Saturday 3rd September

Seawatching ahead of the rain early afternoon brought the first Sooty Shearwater of the year along with seven Balearic and 13 Manx Shearwater, also offshore three Arctic Skua, 50+ Gannet, 40+ Kittiwake and two Shoveler. Before the rain migrants on site had included five Wheatear, the Whinchat still in Greenland Lake, a Jay in Dead Dolphin Wood and Tree Pipit, Yellow and four Grey Wagtail overhead.

Wader counts 1400 Oystercatcher, 351 Dunlin, 331 Redshank, 181 Ringed Plover, 34 Knot and 27 Sanderling. with these flocks were four Little Stint, a Curlew Sandpiper, eight Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, three Greenshank and a Whimbrel. Other counts from the hide included 165 Great Black-backed Gull, 46 Wigeon, the first big arrival, 27 Sandwich Tern, nine Teal, six Mediterranean Gull, a second year Yellow-legged Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Also in the estuary, but outside the recording area, there were 27 Pale-bellied Brent Geese off Mudbank Lane, Exmouth.

Ringing News: This 'Sanderbling' was first found on 25th August and remained until 30th August. This is the latest recorded on site and the longest stayer. It was ringed on 7th July 2015 at Ostgronland in Greenland. This is the first recovery.

 

Sanderling - Lee Collins