Orcombe Casp

First-winter Caspian Gull - the 19th I've found in Exmouth but the first I've ever seen on Orcombe Point.

Orcombe from 0705 - 9am - 1 Caspian Gull, 1 Siskin, 300+ Meadow Pipits, just 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Goldcrests, 1 Whitethroat, 10 Ravens, 1 Stonechat, 26+ alba wagtails and 3 Grey Wagtails.

Mudbank - 105 Brent Geese (looked to be all Dark-bellied but suspect the Pale-bellied Brent was hiding amongst them), 2 juvenile Ospreys (one resting on Cockle Sands), 33 Redshank, c115 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Goshawk over woodland on the opposite side of the river.

Yesterday morning on Orcombe - 1 Jay, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Yellow Wagtail (with tail), 2 Swallows, 14 Chiffchaffs, c90+ Meadow Pipits, 5 Blackcaps, 1 Cirl Bunting, 2 Stonechats, 11 alba wagtails, 3 Grey Wagtails, 17+ Chaffinches, 2 Goldcrests, c4/500+ Linnets, c25 Goldfinches and the singing Cetti's Warbler still.

Davidstow Buff-breasts

Twenty-six years since I last saw a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and I've never photographed one, so I headed up to north Cornwall today.  It was well worth the drive, which took little over an hour, as four juvenile birds showed beautifully. Done the Davidstow airfield way - strictly from the car. A bit of a trip down memory lane as my first ever was a juvenile, also on Davidstow airfield, on September 18th 1992. Next was a juvenile at Abberton reservoir, Essex on September 15th 1996 on a trip with Kev Rylands. Last ones - 2 juveniles on Prawle airfields on September 17th 2000 - found by Pat Mayer if my memory serves me correctly. I've not even tried for one since, which is a bit nuts as they're truly wonderful waders!

Three juveniles together. A fourth bird was watched on its own (single photo below) prior to seeing this trio which were with a group of c10 Ringed Plovers.

First bird seen on its own.

Ringed Plovers...

Mandarin!

A morning stroll 'round the block' with Lu was greatly enlivened with my first ever (probably overdue but entirely anticipated) Exmouth Mandarin - a drake in with Mallards off Mudbank over the high tide. A quick count of a few other species revealed 72 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 23 Great Crested Grebes, 38 Redshank, 1 Turnstone and 19 Black-tailed Godwits.

Only two fields covered on Orcombe but 1 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Swallows and a flock of 7 Ravens were logged. The Linnet flock still estimated to be c4/500 birds and a few grounded Meadow Pipits.

Getting a bit late for Whitethroats now. This one was feeding in weeds at the base of a hedge.

Little Gull

Adult winter Little Gull - Mudbank on this morning's high tide.

Mudbank - adult winter Little Gull, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 66 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 10 Sandwich Terns, 24 Redshank, 1 Turnstone, 2 Shoveler, 1 juvenile Common Tern, 1 Swallow, c75 Black-tailed Godwits and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits.

A quick look off the seafront earlier produced 2 Common Scoters and 3 Balearic Shearwaters moving east. Orcombe was too blown out but 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Goldcrests, 4 Swallows and 2 Sparrowhawks were seen on a rapid whiz round.

Little Gulls rarely show this well in Exmouth. Whenever I've seen them even closer it's been into the teeth of a gale-force wind!

Redstarts, Pale-b Brent

A distant record shot of the male Redstart. Female is pictured below. Both birds typically flighty and impossible to approach. Only my third and fourth in Exmouth this year.

Orcombe - 2 Redstarts, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Firecrest, 2 Goldcrests, 1 Jay, c25 Swallows, 22+ Chiffchaffs, c110 Meadow Pipits, 6 Stonechats, 3 Blackcaps, c40+ Skylarks and the singing Cetti's Warbler still.

Mudbank - 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose with 31 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 juvenile Common Tern, 8+ Sandwich Terns, 21 Great Crested Grebes, c100 Pintail, 6 Mute Swans, 7 Dunlin, 1 Grey Plover, 1 Peregrine and an impressive gathering of 96 Little Egrets. Additionally this evening - c120+ Black-tailed Godwits and 7 Ringed Plovers. Again couldn't face counting the numerous Wigeon but several hundred birds present now.

This tail-less Yellow Wagtail has been around for a while now. It gets in with the Meadow Pipits in the top fields.

Arctic Tern, Hobby

Juvenile Osprey - Mudbank.

A look off the seafront from 0700 for an hour produced a steady trickle of Gannets, a few auks, 9 Common Scoters, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 4 shearwater sp and a juvenile Arctic Tern.

Mudbank - 18 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 juvenile Osprey, 1 juvenile Common Tern, 19+ Sandwich Terns, 7 Mute Swans, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, c185 Curlew, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits and 4 Ringed Plovers.

Orcombe - a quick mid-afternoon whiz round the top fields produced 1 Hobby, 4+ Swallows and 3 Stonechats.

A Hobby heading west over Orcombe towards Dawlish Bay this afternoon.

Arctic Tern - extreme record shot of the juvenile off the seafront.

Male Sparrowhawk - Orcombe Point.

Spot Red Still

Yellow Wagtail - Orcombe Point.

Orcombe from 0650 this morning - c250 Meadow Pipits, 18+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 1 Firecrest, c30 alba wagtails, 2 Goldcrests, c4/500+ Linnets, 1 Reed Bunting, 15+ Greenfinches, 4 Stonechats, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Snipe.

Mudbank - 1 Spotted Redshank, c100 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Great Crested Grebes, 4 Ringed Plovers, 1 Common Tern, 23+ Sandwich Terns, 3 Grey Plovers, 17 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 11 Redshank and 2 Greenshank. Couldn't face counting ducks today.

Yesterday - Orcombe - c20 Chiffchaffs, 1+ Yellow Wagtail and the singing Cetti's Warbler which actually showed for a change - hopping up a couple times into a dead-looking bush.

Mudbank - 16 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Whimbrel the only stuff to make it into the notebook.

Stonechat.

Pintail - Mudbank.

Black-tailed Godwits - Mudbank.

Drake Mallard - Mudbank. Female below.

Spotted Redshank - Mudbank.

 Black-tailed Godwits - Mudbank.