Camel Estuary, Cornwall (1 Viewer)

[camelbirder]

A morning look at Padstow was productive with a total of 32, (2 juv), M<editerranean Gulls, 5 Sandwich Tern, 10 Dunlin, 1 Knot, 7 Sanderling, 24 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Ringed Plover and 5 Little Egret.

On Tregirls Beach this morning 43 Mediterranean Gull, (10 Juv), were present together with 18 Sandwich Terns, a Gannet was also in the bay. A small fall of Chiffchaff was noted at Hawkers Cove with a minimum of 10 birds present.

If there was no movement in the Mediterranean Gulls between the two sites this makes a total of 75 individuals of which 12 were juvenile. Also a total of 23 Sandwich Tern.

 

[Qingcol]

This morning at Dinham Flats, 12+ Common Sandpiper (no sign of Spotted) 2 Greenshank, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 150+ Dunlin, 6 Whimbrel, 1 Shoveler, 1 Common Swift and a Kingfisher.

 

[Qingcol]

At the high tide on Dinham Flats this afternoon, birds include 33 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Knot, 90+ Dunlin, 5 Common Sandpiper, 4 Whimbrel, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Redshank, 1 Ringed Plover and a Kingfisher. A very large (prob female) juvenile Peregrine Falcon trying it's luck with Wood pigeon nr the Burniere hide, also nr the hide 1 Lesser Whitethroat.

 

[Qingcol]

In atrocious weather this morning 350+ Black-headed Gull (not a single Med) were sheltering on Wadebridge cricket field at least 2 were wearing BTO type rings, at Town Bridge 40+ Herring and 6 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 60+ Black-headed Gull, 50+ Common Redshank. This weather is only fit for Frogs, one below on a Wadebridge pond.

 

[camelbirder]

Not been out for the last few days, (work) but did see an adult Mediterranean Gull over Wadebridge last night.

 

[Qingcol]

Juvenile Med Gull this morning at Town Bridge Wadebridge plus 87 Redshank. At Treraven Meadow 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Kingfisher and 4 Little Egret. (2 Swift over Wadebridge this evening)

 

[camelbirder]

At Walmsley Sanc. this evening 15 Black-tailed Godwits were present together with 3 Green Sandpipers, 10 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 5 Snipe, 4 Little Egret, 22 Moorhen and 3 Coot. 2 Swifts were also noted.

 

[camelbirder]

There is a report in the Walmsley Tower Hide Logbook of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at the Amble Marshes, on the 10th August. This is the second ever record of this species at this site, the first was last year and is well worth looking for.
(Before anyone questions the validity of the record the observer IS a very good birder).

 

[Qingcol]

The photo below is a D side of L 'Blue' phase Atlantic Fulmar, passing Rumps Point 12 07 2008.( I did seek an opinion from Cornwalls finest birder on this one, who incidentally lives in the SE of the county, a quiet unassuming man with a vast experience in birding and is always willing to share his knowledge with others).

 

[camelbirder]

This morning on the estuary off Padstow a minimum of 9 Mediterranean Gulls were present, (2 juveniles). Also noted were 25 Sandwich Terns and 4 Knot.

At Tregirls Beach 16 Mediterranean Gulls were noted, (1 juvenile). Other species included 8 Sandwich Terns and 12 Sanderling.

At Hawkers Cove a few migrants were noted includeing 1 Garden Warbler, 3 Whitethroat and 2 Chiffchaff.

At Clapper Marshes a single Green Sandpiper was noted.

Still 6 Swifts over Wadebridge at lunch time.

An estuary total of 25 Mediterranean Gulls and 33 Sandwich Terns.

 

[Qingcol]

Not strictly Camel Estuary but not far away, one 1stW Pied Flycatcher in Hustyn Woods this afternoon and large numbers of Coal Tit, including one flock of 28 they must have had a good breeding season.

 

[camelbirder]

A late evening look at Dinham Flats produced a massive flock of 610 Canada Geese, (this is probably the largest flock since 700 in 2006).
Other species included 40 Little Egret, (39 Roosting on Dinham Saltmarsh), also 1 Whimbrel, 1 Common Sandpiper, 416 Curlew, 1 Ringed Plover, 87 Mallard and 4 Shelduck.

 

[Qingcol]

This morning at Walmsley Sanctuary, 21 Common Teal, 2 Shoveler, 7 Greenshank, 10 Black-tailed Godwit, 8 Dunlin, 3 Common Snipe and my first Water Rail since the spring, (an adult) still lots of Sedge Warbler and 2 Common Whitethroat, 4 Bullfinch, 6 Chiffchaff and 2 Common Swift over the Amble.

 

[camelbirder]

A full estuary, (WeBs), count today produced the following species;

Great Cormorant 17
E. Shag 12
Little Egret 82
Grey Heron 15
Mute Swan 59
Canada Goose 594
Mallard 74
Mallard Hybrid 5
Moorhen 2
Oystercatcher 383
Ringed Plover 11
Red Knot 3
Dunlin 84
C. Snipe 1
Black-t Godwit 11
Bar-t Godwit 4
Whimbrel 10
E. Curlew 289
C. Redshank 119
C. Greenshank 5
Common Sand. 2
Turnstone 1
Buzzard 4
Peregrine Falcon 1
Mediterranean Gull 78
Black-h. Gull 1614
Common Gull 2
L.B.B. Gull 30
Herring Gull 1573
Yellow-leg Gull 3
G.B.B. Gull 98
Sandwich Tern 51
Common Tern 1
Kingfisher 2

 

[camelbirder]

I forgot to mention the large numbers of corvids in the Dinham Flats area with over 650 Jackdaw and 800 Rook feeding in the, (cut), corn fields.

 

[Qingcol]

I am well used to watching dive-feeding Shoveler, especially at Walmsley Sanctuary and Clapper Marshes where there must be the optimum depth of water plus suitable aquatic plants, and the diving style has always been consistently the same, very much like Surf Scoter without the tiny leap, appearing to swim into the water and making use of their wings for underwater propulsion. But the two individuals at Walmsley last weekend had a very different diving motion, like most other diving ducks appearing to use only feet for propulsion and to dive with wings closed, I noted over 50 dives and have photos of 30 consistently the same diving motion.

 

[camelbirder]

Hi Colin,
I like you have witnessed, many times, the diving behaviour of Shoveler especially on Clapper Marshes and on all occassions they have dived with no leap and have opened their wings. (As you say like Surf Scoter).

After a quick look at the literature, I have not found any reference to the diving you have described, above using only their feet instead of their wings.

BWP states; diving, possibly more often than other Anas, but not frequent. Dives with no forward leap using wings underwater to depths up to 80cm, and rarely for more than 5 seconds.

There is some good footage of the behaviuor on YouTube

 

[Qingcol]

BWP states; diving, possibly more often than other Anas, but not frequent. Dives with no forward leap using wings underwater to depths up to 80cm, and rarely for more than 5 seconds [/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info, I did manage to time 10 dives, none were as short as 5 seconds they all fell between 7 and 13 seconds.

3 Common Swift this morning over Coronation Park Wadebridge, one showing very pale forehead and lores looked like a juv to me ( I did not see a single juv last year over Wadebridge)

 

[Qingcol]

Walmsley Sanctuary this morning, birds include 10 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpiper, 5 Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 20+ Eur Teal, 5 Northern Shoveler, 120+ Linnet and 8 Grey Heron.

 

[Qingcol]

Looking at Town Bridge Wadebridge this afternoon between showers, the wash and brush-up for Gulls area just above the bridge held 130+ Herring Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed, 32 Black-headed and 1 Great Black-backed Gull. The island below the bridge and next to the quay held 4 Common Sandpiper, 90+ Common Redshank and 5 Black-tailed Godwit.