YBW day 5

The Yellow-browed Warbler was again enjoying the sunlit Silver Birch in the Maer carpark this afternoon. A quick visit after work also produced 2 Chiffchaffs and a Coal Tit. The only other snippet was a Mistle Thrush over West Lodge but the willows there were pretty much devoid of birds apart from a single Chiffchaff and half a dozen Long-tailed Tits.

Meds

Exmouth seafront took a battering this morning but these conditions only produced a few gulls for me. Eleven Common Gulls (10 first-winters) and 8 Mediterranean Gulls flew along the beach from the river mouth, past Maer Rocks, with c100+ Black-headed Gulls. Six Curlew, 3 Shelduck and 2 Common Scoter the only other species noted in the first hour of daylight.

Mudbank quiet too - 1 Whimbrel, 6 Greenshank, 3 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and 21 Great Crested Grebes the only things of note.

On the Imperial rugby ground - 21 Great Black-backed Gulls.

Black Red, YLG, YBW

Black Redstart - Maer Farm.

Much quieter on Orcombe today. Best was a Black Redstart at Maer Farm. Also today - 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin, 50+ Robins, 9 Song Thrushes, 15+ Blackbirds, just 1 Goldcrest, 8 Chiffchaffs, 30+ Pied Wagtails, c40 Meadow Pipits, c20 Goldfinches, 2+ Redwings, 1 Stock Dove, c400+ Woodpigeons, 4+ Skylarks, 12+ Chaffinches, 2 Bullfinches, 3 Cirl Buntings, 1+ Siskin, 1 Grey Wagtail, 8 Starlings, 2 Stonechats and the lonesome Red-legged Partridge.
Nearby in the Maer long-stay carpark - 1 Redwing, 1+ Goldcrest, 1+ Chiffchaff, 1+ Coal Tit and the Yellow-browed Warbler for its third day. A flock of c100 Woodpigeons over.
Mudbank - not a lot counted but 200+ Pintail, a Kestrel and a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull.

 Today's Black Redstart was a very welcome sight following the unexplained absence of the usual wintering birds at the start of the year.

Ringed Plover - Orcombe Point. Quite a novelty to see 4 Ringed Plovers and 2 Dunlin feeding in the top fields today.

This first-winter Yellow-legged Gull just wouldn't wake up for a photograph. The tertial pattern is enough to identify it as a different bird to the last one. Note the number of newly-moulted wing coverts, typical of this species at this time of year.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Maer long-stay carpark. I'm still surprised at the amount of time this bird spends in the Silver Birch compared to the extensive area of adjacent Willows and even more surprised to have still not heard a single call!

Ring Ouzel, YBWs

Good again on Orcombe today. Totals included 2 Yellow-browed Warblers, 1 Ring Ouzel, 4 Swallows, 1 Firecrest, 1 Goldcrest, just 3 Chiffchaffs, 4+ Cirl Buntings, 3+ Redwings, 2 Ringed Plovers, 1 Jay, 1 Reed Bunting, 5 Stonechats, 30+ Starlings, 4+ Coal Tits, 45+ Robins, 7+ Song Thrushes, 13+ Blackbirds, c40 Pied Wagtails, c50 Goldfinches, 5+ Siskins, 50+ Chaffinches, at least 4 (possibly up to 8) Bullfinches, 1 or 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Peregrines, c150 Linnets, 2 Collared Doves, 6+ Greenfinches, c450/500 Jackdaws, 13+ Skylarks, 6+ Stock Doves, and c2500+ Woodpigeons.

Just a short visit to Mudbank where c220 Pintail and 16+ Ringed Plovers were recorded.

Ring Ouzel at dawn.

Yellow-browed Warbler at first light - hurriedly moving through cliff-top scrub and thankfully quite vocal.

Ringed Plovers. I get the occasional fly-over on Orcombe but it's very unusual to get them on the deck.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Gore Lane. I'm assuming this is a second bird. Apparently the Maer carpark bird is still present today too.

Female Chaffinch.

YBW

A Yellow-browed Warbler in the Maer long stay carpark this evening - favoring a sun-drenched Silver Birch but not a single call. Also 3+ Goldcrests and at least 1 Chiffchaff there. Before work, early on - a flock of 24 Redwings north over the house.

16/10 - Mediterranean Gulls on Warren View (adult), Imperial rugby ground (adult) and off Mudbank (first-winter)

15/10 - Orcombe Point - c50 Robins, 5 Goldcrests, 9 Blackbirds, 2 Grey Wagtails, c25+ Meadow Pipits, 3 Chiffchaffs, 6+ Goldfinches, c30+ Linnets, 3 Stonechats, 3 Chaffinches, 2 Skylarks, 3 Pied Wagtails, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Sandwich Tern, 1 Jay, 3+ Cirl Buntings and c100+ Starlings.

Mudbank - 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, 14+ Redshank, 8+ Great Crested Grebes, 1 Knot, 1 Dunlin, c90 Turnstones, 9 Greenshank, 176+ Shelducks, 3+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 95+ Black-tailed Godwits, 11+ Common Gulls and c60 Mallard. Nearby - 3 Jays, 1 Siskin, 1+ Goldcrest and a Kestrel at West Lodge.

14/10 - Mudbank - c1700 Wigeon, 2 Sandwich Terns and the female Garganey.

Mediterranean Gull - Imperial rugby ground. Below - the Mudbank first-winter.

Kestrel - Orcombe Point.

Weekend Stuff

A bit more movement on Orcombe Point this morning. Quite a still, chilly and overcast day today but lovely being out.

Orcombe totals from this morning included 40+ Robins, up to 6 Song Thrushes, 14+ Blackbirds, 3 Grey Wagtails, 3 Goldcrests, 17+ Chiffchaffs, c100+ Pied Wagtails, c80+ Meadow Pipits, 1 Little Egret, 5 egret sp (probably Littles), c35+ Goldfinches, 3 Reed Buntings, c10+ Greenfinches, 17+ Chaffinches, c100+ Linnets, 5+ Siskins, 5+ Ravens, 2 Golden Plovers, 2 Peregrines, 1 Sparrowhawk, c110+ Jackdaws, 9+ Skylarks, 700+ Woodpigeons, 3 Jays, 1 Stock Dove, 3 Bullfinches, 2 Coal Tits, 1 Rook, 1 Snipe, 5 Cirl Buntings and 1+ Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Mudbank - the female Garganey still, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, c200+ Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Greenshank, 20 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel, c125 Turnstones, 4 Teal, 3+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese amongst (uncounted) Dark-bellied Brent Geese, c275+ Pintail and 42+ Little Egrets. Again I didn't count the Wigeon but no apparent increase so probably c1000+ Still.

Yesterday - Orcombe Point - 1 Lapwing, 7+ Redwings (my first of the autumn), 35+ Robins, 13+ Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackbirds, 6+ Song Thrushes, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Grey Wagtail, c55+ Pied Wagtails, c160+ Meadow Pipits, 10+ Goldfinches, c60+ Linnets, 9 Siskins, 1 Rock Pipit, 3+ Cirl Buntings, 10+ Chaffinches, 9+ Skylarks, 10 Starlings, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Kestrel and c700+ Woodpigeons.

Mudbank - c120+ Turnstones, c110+ Black-tailed Godwits, 30+ Redshank, 6+ Greenshank, 16 Dunlin, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, c225 Pintail and 7 Teal.

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Orcombe Point.

Reed Bunting - one of three this morning.

At least 40 Robins on my circuit this morning.

This is the first Whimbrel I've seen for a while - a short-billed juvenile bird.

The female Garganey is still in with the Pintail and Wigeon but it remained miles out today.

This 'buff-winged' Little Egret at Lower Halsdon Farm has been around for quite a while. A striking-looking individual with the brown colouration in the wings being equally distributed on both sides.

Bar-tailed Godwits - Mudbank.

Grey Plover - Duckpond. Derek mentioned he'd seen a very confiding Grey Plover in Duckpond the other day but I didn't expect it to be hanging around.

 Ringed Plover - Duckpond. The only one I saw today.

Cold Overhead Stuff

Barely above freezing this morning and another lovely sunrise. Could have done with gloves!

More good birding on Orcombe Point this morning. I covered it between 0715 and 10am and logged 1 Spoonbill (west at 0809), 1+ Woodlark (1 low west first light and it or another on the deck in the top fields, later on), 2300+ Woodpigeons, 13+ Stock Doves, 7 Jays, 90+ Meadow Pipits, c90+ Pied Wagtails, 5+ Siskins, 4 Swallows, 9 House Martins, up to 25 Skylarks, 4 Reed Buntings, 1 Starling, 2 Mallard, 3 Little Egrets, 1 Stonechat, c25 Robins, 4+ Song Thrushes, 9+ Chaffinches, 3 Goldcrests, 1 Coal Tit, c30 Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps, c100+ Linnets, c70+ Goldfinches, 7+ Blackbirds, 1+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull and c150 Jackdaws.

Best bird off Mudbank was a female Garganey - presumably the bird seen a few days ago (it certainly looked to be the same individual). It was with c1000+ Wigeon and a few Pintail. Also - 9+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese amongst (uncounted) Dark-bellied Bent Geese, 55+ Black-tailed Godwits, 3+ Bar-tailed Godwits, c30+ Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 2 Dunlin, 32+ Little Egrets, 6+ Great Crested Grebes, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Goldcrest and a flock of c300+ Jackdaws.

Additional Goldcrest records today - 2 Maer Long Stay carpark, 1 Lower Halsdon Farm and 1+ West Lodge. A group of 5 Song Thrushes flew out of thick scrub in Maer Valley.

Woodpigeons.  c2300+ headed west in the first couple hours of daylight.

This morning's Spoonbill heading west.

Woodlarks

Both of this morning's Woodlarks in the above photo. They flew off west shortly after 920am. This field has had maize in it all autumn but a few days ago it was cut and rolled. Good news for these Woodlarks, a Wheatear, 3 Cirl Buntings, c70 Linnets, a Reed Bunting and at least 30 Pied Wagtails!

Orcombe Point totals - 2 Woodlarks the highlight plus 1 Wheatear, 3 Cirl Buntings, 2 Reed Buntings, 2+ Siskins, 5 Blackcaps, c40 Robins, 6 Swallows, c20 Chiffchaffs, 15+ Blackbirds, 5 Song Thrushes, c50+ Pied Wagtails, 1+ Goldcrest, c40 Goldfinches, c70+ Linnets, 5 Stonechats, c30+ Meadow Pipits, 35+ Woodpigeons, 1+ Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Grey Wagtails and 16+ Jackdaws.

Nearby in Maer Valley - 3 Little Egrets, 5 Chiffchaffs, 3 Jays and at least 4 Ring-necked Parakeets.

Mudbank counts - 160+ Pintail, c700 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Skylark, 1 Kestrel and 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose. At least 5 Cattle Egrets in with cattle over the other side of the river but most of the herd was out of sight so I'm guessing more birds were present.

Kestrel.

Skylark.

Pied Wagtail.

First-winter Yellow-legged Gull

Another nice start to yesterday morning but a pinkish sunrise gave way to another pretty much birdless dawn. This morning it was overcast and damp but still pretty poor.

Orcombe Point - c30 Robins, just 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Little Egret, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1+ Goldcrest, 1 Swallow, 1 Coal Tit and 4 Stock Doves.

Mudbank counts included c700 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 310+ Pintail, c80+ Turnstones, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 2+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Kingfisher, 7+ Redshank, 3 Ringed Plovers, 3 Greenshank and a first-winter Yellow-legged Gull.

Yesterday off Mudbank - 7 Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Kingfishers, 1 juvenile Peregrine, 2 Sandwich Terns and 3 adult Mediterranean Gulls.

Song Thrush - Orcombe Point.

First-winter Yellow-legged Gull - Mudbank.

I always, always aim to get a flight view of any potential YLG. The sight of that bright white tail and narrow black tail band puts to bed any thoughts of odd Herring or Lesser Black-backed Gull.