Bird Sightings

Exminster Marshes at 1030am then flew rapidly south towards Powderham

11am. One Long-tailed duck,7 common scoter, 2 duck eider, 1 each cirl bunting and linnet, plus fulmar distant off Roundham point.

A pair of Mandarin Ducks were on the main fishing lake at Escot Park this morning. My first record there since last April.

A drake Common Scoter off Cattewater this morning in front of  Mount Batten Watersports Centre.

near pebble ridge at rivers’ mouth — also 2 Shags in main Taw/Torridge channel

3 Cormorants; about ~60 B Bellied Brents; 16 Shelduck; ~30 Widgeon;  1 Common (Mew) Gull; ~600 Golden Plover;

distant and possibly more:–3Ringed Plover;  5 Knot; 5 Grey Plover;  ~~ 150 in 3 flocks coming and going.

Redshank and Herring Gulls and 6 Stonechat

Interesting pic from Rob. Does look like a Sparrowhawk. Brings to mind some very similar remains I found in a barn on the Marsh Road. They were Dunlin and Starling and must have been taken by the Barn Owl(s) that occupied the box in that barn. This was back in very cold winter a few years ago. I later found another set of remains in a nearby barn, which were all that was left of a juvenile Kestrel. I don’t think Peregrine would leave this much! The wing measurement I take when ringing birds is from the bend in the wing to the longest primary tip. Rob, can you try to get this and I’ll check the range for male Sparrowhawk?

1. 2 Purple Sandpipers still working the rocks below Capstone Hill  Fulmar seem to be settling in above Tunnels Beaches

15,00 7 Sand Martin chasing insects above the pond.

First year Eider.

On this morning’s high tide: 25+ Snipe, Grey Plover, 6 Greenshanks, 335 Dunlins, 3 Common Sandpipers, Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull (3rd cy), 17 Wigeon, 1 redhead Goosander, Kingfisher & 2 Bullfinches.

Visit this morning. Still c400 brent geese on the fields next to the Turf, included two individuals with abnormal plumage – one with a very pale back and another well marked bird (possible ssp. hrota). A single barnacle goose was with the brent flock. Elsewhere on the marsh were c20 roosting curlew, one bar-tailed godwit, 3 lapwing, 2 oystercatcher and c35 shelduck. Wigeon, teal, mallard and shoveller were still relatively abundant.

Over head a flock of 30 golden plover flew east. A loose group of 7 sand martin appeared from the SW flew over the canal close to the Turf and then returned to the marshes.

Birds of prey included two marsh harriers each gave multiple sightings, 3+ buzzards included two that flew east and a kestrel.

one Swift Plymouth road Totnes @ 13.20  15/03/23

Just had a Wheatear fly past Boat Cove.

Male Garganey still present, 2 Water Pipits and 10 plus  Chiffchaffs early afternoon.

Garganey briefly on the main scrape this evening.