One of two Garden Warblers feeding quietly together at the top end of Bystock reserve this morning.
Orcombe Point first thing - fog and a cold northerly breeze - 1 singing Lesser Whitethroat, 5 singing Whitethroats, 7 singing Blackcaps and 9 singing Chiffchaffs. The two Red-legged Partridges are still there but no young in tow yet. Two Whimbrel were on the beach by the lifeboat station. Off Mudbank this afternoon - 67+ Whimbrel (an increase), 9 Bar-tailed Godwits, 7 Dunlin (plus more small waders on Cockle Sands) and a flock of 11 Swifts east just before 4pm. A Reed Warbler is singing in West Lodge reedbed for its third day at least.
Bystock - 8 Tufted Ducks (5 drakes, 3 females), 3 singing Firecrests, 2 singing Willow Warblers and 2 Garden Warblers. I'm sure I'd have seen more stuff if I'd covered the whole reserve.
Yesterday - very little but 1 Wheatear and a singing Sedge Warbler on Orcombe Point were noteworthy. Five Black-headed Gulls flew past the point and headed towards the river. Mudbank - 8 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, c25 Whimbrel, 18 Dunlin and 3 Sandwich Terns.
Whimbrel - numbers up on yesterday.
Bar-tailed Godwit.
I was going to msg you about the Tufties, we saw 8 yesterday too, I thought I had 6 drakes 2 females.... arghhh. Peregrine with prey over WR was a highlight this am on WR, and I need to find those garden warblers!
ReplyDeleteHi Tom - I'm sure you did have six drakes and 2 females - there seems to be lots of toing and froing of birds there at the moment so please don't doubt yourself! I suspect the Garden Warblers were just passing through. Both birds were busy feeding up. I don't recall ever seeing one at Bystock before. Your best chance, if you want to see one locally, is Orcombe clifftop scrub, early morning if conditions are right. They'll be moving back through in August if you miss them this spring. Otherwise they shouldn't be too difficult on woodland edges up on Dartmoor. All the best. Matt.
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