Sunday, 17 March 2024

Sunday 17th March

More signs of migration today with nine Wheatear on site, the first three Sand Martin of the year overhead, a ♂ White Wagtail along the Dune Ridge and a Firecrest behind the Main Pond. Also on site seven Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest and a Siskin.

A White-tailed Eagle, presumed a 4cy from the IoW reintroduction, flew NNW at 12:30 before being lost behind Cofton ridge. presumably the same bird flew over Paignton at 11:58. The fourth site record, the previous all being between 21st-27th March. 

Counts from the estuary included 124 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 105 Dunlin, 58 Turnstone, 57 Oystercatcher, 37 Bar-tailed Godwit, 23 Redshank, 20 Curlew, 17 Sanderling, 16 Teal, nine Eider, seven Greenshank, four Knot, a Grey Plover and a Sandwich Tern.

Elsewhere seven Great Crested Grebe and a Great Northern Diver were offshore with two Red-breasted Merganser and two Red-throated Diver SW during a 1hr 15 min seawatch.

Year list addition:

116. Sand Martin
White-tailed Eagle
White Wagtail

Other Wildlife: Two Peacock were on the wing in the spring conditions with it mild enough for the first Common Pipistrelle of the year to emerge early evening. 

Beosus maritimus - Kevin Rylands

On Warren Point the continued rapid erosion of the dunes has reduced the remaining populations of the nationally scarce dog lichen Peltigera neckeri. A new species for the Recording Area was found whilst checking the losses, the lichenicolous fungi Corticifraga fuckelii on Peltigera canina

Peltigera neckeri - Kevin Rylands

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