Bits and Bobs

Whitethroat - singing male back on territory on Orcombe Point.

Yet another early morning whiz around Orcombe and an all too familiar lack of birds. I was there at 0615 and recorded 8+ Blackcap, 6+ Chiffchaff, 10+ Willow Warbler, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Wheatear, 2 Whitethroat, 1 Collared Dove, 1+ Meadow Pipit and 3 Sandwich Tern.

Off Mudbank today - 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 3 Sandwich Tern and 6 Great Crested Grebe. 

The Yellow-browed Warbler is still belting out its song from the front garden of number 35, so much so that one of the local Starlings has taken to mimicking it!

This afternoon, with the family all doing other stuff, I popped up to the heathland that sits just within the parish boundary and was pleased to finally see my first House Martins of the year - 6 birds in total. Also recorded were 6+ Redpoll, small numbers of Siskin,  1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Stonechat, 2+ Yellowhammer and my first  Exmouth Dartford Warbler of the year - a singing male.

Finally - a 20 minute scan off the seafront, late afternoon, produced 6 Sandwich Tern, 11 Whimbrel and c15+ Common Scoter.

Chiffchaff - a nice bright individual.

Holly Blue

Tufted Duck - one of four (2 pairs) on Bystock Pool. .

Eleven Whimbrel pass over Warren Point into the estuary late afternoon.