LBD again, Spoonbill, Gadwall

The Long-billed Dowitcher was again off Mudbank first thing, just as the tide was dropping.

Off Mudbank today - the Long-billed Dowitcher, 1  Spoonbill, 8 Bar-tailed Godwits, 23+ Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 9 Knot, 40+ Dunlin, c45 Ringed Plovers, 19 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Teal, 1 drake Gadwall, c190 Wigeon, 34+ Pintail, 330+ Mallard, 14 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Whimbrel, 85+ Shelducks, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Kestrel and 1 Grey Wagtail.

Orcombe from 0815 was again very quiet with just 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Whitethroat, 20+ Meadow Pipits, 1 Grey Wagtail, 16+ Chiffchaffs, 2 Ravens, 2 Peregrines, 2 Jays and a Stock Dove recorded.

A quick look at the river from the back garden produced this roosting Spoonbill.

It stayed all afternoon until pushed off by the rising tide.

The Long-billed Dowitcher flew in quite late on, after some birders had given up and left.

An afternoon stroll round Bystock was quiet but Firecrests are always guaranteed up there.

Long-billed Dowitcher

Long-billed Dowitcher (centre)  with Black-tailed Godwits. When I first picked it up I could just see the top of it's head and breast. It had presumably been tucked in underneath the bank, out of sight, only coming into view as the tide rose.

I joked with Lee yesterday that the Long-billed Dowitcher would never relocate to this side of the Exe. We've never had a yank wader in Exmouth so it simply couldn't happen! It was therefore with considerable surprise that, around 120pm, I picked up an orangey-looking wader in the channel off Mudbank that looked every inch 'dowitcherish'! It soon popped its head up and I was able to put the news out. The tide crept in very slowly and the bird remained for over two hours before apparently flying upriver, just after half three. Several birders managed to see it but it spent most of its time asleep and the lighting was just too harsh for decent photos. Also off there - 14 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, c40 Ringed Plovers, 13+ Dunlin, 8 Knot, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits, 23 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Common Terns, 25+ Redshank, 1 Greenshank and 1 Whimbrel.

Earlier, on Orcombe - 18+ Chiffchaffs, 60+ Meadow Pipits, 3 Tree Pipits, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Grey Wagtails, c20 Goldfinches, 24 hirundine sp, 9+ Swallows, 13+ House Martins, 1 Little Egret, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Whitethroat, 1+ Cirl Bunting and 1 Red-legged Partridge.

The white bars on the tail are a little wider than expected which makes the tail look quite pale. I believe this is a variable feature though. Thankfully Lee, who found this bird in Shutterton Creek yesterday, heard the diagnostic call.

Every time I've ever seen Long-billed Dowitcher I'm taken aback by its small size - here with Oystercatchers.

Tree Pipit climbing a tree - Orcombe Point.

Wheatear

Orcombe Point - 25+ Chiffchaffs, 60+ Meadow Pipits, 5+ Grey Wagtails, 3 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Blackcaps, 4 Swallows, 1 Wheatear, 2 Tree Pipits, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and at least 1 Cirl Bunting.

Mudbank - c160 Wigeon, c230 Teal, 1 male Tufted Duck, 6 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Osprey, 21+ Redshank, 1 Snipe, 5+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 27+ Black-tailed Godwits, 2 or 3 Greenshank, 2 Knot, c30/40+ Ringed Plovers, c20/30+ Dunlin, 30 Mute Swans, 92+ Shelducks, 1 Whimbrel, 6+ Turnstones, 16 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Sandwich Terns, 4 Swallows, 1+ Grey Wagtail and a Jay. 

Mipits, Brents

Unlike every other Blackcap I've seen this autumn this male was hopping around in the road, right out in the open.

Orcombe Point early this morning - 67+ Meadow Pipits west - the first significant passage of the autumn, 2 Tree Pipits, 2 'alba' wagtails, 1 Grey Wagtail, 11+ Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps and a Whitethroat.

Mudbank - 7 Bar-tailed Godwits, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, c150 Wigeon, 12+ Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 71 Shelduck, 1 Whimbrel, 27+ Little Egrets, c40+ Ringed Plovers, 1 Teal, 1 Kingfisher and at least 1 Osprey. Nearby - 6 Dark-bellied Brent Geese in Duckpond.

Yesterday - c20 Cattle Egrets on a couple wrecks over the other side of the river. Also c150 Wigeon.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese - Duckpond - the first returners.

Green Sand, Ducks Building

Sparrowhawk - Orcombe Point.

A Green Sandpiper flew over Mudbank at around 0820 this morning. My first in Exmouth this year. Also off Mudbank today - 1 Osprey, 5 Shovelers, 120+ Wigeon, 30 Pintail, 1 Little Tern, at least 1 Common Tern, 40+ Ringed Plovers, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 62 Shelducks, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, at least 13 Black-tailed Godwits and 9 Great Crested Grebes.

Orcombe was typically quiet with just 60+ Swallows, 1 Sand Martin, 1 House Martin, 2 Wheatear, 4 Blackcaps and 11+ Chiffchaffs. 

Yesterday on Orcombe - 13+ Chiffchaffs, 3+ Meadow Pipits and 6 Yellow Wagtails the best of it. Off Mudbank - 1 Tufted Duck, 82 Wigeon, 27 Pintail, 10+ Black-tailed Godwits, 64 Shelducks, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Little Tern, 15 Teal, 5+ Redshank and 1 Osprey.

Kestrel - Orcombe Point.

Yesterday's female-type Tufted Duck.

Shovelers - Mudbank.

Little Egret - Mudbank.

Rain

Getting a bit late for Swifts now. This bird flew north over Orcombe Point this afternoon.

Rain is almost always productive when it comes to birds. Following yesterday's deluge I spent some time looking at the estuary today (Mudbank/Imperial/Shelly Beach). Numbers included 1 Osprey, 1 juv/fw Little Gull, 75+ Common Terns, at least 50 Sandwich Terns (probably considerably more), a very probable juvenile White-winged Black Tern, 8 Redshank, c350+ Canada Geese, 1 Greenshank, 120+ Teal, 80+ Wigeon, 23 Pintail, 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 11+ Turnstones, 1 Common Sandpiper, 140+ Curlew, 20 Mute swans, 62 Shelduck, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Kingfisher, 12 Great Crested Grebes, c60+ Dunlin, 2+ Sanderling, 8 Knot, c60+ Swallows (upriver), 2+ Mediterranean Gulls, 1 Wheatear and 1 Yellow Wagtail.

A Spoonbill was on Pole Sands (cheers Kev!) and on Orcombe Point this afternoon - 3 Wheatear and 1 Swift. At least 2 Sand Martins were with good numbers of Swallows and House Martins.

This aberrant Wheatear was on the imperial recreation ground. The whitish fringes to the crown and mantle feathers rendering it rather attractive.

Typical juvenile Wheatears on the dung heap.

Osprey on Cockle Sands. This bird was seen at least three times today.

Garganey

This beautiful Garganey (eclipse male by the looks of it) arrived with a mini influx of 8 Pintail today - off Mudbank late this afternoon.

A quick look on Orcombe after work revealed 1 juvenile Whinchat, 4 Wheatear, 5+ Chiffchaffs, just 1 or 2 Yellow Wagtails and my first Goldcrest of the autumn. I thought the Red-legged Partridge party had all gone but one was flushed from the dung heap. It has obviously been keeping its head down during the breeding season.

Mudbank - 8 Pintail, 30 Wigeon, 1 Garganey, 3 Whimbrel and 1 Black-tailed Godwit.

Yesterday off Mudbank - 8 Common Terns, 1 juvenile Little Tern, 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Kingfisher, 30 Wigeon, 12 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Teal, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Knot, 1 first winter Mediterranean Gull, 4 Redshank, 3 Greenshank and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Nearby off Shelly Beach - counts of 55+ Sandwich Terns, 7 Common Terns, 4 Mediterranean Gulls and 23 Sanderlings. The fourth-winter Yellow-legged Gull was in the recycling centre.

Orcombe Point was quiet with just 1 Stonechat, 1 Redshank, 4 Yellow Wagtails and 1 Wheatear of any note. A wader flock on the beach, at dawn,  was repeatedly flushed by dog-walkers but I managed to count 42 Ringed Plovers, 2 Dunlin and 1 juvenile Curlew Sandpiper.

This afternoon's juvenile Whinchat was on the dung heap. My first of the autumn but unlikely to be the last. We usually get individuals in September and even October.

Wheatear - dung heap.

This juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was on the beach early yesterday morning. This photo was snatched before the flock (consisting of 42 Ringed Plovers and 2 Dunlin) was flushed by a dog-walker.

Tree Pipits

One of two Tree Pipits on Orcombe Point this morning.

Orcombe Point - 11 Common Scoters, 1 Eider, 1 Manx Shearwater, 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 5+ Common Terns, c10/15+ Sandwich Terns, 1+ Ringed Plover, 10+ Swallows, 14+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 4+ Grey Wagtails, 2 Tree Pipits, 15+ Yellow Wagtails, 1 juvenile Stonechat, 7 Wheatears, 2 Cirl Buntings, 1+ Whitethroat and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Mudbank - 3 juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 40+ Ringed Plovers, c10 Dunlin, 2 Turnstones, 1 juvenile Common Tern, 1 Kingfisher, 19 Teal, 10 Wigeon and 2 Whimbrel.

Yellow Wagtails - Orcombe Point. A bit harder to get a handle on numbers this morning but a minimum of 15 still present. Others likely feeding with other cattle herds.