Brambling, Woodlark

Brambling - Orcombe Point.

A bird-filled walk on Orcombe from 0700 'til 0925 this morning. Totals included 1 Woodlark, 1 Brambling, 2 Egyptian Geese (west at 0735), 1 Redpoll, 2+ Reed Buntings, 1 Firecrest, 9 Fieldfares, 3+ Redwings, 225+ Stock Doves, c7000+ Woodpigeons, 8 Song Thrushes, 15+ Blackbirds, 5+ Siskins, 12+ Pied Wagtails, 6 Chiffchaffs, 1 Blackcap, 11+ Meadow Pipits, 4 Stonechats, c30+ Chaffinches, c70+ Starlings, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Bullfinch, 2 Cirl Buntings, 11 Jackdaws, 1 Rook, 1 Snipe, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and the Red-legged Partridge.

At least 650 Dark-bellied Brent Geese were counted from the Imperial rec and 5 Mistle Thrushes flew over eastwards. Nearby off Mudbank - 34 Great Crested Grebes, 41 Shelduck, 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Sanderling, 8 Greenshank, 15 Ringed Plovers, 7 Teal and 1 Mediterranean Gull were the only things counted. Ten Cattle Egrets were in a cattle field  somewhere behind Starcross.

Yesterday on Orcombe - 1 Yellowhammer, 2 Redwings, 21+ Greenfinches, 8+ Siskins, c9000 Woodpigeons, 3 Reed Buntings, c25 Chaffinches, c110 Stock Doves, 10+ Pied Wagtails, 5 Song Thrushes, c70+ Goldfinches, 5 Jackdaws, 33+ Skylarks over, 3+ Cirl Buntings, 8+ Blackbirds, 2 Bullfinches, c30 Starlings. Off Mudbank - c45 Turnstones, 6 Greenshank, 1 Teal, 27 Great Crested Grebes, 3 Shoveler, 28 Skylarks (low west across river), 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Siskin and 1 Goshawk. At least 14 Cattle Egrets were with cattle somewhere behind Starcross. 

The back-end of this morning's Egyptian Geese west past Orcombe.

My first Fieldfares of the autumn (in Exmouth) involved 9 birds this morning. 

This flock of 31 Stock Doves was part of a movement of at least 225 birds this morning though I'm certain I missed a load in the bigger Woodpigeon flocks.

Adult Mediterranean Gull - Mudbank.

Pied Wagtail - dung heap.

Black Swan - Mudbank 27/10.

Ringed Plover - Duckpond.

YLG

Mediterranean Gull - off Mudbank yesterday.

Two days of pretty awful weather. Strong westerlies are always very challenging in Exmouth. A sub-adult Yellow-legged Gull was on the Imperial rugby ground and 2 Firecrests were in the hedgerow by the dung heap. On the dung heap itself - 4 Rock Pipits and a Grey Wagtail.

Mudbank - c120 Redshank and 31+ Great Crested Grebes.

Yesterday was pretty much rained off but 5 Common Scoters were off Orcombe and a Snipe was flushed from one of the top fields. The three Eiders were off the seafront and a Mediterranean Gull was off Mudbank.

 Grey Wagtail - dung heap.

GNDs

Spotted Redshank - Mudbank yesterday.

A fifty minute look at the sea from the raised beach huts this morning produced a fair few Gannets, Kittiwakes and auks moving west following last night's storm Austen winds. Also - 9 Great Northern Divers, 4 Common Scoters, 2 Wigeon, 1 Shoveler and 2 Curlew. A male Cirl Bunting was on the Imperial recreation ground (hopefully set to winter) and off Mudbank - 1 Spotted Redshank, 10+ Greenshank, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 27 Knot and 17+ Common Gulls. High numbers of Brents, Wigeon and Black-tailed Godwits amongst the many species not counted in gale-force winds.

Yesterday - 650+ Woodpigeons, 7 Chiffchaffs and 1 Firecrest the only 'noteworthies' on a quick Orcombe look and off Mudbank - c140 Redshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 12+ Greenshank, 13 Ringed Plovers, 2 Shoveler, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, and 2 Kingfishers. A quick look at Blackhill Quarry produced 1 Green Sandpiper, 6 Tufted Ducks, 2+ Little Grebes, 1 Moorhen and 2 Coot.

Black-tailed Godwit - Mudbank 22/10.

Two Spot Reds!

Two Spotted Redshanks (front two) off Mudbank late this afternoon. Distant and totally unprecedented!

Mudbank - 27 Knot, 18 Ringed Plovers, 7+ Dunlin, 145+ Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank and an adult Mediterranean Gull. Very tricky viewing conditions this afternoon so very little counted. A strong westerly blasting across the river and heavy showers.

Orcombe blown out earlier. One Firecrest and a couple Turnstones the only thing of any note.

Five of twenty-seven Knot.

The first Mediterranean Gull I've seen for a while.

Gadwall Flock

Cirl Bunting pair - Orcombe.

Damp on Orcombe this morning. Counts included 5 Redpolls, 3 Siskins, 1 Jay, c40 Robins, 16+ Blackbirds, 4 Stonechats, 15+ Chiffchaffs, 13+ Song Thrushes, 4+ Redwings, 8 Goldcrests, 1 Firecrest, 1 Curlew and 10 Starlings.

Mudbank - 9 Gadwall (a really good Exmouth count), c775 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 19 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 105+ Turnstones, c120+ Redshank, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Grey Plover, 1 drake Shoveler, 1 Kingfisher and 2 Knot. Large numbers of Wigeon, Black-tailed Godwit etc not counted.

Yesterday's Orcombe tally was disappointing with just 2250+ Woodpigeons, 1 Turnstone, 1 Little Egret, 13 Siskins and the Red-legged Partridge.

Off Mudbank - 1 Spotted Redshank, 115+ Redshank, c85 Turnstones, 40 Dunlin, the drake Shoveler and 15 Knot. Nothing else counted.

Prob RTP, RK,GWEs

Woodpigeons.

An absolutely glorious morning on the patch with clear skies and a decidedly chilly and fresh north-easterly. Orcombe from 0725 'til 1005 - 1 probable Red-throated Pipit west at 0820 (called twice 'pzsss' sounding perfect to my ear but there's no way I'll be submitting anything on such a brief and unsatisfactory encounter), 18000+ Woodpigeons, up to 4 Reed Buntings, 1 Lapwing, 1 Snipe, 3+ Redwings (my first of the autumn), 1 Redpoll, 1 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 3 hirundine sp, 3 Starlings, 1 Jay, 4+ Siskins, just 10 Pied Wagtails, only c20+ Meadow Pipits, c10 Chaffinches, 15+ Goldfinches, 11+ Chiffchaffs, 13+ Blackbirds, 6+ Song Thrushes, 2 Stonechats, 2 Peregrines, several Skylarks and Linnets, 3 Goldcrests and 2 Cirl Buntings.

Mudbank over the high tide - 2 Great Egrets upriver at 1155, 1 Red Kite at 1132 (unusual October record), 2 Goshawks (each up to inspect a separate high-flying corvid flock), 510+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 or 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, good numbers of Wigeon, Pintail, Black-tailed Godwit and Oystercatcher, 2 Shoveler, 205+ Curlew, 6 Teal, 2 Sanderling, 3 Dunlin, 2 Knot, 1 Grey Plover, 3 Greenshank, c50 Redshank, 45+ Turnstones, 30 Mute Swans, 62 Shelduck and 5 Lapwing upriver.

This Peregrine pair spent a lot of time flying up towards passing Woodpigeon flocks but I never once saw them attempt a kill.

A late House Martin over the top fields.

Swallow.

Continuing a good run of Shoveler records - this female was off Mudbank along with yesterday's male still.

Overhead Stuff

Drake Shoveler - Mudbank.

Orcombe from 0730 'til 0940 - 11500+ Woodpigeons, 1+ Swallow, 1 Jay, 7 Reed Buntings, 1+ Golden Plover, 1+ Bullfinch, 1 Redpoll, c40+ Goldfinches, 20+ Meadow Pipits, c25 Pied Wagtails, c30+ Chaffinches, 12+ Greenfinches, 13+ Blackbirds, 9+ Song Thrushes, 8+ Chiffchaffs, 4+ Siskins, 1 Goldcrest, 1 singing male Cirl Bunting, 1 Firecrest, 2 Peregrines, 1 Kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 50+ Linnets and 1 Stonechat. Also lots of Skylarks airborne/milling around but difficult to count properly and plenty of mixed finch/pipit flocks that were largely quiet and therefore impossible to quantify.

Mudbank on the dropping tide. Large numbers of Wigeon, Pintail and Mallard not counted but c430+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese counted along with 1 drake Shoveler, c90 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, c80 Turnstones, c540 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 90 Little Egrets, 2 Sandwich Terns and 1 Firecrest.

This juvenile Gannet was off Orcombe Point a couple days ago. Not looking in the best of health.