Casp

Diabolical conditions today but braved a couple minutes looking off Mudbank before dark. A first-winter Caspian Gull made getting soaked just about worthwhile. Risked ruining the camera to get this dreadful shot. It's the bird just right of the Great Black-back. You'll have to take my word for it!

A wander round some Exmouth heathland yesterday produced 3+ Cirl Buntings, 1 Yellowhammer, 1 Dartford Warbler, 2 Mistle Thrushes, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Green Woodpecker and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Mudbank - 1 Whimbrel, 6 Red-breasted Mergansers, 6 Wigeon, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 40+ Grey Plovers, 83 Redshank, 18+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Firecrest and high numbers of Dunlin (not counted) with a few Knot amongst them.

A female Cirl Bunting was briefly at West Lodge with 3+ Redwings.

Dartford Warbler.

I checked the Exmouth heathland for Yellowhammers (they're usually back on territories before the end of February) but was surprised to find at least 2 singing male Cirl Buntings (plus a female). Just the one Yellowhammer was seen but it was a calling, not singing individual. I really hope the Cirls don't ultimately drive the Yellowhammers out but I suspect this is the way it's heading... 

It has been a very lean season for winter thrushes locally. This single Fieldfare was all I could muster from the normally productive archery club playing fields. Two Mistle Thrushes were present but not a single Redwing.

One of at least three Redwings at West Lodge.

Brixham

Lu and I spent the morning down in Brixham, combining a slightly soggy walk along the breakwater with a look around the shops, a pasty and a cuppa. Good to get out of Exmouth once in a while. Birds included c20 Great Northern Divers, 1 Black-throated Diver, 3 Purple Sandpipers, 2cy Caspian Gull, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, c30+ Turnstones, 1 Kingfisher, at least 1 Kittiwake, several Shags and a Grey Heron.

Turnstones run round your feet in Brixham!

I never get views of Great Northern Diver like this in Exmouth. Just fantastic!

Slightly dismayed to see just three Purple Sandpipers along the breakwater. Assuming the numbers here mirror the decline/disappearance of the Exmouth birds.

This Caspian Gull stood out like the proverbial 'sore thumb' but each time I saw it it was miles away.....

.....or just flying off!

Black-throated Diver.

Duck Numbers and Cattle Egrets

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - Imperial rugby ground.

Mudbank - male Goldeneye, 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 5 Shoveler (4 males), 34 Pintail and good numbers of Wigeon again (see yesterday's total). Also - c150 Curlew, 17+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Greenshank, 4 Chiffchaffs and 2 Goldcrests. Three flocks totalling c115 Cattle Egrets flew into roost over the other side of the river not long before dark. A quick look at the dung heap on Orcombe produced 6 Rock Pipits, 1 Grey Wagtail and at least 3 Chiffchaffs The Pale-bellied Brent Goose was with c170 Dark-bellied Brent Geese on the Imperial rugby ground and nearby in the Duckpond - 46 Redshank.

13/2 - Off Orcombe Point early on - 12 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Turnstones and 2 Mute Swans (east). Mudbank - c790 Wigeon, c20 Pintail, 32 Redshank, 4 Greenshank and the pair of Blackcaps. A bit further along the cycle path, towards West Lodge, the wintering Cetti's Warbler was again heard. The Whimbrel was seen flying past the Imperial recreation ground late afternoon and at least 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were roosting on Cockle Sands.

A flock of c90 Cattle Egrets making their way to roost. I counted c115 in total but may well have missed earlier roosting birds.

Siberian Chiffchaff

Siberian Chiffchaff - Mudbank.

Mudbank - 1 Siberian Chiffchaff, 2+ Firecrests, 2+ Chiffchaffs, 1 male Blackcap, 3 Goldcrests, c360 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 3 Canada Geese, 5 Avocets, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, the Kittiwake and 2 Greenshank. On Cockle Sands - 28 Sanderling, c20 Bar-tailed Godwits, 40+ Grey Plovers and 3 adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls. In Duckpond - 19 Redshank, the drake Goldeneye and the Whimbrel.

Off the seafront - 4 Great Northern Divers and 2 Mediterranean Gulls.

9/2 - Mudbank - c90 Common Gulls, 1 ad Kittiwake and 2 Mediterranean Gulls. On Cockle Sands - c30 Sanderling flushed by a passing Peregrine. The Duckpond - 3 Mediterranean Gulls and 15+ Common Gulls.

8/2 - Seafront - 6 Great Northern Divers and 2+ Great Crested Grebes. Duckpond - drake Goldeneye, 1 Whimbrel, c120 Dark-bellied Brent Geese. Nearby an adult Kittiwake off Mudbank and 2 Stonechats, 1 Redwing, 1+ Meadow Pipit and 1 Green Woodpecker at West Lodge.

7/2 - the Duckpond - male Goldeneye, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose and c65 Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

One of at least 2 Firecrests in scrub along Mudbank.

Mediterranean Gull - the Duckpond 9/2/26.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - the Duckpond 7/2/26.

Goldeneye - the Duckpond 7/2/26.

Slavonian Grebe

 Female Cirl Bunting - the Duckpond.

A look off the seafront this morning revealed 1 Slavonian Grebe, 5+ Great Crested Grebes, 4+ Great Northern Divers and 7+ Red-throated Divers. The Slavonian Grebe was with a Great Crested Grebe well off Orcombe Point, scoped from the raised beach huts. The Great Northern Divers were off Maer Rocks and the Red-throated Divers were viewed from opposite the Pavillions.

The Whimbrel was in the Duckpond early on as was an adult Mediterranean Gull and a female Cirl Bunting. A Great Northern Diver was closer to Shelly Beach. Off Mudbank - 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls,  2 Red-breasted Mergansers and c75 Knot (Cockle Sands).

2/2 - Mudbank - 78 Redshank, 1 Peregrine, 1 Whimbrel and 4 Mediterranean Gulls.

Dutch-ringed Avocet

A big thank you to Lee who got straight back to me with info on this Avocet. It was one of eight birds in the Duckpond this morning and ringed in Noorderdijk, the Netherlands in May 2021. Lee saw it at the Warren yesterday which was the first UK recovery. Apparently it has a GPS tracker hidden somewhere!

Orcombe early - 5 Red-throated Divers, 4 Great Northern Divers, 3 Common Scoters and 4 Great Crested Grebes. Mudbank - 23 Turnstones, c175 Common Gulls, 2 Mediterranean Gulls and 4 Red-breasted Mergansers. The Duckpond - 8 Avocets. A Chiffchaff was along Camperdown Terrace and a female Blackcap was in our front garden.

Yesterday - 2 Great Northern Divers off Maer Rocks. Phear Park - a singing Mistle Thrush and 1 Nuthatch. Nearby in the brook - a Male Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff and 2 Grey Wagtails. Off Mudbank - 1 Avocet and 57 Redshank. Blackhill Quarry - 2 Goosanders, 9 Tufted Ducks, 1+ Little Grebe, 1 Coot and 1 Redpoll.

30/1 - Mudbank - my first Cetti's Warbler of the year, 1 Avocet and 37 Redshank.

Shag - Exmouth seafront.

Two Great Northern Divers catching crabs off Maer Rocks.

Avocets

Spent a long time with this beautiful flock of thirteen Avocets in Duckpond this morning, following the overnight arrival of storm Chandra which delivered a tonne of rain. By far my biggest ever Exmouth count and by far my best ever views! Avocets are really scarce in Exmouth despite the close proximity of the wintering birds further upriver.

Carter Park - two adult Mediterranean Gulls with c190 Black-headed Gulls. Nearby in Duckpond - 13 Avocets, 1 male Goldeneye, 1 Whimbrel, c90 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 7 Great Crested Grebes and 4 Mediterranean Gulls (2ad, 2w + fw). Nearby - the pair of Cirl Buntings and 1 Meadow Pipit on the Imperial rec. A first-winter Little Gull was off Shelly Beach and 2 Great Northern Divers were off the seafront.

Yesterday - off Orcombe Point - 1 Red-throated Diver, 3 Great Northern Divers, 1 male Common Scoter, 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls and 2 Great Crested Grebes. Two more Mediterranean Gulls were in the Duckpond with 30+ Common Gulls. A good count of 205+ Common Gulls was off Mudbank along with 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 110 Grey Plovers, 9 Sanderling and 33 Knot.

A very probable but all too brief first-winter Caspian Gull was off Warren Point (scoped from the quay) amongst a feeding melee of Herring Gulls, along with a further 2 Mediterranean Gulls.

First-winter Mediterranean Gull - Duckpond. Adult below. I've seen up to fifteen the past couple of days so clearly some movement happening.

Adult Mediterranean Gull - Carter Park.

Male Cirl Bunting - Imperial recreation ground.

Whimbrel - still showing superbly!

Drake Goldeneye still n the Duckpond.

Great Crested Grebe - the Duckpond.