Friday 5 September 2008

ATLANTIC STORMS WRECK MANY GREY PHALAROPES WHILST SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER IN SOUTH DEVON REMAINS STAR BIRD






IMAGES ABOVE
Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dawlish Warren, South Devon, September 2008 (Gary Thoburn)
Juvenile Grey Phalarope, Weston Turville Reservoir, Buckinghamshire, 3-4 September 2008 (Paul Keene/Mike Collard)
Colour-ringed Great White Egret, The Mere, Ellesmere, Shropshire, September 2008 (Phil Jones)
The juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, present since 26 August, remains at Dawlish Warren (South Devon) today, frequenting the beach near the point at high tide (with other roosting waders) and the mud of The Bight at low and ebbing tide. Park in the Pay & Display car park close to the Dawlish Warren NR Information Centre and walk along the beach for 0.75 miles to view from the dunes or the reserve hide.
An adult AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER is present on machair at Greenhill, 2 miles south of Bridgend (on Tiree, Argyll), with the adult WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER again briefly on Titchwell Marsh RSPB (Norfolk) and juvenile DOTTERELS still at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucs) and on St Mary's Airfield (Scilly).
Three juvenile WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERNS today include singles at Shotwick Boating Lake (Clwyd), Blithfield Reservoir (Staffs) and at Dungeness RSPB ARC Pit (Kent), whilst the colour-ringed GREAT WHITE EGRET remains on The Mere at Ellesmere (Salop).
A selection of WRYNECKS remain, including long-staying individuals at Holland Haven (Essex) and Thorney Island (Hants), with a TAWNY PIPIT still showing well in fields at Portland Bill (Dorset) and a first-winter CITRINE WAGTAIL on Portnellick Beach, St Mary's (Scilly).
Strong SE winds in the west country resulted in 3 SABINE'S GULLS and 7 POMARINE SKUAS off Berry Head, Brixham (South Devon) and both GREAT and 3 CORY'S SHEARWATERS off Porthgwarra (Cornwall).