Bird Sightings

Dawn visit – Little Stint, 4 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin still in the large pit. First E Golden Plover of the autumn on the down. Reed Bunting plus the usuals

Wryneck at East Prawle at 5.15pm today.  We walked left along the coastal path from East Prawle car park and up it popped up from the hedge running inland from the second gate.

It sat on top of one fence post then another for about five/ten minutes before dropping down out of sight.

There were also upwards of half a dozen cirl bunting around and what I’d say were three white wagtail (black head, silver grey back) but I’m not confident enough on them to say for sure.

A smattering of migrants included 13 House Martin, 18 Swallow, Willow Warbler, 17 Chiffchaff, 6 Whitethroat, 23 Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher; also 3 Teal, 40 Robin & Jackdaw 7W.

Non-avian: 11 species of butterfly inc. 198 Red Admiral (almost all on ivy), Clouded Yellow, 2 Painted Lady & 55 Large White. Migrant Hawker, male Ruddy Darter (rare here), Humming Bird Hawk-Moth, 2 Hornet Robber Fly clamped together, 3 vmale Sika Deer & 4 Roe Deer.

A visit this morning: 5 Ringed Plovers, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 16 Turnstones, 3 Knot, 2 Dunlin, 38 Mediterranean Gulls, 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, 3 Whitethroats, a Wheatear and at least 4 White Wagtails M. a. alba.

Lower Tamar Lake this morning.

1 Willow Tit, 1 Treecreeper, 2 Mute Swan, 9 Moorhen, 1 Grey Heron, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 11 Coot, 2 Robin.

Waders late this morning included 2 Curlew Sandpiper, a Little Stint with a small flock of Ringed Plover and 4 or 5 Ruff.

A morning birding in area north of Countess Weir. 2+ Green & 2 Common Sandpiper, Kingfisher, 27 Teal, Little Grebe, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Jay, 20+ House Martin & 15+ Swallow.

Over late morning and lunchtime were:

• in the Pill 3 Glossy Ibises, 4 Greenshanks and 100+ Redshanks;
• on the estuary side of the cycle bridge 13 Knot, 3 Barwits and a Kingfisher;
• on Home Farm Marsh 60+ Stock Doves, 75+ Linnets and 3 Wheatears, plus Stonechat, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel;
• in the estuary 2o Brent Geese, 10 Wigeon (both newly arrived I guess), a Great Egret and a Common Sandpiper.

This afternoon on Blaxton Meadow 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 21 Oystercatchers, 2 Dunlin, 13 Greenshanks, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Med Gull, 25 Curlew, 13 Grey Herons, 14 Little Egrets and 1 Great Egret.

Male Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtails & Common Sandpiper at Salmon Pool. Two more Grey Wagtails at Mill on the Exe.

Reedbeds facing Topsham on the Exe, solitary great white egret and on the mudflats godwits, redshanks oystercatcher and curlew.

This afternoon, 3+ Whinchats, 2 Stonechats, 5 Wheatears, Peregrine (juv), Green Woodpecker, Goosander (redhead), 2 Black-tailed Godwits, Common Sandpiper, 18 Oystercatchers, Dunlin, 9 Greenshanks & 16 each of Little Egrets and Grey Herons.

Lower Tamar Lake this morning,
2 Green Sandpipers, 1 Marsh Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 2 Mute Swan, 7 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Treecreeper, 15 Coot, 1m Tufted Duck, 6f Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 11 Canada Geese, 2 Robin.

5 Ruff, 2 Snipe, 2 Hobby (Imm & Ad/Imm, hard to be sure on 2nd bird), 9 Gadwall, 8 Shoveler, 17 Teal, 5 Little Grebe, Whitethroat, Wheatear & Firecrest from VP or over Lagoon. 25 Cattle Egret (22 flew N viewed from Turf, with 3 with cattle in field South of VP).

240+ Dunlin, 15+ Ringed Plover, 80+ Curlew, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit, Greenshank & 40 Brent Geese from Turf Hotel.

Otherwise 3 Chiffchaff, Kestrel, 30+ Swallow the best of the rest.

Lots of Migrant Hawkers, 2+ Southern Hawker, and a single ‘old’ Holly Blue.