Holcombe Beach Tuesday pm
Sadly one dead gannet drifting around in the tide line.
Bampton
Marsh Tit on garden feeder, not seen one here for eight years
River Taw Osprey
One Osprey on the Taw , in front of Chivenor
+1 Photo
South Huish
Last evening between the stormy showers at South Huish…Black Tern, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Snipe, Bar tailed Godwits, Yellow Wagtails, Wheatears and a Whinchat
Heddon’s Mouth and Wrafton Pond
Dipper and Possible Wood Sandpiper
+1 Photo
Fremington Pill
Early morning visit to Fremington Pill where this Glossy Ibis as spotted downstream from the sluice. There a few Redshank, a couple of Little Egret and a couple of Greenshank. Late morning at Heddon Mouth were these Dippers were foraging in the stream that runs alongside the path to the beach. Then an afternoon visit to Wrafton Pond where four Black tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and what appears to be a Wood Sandpiper were seen on the scrap.
+1 Photo
Avon Dam
13 roosting Goosanders at the dam this misty morning. Unusual to see any here in early September, let alone a double-figure count. All red-heads, but two showed a large amount of white on the wing, suggesting males, probably immatures moulting into adults.
Trew Weir & drainage relief channel, Exeter
2+ Swift & 90+ House Martin’s feeding over the drainage relief channel this evening
Berry Head afternoon shift
Berry Head 13:00-17:30: juv Long-tailed Skua (intermediate type at 13:52), 7 Pomarine Skuas (ads/imm), 21 Arctic Skuas, 19 Common Terns, 2 Arctic Terns (both juvs), Sooty Shearwater, 32 Balearic Shearwaters, 5 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Common Scoter, 5 Fulmar, 219 Mediterranean Gulls (mostly juvs), 5 Atlantic Blue-fin Tuna (sightings), 4 Harbour Porpoises, c25 Common Dolphins.
Personal highlights from last few days all Berry Head:
04/09/22 (07:15-16:15)
4 Great Shearwaters, 6 Sooty Shearwaters, 249 Balearic Shearwaters, 21 Manx Shearwaters, 4 European Storm-petrels, Storm-petrel sp. (very white-rumped bird, but no upper covert bars seen!), 57 Arctic Skuas, 2 Pomarine Skuas, 3 Great Skuas, Puffin, c200 Mediterranean Gulls, 19 Sandwich Terns, 10+ Common Terns, 5 Fulmar. 5 Harbour Porpoisse, c25 Common Dolphins, Atlantic Blue-fin Tuna.
05/09/22 (11:00-16:00)
220 Balearic Shearwaters, 12 Manx Shearwaters, European Storm-petrel, 21 Arctic Skuas, 4 Sandwich Terns, 4 Common Terns, c40 Mediterranean Gulls, c50 Common Dolphins, 4 Harbour Porpoises.
Upper Tamar Lake 6th September
2 Arctic Tern, 1 Little Stint, 8 Curlew Sandpiper, 42 Redshank, 17 Snipe, 2 Green Sandpiper, 8 Dublin, 6 Ringed Plover, 20 Teal, 1 Yellow-legged Gull, 50 Black-headed Gull, 8 Grey Heron, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
This afternoon an adult Gannet drifting up the estuary and ended up on the mud by the narrow river – a very rare bird here, but unfortunately likely to be suffering from avian flu. The Osprey was over the Plym with a fish which it took to its usual perch. Also, 3 Sandwich Terns, Little Grebe, 2 redhead Goosanders, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 9 Greenshanks, 4 Common Sandpipers, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail, Sparrowhawk & Willow Warbler.
Goosemoor & Bowling Green Marsh
13:59 – 15:42 Highlights
Goosemoor: 20 Greenshank; 2 Common Sandpiper; 11 Curlew Sandpiper;
BGM: 5 Curlew Sandpiper; Ruff; Knot (inc 1 in near summer plumage); Whimbrel; 4 Bar-tailed Godwit; a ringed Redshank; 1 Mediterranean Gull.
Exminster Marshes
12:03 – 13:46
Highlights: 2 Marsh Harriers and 13 Cattle Egret
Berry Head and South Huish Marsh
Berry Head: 0720-0900 – 41 Balearic Shearwaters, 4 Arctic Skuas, 3 Med Gulls and 15 Sandwich Terns the best. Others stayed longer and had higher totals.
South Huish Marsh: Black Tern still, Curlew Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail, 2 Green Sandpipers and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits among the usuals.
Upper Tamar Lake 5th September pm
1 Hobby, 1 juv. Little Stint, 9 Curlew Sandpiper, 7 Dunlin, 5 Common Sandpiper, 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Ringed Plover, 4 Ruff, 14 Snipe, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 19 Teal, 2 ad. Yellow-legged Gull, 48 Black-headed Gull, 27 Pied Wagtail, 1 Sand Martin, 27 Swallow, 97Mallard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 13 Cormorant.
Bere Ferrers 3-4 September
This Roller was in Bere Ferrers at the weekend. No sign today though.
An Osprey was over the Tavy towards Lopwell Dam this afternoon.
Noss Mayo
Gannet in driveway part way up Widey Hill Bridgend. Still alive possible bird flu. Not there when we returned home.
Exe Estuary
14 Curlew Sandpipers (digiscope footage of three: https://bit.ly/3wZxPaJ) and 25 Greenshank at Goosemoor at 13:55.
Osprey off Bowling Green Marsh platform at 13:25 and 21 Knot on the mud from here at 11:20.
From the hide at Bowling Green just before high tide: Spoonbill, Spotted Redshank and Ruff alongside the usuals.
Wembury Point
Dead adult gannet on beach .0.75ml from Wembury towards Wembury point. At lunch high tide.
Plym Estuary & Saltram
At least 8 Black-tailed Godwits new in today and Whinchats up to 5. Also, 6+ Common Sandpipers, 11 Greenshanks, 7 Dunlins, 2 Mediterranean Gulls (1st & 3rd cy), Kingfisher, Tree Pipit, Bullfinch, 2 Grey Wagtails, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk & 5 Roe Deer.
