Cetti's, Four Black Reds

Looking across the river towards Shelly Beach, from Lower Halsdon Farm.

Today's best bird was a Cetti's Warbler, along the river below Lower Halsdon Farm. It called occasionally from a tangle of reeds and bramble. 
Nearby, off Mudbank - 125 Pintail, 3 Shoveler, 18+ Great Crested Grebes, 2 Teal and 5 Red-breasted Mergansers.

A late stroll around Shelly Beach produced 3 Black Redstarts and a Kingfisher. The Bull Hill gull roost held 35+ Great Black-backed Gulls and 25+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls, some of which were very dark and presumably intermedius birds.

Early Orcombe - 4 Stonechats, 20 Redwings, 1 Cirl Bunting, 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Song Thrushes, 13 Stock Doves, 65+ Skylarks, 18 Chaffinches, 3 Rock Pipits, 1 Black Redstart, 10+ Greenfinches, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Mistle Thrush, 3 Goldcrests, 3 Common Scoters and a Great Crested Grebe.

Today's Cettis's Warbler (found on a dog-walk) was calling occasionally from this small clump of reeds below the railway line, at Lower Halsdon Farm. It's only my third Exmouth record, believe it or not, which is surprising given their relative abundance just a couple miles upriver. The challenge now will be to get a photo of it. I don't fancy my chances.

Four Black Reds in a day is good for me in Exmouth. A single female-type was on cliffs below the Geoneedle and three birds (including the adult male) were together on Shelly Beach rooftops, before dark.

Today's Shoveler trio with Teal and Pintail.

Reed Bunting - Orcombe Point. Looks like the one I photographed yesterday.

Immature Shag - this bird showed brilliantly in the marina, but it doesn't look in great condition and may be recuperating after the recent stormy weather, or worse, a victim of avian flu.