Little Gull

 Another monochrome December day in Exmouth but I'll miss the easterlies when they've switched.

Something put the Wigeon and Spoonbill up whilst I was walking the dog this afternoon. The Spoonbill headed purposefully upriver before turning round and landing back in its usual spot.

Stand-out bird today was a first-winter Little Gull, feeding for a while 'mid-river' off Mudbank at around 1115. I willed it to come closer but it pushed off upriver and I didn't see it again. I struggle to see Little Gull in Exmouth these days so I'm hoping this one will hang around. Also off there - 25 Great Crested Grebes in one stretched-out flock, 8 Red-breasted Mergansers, singles of Bar-tailed Godwit and Greenshank and, of course, the Spoonbill. Otherwise of note - at least 9 Redwings and a Mistle Thrush coming to Catoneaster berries at the end of our road, and a male Stonechat down at the Imperial recreation ground - not a place I recall seeing one before.

Did virtually no birding yesterday but 1 Lapwing and 3 Snipe were noted in the top fields on Orcombe.

The Spoonbill still present all day. That's 22 days now and long may it continue...