Bird Sightings for October 2003

October 16th: An adult Arctic Tern was present today with seven Common Tern. Wildfowl number have started to pick up with two Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 350 Eurasian Wigeon and two female Common Eider noted. Other species noted included ten Mediterranean Gull, three Red Knot, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit and 32 Black-tailed Godwit.

October 15th: Five Siskin flew over Guineaport, Wadebridge this morning.

October 14th: The return of European Golden Plover, (70),Northern Lapwing (203), and Redwing, (five), must signal the coming of winter. A marked increase in the number of Eurasian Jays encountered today with six on the Amble Marshes and numerous birds along the Camel Trail. Up to 100 Goldcrest were reported along the Camel Trail. A large pipit in the Camel Quarry was identified by Colin Selway as a Richard's Pipit. Other species noted included a Little Stint, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel, three Grey Plover, 77 Eurasian Wigeon, 14 Little Egret and three Common Kingfisher. On the Amble Marshes a Barn Owl was watched hunting at 11 o'clock and up to four Water Rail were heard.

October 13th: Highlights today include 34 Mediterranean Gull, two adult Little Gull, 12 Little Egret, three female Common Eider, two Sandwich Tern and 18 Eurasian Shag.

October 12th: Colin Selway located an Oliver-backed Pipit today just outside Polzeath. (Park at Tristram car park and walk along the cliff path until you reach a stubble field, the bird was watched feeding in association with Rock and Meadow Pipits and Sky Larks). The bird was looked for this afternoon but conditions were not ideal, although a female Reed Bunting was noted. A full estuary count revealed the following, one Little Grebe, 20 Great Cormorant, 15 Eurasian Shag, 41 Little Egret, 18 Grey Heron, three female Common Eider, one Black Swan, 39 Eurasian Wigeon, 54 Mallard, 265 Oystercatcher, one Ringed Plover, three Grey Plover, 12 Northern Lapwing, one Red Knot, eight Dunlin, two Bar-tailed Godwit, 21 Black-tailed Godwit, 201 Eurasian Curlew, six Common Greenshank, 92 Common Redshank, 25 Mediterranean Gull, 1062 Black-headed Gull and 1175 Herring Gull. At the Amble Marshes today Adrian Langdon reports 41 Black-tailed Godwit, six Eurasian Curlew, 12 Common Snipe, seven Grey Heron, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk and a Common Kingfisher. Two Siskin were noted flying over Little Petherick and 300 Common Starling roosted at NRA Pools.

October 11th: A single Grey Plover was present in the Dinham area today, also noted were the following; 14 Little Egret, 38 Eurasian Wigeon, 49 Mute Swan, four Common Teal, 14 Black-tailed Godwit, three Common Greenshank, four Dunlin, one Common Sandpiper, single Peregrine Falcon, and Eurasian Sparrowhawk, and two Common Buzzard. The Black Swan was begging bread at Wadebridge today. Common Starling have started using the NRA Pools as roost site with c.300 birds watched this evening. A Barn Swallow was recorded on Guineaport today.

October 10th: 48 Pied Wagtail used the Co-op building in Wadebridge as a pre-roost this evening before moving on, a large female Eurasian Sparrowhawk made a number of attacks at the birds but was driven off by the wagtails. The town flock of Feral Pigeons numbered 64 this evening.

October 8th: A Grey Phalarope was observed on the river at Guineaport this evening. Elsewhere on the estuary the following were noted; one Little Grebe, 22 Great Cormorant, four Eurasian Shag, eight Little Egret, seven Grey Heron, one Black Swan, two Canada Geese, 34 Eurasian Wigeon, 22 Mallard, a female Eurasian Sparrowhawk, a Merlin, a Common Kestrel, 318 Oystercatcher, 11 European Golden Plover, two Grey Plover, two Northern Lapwing, three Dunlin, five Bar-tailed Godwit, 342 Eurasian Curlew, two Whimbrel, 16 Common Redshank, 13 Common Greenshank, four Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern. A large covey of Red-legged Partridges were noted from the Camel Trail and a Green Woodpecker was noted at Guineaport.

October 6th: A male Eurasian Sparrowhawk was noted over Gonvena Hill, Wadebridge this morning.

October 5th: The estuary today hosted the following, 30 Little Egret, ten Grey Heron, 41 Mute Swan, one Black Swan, 12 Eurasian Wigeon, 45 Mallard, three Common Teal, two Canada Geese, 323 Oystercatcher, one Ringed Plover, one European Golden Plover, two Grey Plover, five Northern Lapwing, 20 Dunlin, 31 Black-tailed Godwit, seven Bar-tailed Godwit, 62 Common Redshank, three Common Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper. Three Common Kingfisher were present near Wadebridge. A European Golden Plover noted flying over Wadebridge was probably the bird later found on the estuary. A Common Chiffchaff was present on the Camel Trail at Old Town Cove. A dead Red-legged Partridge was noted on West Hill, Wadebridge this morning.

October 3rd: Three Siskins flew over Bridgeview, Wadebridge today, 18 Canada Geese were noted over Wadebridge and single Northern Lapwing and Common Redshank were present at Wadebridge Old Bridge.

October 2nd: Eight Mediterranean Gulls were present on the estuary today as were 30 Little Egret, ten Great Cormorant, 204 Oystercatcher, 339 Eurasian Curlew, three Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Black-tailed Godwit, five Dunlin, 11 Common Greenshank, two Red Knot, one Common Tern, seven Sandwich Tern, 910 Black-headed Gull, 801 Herring Gull, 16 Common Gull, 45 Lesser Black-backed Gull, and 70 Great Black-backed Gull. Eurasian Wigeon  numbers have increased with 16 birds present other wildfowl included two Canada Geese, one Black Swan, 27 Mute Swan and 47 Mallard. A Little Grebe has returned to Pinkson Creek. (No sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper today).

October 1st: A Pectoral Sandpiper was present in Pinkson Creek today. Also noted were two Mediterranean Gulls, four Common Tern, two Turnstone, three Ringed Plover, a single Dunlin, seven Sandwich Tern, a Great Crested Grebe, an immature male Peregrine Falcon and four Barn Swallows.