February 2005
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Report
sightings |
Monday 28th:
No news was received for today.
Sunday 27th:
Offshore only five Slavonian and four Great-crested Grebe could be found in choppy conditions, but there were 62 Common Scoter, 23 of these flew east but the rest were present in several small flocks. There was little else to report with 30 Lapwing, 15 Shelduck and three Black-tailed Godwit in the Estuary, 306 Brent Geese were feeding around the sandbars at low tide and on the Main Pond, five Coot and two Snipe, which showed well feeding in the open around the island edges.
Saturday 26th:
High tide wader counts included 2000 Dunlin, 309 Curlew, 232 Grey Plover, 66 Knot, 56 Ringed Plover, 31 Sanderling and 15+ Turnstone. Later in the day there were also 33 Lapwing and a Greenshank in Shutterton Creek. A Great Northern Diver was a new arrival offshore, but 10 Slavonian and nine Great-crested Grebe remain, 328 Brent Geese were feeding around the sandbars at low tide. Elsewhere on site a pair of Goldeneye were in the Estuary with Red-breasted Merganser and the Dartford Warbler was again in Greenland Lake. Other records included Peregrine, Sparrowhawk, two Chaffinch and a Goldfinch, both the latter have been scarce in recent weeks.
Friday 25th:
No news was received for today.
Thursday 24th:
Offshore there were six Red-throated Diver, 10 Gannet, four Common Scoter, nine Slavonian and three Great-crested Grebe. In the Estuary there were 392 dark bellied Brent Geese plus a single pale bellied bird, 24 Red-breasted Merganser, 19 Wigeon, four Shelduck, two Grey Heron and two Little Egret. Wader counts included 313 Curlew, 155 Grey Plover, 65 Bar-tailed Godwit, 44 Ringed Plover, 33 Sanderling, 30 Redshank, 20 Knot and one Black-tailed Godwit. Other records included a Little Grebe on the Main Pond, a Peregrine and two Song Thrush.
Wednesday 23rd:
The Dartford Warbler was again present around Greenland Lake.
Tuesday 22nd:
No news was received for today.
Monday 21st:
No news was received for today.
Sunday 20th:
Feeding conditions are obviously still good offshore with 20+ Gannet and smaller numbers of Kittiwake still present, along with a first winter Little Gull. Also offshore 10+ Red-throated Diver, seven Common Scoter, at least three Slavonian and 12 Great-crested Grebe. In the Estuary there were 40 Lapwing, 10 Black-tailed Godwit and a drake Goldeneye. Two pairs of Coot are still on the Main Pond with at least three Little Grebe. Late evening 34 Little Egret were counted going to roost.
Saturday 19th:
There were good numbers of birds feeding at sea with 50+ Gannet, 40+ Kittiwake, 15 Razorbill and 20 auk sp. Also offshore 19 Common Scoter, four Red-throated Diver, eight Slavonian and 19 Great-crested Grebe. Most of the feeding activity was far offshore, so this may explain the drop in diver numbers. In the Estuary there were 15 Turnstone, 12 Lapwing, nine Black-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank with 167 Brent Geese, 120 Wigeon, 27 Shelduck, 19 Teal and a drake Goldeneye. Elsewhere on site there were two Chiffchaff, six Stonechat, a Sparrowhawk and by the sea wall, a White Wagtail.
Friday 18th:
Much of the interest was again offshore with 50 Red-throated Diver, 19 Slavonian and 23 Great-crested Grebe. Eight Common Scoter flew south and a Grey Heron was lurking by the seaweed at Langstone Rock. From the hide 40 Lapwing were again on the saltmarsh with 110 Wigeon and 24 Black-tailed Godwit in Shutterton Creek. Two Dartford Warbler showed well in the Greenland Lake area.
Thursday 17th:
No news was received for today.
Wednesday 16th:
On a low tide this afternoon 37 Lapwing were on the
Railway Saltmarsh with 300 Herring Gull and 10 Red-breasted Merganser.
Offshore six Slavonian and 10 Great-crested Grebe with one Red-throated
Diver were on show. Six Mallard, two Coot and single Moorhen
and Little Grebe were on the Main Pond.
Tuesday 15th:
Offshore, 101 auks passed through east in one and a half hours along with 30 Gannet, on the sea there were five Red-breasted Merganser with three Slavonian and Great-crested Grebe, 71 Common Scoter, two Razorbill and six Red-throated Diver. On the land the Dartford Warbler remains in the Greenland lake area with four Stonechat, including a pair looking for prospective nest sites. A Little Grebe was on the Main Pond with two Coot and a Moorhen. Elsewhere 55 Brent Geese were in front of the hide with 200 Curlew, 190 Grey Plover and 34 Knot, 20 Linnet flew west over the Golf Course and 22 Ringed Plover were on the beach.
Monday 14th:
A brief look from the Railway Bridge in high winds produced the following sightings offshore: three Slavonian and 10 Great-crested Grebe with four Red-throated Diver and 20+ Common Scoter.
Sunday 13th:
Four Slavonian and seven Great-crested Grebe remained offshore with three Red-throated Diver and 15 Common Scoter. At least 30 Gannet were also present with 40+ auks, including at least 15 Razorbill, and 25 Kittiwake. 188 Curlew were on the mudflats and a Peregrine was hunting around Shutterton Creek early afternoon.
Saturday 12th:
Six Slavonian and seven Great-crested Grebe were offshore with a single Red-throated Diver, there were also a few Razorbill and Gannet. Good numbers of gulls were present with at least five Lesser Black-backed Gull on site with 40+ Common and two adult Mediterranean Gull. Two Goldeneye were in the Estuary with 25+ Red-breasted Merganser and 76 Brent Geese. Elsewhere two Black-tailed Godwit flew in off the sea, a Dartford Warbler was along the Dune Ridge and a Chiffchaff, the first for over a month, was by the Main Pond.
Friday 11th:
The only report received was of 17 Lapwing present in the saltmarsh.
Thursday 10th:
Offshore there was again good numbers of auks passing with 50+ going south, large numbers of gulls and 100+ Gannet were also present in the bay during the morning. On the sea there were 11 Great-crested and eight Slavonian Grebe. In the estuary there were counts of 154 Curlew, 52 Sanderling and 30 Lapwing.
Wednesday 9th:
Offshore there were nine Slavonian Grebe, 12 Red-throated Diver, nine Common Scoter and two Eider, the first of the year. Early morning 60+ auks flew south along with small numbers of Gannet and three Fulmar. Other records included 45 Red-breasted Merganser, two Raven flying low east offshore and the Dartford Warbler in Greenland Lake.
Tuesday 8th:
10 Slavonian Grebe remain offshore with eight Red-throated Diver, 100+ auks were also offshore, passing south with 30 Kittiwake. 15 Linnet and 10 Pied Wagtail were on the Golf Course, around the seventh fairway. 500 Black-headed Gull were in Shutterton Creek and nine Little Egret were seen to go to roost, two adult Mediterranean Gull were also present on site.
Monday 7th:
No news was received for today.
Sunday 6th:
17 Red-throated Diver remain offshore, along with 34 Great-crested and 12 Slavonian Grebe, all recorded between the seawall and the windmill. A flock of 37 Common Scoter were off Langstone Rock. Three Moorhen, two Little Grebe and two Coot were on the Main Pond with single Snipe and Water Rail. The Dartford Warbler was again in Greenland Lake. In the Estuary, despite the low tide there were 32 Shelduck, 25 Cormorant, 25+ Lapwing, 19 Black-tailed Godwit, two Greenshank and a Goldeneye. Late evening there was a pre roost gathering of 58 Little Egret on the Railway Saltmarsh. Just offsite four adult Mediterranean Gull roosted in Dawlish Bay off Rockstone.
Saturday 5th:
Many species were encouraged into song by the mild weather, the most obvious were several Song Thrush and many displaying Greenfinch. On the Main Pond, at least three Little Grebe were calling and displaying. Conditions offshore had brought in 60+ Gannet which were feeding close in early on. Once the waves had calmed down, there were counts of seven Red-throated Diver, 15 Great-crested and nine Slavonian Grebe. Also offshore Fulmar, three Kittiwake, five Common Scoter and several Razorbill. In Shutterton Creek, at low tide, there were nine Black-tailed Godwit, five Lapwing and two Greenshank with counts of 145 Wigeon and 40+ Teal. Elsewhere on site, there were 55 Starling around the Buffer Zone, a Dartford Warbler along the Back Path near the Main Pond and a Sparrowhawk in front of the hide.
Friday 4th:
A Great Northern Diver was off the seawall this
morning also offshore 30 Razorbill,
24 Red-throated Diver, 15 Great-crested and 11 Slavonian
Grebe. A second summer Mediterranean Gull was on the southern
side of Langstone Rock. 124 Wigeon remain in the saltmarsh being
joined by six others from the southeast, also in the Estuary 50 Red-breasted
Merganser, 28 Shelduck, nine Goldeneye, six Grey
Heron and a Greenshank.
Thursday 3rd:
10 Slavonian Grebe are still offshore with 22 Red-throated
Diver, 26 Red-breasted Merganser, 86 Shag and 26 Cormorant.
A small increase in Common Scoter was evident with 28 present. In front
of the hide 65 Ringed Plover were on show with 22 Turnstone and
44 Shelduck, 19 Black-tailed Godwit were on the Railway
Saltmarsh. A more unusual sighting was of a Fulmar heading west down the
estuary and then banking northwest and heading inland over Cockwood. Elsewhere
on site the Dartford Warbler is still at Greenland Lake and 12 Wood
Pigeon.
Wednesday 2nd:
No news was received for today.
Tuesday 1st:
A Dunlin was a victim of a Peregrine attack in front of the hide today. Wader counts included 205 Grey Plover, 120 Curlew, 116 Knot and 50 Ringed Plover, 155 Brent Geese were also present. Offshore there were 11 Great-crested and seven Slavonian Grebe with six Red-throated Diver and 19 Common Scoter. A Dartford Warbler was reported and 25 Linnet flew west over the reserve.