RTP!

A quick scoot round the top fields of Orcombe Point after work produced this Red-throated Pipit. It called an emphatic 'pzeeh' when I initially flushed it but called much more weakly and infrequently thereafter. The reddish face presumably makes this a 2cy+ but I should probably check that first-winters don't ever show this. Note the much more obvious 'tramlines' and more contrasty plumage overall compared to the Meadow Pipit stood  just in front of it. This is the third I've found on Orcombe (with individuals on 23/10/09 and 9/10/12) and the second I've managed to grab a flukey photo of. Also there this afternoon - c20 Meadow Pipits, 2 Snipe and 6 Stonechats.

Mudbank - 1 first-winter Caspian Gull. My fourth this year but entirely expected with so many at the Warren.

Caspian Gull - Mudbank.

Soggy

Stonechat - Maer Valley.

Weather and visibility awful today so reduced to checking the relatively sheltered Maer Valley where Moorhen was the highlight. I've now found this species at four sites within the Exmouth parish. The only other species of any note were 1 Stonechat and 8 Chiffchaffs. Orcombe not properly covered but 5 Stonechats and 1 Firecrest were logged in sheltered spots. Little time looking off Mudbank this afternoon with just 60 Turnstones and 3 Mediterranean Gulls making it into a soggy notebook. 

Yesterday off Mudbank - lots of stuff not counted but 27 Great Crested Grebes, 11 Common Gulls, c150 Teal, 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 16 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Sandwich Tern, 187 Shelduck, 7 Greenshank and 2 Mediterranean Gulls noted. Orcombe - 8 Goldcrests, 29 Pied Wagtails, 3 Song Thrushes and 1 drake Common Scoter offshore.

Straight Point at dawn yesterday.

Think this Yank Wigeon'ish oddity that I first saw on Friday  could be Wigeon x Gadwall hybrid although the Gadwall features are very minimal. I'm probably overlooking other possibilities. Whatever it is, it's axillaries are pure white and it's not a pure Wigeon! The Wigeon x Pintail hybrid is still knocking around too. Fun times!

A flash of the gleaming white axillaries.

GWEs, Spoonbill, Brambling

Great White Egret off Mudbank this afternoon. Earlier, this and another bird were a bit further upriver off Lympstone.

Orcombe Point from 0725 - My first Brambling of the autumn, 4+ Crossbills, 1 Wheatear, 2 Swallows, c25 Robins, 1+ Cirl Bunting, 5 Coal Tits, 1 Jay, 3 Reed Buntings, 17 Stock Doves, 2 Redpolls, 9+ Goldcrests, 6+ Blackbirds, c20 Chaffinches, 15+ Chiffchaffs, 50+ Meadow Pipits, 50+ Pied Wagtails, 7 Stonechats, c90+ Linnets, c70 Goldfinches, 10+ Greenfinches, 3 Song Thrushes, 28+ Siskins, c60 Starlings, c35 Skylarks and 1 Grey Wagtail.

Mudbank - 2 Great White Egrets, c60 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 1 Spoonbill (flew downriver at 1515 and landed on Cockle Sands), c800 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, c235 Black-tailed Godwits, 33+ Ringed Plovers, 45+ Dunlin, 6 Greenshank, 4+ Grey Plovers, 51+ Turnstones, c70+ Teal, c1000+ Wigeon, several Pintail, 8 Mediterranean Gulls (7 adults and a second winter), 1 Goshawk, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, c70 Redshank, 210+ Curlew, 1 Sandwich Tern, 16+ Great Crested Grebes, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Pintail x Wigeon hybrid and 1 presumed Gadwall x Wigeon hybrid. Also - 1 Redpoll and 1 Rock Pipit over.

15/10 - a singing Firecrest after work, in scrub behind the benches at Mudbank.

14/10 - Orcombe - c30 Robins, 4 Blackbirds, c50 Meadow Pipits, 5 Song Thrushes, c20 Chiffchaffs, 8 Goldcrests, 75+ Pied Wagtails, 12 Chaffinches, c30 Linnets, c40 Goldfinches, 29+ Siskins, 2 Greenfinches, 1 Cirl Bunting, 1 Snipe, 7 Stonechats, c55 Starlings, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets and 1 Bullfinch.

Mudbank - 4 Greenshank, 10 Redshank, 10 Grey Plovers, c45 Dunlin, 22 Lapwings, 1 Turnstone, c90 Redshank, 14+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 4 Teal and 33 Little Egrets.

Lapwing - Mudbank on 14/10. Another 21 on Cockle Sands.

Crossbill, Dartford

Wheatear - Orcombe Point.

A joy to be out on the patch this morning with autumn migrants moving west and east. Virtually no wind but nice and overcast. Totals included 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Crossbill, 70+ Meadow Pipits, 45+ Pied Wagtails, 4+ Redpolls, 70+ Goldfinches, c90+ Linnets, 25+ Chaffinches, 45+ Swallows, 35+ Siskins and 5 Reed Buntings. Also - 1 Firecrest, 1 Wheatear, 33+ Robins, 8 Goldcrests, 12+ Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Stonechats, 1+ Sparrowhawk, 1 Peregrine, 1 Cirl Bunting, 4+ Greenfinches, 33+ Stock Doves, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Green Woodpecker, and 1 Grey Wagtail.

A minute's look off Mudbank produced 27 Great Crested Grebes and 1 Whimbrel. A flock of c15 Skylarks flew very low upriver.

Yesterday - Orcombe - 13 Blackbirds, 8 Goldcrests, 9+ Chiffchaffs, 15+ Greenfinches, 2 Cirl Buntings, 7 Stock Doves, 4 Starlings, 30+ Siskins, 2/3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Coal Tit, 35+ Pied Wagtails, 2 Song Thrushes, 11+ Chaffinches, 2 Grey Wagtails, 50+ Meadow Pipits and 70+ Linnets.

An afternoon walk on Woodbury Common with Lu produced a nice flock of 16 Crossbills.
Mudbank - c580 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 242 Shelduck, 23+ Great Crested Grebes, c95 Black-tailed Godwits, 21 Ringed Plovers, 8 Sanderling, 1 Turnstone, 2 Grey Plovers, 7+ Redshank, c1000+ Wigeon and c90 Carrion Crows.
8/10 - Orcombe for an hour before work in the drizzle - 1 Dartford Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Mistle Thrush, 2 Collared Doves, 7+ Chiffchaffs, 5 Goldcrests, 4 Stock Doves, c50+ Meadow Pipits, 1 Blackcap, 11+ Chaffinches, 46+ Siskins, 1 Coal Tit and 7+ Goldfinches.

Mediterranean Gull.

Whitethroat, Tufties

 Whitethroat - Orcombe Point. It's been a terrible autumn for Whitethroats locally. This is the first one I've seen in well over a month!

Orcombe from 0720 'til 0930 - 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Redpoll, c50 Pied Wagtails, 22+ Siskins, 140+ Linnets, 12+ Greenfinches, 120+ Goldfinches, 90+ finch sp, c40 Chaffinches, 9+ Skylarks c180 Meadow Pipits, 1 Whitethroat, c15 Chiffchaffs, 6 Goldcrests, 1 Stonechat, 5 Song Thrushes, 6 Swallows, 7 House Martins, 9+ Blackbirds, 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Coal Tit.

Mudbank - 3 Tufted Ducks, c200+ Pintail, 1 Whimbrel, 350+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, c260 Black-tailed Godwits, 8 Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshank, 6 Redshank, 4 Grey Plovers, 23 Ringed Plovers, c50 Teal, 1 Sandwich Tern and a flock of 13 Siskins over. One Goshawk over the other side of the river.

Yesterday - 3 Pale-bellied Brent Geese with c300 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 18 Great Crested Grebes. Three Buzzards and an adult Mediterranean Gull in a newly ploughed field on Orcombe.

Goosander

Straight Point with rain after dawn.

Some unexpectedly good, albeit brief, overhead passage on Orcombe this morning. Stuff was moving in a short period between dawn and the arrival of a band of heavy rain passing out to sea. Counts are fairly rough as mixed flocks of pipits and finches came through low and fast together, making counting tricky. Totals - 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Goosander, 1+ Redpoll, c60+ Siskins, c35 Pied Wagtails, 6+ Swallows, c60+ Goldfinches, 3 Greenfinches, 2 Curlew, 8+ Chaffinches, c180+ Meadow Pipits and 2 Skylarks. Also 2 Stonechats and 5+ Chiffchaffs logged.
Off Mudbank - Few counts made but 250+ Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Knot, 5 Grey Plovers, 1 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose and 265+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese noted. Best was 4 Golden Plovers that flew through and headed north, upriver.

Yesterday off there - 1 Wheatear, c290 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, c200 Black-tailed Godwits,  5 Grey Plovers and a count of c400+ Pintail in far from ideal, windy conditions.

Garganey

Garganey off Mudbank this afternoon.

Mudbank counts on this afternoon's incoming tide included 1 Garganey, c30 Knot, c140+ Teal, 175+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 2 juvenile Bar-tailed Godwits, c220 Shelduck, 42+ Little Egrets, 146+ Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshank, 2 Grey Plovers, 41+ Redshank and the returning Pintail x Wigeon hybrid.

Yesterday - 49 Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 4 Grey Plovers, 8 Dunlin, 35 Black-tailed Godwits, c270+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and 1 juv Bar-tailed Godwit.

Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier west over Orcombe at 0837.

A beautiful morning on Orcombe Point (and a quick look at the top fields this afternoon) with Marsh Harrier, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Firecrest, 1 Ringed Plover, 5 Song Thrushes, 3+ Coal Tits, 4 Swallows, c30 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 4 Stock Doves, 5 Goldcrests, 27+ Chaffinches, 38+ Siskins, 2 Stonechats, 2 Grey Wagtails, 50+ Pied Wagtails, 280+ Meadow Pipits, 2 Cirl Buntings, 1 Sandwich Tern, c45+ Goldfinches, 8+ Greenfinches, 8+ Skylarks, c70 Linnets, 1 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Curlew and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Mudbank - 36 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Grey Plovers, 2 Greenshank, 17 Redshank, 220+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, c190 Pintail, 9+ Teal, 3 Shoveler, 4 Knot, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Dunlin, 15+ Ringed Plovers, 19 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Sandwich Tern and 1 Kingfisher.

This morning's Firecrest.

Kestrel.

Gropper, Merg, Chiffs

I probably under-counted Chiffies this morning. There seemed to be bunches of them in every suitable patch of habitat.

Orcombe Point this morning - 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 30+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Firecrest, 1 Golden Plover, 10+ Siskins, 18 Pied Wagtails, c10/20 Swallows, 60+ Meadow Pipits, 2 Goldcrests, 8+ Wheatears, 4+ Stonechats, c80+ House Martins, 15+ Skylarks and 3 Blackcaps.

Mudbank - 1 female-type Red-breasted Merganser, 208 Shelduck, 119 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Reed Bunting (over), 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel,  2 Sanderling,  2 Knot, 4 Turnstones, 15 Redshank, 18 Ringed Plovers, 16 Great Crested Grebes, 5 Teal, 17 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Sandwich Terns and 210+ Oystercatchers.

I really thought I wasn't going to see a Grasshopper Warbler this year so was chuffed when this bird flew up from the base of a hedge and sat nervously in cover for a few seconds.

Lapwings, Casp

1cy Little Gull off Mudbank this afternoon.

Mudbank quite productive again today - 1 fw Caspian Gull on Cockle Sands this morning, then dip-feeding mid-river before flying over towards Starcross. Super-distinctive even at distance and my third this month. Also 1cy Little Gull, 21+ Sandwich Terns, 1 juvenile Common Tern, 1 Osprey, 1 Peregrine, 2 Lapwings (unusual this end of the river), 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 113 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, c700+ Wigeon, c180 Pintail, 23 Teal, 1  Shoveler, 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, c270 Curlew, 1 Sanderling, 3 Ringed Plovers, 2 Knot, 2 Grey Plovers, 3 Turnstones, 2 Greenshank, 17+ Redshank, 208 Shelduck, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Rock Pipit, and 1 Kingfisher. A flock of 17 Cattle Egrets headed towards Cofton over the other side of the river.

Orcombe was quiet first thing with just 2+ Cirl Buntings, 16+ Chiffchaffs, 8+ Skylarks, c50+ Goldfinches, c30/40 Meadow Pipits and 3 Goldcrests logged.

Yesterday off Mudbank - 3 Shoveler of note and on/over Orcombe - 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1+ Ringed Plover, 8+ Chaffinches, 16+ Chiffchaffs, 5 Grey Wagtails, c25 Pied Wagtails, 8+ Siskins, 80+ Meadow Pipits and 3 Goldcrests.

An afternoon walk on Woodbury Common, with Joel, produced a flock of c20/30 Crossbills.

Three Shoveler off Mudbank yesterday.

Glossy Sunset

A single Glossy Ibis off Mudbank this evening. The Brent Goose flock numbered 58. Presumably 57 Dark, 1 Pale.

Slav Grebe, Glossy Flock

Sunrise from Orcombe with Portland on the horizon.

A strangely good day in Exmouth today - the highlight coming late this afternoon with a winter-plumaged Slavonian Grebe in the estuary off Shelly Beach. Many thanks to Mark for the message. I'm old enough to remember a time when they were common winter visitors to the Exe but since the demise of the famous long-staying bird, a few years ago, they've become really rare. Today's individual is remarkably early too, undoubtedly a product of the cold northerly airflow. 
At midday I was enjoying watching a hefty female Goshawk being mobbed by a (relatively small) Kestrel, across the other side of the river (from Mudbank), when I picked up a flock of 19 Glossy Ibis. They were already high but circled higher and higher, until almost stratospheric, before heading south with some purpose. Also off Mudbank today - 25 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, c380+ Wigeon, 4 Teal, 60+ Pintail, c65+ Dunlin, 7 Redshank, 23 Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Knot, 1 Whimbrel and c40 Sandwich Terns.

A  freezing cold dawn spell on Orcombe produced c180+ Meadow Pipits, 25+ Siskins, 1+ Yellow Wagtail, 10+ Pied Wagtails, 4 Grey Wagtails, 4+ Goldcrests, c40+ Swallows, 45+ hirundine sp, 18+ House Martins, c30 Goldfinches, 18+ Linnets, 4+ Chaffinches, 2 Greenfinches, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Wheatears, 7 Skylarks, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Redshank and 9 Common Scoters (east)..

This is the first Slavonian Grebe I've seen since February 11th 2021 when I photographed the famous long-stayer off Shelly Beach. One of the photos I took that day appears as the current 'banner' of this blog.

Baird's Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper - river Otter. Two trips needed. A nice walk with Lu this morning (when we dipped) and a silly dash this afternoon. One of those species that I haven't seen for years! In fact, my last one was nearly 30 years ago - at Needs Ore in Hampshire on 16/9/96. Kev and I twitched it on our way back from a short birding trip to Norfolk and Essex. Prior to that I saw one at Bowling Green on 31/8/93 and my first, at Crowdy Reservoir, Cornwall on 7/1//89. Really great to catch up with Chris having not seen him in ages. Also there today - 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Dunlin, 1+ Yellow Wagtail, 1 Wheatear, 1 Osprey and 11 Spoonbills over south.

Didn't do any birding in Exmouth today but yesterday - a juv/fw Little Gull over the Imperial rec before flying over the town. On Cockle Sands - c170 Curlew, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose and 5 Sandwich Terns. A Whimbrel was in Duckpond. Mudbank counts included 78 Pintail, 7 Teal, 6 Knot, c50 Redshank, 39 Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits and 2 Greenshank. A quick look off the seafront mid-afternoon produced 1 Arctic Skua and 18 Sandwich Terns. Just 3 Wheatears and lots of passage Swallows on a very speedy look at Orcombe top fields.

Eleven Spoonbills high over the Otter valley towards the sea this afternoon.

Ospreys

Two Ospreys off Mudbank this afternoon. A bird carrying a fish east, over the Deaf Academy, at 1055 could have been a third individual.

Mudbank today - 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Ospreys, 1 Goshawk and a juvenile Peregrine along with 73 Pintail, 8 Teal, c170 Wigeon, 4 Greenshank, 1 Turnstone, 1 Grey Plover, 13 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plovers, 1 Knot, 15 Redshank, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Whimbrel, 30+ Common Terns, 1 Mediterranean Gull and 1 Yellow Wagtail.

A Tawny Owl was calling as I was about to go through the moth trap this morning and on Orcombe - 1+ Siskin, 2 Wheatear, 3 Stonechats and a Nuthatch. An Osprey circled eastwards, with a fish, over the Deaf Academy at 1055.

Yesterday evening - 600+ Common Terns roosting on Cockle Sands with a juvenile Little Gull. Also - 41+ Pintail, 45+ Teal, 35+ Black-tailed Godwits, c85 Wigeon, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit.

Wheatear - Orcombe Point.

Pearly Underwing. First time trapping for a while - 2 Angle Shades, 3 Dark Sword-grass, 2 Blair's Mocha, 1 Four-spotted Footman, 2 Olive-tree Pearl, 2 Large Ranunculus, 9 Rush Veneer, 10+ Rusty Dot Pearl, 1 Silver Y, 1+ Portland Ribbon Wave, Yellow Shell, Box-tree Moth, L-album Wainscot, Carcina quercana, Coastal Pearl, Light Emerald, Square-spot Rustic, Willow Beauty, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lunar Underwing, Double-striped Pug, Twenty-plume Moth and Wax Moth.

Female Four-spotted Footman.

Juvenile Peregrine - Mudbank.

Female Peregrine - Bicton Common.

Black Tern, Gadwall

Whimbrel - Mudbank.

A look off Mudbank after work this afternoon, on the dropping tide, revealed 800+ Common Terns resting on Cockle Sands. Amongst them - 1 juvenile Black Tern and at least one juvenile Arctic Tern. Also off Mudbank - 2 Knot, 3 Sanderling, 1 Whimbrel, 3 Greenshank, 10 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 14 Redshank, 1 Peregrine, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 8 Pintail, c35 Wigeon and 1 Stock Dove.

Yesterday off there - a female-type Gadwall (my first this year), 1 Shoveler, 1 Teal, c160 Wigeon, 96 Shelduck, 95 Mallard, c50 Common Terns, 2 Whimbrel, 5 Ringed Plovers, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 20 Redshank, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Dunlin, c20 Sandwich Terns and a fly-over Siskin. Further upriver - an Osprey and 4 Black Swans.
Earlier, on Orcombe - 67 Meadow Pipits west along with 12 Grey Wagtails, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Tree Pipit, 11 Swallows and 17+ Siskins in the first hour and a half after dawn.

Osprey, Ibis

An adult Osprey on Cockle Sands this morning.

Orcombe first thing - 12+ Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Stonechat, 7+ Grey Wagtails, 15 Meadow Pipits, 1 Kestrel, at least 7 Yellow Wagtails still and 1 Wheatear.

Mudbank -  2 Greenshank, 18+ Turnstones, 31 Redshank, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Whimbrel, 15 Great Crested Grebes, c180 Wigeon, 1 Kingfisher, 5+ Grey Wagtails, 20+ Sandwich Terns, 37 Pintail, 1 first-winter Mediterranean Gull, c50/60 'commic' terns, 1 Peregrine and 1 Osprey. A single Glossy Ibis circled Powderham Park just after 9am before appearing to drop somewhere north of Powderham Church.

Yesterday an early morning sea-watch from the raised beach huts produced 2 Arctic Skuas, 12 Common Scoters, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 22 hirundine sp out to sea and a good count of 115+ Balearic Shearwaters.

Mudbank - 18 Redshank, 9 Pintail, 2 Greenshank, c205 Wigeon, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Peregrine, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Common Sandpiper, 88 Shelduck and 1 Osprey ((upriver).

On Orcombe - 8 Yellow Wagtails on the dung heap.

Pintail off Mudbank in the drizzle.

Juvenile Swallow - dung heap.

Yellow Wags, 2cy Casp

Nine Yellow Wagtails on the dung heap today.

Orcombe Point this morning - 9 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 8 Meadow Pipits, 7+ Swallows, 1 Bullfinch and 6 Ravens.

Mudbank counts included a fly-over Golden Plover, a 2cy Caspian Gull just before dark this evening, c400+ Common Terns, 158 Wigeon, 20 Pintail, 2 Turnstones, 2 Teal, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshank, 10 Great Crested Grebes, 1 Whimbrel, 19 Redshank, 6 Bar-tailed Godwits, 96 Shelduck, c195 Curlew, 40+ Little  Egrets and 45 adult Mute Swans. 

2cy Caspian Gull - difficult to sketch and photograph as t was getting dark.

Whimbrel - Duckpond.