February 2008

Friday 29th:

Reports of the disappearance of the Surf Scoter were premature as the long staying bird was still offshore.

Thursday 28th:

Three Red-throated Diver were offshore with five Common Scoter but there was no sign of the Surf Scoter, although a first winter female was found today off Abbotsbury, Dorset. In the estuary there were 720 Oystercatcher, 520 Dunlin, 300 Brent Geese, 140 Grey Plover, eight Little Egret and 22 Sanderling, the highest count of the winter!

Wednesday 27th:

The Surf Scoter was still off Langstone Rock with at least one Slavonian Grebe. Counts from the estuary included 800 Dunlin, 120 Grey Plover, 80 Bar-tailed Godwit, c70 Curlew, 50+ Knot and 20 Black-tailed Godwit.

Tuesday 26th:

The Surf Scoter was off Langstone Rock with two Common Scoter, two Slavonian Grebe, 100+ Gannet, c60 Shag, 50+ auks, a Great Northern and seven Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere from the hide an oiled Guillemot in Bight, the Whimbrel, nine Little Egret, 460 Brent Geese, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, 15+ Linnet and two Greenshank.
 

Monday 25th:

Fog hampered viewing, but when it suddenly cleared 150 Kittiwake and about 130 auks mainly Razorbill flew south. Elsewhere 20 Black-tailed Godwit were in Shutterton Creek and the Dartford warbler was on Warren Point.
 

Sunday 24th:

The Surf Scoter was again off Langstone Rock, with eight Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, 15+ Great-crested and a Slavonian Grebe also offshore. Elsewhere the Whimbrel in front of the hide, one Chiffchaff, two Rook overhead a Grey Wagtail on the seawall near Langstone was the first record of the year.

Whimbrel 24/02/08 © John Fortey

Saturday 23rd:

One CATTLE EGRET was again on Finger Point early morning. It had presumably roosted here, before flying over to fields at Easton at 7.35am. Also in the estuary four Goldeneye, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank and a pair of Pintail in the Bight, the first of the year. The Surf Scoter was seen again, this time off Langstone Rock, 18 Red-throated Diver flew south with at least seven on the sea, also offshore 60+ Gannet, 50+ Razorbill, 40+ Kittiwake, 11 Common Scoter, an Eider, six Fulmar, 21 Great-crested and six Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere the Dartford Warbler was again on Warren Point.

 
Pintail 23/02/08

Friday 22nd:

An unexpected midwinter highlight was the all too brief appearance of two CATTLE EGRET on Finger Point early morning. They both flew back towards Powderham before 8am, one pausing for a while in fields at Cockwood. These are the first records for the recording area, but three birds have been around the estuary this winter. Elsewhere single Red-throated Diver and Slavonian Grebe were offshore, the Dartford Warbler was on Warren Point, 119 Knot were in the Bight, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, two Goldeneye and an adult Mediterranean Gull were in Shutterton Creek, and a Water Rail showed well at the First Pond.

Cattle Egret 22/02/08 © Dale Cooper. Only a record shot but still gripping!

Thursday 21st:

The Surf Scoter was again offshore with three Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere a count in the estuary included 1837 Dunlin, 304 Brent Geese, 216 Curlew, 185 Wigeon, 165 Grey Plover, 151 Bar-tailed Godwit, 113 Redshank, 62 Common Gull, 51 Knot, 43 Ringed Plover, 40 Red-breasted Merganser, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Teal, three Sanderling, two Greenshank and a Goldeneye.

Wednesday 20th:

Again no sign of the Surf Scoter, with just a Slavonian Grebe offshore. Elsewhere the Pale-bellied Brent Goose was on Pole Sands, the Whimbrel and three Goldeneye were in Shutterton Creek, a Water Rail was at the First Pond and two Siskin were in the Entrance Bushes.

Tuesday 19th:

A Dartford Warbler is still on Warren Point with 550 Brent Geese and the Whimbrel in Shutterton Creek, three Collared Dove through and a Redpoll in Dead Dolphin Wood. There was no sign of the Surf Scoter in choppy conditions offshore.

Monday 18th:

Two Slavonian Grebe were offshore but no other news was received.

Sunday 17th:

The Surf Scoter was still offshore from groyne 11 with two Red-throated Diver, nine Great-crested and at least five Slavonian Grebe. In the estuary there were c350 Brent Geese, disturbed from their feeding grounds at Starcross, other wildfowl counts included 237 Wigeon, 38 Shelduck, 37 Red-breasted Merganser, 27 Teal and four Goldeneye. Waders counts were low due to the height of the high tide, but included 831 Oystercatcher, 115 Curlew, 89 Redshank, 33 Ringed Plover, 23 Turnstone, 23 Lapwing, 14 Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Sanderling, three Greenshank and a Whimbrel.

Saturday 16th:

The Surf Scoter remains offshore with a Red-throated Diver and one Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere three Black-tailed Godwit were in Shutterton Creek and two Rook flew over.

Friday 15th:

The Surf Scoter was still offshore with single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver. In the estuary the Whimbrel was seen again along with a Goldeneye and a good count of 45 Turnstone.

Thursday 14th:

The Surf Scoter was still offshore but no other news was received.

Wednesday 13th:

The Surf Scoter is still offshore with a drake Eider, 15 Great-crested and at least three Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Gadwall was on the Main Pond, possibly only the second record for the pond, with a Sparrowhawk in the Entrance Bushes, six Black-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank in Shutterton Creek and in front of the hide the regular mid winter mix of Brent Geese, Knot, Red-breasted Merganser, Shelduck, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Little Egret.

Tuesday 12th:

The Surf Scoter was still present offshore and an adult Mediterranean Gull was in the estuary.

Monday 11th:

The Surf Scoter was still present offshore, an adult Mediterranean Gull was in the estuary and the female Gadwall was again in the Bight.

Sunday 10th:

Thick fog again failed to lift until mid morning when the Surf Scoter, four Red-throated Diver, 10 Great-crested and six Slavonian Grebe could be seen offshore. In the estuary the first Gadwall of the year, a female, was in the Bight along with 135 Brent Geese. Other counts over high tide included 1300 Dunlin, 800 Oystercatcher, 110 Bar-tailed Godwit, 52 Knot, 18 Turnstone and 15 Sanderling, the latter being only the second highest count all winter. Also in the estuary the Great Northern Diver, with a second south over the Dune Ridge, two Goldeneye and a Little Grebe with a littoralis Rock Pipit in the saltmarsh. Elsewhere further year ticks included a Mistle Thrush over Greenland Lake, a Redpoll around the First Pond and a Green Woodpecker on the Golf Course. Up to 13 Canada Geese were on the Main Pond all day.

Gadwall 10/02/08 © Lee Collins 

Saturday 9th:

The thick fog early morning restricted viewing but the Surf Scoter and at least seven Slavonian Grebe could be seen offshore. A male House Sparrow was prospecting potential nest sites at the Visitor centre, the first here for several years. The Surf Scoter was also seen to the south of the recording are at Coryton Cove with two Velvet Scoter at 3pm before flying back to the Warren.

Friday 8th:

The first winter female Surf Scoter remains offshore with two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver. A Whimbrel was in the estuary with 50+ Common and an adult Mediterranean Gull.

Thursday 7th:

No news was received for today.

Wednesday 6th:

The immature Surf Scoter remains offshore with two Velvet and five Common Scoter. Also offshore four Slavonian Grebe, three Great Northern Diver and a pair of Eider. Elsewhere an Avocet, two Greenshank and an adult Mediterranean Gull were in Shutterton Creek, a Kingfisher was on the Wreck, a Pale-bellied Brent was on Bull Hill and a fourth Great Northern Diver was in the estuary. 

Tuesday 5th:

The immature Surf Scoter remains offshore near the estuary mouth, with a Velvet Scoter and five Slavonian Grebe off the seawall. Elsewhere a sixth Slavonian Grebe and an adult Mediterranean Gull were in the estuary.

Monday 4th:

The Surf and three Velvet Scoter remain offshore with two adult Mediterranean Gull on the beach. Elsewhere the Great Northern Diver was in the estuary and a Jack Snipe was in the saltmarsh.

Sunday 3rd:

Seawatching between 8 am and midday produced 450 auk sp,  350+ Kittiwake, 230 Gannet, 115 Fulmar, 11 Common Scoter, seven Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver all south.  Two distant shearwaters were also seen, one possibly a Balearic, the other possibly a Manx.

Saturday 2nd:

The Surf Scoter was offshore with 29 Great-crested and four Slavonian Grebe, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, a Velvet Scoter and two Eider. In Shutterton Creek the Spotted Redshank was again present along with six Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank and a Mediterranean Gull. Also in the estuary two Goldeneye and a Great Northern Diver. Elsewhere two Buzzard drifted over briefly and three Chiffchaff were around the First Pond.

Friday 1st:

The Surf Scoter remained into its fourth month, also offshore 19 Great-crested and six Slavonian Grebe, five Red-throated Diver, three Common Scoter and two Eider. On an incoming tide 49 Ringed Plover and six Sanderling were in the Bight with 236 Brent Geese, seven Black-tailed Godwit, two Goldeneye, a Greenshank and a Great Northern Diver in the estuary. Elsewhere a Dartford Warbler sang briefly from Greenland Lake, whilst eight Rook and two Jackdaw west and five Lesser Black-backed Gull on Bull Hill perhaps signalled the first spring migrants.

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