Bramblings

Bramblings - Woodbury Fort.

At least 3 Bramblings feeding with c50+ Chaffinches and c50+ Woodpigeons on fallen Beech masts this afternoon. Hopefully signaling a good autumn/winter for them. Also on Woodbury Common  - 5 Crossbills and 3 Goosanders over (towards Blackhill Quarry). A nice autumnal walk with Lu.

Another short Orcombe visit this morning. It felt more like a cool, grey early winter's day and the birds were in suitably short supply. Best were at least 4 Lapwings and 3 Firecrests. Also - 2 Cirl Buntings, 20+ Robins, 1+ Goldcrest, 4+ Song Thrushes, 20 Starlings, 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Grey Wagtail, 3 Meadow Pipits, 11+ Pied Wagtails, 3 Stonechats, 2 Chaffinches and the Red-legged Partridge. 

Mudbank - c195 Pintail, 560+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 1 Grey Plover.

Wright's Lane - 2 Mistle Thrushes, 14+ Redwings and 2 Redpolls over. Also 2 Firecrests.

Hawfinch

Stonechat - Orcombe Point.

Really quiet on Orcombe this morning although I was only there for the first hour or so after dawn. Highlight was a single Golden Plover that circled the top fields several times.

Today's best bird was my first Exmouth Hawfinch. It flew east over the top end of Wright's Lane at midday. My last local Hawfinches were during the 2017 influx but they were just outside the Exmouth parish boundary, at Woodbury Fort - see here. Also at Wright's Lane/Bystock - 1 Brambling, 2 Firecrests, 1 Chiffchaff and the juvenile Little Grebe still. A walk from there across Blackhill Quarry and onto Woodbury Common (and back) produced 7 Dartford Warblers, another Brambling, 14 Tufted Ducks, 30+ Mallard, 2 Reed Buntings, c30 Chaffinches (Woodbury Fort) 2 more Chiffchaffs and another Firecrest.

No proper looks off Mudbank today but a little group of 7 Mediterranean Gulls was noteworthy.

Yesterday (1/11) - Orcombe Point - quite disappointing in apparently good conditions. Totals included 20+ Robins, 10+ Song Thrushes, 14 Blackbirds, 3 Goldcrests, 1+ Redwing, c20 Meadow Pipits, 2 Stonechats, c5000+ Woodpigeons, c20+ Goldfinches, 2 Siskins, 14+ Greenfinches, 15+ Chaffinches, 3 Chiffchaffs, 12+ Pied Wagtails, 3+ Bullfinches, c20+ Linnets, 32 Stock Doves, 3+ Skylarks and the resident Red-legged Partridge.

The juvenile Little Grebe was still on Bystock Pool and c250 Curlew were roosting on Cockle Sands.

Reed Bunting - Woodbury Common.

Nine of fourteen Tufted Ducks - Blackhill Quarry.

Seven Meds - Mudbank.

 Male Kestrel - Imperial recreation ground 1/11/24.