WeBS

A nice variety but a feeling of winter encroaching on the estuary this weekend. Totals included 326 Oystercatchers, 47+ Curlew (an undercount due to roost location), 39 Turnstones, 24 Redshanks, 17 Greenshanks, five Ringed Plovers, four Dunlin, three Common Sandpipers, one Spoonbill (still in the Passage House area), c.50 Little Egrets, nine Cormorants, seven Shags, 48 Mallards, 21 Mute Swans, six Teal, five Little Grebes, four Canada Geese, and two Kingfishers. Notable passerines included two Rock Pipits on Flow Point and at least one Redpoll over Bishopsteignton.

Cormorant

Spoonbill returns

The Spoonbill was back on the estuary yesterday lunchtime and showed really well in the channel right outside Passage House Inn. Hopefully it will now stick around for a few days at least.

Spoonbill & Cattle Egret

A Spoonbill reported at Passage House early afternoon remained until 2.30 when it, a juvenile, was seen flying over the marshes before heading NE towards Kingsteignton. A Cattle Egret amongst 16 Little Egret added to the southern feel despite the conditions.

Cattle Egret - Kevin Rylands

Also present 150+ Black-headed Gull, 51 Mallard and two Common Sandpiper. 

More Curlew Sands

A quick pre-work check of Passage House from the car park yesterday morning produced two Curlew Sandpipers, two Dunlins, three Greenshanks and a Common Sandpiper on the spit.

Dunlin and two Curlew Sandpipers

Curlew Sandpiper

On the falling tide this morning a Curlew Sandpiper dropped in to Passage House where it foraged for a short while before departing down the estuary with a Dunlin. It was also a rare double-godwit day for the Teign with individuals of both Black-tailed Godwit and Bar-tailed Godwit present amongst the Curlew flock. 

Curlew Sandpiper (c)

Caspian Gull

A 1cy Caspian Gull was on the The Salty this evening with at least 950 Herring and 25 Lesser Black-backed Gull. Good to join in with the recent influx on the Axe & Exe estuaries, now for a Glossy Ibis...

 Also present 275 Oystercatcher and two Curlew.

Red-necked Grebe

The surprise discovery of a Red-necked Grebe off Teignmouth early afternoon saved an otherwise disappointing seawatch. Frequenting an area between the yellow buoys north of the yacht club, it wasn't too far out but didn't show especially well due to the choppy conditions and frequent dives. It was possible to make out some faint stripes on the face, suggesting this was a first-winter bird.

Earlier at Passage House nine Greenshanks, four Redshanks, four Ringed Plovers, four Dunlins, a Kingfisher and a Common Gull were noted.

Red-necked Grebe

Common Gull

Yellow-legged Gulls

An effort to scan various gull flocks around the estuary this afternoon paid off with a couple of first-winter Yellow-legged Gulls; a fairly hefty bird on The Salty, and a somewhat smaller proportioned individual on the racecourse. Earlier in the day an adult Mediterranean Gull was off Passage House. 

WeBS, Ruff, Little Gull

Combined totals from the estuary on Saturday afternoon and this morning included 308 Oystercatchers, 61 Curlew, 50 Turnstones, 14 Greenshanks, 13 Common Sandpipers, eight Ringed Plovers, seven Dunlin, one Ruff, one Redshank, 356 Canada Geese, one Bar-headed Goose, c.50 Mallards, 26 Mute Swans, two Moorhens, 39 Little Egrets, 10 Cormorants and one Water Rail.

The Ruff has been showing off Passage House for the past three days and is the first on patch for a decade. Yesterday a Little Gull was also seen in the Passage House area but there was no sign this morning

Ringed Plovers, Osprey

With near-record numbers of Ringed Plovers at Dawlish Warren recently, I headed to Flow Point this morning wondering if there had been an increase in the comparatively meagre population on the Teign. Walking westwards along the edge of the sea wall from near Salcombe Dip, I could see small groups of Ringed Plovers scattered about on the point and some diligent scanning eventually produced a total of 52, the highest count since August 2012. A Turnstone, a Teal and a Kingfisher were also noted.

On Wednesday the first Osprey of the year was between Passage House and Coombe Cellars.

Ringed Plovers