Bird Sightings

Osprey on the river Dart at 16.30.

Sea watch from 0940-1150. Lots of Kittiwakes & Balearic Shearwaters passing moment I started watching.  numbers started slowing at 1100, and it was pretty quiet by 1150 when left.

Totals

150 Balearic Shearwater

42 Skuas, most (if not all) were Arctic’s

8 Storm Petrel

6 Fulmar

Kittiwake – estimate of 1500+ based upon 5 minute counts

Gannet – 200+ based upon 5 minute counts

5 Commic Tern

Up to 30 goldfinch congregating in the top of the copper beech at the boundary of my rear garden yesterday 4pm. Two foxes at lunchtime today either side of of the A361 just north of the downstream Taw bridge. One had crossed to the Tarka trail side and the other looked to be trying to cross to join him/her.

Seawatch 0650-1200hrs:

66 Cory’s, 61 Great, 4 Sooty, 1042 Balearic, 114 Manx, 58 Large & 1 Scopoli’s Shearwater candidate, 56 Storm Petrel, 52 Arctic Skuas inc 10+ juvs, 1 Arctic, 1 Common & 5 Sandwich Terns 800+ Kittiwake, 12 Fulmar. 3 Tuna, 10+ Harbour Porpoises.

Predominantly westward (though variable) passage 0700-1000 until rain came in and passage tailed off:

• Manx/Balearic Shearwater – 600+
• Cory’s Shearwater – 221
• Great Shearwater – 1
• Sooty Shearwater – 3
• Arctic Skua – 5
• Pomarine Skua – 1
• Storm Petrel – 11
• Kittiwake – 15+
• Fulmar – 5+
• Common Scoter – 2

Good numbers of Gannet moving both east and west, mixed flocks of Herring Gull, Greater Black Backed Gull and Black-headed Gull, a few Shag and Rock Pipit.

One Cory’s shearwater, 142 Balearic shearwaters, five Arctic skuas and four storm petrels south between 08:25 – 09:45.

In between the rain showers 2 late Yellow Wagtails flew over the cow field (black & white cows) before perching in a tree. Also in the area 36 Greenfinch  in one flock, Little Grebe and 22 Grey Heron on Blaxton Meadow.

• 5 Greenshanks
• 1 Glossy Ibis
• 6 Bar-tailed Godwits
• 7 Swallows
• 1 Arctic Tern.

A cycle to Bowling Green Marsh for morning high tide. 2 Ruff (Juv & Ad), 3 Juv Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Knot, Whimbrel, 13 Barwit, 10 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, over 400 Blackwit (but many out of view) 230 Curlew, 205+ Redshank & 20 Greenshank.

200+ Teal, 48 Pintail & 6 Wigeon. 6+ Stock Dove & Kingfisher.

Challenging seawatch off Wembury Point this morning with most birds too far out to call but a few came in closer just out past The Mewstone – 2 Cory’s, 5 Manx and 4 Balearic Shearwater, 11 Arctic Skua and a Great Skua all logged along with the usual Gannet and Kittiwake.

Along the beach on the high tide were 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, a Knot, a Dunlin, a Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel, a Curlew, 6 Turnstone and Oystercatchers.

60+ Mediterranean Gulls roosting out on the rocks or sheltering in the stubble field, at least 10 first winters and 6 second winters amongst adult birds.

Among the commoner species over the high tide this morning were 3 Ruff, 3+ Curlew Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Redshank, 8+ Barwit, 3 Snipe, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Garganey, 80+ Pintail and 14 Gadwall.

Solitary Northern Wheatear sighted by the South Fort on Berry Head today.

Sadly unable to take a photo.

A pair of Ospreys observed over the mill pond searching fruitlessly for fish for 20 – 30 minutes, many dives into the water,but no success at all. Also, 3 Grey Herons, 2 Little Egrets, Black Headed Gulls and Herring Gulls.

A cycle from Marsh Barton to Turf Hotel and beyond. Most birds were from viewing platform. Teal 140+, Shoveler 15+, 7 Gadwall, 5 Wigeon, Little Grebe & 52+ Coot. Mostly on the lagoon. 96 Dunlin (3 Curlew Sand seen earlier), 65 Curlew, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Barwit on the wet marsh in front of VP. Also 9 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, 1 Ruff & 1 Greenshank over.

4 Cattle Egret with cattle by railway line path, later 4+ seen just south of M5.

Ad female Kestrel, adult Sparrowhawk, 200 Starling, 60-70 House Martin along whole marsh, 20+ Swallow & a single Sand Martin.

Wheatear on estuary wall south of Turf. 25+ Goldfinch & 15+ Linnet at VP or by Turf.

lots of Red Admiral & Migrant Hawkers.

A Turtle Dove flushed out of the hedgerow near the sewage farm by a hunting male Sparrowhawk was a surprise this morning at Wembury. It flew around in a broad loop and landed briefly in the stubble field before flying off inland, narrowly avoiding being taken out by the still present  Sparrowhawk.

A few waders still present along the beach on the high tide – 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Dunlin, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 2 Ringed Plover, c.20 Turnstone and Oystercatchers.

An adult Sabine’s Gull, still with a largely dark hood, flew west past Wembury Point this morning. Also at least 11 large shearwaters sp. flew east between 7.20 and 9.20. Although too far to be identified, they were most likely Cory’s Shearwater as 50 were seen flying past Rame Head during the same period (BirdGuides).

A juvenile Little Grebe new in this morning (unusually on Blaxton Meadow). Also, Peregrine, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, 12 Greenshanks, 22 each of Grey Herons & Little Egrets and Redshanks have now reached over 200.

11.30 -12.30

2 sandwich terns, 25 oystercatchers one being leucistic, 18 black backed gulls and the usual herring gulls all braving the heavy rain on the sandbank as the tide dropped