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Report
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Monday 31st:
The third Green Sandpiper of the year was the day's highlight, it was seen briefly in front of the hide before flying off up the estuary, a good year for the species here.
Also in the estuary 388 Curlew, 42 Black-headed Gull and a single Red-breasted Merganser. Elsewhere 25 Common Scoter were offshore with a single Common Tern.
Sunday 30th:
At least three Balearic Shearwater remained feeding distantly offshore, four other shearwater sp probably Balearic passed through south, even further out, also offshore 60+ Common Scoter. At the high tide only a single Common Tern could be found amongst the 120+ Sandwich Tern, waders included 30+ Sanderling, 12 Dunlin, eight Turnstone, a Whimbrel in off the sea and at least one Bar-tailed Godwit, a summer plumaged bird, amongst the Curlew on the Railway Saltmarsh. The first autumn migrants on the land were also noted with 12 Willow Warbler, at least eight Blackcap, a Collared Dove, a Green Woodpecker and only the second Garden Warbler of the year present. Totals of 15+ Reed Warbler and 12+ Whitethroat probably mainly consisted of locally fledged birds.
Saturday 29th:
The southerly winds produced good seawatching conditions and prior to 3pm at
least 21 Balearic Shearwater flew
past south, the second highest site count for this critically endangered
species. Also moving south were 13 Manx Shearwater, with six other
distant shearwater sp and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull. Over 100
Sandwich and 11 Common Tern were on site with an moulting adult
Mediterranean Gull in Shutterton Creek, waders present over high tide
included 40+ Sanderling, 30+ Turnstone, 20 Ringed Plover,
12 Whimbrel and seven Bar-tailed Godwit. In the evening a pale
phase Arctic Skua was offshore harassing the tern flock.
Turnstone 29/7/06 ©
Lee Collins
Friday 28th:
The highlight was a Green Sandpiper,
a scarce migrant here, heard flying over high heading east at about 9.30am. The
Roseate Tern was still with the Sandwich Tern, in front of the
hide with five adult and two juvenile Common Tern. Also in the estuary a
first summer Mediterranean Gull, 60 Dunlin, 16+ Whimbrel,
five Ringed Plover, two Common Gull and single Redshank,
Turnstone and Knot. Elsewhere a female Teal flew past the hide
and headed up the estuary, 35 Sanderling were on the sandflats and beach
and 10 Common Scoter and a Gannet were close in offshore early
morning.
Thursday 27th:
A Roseate Tern and an adult Mediterranean Gull in the estuary was the only news reported for today.
Wednesday 26th:
A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull in the estuary was a long awaited first for the year, also there a single Roseate Tern, an adult Mediterranean Gull, the Brent Goose again, 14 Sanderling, 12+ Whimbrel, seven Bar-tailed Godwit, six Common Tern and a Ringed Plover.
Tuesday 25th:
A juvenile Mediterranean Gull offshore was the only news received for today.
Monday 24th:
A Roseate Tern was off Exmouth and an Osprey at Powderham but the only news received from the Warren today was a Balearic Shearwater feeding offshore this evening.
Sunday 23rd:
A Balearic Shearwater was feeding distantly offshore this evening, before heading south. At the high tide, an adult Roseate Tern was in front of the hide with a single Common and 180 Sandwich Tern. Waders included 20 Dunlin and five Whimbrel with a Common Sandpiper was in Shutterton Creek with a juvenile Mediterranean Gull. During the day, there was a steady passage of Swift and other hirundines, mainly Swallow. Elsewhere 50 Gannet and a Razorbill were offshore.
Roseate Tern 23/7/06 ©
Lee Collins
Saturday 22nd:
At the high tide there were 64 Dunlin and 16 Ringed Plover, with 22 Swift over a further sign of autumn. A Sparrowhawk was also seen. An moulting adult Mediterranean Gull was n the beach with several hundred Black-headed Gull.
Mediterranean Gull 22/7/06 © Lee Collins
Friday 21st:
No news was received for today.
Thursday 20th:
30 Black-headed Gull were hawking in Greenland Lake, offshore a Balearic Shearwater flew south with a Fulmar. 300+ Sandwich Tern were on site with 20 Common Tern, 90 Greater Black-backed Gull were on Bull Hill with two Lesser Black-backed Gull. 367 Curlew, 203 Black-headed Gull, four Grey Heron and two Little Egret were on the Railway Saltmarsh with six Redshank and four Juvenile Mediterranean Gull in Shutterton Creek, the family party of 10 Canada Geese remain faithful to the same area. A Roseate Tern was also reported this morning.
Wednesday 19th:
No news was received for today.
Tuesday 18th:
No news was received for today.
Monday 17th:
No news was received for today.
Sunday 16th:
A further increase in terns and waders with 221+ Sandwich Tern present in the estuary, most however were distant and difficult to view in the heat haze and no other species could be picked out. A Roseate Tern was however reported early morning. Also in the estuary there were 122 Dunlin, five Grey Plover and four Whimbrel with an adult Mediterranean Gull. The resident Carrion Crows killed their third juvenile Sandwich Tern in two days in front of the hide.
Sandwich Terns 14/7/06 ©
Darren Maynard
Carrion Crow attacking juvenile Sandwich Tern
©
Darren Maynard
Saturday 15th:
Over 150 Sandwich Tern were present with just two
Common Tern, an adult Roseate Tern was also reportedly still present.
Over the high tide there was a noticeable increase in waders with 600+
Curlew, 90+ Dunlin, 20 Redshank, six Whimbrel, four
Bar-tailed Godwit, three Sanderling and a Black-tailed Godwit.
Elsewhere the Red-breasted Merganser was seen again and there was a light
passage of 11 Swallow, 10 House and three Sand Martin.
Friday 14th:
Single Roseate Tern
and Mediterranean Gull were present in the estuary with
15 Dunlin, 10 Common Tern, five
Grey Plover, two Redshank, including a
juvenile, the first
Black-tailed Godwit of the autumn and the sinensis Cormorant.
Elsewhere a juvenile Guillemot was off the sea wall and two
Great-spotted Woodpecker were by the First Pond.
Redshank 14/7/06 ©
Darren Maynard
Thursday 13th:
190 Kittiwake were feeding offshore with 168 Shag,
62 Common Scoter, 35 Black-headed and two Mediterranean Gull,
an adult and a juvenile, 12 Common Tern, three Razorbill and a
Great-crested Grebe. The Brent Goose was in front of the hide with
the family party of Canada Geese, also there 51 Dunlin, five
Grey Plover, three Whimbrel, a Knot and a Greenshank.
Elsewhere the first Common Gull of the autumn was in the Bight, a
sinensis Cormorant was on Finger Point and the Railway Saltmarsh held
362 Curlew, 14 Redshank, 13 Sandwich Tern, six Grey
Heron and three Little Egret.
Wednesday 12th:
No news was received for today.
Tuesday 11th:
A female Red-breasted Merganser was unseasonal, but
perhaps hints at a failed breeding attempt some in the estuary. Also present in
the estuary were 90 Sandwich, 10 Common and three
Roseate Tern with 29 Dunlin, 14
Bar-tailed Godwit, four Grey Plover, a Greenshank, an adult
Mediterranean Gull and the Brent Goose.
Monday 10th:
The Brent Goose remains in the estuary with 50+
Sandwich and five Common Tern and an adult Mediterranean Gull.
Three Dunlin and three
Ringed Plover were in the Bight. Elsewhere breeding species included a
Reed Bunting behind Main Pond, numerous Skylark around Warren
Point and a Pheasant with three young in Greenland lake.
Sunday 9th:
Four Roseate Tern remained around the site, either roosting on the mudflats at low tide or fishing far out to sea. They were with 90+ Sandwich and six Common Tern. The Brent Goose remains in Shutterton Creek with five Grey Plover, two Mediterranean Gull, an adult and a first summer, a Whimbrel and a Greenshank. Elsewhere three Manx Shearwater and 51 Common Scoter flew south.
Saturday 8th:
Four Roseate Tern remained offshore with 10 Common Tern. A Whimbrel was in the estuary.
Friday 7th:
A Gadwall was a surprise find offshore, but even more of a surprise was a single Brent Goose in Shutterton Creek, both rare July sightings. The Bight held 51 Sandwich, six Common and three Roseate Tern with single Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank in Shutterton Creek. A Great-spotted Woodpecker was calling from Dead Dolphin Wood.
Thursday 6th:
No news was received for today.
Wednesday 5th:
163 Shag were offshore with single Guillemot, a Razorbill and a Manx Shearwater showed well close in. The Ringed Plover still have two young on the beach. Elsewhere two Dunlin were on Warren Point, 33 Sandwich and two Common Tern were in the Bight and a Cuckoo flew northwest over Greenland Lake.
Tuesday 4th:
Two Great-crested Grebe were offshore with 40 Shag, 17 Common Scoter, five Eider, a Razorbill and a Guillemot. Shutterton Creek held 268 Curlew, 17 Redshank, three Grey Heron, two Whimbrel, also here 70+ Sandwich and eight Common Tern, an adult Mediterranean Gull and the family party of Canada Geese. Elsewhere 57 Great Black-backed and three Lesser Black-backed Gull were on Bull Hill and three migrant Ringed Plover flew on to the Bight.
Monday 3rd:
Over the high tide there were 354+ Curlew, 16+ Whimbrel, 12+ Redshank, seven Bar-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank in the Railway Saltmarsh with nine Dunlin in the Bight. Also present in the estuary 213 Herring Gull, 101 Sandwich Tern, 45 Great Black-backed Gull and eight Common Tern.
Sunday 2nd:
A dark phase Arctic Skua was offshore with the usual feeding flock of Kittiwake. Nine Eider, eight Common Tern, a Fulmar and a Razorbill with a flightless chick in tow were off the seawall. Sandwich Tern numbers remained about the same, some feeding offshore, but the majority mainly roosting on the Railway Saltmarsh and in front of the hide. Waders in front of the hide were limited to seven Dunlin, five Grey Plover, a Knot and a Sanderling. Elsewhere the two Ringed Plover chicks were actively feeding and moving about on the beach and a Peregrine flew west over the golf course.
Saturday 1st:
A dark phase Arctic Skua remains offshore with 70+ Sandwich and ten Common Tern. In the estuary there were 330+ Curlew, seven Dunlin, five Grey Plover, three Knot and two Bar-tailed Godwit at the High tide and a second summer Mediterranean Gull flew past the hide. Other records included a sinensis Cormorant in front of the hide and two Sand Martin east over the Bight.