Monday 19th August

A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was on Finger Point, a colour-ringed bird from the Atlantic coast of France that has been at Exmouth recently. Also present over the high tide 260 Sandwich, four Common and a juvenile Arctic Tern and seven Mediterranean Gull. Wader counts included 322 Redshank, 310 Dunlin, 250 Ringed Plover, 31 Sanderling, 25 Knot, eight Whimbrel, seven Common Sandpiper, five Greenshank, and single Bar and Black-tailed Godwit.

 Yellow-legged Gull - Lee Collins

Elsewhere a single Swift was overhead with a dozen House Martin, a Wheatear was in the Bight and a Ring-necked Parakeet added some colour. Blue phase birds are only known from captivity not feral or wild populations. This may be an escape or one of an increasing number of illegally released birds in Devon.

Ring-necked Parakeet - Lee Collins

 

Wildlife News: At least two of the nationally rare cranefly Geranomyia bezzi were recorded in the Bight, the first sighting since the sea defence work. The Warren is the only regular UK site for this species.