 JAY, 1 MIPIT 2 FIRECREST

Despite some extensive searching I could not find any REDWING, FIELDFARE, SKYLARK or GOLDCREST.

IN my garden a nice Peacock butterfly

SAT 4 JAN 

Cloudy , wind SE 3 

SOUTH HUISH MARSH -

45 CANADA GOOSE, 50 WIGEON, 20 TEAL, 2 MALLARD, 4 MOORHEN 

3 HERON, 1 LITTLE EGRET, 7 OYSTERCATCHER, 1 STONECHAT 

2 PIED WAGTAIL, 

GULLS - 125 HERRING, 10 BLACK HEADED, 2 GREAT B B 

ROCKS -

8 OYSTERCATCHER, 7 TURNSTONE, 4 RINGED PLOVER, 

BAY- 1 CORMORANT, 4 SHAG, 4 GANNET 

Aveton Gifford- 1 M BLACK REDSTART 

THURLESTONE GDN - 5 GREENFINCH, 2 CHAFFINCH 

FRI 3 JAN 

Report from South Huish Marsh -

50 WIGEON, 2 TEAL, 5 MOORHEN, 10 OYSTERCATCHER, 

10 SNIPE, 5 ROCK PIPIT, MEADOW PIPIT, 1 CHIFFY 

THURLESTONE MARSH -

6 MALLARD, 1 LITTLE EGRET, 

THURS 2 JAN 

An interesting start to 2025 with reports from -

South Huish Marsh -

Barry confirmed the SWALLOW was seen feeding over the rocks by his flat today - this is the first time one has " overwintered" - looks as though we are in for a cold spell of weather so hopefully it will Eric's​ garden at Aveton Gifford was attracting birds in the sunshine -

SONG THRUSH, 4 BULLFINCH, 8 GOLDFINCH, 6 CHIFFY, COAL TIT.

Hope to be back out in the field by Monday