Weekend Stuff

A bit more movement on Orcombe Point this morning. Quite a still, chilly and overcast day today but lovely being out.

Orcombe totals from this morning included 40+ Robins, up to 6 Song Thrushes, 14+ Blackbirds, 3 Grey Wagtails, 3 Goldcrests, 17+ Chiffchaffs, c100+ Pied Wagtails, c80+ Meadow Pipits, 1 Little Egret, 5 egret sp (probably Littles), c35+ Goldfinches, 3 Reed Buntings, c10+ Greenfinches, 17+ Chaffinches, c100+ Linnets, 5+ Siskins, 5+ Ravens, 2 Golden Plovers, 2 Peregrines, 1 Sparrowhawk, c110+ Jackdaws, 9+ Skylarks, 700+ Woodpigeons, 3 Jays, 1 Stock Dove, 3 Bullfinches, 2 Coal Tits, 1 Rook, 1 Snipe, 5 Cirl Buntings and 1+ Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Mudbank - the female Garganey still, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, c200+ Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Greenshank, 20 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel, c125 Turnstones, 4 Teal, 3+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese amongst (uncounted) Dark-bellied Brent Geese, c275+ Pintail and 42+ Little Egrets. Again I didn't count the Wigeon but no apparent increase so probably c1000+ Still.

Yesterday - Orcombe Point - 1 Lapwing, 7+ Redwings (my first of the autumn), 35+ Robins, 13+ Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackbirds, 6+ Song Thrushes, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, c55+ Pied Wagtails, c160+ Meadow Pipits, 10+ Goldfinches, c60+ Linnets, 9 Siskins, 1 Rock Pipit, 3+ Cirl Buntings, 10+ Chaffinches, 9+ Skylarks, 10 Starlings, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Kestrel and c700+ Woodpigeons.

Mudbank - c120+ Turnstones, c110+ Black-tailed Godwits, 30+ Redshank, 6+ Greenshank, 16 Dunlin, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, c225 Pintail and 7 Teal.

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Orcombe Point.

Reed Bunting - one of three this morning.

At least 40 Robins on my circuit this morning.

This is the first Whimbrel I've seen for a while - a short-billed juvenile bird.

The female Garganey is still in with the Pintail and Wigeon but it remained miles out today.

This 'buff-winged' Little Egret at Lower Halsdon Farm has been around for quite a while. A striking-looking individual with the brown colouration in the wings being equally distributed on both sides.

Bar-tailed Godwits - Mudbank.

Grey Plover - Duckpond. Derek mentioned he'd seen a very confiding Grey Plover in Duckpond the other day but I didn't expect it to be hanging around.

 Ringed Plover - Duckpond. The only one I saw today.

Cold Overhead Stuff

Barely above freezing this morning and another lovely sunrise. Could have done with gloves!

More good birding on Orcombe Point this morning. I covered it between 0715 and 10am and logged 1 Spoonbill (west at 0809), 1+ Woodlark (1 low west first light and it or another on the deck in the top fields, later on), 2300+ Woodpigeons, 13+ Stock Doves, 7 Jays, 90+ Meadow Pipits, c90+ Pied Wagtails, 5+ Siskins, 4 Swallows, 9 House Martins, up to 25 Skylarks, 4 Reed Buntings, 1 Starling, 2 Mallard, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Stonechat, c25 Robins, 4+ Song Thrushes, 9+ Chaffinches, 3 Goldcrests, 1 Coal Tit, c30 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, c100+ Linnets, c70+ Goldfinches, 7+ Blackbirds, 1+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and c150 Jackdaws.

Best bird off Mudbank was a female Garganey - presumably the bird seen a few days ago (it certainly looked to be the same individual). It was with c1000+ Wigeon and a few Pintail. Also - 9+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese amongst (uncounted) Dark-bellied Bent Geese, 55+ Black-tailed Godwits, 3+ Bar-tailed Godwits, c30+ Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 2 Dunlin, 32+ Little Egrets, 6+ Great Crested Grebes, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Goldcrest and a flock of c300+ Jackdaws.

Additional Goldcrest records today - 2 Maer Long Stay carpark, 1 Lower Halsdon Farm and 1+ West Lodge. A group of 5 Song Thrushes flew out of thick scrub in Maer Valley.

Woodpigeons.  c2300+ headed west in the first couple hours of daylight.

This morning's Spoonbill heading west.

Woodlarks

Both of this morning's Woodlarks in the above photo. They flew off west shortly after 920am. This field has had maize in it all autumn but a few days ago it was cut and rolled. Good news for these Woodlarks, a Wheatear, 3 Cirl Buntings, c70 Linnets, a Reed Bunting and at least 30 Pied Wagtails!

Orcombe Point totals - 2 Woodlarks the highlight plus 1 Wheatear, 3 Cirl Buntings, 2 Reed Buntings, 2+ Siskins, 5 Blackcaps, c40 Robins, 6 Swallows, c20 Chiffchaffs, 15+ Blackbirds, 5 Song Thrushes, c50+ Pied Wagtails, 1+ Goldcrest, c40 Goldfinches, c70+ Linnets, 5 Stonechats, c30+ Meadow Pipits, 35+ Woodpigeons, 1+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtails and 16+ Jackdaws.

Nearby in Maer Valley - 3 Little Egrets, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Jays and at least 4 Ring-necked Parakeets.

Mudbank counts - 160+ Pintail, c700 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Skylark, 1 Kestrel and 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose. At least 5 Cattle Egrets in with cattle over the other side of the river but most of the herd was out of sight so I'm guessing more birds were present.

Kestrel.

Skylark.

Pied Wagtail.

First-winter Yellow-legged Gull

Another nice start to yesterday morning but a pinkish sunrise gave way to another pretty much birdless dawn. This morning it was overcast and damp but still pretty poor.

Orcombe Point - c30 Robins, just 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Little Egret, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1+ Goldcrest, 1 Swallow, 1 Coal Tit and 4 Stock Doves.

Mudbank counts included c700 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 310+ Pintail, c80+ Turnstones, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 2+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Kingfisher, 7+ Redshank, 3 Ringed Plovers, 3 Greenshank and a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull.

Yesterday off Mudbank - 7 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Kingfishers, 1 juvenile Peregrine, 2 Sandwich Terns and 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls.

Song Thrush - Orcombe Point.

First-winter Yellow-legged Gull - Mudbank.

I always, always aim to get a flight view of any potential YLG. The sight of that bright white tail and narrow black tail band puts to bed any thoughts of odd Herring or Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Garganey

South-easterlies always feel 'birdy' but Orcombe Point wasn't great this morning. I recorded just 6 Chiffchaffs, c30 Pied Wagtails, c90 Meadow Pipits, c40 Linnets, 2 Kestrels, c40 Goldfinches, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Little Egret.

Mudbank was much more rewarding with 1 female Garganey, c80 Teal, 200+ Pintail, c560 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 8+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese, c100 Shelduck, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 2+ Greenshank and 1+ Skylark over. Nearby - 38 Little Egrets in Lower Halsdon Farm.

Shelly Beach - 1 Wheatear and c300 Starlings.

My second Garganey of the autumn, this time a female, was off Mudbank this morning. It stayed a while amongst the Wigeon before moving onto the edge of Cockle Sands. Garganey is by no means annual in Exmouth so each one is highly-prized.

 No Wheatears on Orcombe Point but this bird was on rooftops around Shelly Beach along with c300+ Starlings.

Spoonbills

 Two Spoonbills upriver after work this evening, at 450pm.

Pec Sand and BW Stilt

Chuffed to find this Pectoral Sandpiper on Exminster Marshes this afternoon. Feel a bit jammy because I went there for the Black-winged Stilt - a very rare 'off patch' excursion. I first picked it up on its odd call as it flew over with 2 Snipe at 310pm. It landed in front of the viewing platform but promptly vanished. I started to doubt the id as I waited for ages with another gentleman (I wish I'd asked his name. Apologies if you're reading this) and later Andy Bond but it just wouldn't show. I got home and uploaded my swiftly-grabbed photos to realise that it is indeed a Pec. Note the size compared to Snipe, neatly marked 'pec' band and underwing pattern. I couldn't see any of this detail on the back of the camera. I've only ever found one before - way back in 1999 on Matford pools. Apparently it has since been showing from the viewing platform.

Below with a Snipe - a good size comparison.

Exminster Marshes - 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 juv Spotted Redshank, 1 juv Black-winged Stilt, 80+ Coot and a Marsh Harrier of note.

Orcombe Point earlier - 1 Golden Plover, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Little Egret, 200+ Meadow Pipits, 1 Stock Dove, 13+ Chiffchaffs, 16+ alba Wagtails, 30+ Swallows, 11+ Chaffinches, c50+ Goldfinches, 30+ Linnets, 7+ House Martins, 2+ Grey Wagtails,  and 2+ Siskins.

Mudbank - 6 'new' Pale-bellied Brent Geese joining at least 2 others. Also a juvenile Peregrine caught a Bar-tailed Godwit off there.

Juvenile Spotted Redshank.

Juvenile Black-winged Stilt. There's something a bit special about an October Black-winged Stilt that prompted me to head upriver today.