Monday 23 October 2017

Orcombe Migrants and Brant Pic


We always get one or two Great Spotted Woodpeckers hanging around at this time of year but they don't breed on Orcombe.

Far from ideal conditions this morning but a few new bits and bobs in, making it a bit better than expected. From 0745 - 1000 I recorded 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 4 Common Scoter, 2 Diver sp (almost certainly GNDs), 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Firecrest, 1 Yellowhammer, c60+ Meadow Pipit, c200+ Woodpigeon, 2 Stonechat, 4+ Goldcrest, 5+ Chaffinch, 3 Pied Wagtail, 2 Chiffchaff, c70+ Jackdaw, 20+ Linnet, 4+ Song Thrush, 3 Skylark and a Reed Bunting.
Off Mudbank there was 17 Turnstone, 3 Redshank, 1 Sandwich Tern, c65+ Black-tailed Godwit and the Black Brant in with a large and uncounted Dark-bellied Brent Goose flock.


Great Crested Grebes are a regular fixture off Mudbank throughout most of the year but they rarely come within range of the camera.


Black Brant - Mudbank - slightly better views today but far from perfect. This bird was first seen on the Exe in autumn 2013 and has returned every winter since. Last year I saw it in October (a year ago today in fact) but before long it vanished. As far as I'm aware it wasn't seen anywhere else on the Exe last winter but I could be wrong. I'm finding it relatively easy to pick out this year because the Brents are invariably strung out off Mudbank rather than feeding 'en masse' off the leisure centre.

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