Reed Bunt, Sibe Chiff

This fine male Reed Bunting was with a pair of Cirl Buntings on the Imperial rec this morning. Also there - 1 Meadow Pipit and 1 Chiffchaff. A Firecrest was again in willows at West Lodge.

The presumed Wigeon x Gadwall hybrid was in Duckpond this morning.

Siberian Chiffchaff - Mudbank. With 4 Chiffchaffs in the big willow this morning. The classic weak 'fee' call heard just once.

 Adult and juvenile Dark-bellied Brent Geese - the 'Gut'.

Sibe Chiff

A Siberian Chiffchaff was along Madeira walk today. Also along there - several Goldcrests, at least 2 Firecrests and 4+ Chiffchaffs. The wintering Whimbrel is still showing very well in Duckpond and a Cetti's Warbler was along the cycle path between Mudbank and West Lodge. A male Stonechat was the only bird of note in the West Lodge reedbed.

Firecrest - Madeira Walk.

The wintering Whimbrel.

Short Catch-up

Firecrest - West Lodge.

Very little to report. A short sea-watch from the raised beach huts, first thing, produced 3 Red-throated Divers, 5 Great Northern Divers, 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Common Scoters, 1 Great Crested Grebe and an adult Mediterranean Gull. Otherwise at least 1 Firecrest and 2 Chiffchaffs at West Lodge.

Yesterday - the Whimbrel still in Duckpond and a Stonechat still on the Imperial recreation ground. Three Chiffchaffs were in scrub along Mudbank and a Firecrest was at West Lodge.

18/11 - Orcombe - 1 Golden Plover, c350 Woodpigeons, 14+ Skylarks, 1 Turnstone, 8 Goldcrests, 5 Chiffchaffs, 16+ Chaffinches and a pair of Cirl Buntings.

Little Egret - Maer Rocks 18/11/25.

Goosanders

Goosanders - Mudbank. Barely annual in Exmouth but this trio follows a single bird west past Orcombe on October 5th.

A little bit of movement on Orcombe this morning with c700+ Woodpigeons east, 10 Chaffinches, 1 Little Egret and 1 Lapwing logged. Also - c35 Pied Wagtails, 215+ Starlings, 5 Chiffchaffs, 10 Goldcrests, 2 Stock Doves, 1+ Stonechat, 1 Snipe, 4 Song Thrushes and c10+ Meadow Pipits.

The Yellow-browed Warbler called just once but clearly in scrub at Mudbank and also seen - c6+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Firecrest, several Goldcrests and 1 Blackcap. Off there - 3 Goosanders (two females and an immature male), 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, c20 Ringed Plovers, 20 Grey Plovers, 22 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Great Crested Grebes and c150 Redshank.

A lone Lapwing heading over Orcombe this morning.

A flock of Starlings heading towards a cattle herd below Bond's Farm. I counted 215 in five flocks in total but estimate c300+ were present in the final gathering.

Spot Red

Orcombe from dawn - 1 Snipe, 2 Cirl Buntings, 1 Firecrest, 16 Blackbirds, 5 Song Thrushes, c55 Chaffinches, 7 Goldcrests, 11+ Greenfinches, 1 Rock Pipit, c10/20+ Meadow Pipits, c55 Starlings, 1+ Siskin, 6 Chiffchaffs and 2 Curlew.

Mudbank - 1 Yellow-browed Warbler still, 6+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Firecrest, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 25 Knot, 1 Shoveler,  33+ Great Crested Grebes, 1 Spotted Redshank, c120 Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 9+ Grey Plover and 11 Teal. Nearby - 1 Cirl Bunting and 1 Stonechat on the Imperial rec, the Whimbrel in Duckpond and a Black Redstart in the 'Gut'. A Firecrest was along Madeira Walk.

Spotted Redshank - Mudbank.

Whimbrel - Duckpond.

Blackbird - Imperal rec.

YBW

This morning's Yellow-browed Warbler.

Orcombe in wet weather was a bit better than expected - 1 Golden Plover, 1+ Brambling, 1+ Redpoll, 25 Stock Doves, 3 Rock Pipits, 1 Moorhen, 1 Cirl Bunting, 13 Skylarks, 3+ Chiffchaffs and c40 Starlings. Nearby - 1 Firecrest in Maer Lane and a big flock of c300+ Starling out across the bay. A further 2 Firecrests were in the Maer long-stay carpark.

Mudbank - 3 Shoveler, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and 10 Greenshank. In scrub between the top and bottom benches - 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Firecrest and 3+ Chiffchaffs.

Shelly Beach - 1 Cattle Egret (Cockle Sands) and 1 Mediterranean Gull on Bull Hill.

Drake Shovelers - Mudbank.

Barnacle, Black Reds

Whimbrel - Duckpond. This long-staying bird looks set to winter...

The Barnacle Goose was scoped from Shelly Beach this afternoon - well off towards Cockwood Corner but standing out like a sore thumb amongst the Brents. I'm pretty sure it was the 'goose sp'  I saw from the car a couple days ago as it flew towards the Warren. Nearby - 3 Black Redstarts in the 'Gut' and a Whimbrel in Duckpond.

Off Mudbank - 47+ Great Crested Grebes, 140+ Shelduck, c30 Sanderling, 12+ Bar-tailed Godwits and 6+ Grey Plovers. Five Avocets flew downriver at 1520 and continued towards Cockwood.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - Duckpond.

Some of the 47+ Great Crested Grebes off Mudbank. The highest count for a while.

At least three Black Redstarts (2 female types and a male) were in the 'Gut' around the Camperdown long-stay carpark and the new scout building this afternoon.