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Friday 9 March 2012

Slapton Ley

08:10-14:00
Lots of birdsong but a chilly wind made it feel less springlike. Tufted Ducks fairly numerous, counted 102. Elsewhere just 5 Pochard, 7 Gadwall and a couple of male Goldeneye. A lone female Ruddy Duck was at Torcross. A fairly good grebe day with 29 Great Cresteds on the ley ( several displaying pairs ) and a furthur 11 in Start Bay. Also 3 Little Grebes, including one singing, and single Black-necked Grebe near Torcross and unusually a Red-necked Grebe in Ireland Bay. 2 Great Northern Divers offshore and also Black-throated Diver off the central car park but it was mobile and headed off south.
Lots of gulls offshore including good numbers of Common Gull and at least a couple hundred Lesser Black-backed seen - none of the many adults appeared dark enough to suggest intermedius birds. At least 2 Mediterranean Gulls offshore including one full summer adult.