BIRD SIGHTINGS FOR MARCH 2003

March 31st:Highlights of today's watching included, 8 Great Cormorant, 3 European Shag, 26 Little Egret, 4 Eurasian Spoonbill, 44 Mute and a single Black Swan, 5 Pale bellied and 1 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 126 Common Shelduck, 64 Eurasian Wigeon, A total of 7 Common Buzzard were watched circling on thermals. 2 Dunlin, a Ruff, a Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Bar-tailed Godwits, 9 Common Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, 7 Ruddy Turnstone made up the wader contingent. Gulls present included 231 Herring and 26 Great Black-backed. Along the Camel Trail a single singing Blackcap was noted as was 7 singing Common Chiffchaff. Butterflies included 3 Peacock and a single Speckled Wood.

March 30th: A Eurasian Sparrowhawk was noted at Tollgate.

March 29th: The 4 Eurasian Spoonbills were present today on the Amble Marshes, other species there included a male Tufted Duck, 4 Ruff, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Northern Lapwing, 1 Greylag Goose, 2 Northern Shoveler, 2 Barn Swallow, 23 Sand Martin and a Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 2 Grey and 4 Red-legged Partridges were also present. On Dinham Flats a further 6 Black-tailed Godwits were in residence as were 46 Mute and 1 Black Swan.

March 28th: 3 Sandwich Terns were noted off Padstow by Colin Selway today as was a summer plumages Slavonian Grebe.

March 21st: A full estuary count by Colin Selway produced the following records; 36 Common Redshank, 9 Common Greenshank, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 25 Dunlin, 24 Grey Plover, 3 Common Snipe, 62 Eurasian Curlew, 35 Little Egret, 24 Grey Heron, 4 Eurasian Spoonbill, 1 Greylag Goose, 1 Black Swan, 1 Sandwich Tern and 4 Mew, (Common), Gull.

March 19th: Colin Selway reported today a Little Gull and a Mediterranean Gull on Dinham Flats, he also noted the 4 Eurasian Spoonbill and a single Greylag Goose. Of interest was a possible Roseate Tern off Tregonce, it was very white with a long tail, a full black cap and black bill was noted.

March 18th: 4 Eurasian Spoonbill were present in the Dinham Flats area, also present were 12 Little Egret, 145 Eurasian Wigeon, 117 Common Shelduck, 6 Common Redshank, 40 Bar-tailed Godwits, 68 Oystercatcher and 3 Little Grebe. A Common Chiffchaff was singing at Tregunna. Colin Selway reported a Red Kite flying over the estuary towards Chapel Amble at 1600hrs.

March 17th: A morning walk in Coronation Park produced single singing Blackcap and Common Chiffchaff, a Small Tortoiseshell was also noted. At the high tide roost at Trebetherick Point, 5 Sanderling, 21 Grey Plover, 37 Dunlin, 22 Red Knot and 12 Oystercatcher roosted. A single Mew, (Common), Gull was present in the bay as was a Eurasian Shag. 2 Rock Pipits were watched displaying.

March 16th: Common Chiffchaffs were noted throughout Wadebridge today with at least 6 singing males noted. A Eurasian Sparrowhawk was observed at Coronation Park. On the estuary 5 pale-bellied Brent Geese and a single dark-bellied Brent Goose were still present off Rock, an adult Mediterranean Gull roosted off Padstow, other species noted included 3 Common Redshank, 2 Common Greenshank, 40 Eurasian Curlew, 160 Oystercatcher, 7 Little Egret and 2 Little Grebe. A single Common Chiffchaff was singing near Old Town Cove.

March 13th: At West Hill, Wadebridge today a Merlin was noted. A Eurasian Sparrowhawk was observed over the town.

March 12th: Mike Lawson reported 3 Eurasian Spoonbills this morning on Dinham Flats. This afternoon the 3 Eurasian Spoonbills were still present and nearby the wintering bird was still present on the Amble Marshes. Other species present today included a Greylag Goose, a male Red-breasted Merganser, a Common Goldeneye, 12 Little Egret, 45 Bar-tailed Godwits, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, a Great Crested Grebe and a total of 50 Canada Geese. Unusual was a leucistic Black-headed Gull on Dinham Flats, (this bird was noted at few days earlier at the Gannel Estuary, Newquay  by Stan Christopher).

March 11th: Four, Whooper Swan were on the Amble Marshes today, probably the birds reported on the 22nd February, also present on the marshes were 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 15 Sand Martins, 12 Northern Shoveler, 2 Gadwall and 2 Little Egret. The Eurasian Spoonbill was present on the estuary in the Trevelver area. Waders present included 45 Bar-tailed Godwit, 40 Common Redshank and a Common Greenshank. A first winter Mediterranean Gull was present on Dinham Flats as were 9 Little Egrets.

March 10th: The Eurasian Spoonbill was at the Amble Marshes this morning together with 2 Little Egrets. In the Padstow Area 2 Common Eiders were present, also 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Dark-bellied. 14 Eurasian Shag were close in at Rock.

March 9th: Ten Eurasian Shag off Padstow probably indicated how rough the sea was today. 3 Slavonian Grebe enjoyed the relative calm of the estuary as did 1 of the female Common Eiders, also present were 43 Grey Plover, 31 Red Knot and 85 Dunlin. At Dennis Cove the female Great Scaup and the male Tufted Duck were still present. The shelter Little Petherick Creek produced a Firecrest, (probably February 16th bird), ranging from the Car Park to the Holiday Flats, other passerines present included Goldcrest, Coal Tit and Long-tailed Tit. The creek also held a few waders, 1 Common Greenshank, 27 Common Redshank and a Dunlin.

March 8th: William Delacor reported 2 House Martin at Guineaport, Wadebridge today.

March 6th: At Padstow today a Red-necked Grebe was noted off Tregonce, also a Slavonian and Great Crest were in the vicinity. The Pale-bellied Brent Geese were in the Porthilly area still bullying the Dark-bellied Brent at every opportunity. Two female Common Eider were present as were 35 Ruddy Turnstone, 2 Common Greenshank, 39 Eurasian Wigeon, and a single Little Egret. Gull numbers were poor with just 120 Lesser black-backed, 85 Herring, 49 Great Black-backed, 7 Mew, and 130 Black-headed, 3 Mediterranean (a second winter and 2 first winter) were also present. At the nearby Dennis Pool the female Great Scaup and male Tufted Duck were still present.

March 5th: An afternoon visit to the Amble Marshes was timely with a sighting of the Eurasian Spoonbill watched circling before heading high towards the estuary, other species present included 1 Little Egret, 17 Northern Shoveler, 14 Canada Geese, 11 Eurasian Teal, 13 Black-tailed Godwit, a Water Pipit and a male Peregrine Falcon was watched chasing Common Snipe, Northern Lapwing and Dunlin. The Black Swan looks to have taken up residence now in the Mute Swan herd.

March 3rd: This afternoons rising tide at Dinham Flats produced a Greylag Goose, 24 Canada Geese, 107 Common Shelduck, 70 Eurasian Wigeon; waders included 23 Red Knot, 37 Grey Plover, 422 Dunlin, a Common Greenshank and 41 Bar-tailed Godwits. A single Little Grebe was noted as were 2 Great Crested Grebes, up to 5 Little Egrets were present. The Black Swan was once again in the Mute Swan herd.

March 2nd: This morning on the Amble Marshes a single male Northern Pintail was noted together with 12 Northern Shoveler, 90 Eurasian Wigeon and 31 Eurasian Teal. 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 75 Eurasian Curlew, 17 Common Snipe and 44 Northern Lapwing made up the wader contingent. 2 Little Egret also fed in the brackish water. At Trebetherick Point this afternoon at the high tide wader roost a single Bar-tailed Godwit was present with 67 Grey Plover, 58 Red Knot, 37 Dunlin, and single Ruddy Turnstone and Purple Sandpiper. In Wadebridge Siskin were noted at Valley View and Bridgeview.

March 1st: Off Padstow this evening a single adult Yellow-legged Gull was present among the 385 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, other gulls present included 2 first winter Mediterranean, 38 Herring, 300 Black-headed and 85 Mew. 5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were present on Porthilly Beach as was a single Dark-bellied. 2 Common Eider were also present. At Dennis Pool the female Great Scaup and the male Tufted Duck were still present, also on the pool was a ringed Black-headed Gull. Up to 5 Siskin were still present at Guineaport Road, Wadebridge.