Plym Estuary & Saltram
Seventy-one species seen on my New Year’s Day count including: 4 Lesser Redpolls, 3 Firecrests, Treecreeper, 2 Grey Wagtails, Chiffchaff, 3 Stonechats (2 males), Siskin, Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kingfishers, adult Kittiwake, 2 3rd cy Mediterranean Gulls, Grey Plover, 43 Snipe (showing well on Blaxton Meadow), 7 Greenshanks, Common Sandpiper, 429 Dunlins, 6 Turnstones, 27+ Wigeon, female Red-crested Pochard & 3 Goosanders (1 drake). Also, 5 Roe Deer.
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Chivenor to Wrafton Pond
Many thanks to Andy Leat for pointing out the two Snipe that were on the small pond adjacent to the Scrape. A Marsh Harrier made an appearance over the reed bed. Very little on the pond other than a few gulls, a couple of Snipe and a Little Grebe. One Coal Tit in the adjacent trees.
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Heanton Court to Chivenor
Happy New year to everybody. This morning on my walk from Heanton Court to Wrafton Pond I spotted on the section between H.C to Chivenor one Greenshank, some Oystercatacher and three Redshank on the muddy bank near the boats. Further on just beyond the tunnel there were a small number of Blackbirds, a Robin, six House Sparrows and a Song Thrush.
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Fremington Pill
Fremington Pill on today’s high tide – 100+ black-tailed godwit, dozens of redshank, 3 greenshank, 2 curlew, one little grebe, plenty of teal, 2 shelduck. No sign of glossy ibis or the spotted redshank. At the Quay there was a gathering of oystercatchers, black-headed and herring gulls, one little egret and one grey plover. In the Penhill fields there were pied wagtails and meadow pipits, with 30+ redwing in the trees. On the return along the Pill there was one grey wagtail and finally 20+ snipe in small groups the reeds in front of the bungalows.
Farway, Colyton
On bird feeders in garden at Netherton, Farway 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker (1m and 1f), 2 Nuthatch, 2 Marsh Tit, about 8 Greenfinch, 10-12 Goldfinch, Great Tits, 10+ of both Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit, at least 2m and 2f Siskin and more than 10 Chaffinch on ground with Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Robins and Collared Doves.
Hooe Lake
At high tide this morning, a 1st-winter Little Gull was seen in flight. Also present were two Common Gulls and an adult Kittiwake.
Tamar estuary / Ernesettle
On this morning’s high tide, 2 Great Crested Grebe, small flocks of Wigeon and Teal, a 1st winter Common gull, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk overhead. 97 Snipe on Ernesettle creek.
Lower Tamar Lake
Lower Tamar Lake this morning.
25 Goosander 10m 15f, 16 Tufted Duck, 6 Coot, c200 Lapwing, 2 Grey Heron, 8 Fieldfare, 2 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Bullfinch.
Brixton, opposite Rogers garage
Approx 22 Cattle Egrets in field with cows.
Hope’s Nose
A Grey Phalarope spent about 5 minutes on the slick south of The Point from 12.10.
Earlier at 10.45, a probable E S Petrel flew south towards the Orestone.
Around and/or flying past the headland were 32 Great Northern Divers and at least 2 Red-throated Divers. Amongst a large group of GNDs in Hope Cove, one bird uttered a short phrase of its evocative call.
6 Grey Seals and a Harbour Porpoise were also seen.
Happy New Year to you all!
Exe estuary
Viewing from Cockwood steps this afternoon I was surprised to see a Sandwich tern fly by. Also a kingfisher, 6 red-breasted mergansers and 3 great-crested grebes although the rain and wind made for difficult viewing conditions.
Good birding in 2023
Broadsands
A good mix of wintering seabirds this morning: 14 Great Northern Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 3 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 1 Velvet & 30+ Common Scoter. Also 7 Cirl Buntings and 1 Firecrest.
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Fremington Pill
Today while the rain eased-off for a short time I popped out to Fremington Pill. There was very little bird life to be found just a few Redshank, Redwing, a couple of Teal, a Carrion Crow and a single Great Spotted Woodpecker in a tree on the far bank near the Bungalows.
Lower Tamar Lake
Lower Tamar Lake this morning.
46 Goosander 9m – 37f (07:47), 1 Little Egret, 6 Coot, 1 Grey Heron.
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North side of Taw Estuary
pm:- From the Tarka trail a single Ruff still at Pottington, a single Common Sandpiper at Barnstaple & a Med Gull on a sand bank.
Hope’s Nose
At 11.30, I was stunned to watch a Leach’s Storm Petrel 300m NE of The Point being repeatedly harried by a passing raptor. It appeared to survive the tense encounter, just beyond the slick, before disappearing!
Elsewhere, 31 Great Northern Divers, roughly 16 Purple Sandpipers, a Kingfisher, 6 Common Dolphins, a Harbour Porpoise and 2 Grey Seals were seen. Am immature/female Black Redstart was also reported.
Lower Tamar Lake
Lower Tamar Lake this morning.
32 Goosander 9m – 23f, 3 Willow Tit, 3 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare, 5 Coot, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Cormorant, 2 Marsh Tit, 2 Bullfinch.
Skern
A visit each side of high tide resulted in a good number of ducks and waders. Probably 200 or more Golden Plover and Dunlin. 30 or so lapwing, Teal, shelduck Oystercatchers and Curlew.
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Sherpa Marsh
A few hours this afternoon down at Wrafton Pond and Sherpa Marsh. Wrafton Pond was again very disappointing with just a few gulls, one Snipe and some Mallard. Over Sherpa Marsh were two Marsh Harriers.
Torbay Coastal:~
Torbay Coastal:~
Hopes Nose ~ good numbers of Great Northern Diver, seven around the headland and bay, a further eleven out on the sea, with more flying through heading west, some twenty four plus birds.
Guillemot beyond counting, both sat on the sea and flying through. Several Gannet about, three Porpoise and three Seal one enjoying feeding on a conger eel.
Kittiwake showing well.
Across to Broadsands / Elberry ~ Three Great Northern Diver, Fulmar, five Great Crested Grebe, the Scoter flock contained 30 plus birds included a Velvet Scoter and the Long Tailed Duck.
