Black Red, Mergs

Black Redstart - Maer Lane.

Orcombe/Maer Valley combined - 15+ Goldcrests, 1 Black Redstart, 4 Mute Swans, 2 Curlew, 6 Chiffchaffs, c180 Stock Doves, 2+ Cirl Buntings, 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Ring-necked Parakeet (Bristol Schools), 33+ Chaffinches, 1 Brambling, c300 Woodpigeons, 2 Firecrests, 1+ Redwing and 1 Green Sandpiper.

Mudbank - 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 6 Knot, 8 Grey Plovers, 27 Great Crested Grebes, 1 drake Shoveler and c200 Pintail.

Mixed flock of Stock Doves and Woodpigeons.

Green Sand

My first Green Sandpiper of the year was briefly on the slurry pit this morning. Always a tricky species in Exmouth and usually a late summer/early autumn migrant.

Busier than expected on Orcombe this morning. Overcast with a bit of drizzle and virtually no wind. Counts included 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Yellowhammer, 8+ Brambling, 7 Fieldfares, c40 Redwing, c330 Starlings (all west), 4 Reed Buntings, 2 Cirl Buntings, 1 Rock Pipit, 14+ Blackbirds, 62+ Stock Doves, c300 Woodpigeons, c115 Chaffinches, 1 Firecrest, 1 Coal Tit, 6+ Goldcrests, 4 Song Thrushes, c30 Goldfinches, 11+ Greenfinches, 3+ Siskins, 5 Chiffchaffs, c20 Meadow Pipits and c30 Skylarks.

Nearby in Maer Valley - 6 Chiffchaffs, 4 Goldcrests, 1 Blackcap, 5 Ring-necked Parakeets (Green Farm), 2 Coal Tits and 2 Skylarks. 

Sooty Shearwater, Gannets

An overwhelming and truly spectacular volume of seabirds south past Orcombe Point, between 0705 and 0815, included thousands of auks and Kittiwakes along with 2350+ Gannets, a nice 'close' Sooty Shearwater, 7 Common Scoters, 2 Red-throated Divers, 4 Great Northern Divers, 2 diver sp, 1 Shearwater sp (probably another Sooty) and 3 skua sp (probably Arctics). Dread to think what I might have missed in all the chaos!

A sea-watch yesterday, from the raised beach huts, from 0705 'til 0815 produced 1550+ Gannets south along with 4 Great Northern Divers, 5+ Common Scoters and 2 Shelduck. A Firecrest was at Maer Farm and Mudbank counts included 126 Redshank, 90+ Turnstones, 11 Knot, 22 Great Crested Grebes, 160 Shelduck and 6 Greenshank.

2/11 - Orcombe from 0650 - c8000+ Woodpigeons, 6+ Blackbirds, 2+ Bramblings, 3+ Cirl Buntings, 3 Song Thrushes, 7+ Goldcrests, 30+ Siskins, c50+ Starlings, 3+ Redpolls, c160+ Chaffinches, 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Stonechats, 2 Grey Wagtails, 1+ Snipe, 3 Coal Tits, 1 Chiffchaff and 30+ Stock Doves.

Mudbank - limited counts included 200+ Dunlin, c120 Redshank, 1 Knot and 8 Greenshank. The Whimbrel was again in Duckpond.

Coal Tit - Orcombe Point (slurry pit).

View from Mudbank 1/11.

Merlin

3cy Yellow-legged Gull.

A look at the sea from the raised beach huts from 0700 'til 0830 - a flurry of c190 Kittiwakes early on and a steady stream of Gannets and auks all south. A horizon-hugging shearwater south at 0740 looked like a Sooty and two adult-type skuas at 0822 were probably Poms. Otherwise - 4 Great Northern Divers, 1 Turnstone, 8 Common Scoters, 8 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Arctic Skua and, best of all, a Merlin low south across the bay at 0807. Lots of jobs to do today so no concerted Mudbank counts but a very vocal Cetti's Warbler was in low scrub behind the benches and a 3cy Yellow-legged Gull was present along with 1 female-type Red-breasted Merganser and at least 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese. Nearby in Duckpond - 1 Whimbrel, and on the Imperial rec - 1 Cirl Bunting and 1 Rock Pipit.

Whimbrel - Duckpond. This bird has been around for weeks. Might it winter?

The presumed Wigeon x Gadwall was again present today but no sign of the Wigeon x Pintail hybrid.

Dawn from Orcombe yesterday. A bit nicer than this morning!

30/10 - Orcombe from 0655 - 1 Firecrest, 1 Reed Bunting, 2 Snipe, 1 Coal Tit, 4 Cirl Buntings, 2 Brambling, 8 Stock Doves, 3 Redpoll, 2 Siskins, 2 Stonechats, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 100+ Chaffinches, 1 Shelduck, 1 Kestrel, c15 Pied Wagtails, 16+ Linnets, 14+ Greenfinches, 12+ Goldfinches, c30+ Meadow Pipits, 5 Chiffchaffs, 6+ Goldcrests, 3 Song Thrushes, 4+ Blackbirds and 30+ Robins.

Mudbank counts included a whopping 780+ Teal, c105+ Redshank, c200+ Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Greenshank, 5+ Grey Plovers, c60+ Turnstones, 1 Whimbrel, 7 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, c110 Mallard, 8 Sanderling, 9+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Rock Pipit and at least 3 Skylarks over. Wigeon, Pintail and Dark-bellied Brent Geese present in good numbers but not counted.

In the back garden - 1 Firecrest, 1 Coal Tit and 2 Chiffchaffs.

Scaup

Distant and fairly brief views of this morning's Scaup upriver from Mudbank so unsure of sex/age etc. but possibly an immature or eclipse drake?

On day two of a training course so a short spell on Orcombe from 0655 - 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Firecrest, 2 Cirl Buntings, 7+ Goldcrests, 2 Reed Buntings, 4 Song Thrushes, c140 unidentified finch sp,  7+ Redpolls, 2+ Bramblings, 6 Blackbirds, c20 Meadow Pipits, 24+ Linnets, c170 Chaffinches, 11+ Greenfinches, c20 Pied Wagtails, 1 Stonechat, 24+ Siskins, 2 Chiffchaffs, 30+ Goldfinches, 7 Starlings, 4 Stock Doves, 1 Bullfinch and 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker.

A Scaup off Mudbank was the stand-out highlight amongst large numbers of wildfowl (mostly Wigeon and Brent Geese) but unfortunately no time for proper counting.

Woodpigeons heading west over the top fields on 27/10.

Curlew - Mudbank.

28/10 - Orcombe (quick visit before all-day course) highlight was a fly-over male  Bullfinch. Otherwise vis-mig much reduced with just 160+ Woodpigeons, 34 Chaffinches, 12 Greenfinches, 4 Starlings, 55+ Goldfinches and just 2 Siskins. Also 1 Cirl Bunting.

Mudbank - 34 Great Crested Grebes (including a flock of 27).

27/10 - Lu's birthday but managed an hour on Orcombe (top fields) where I logged 1 Redpoll, 1 Golden Plover, 2 Stonechats, 1 Reed Bunting and 6300+ Woodpigeons.

 Pale-bellied Brent Geese - Mudbank.

26/10 - Orcombe - 1 Swallow, 5 Brambling, 1 Yellowhammer, 13000+ Woodpigeons, 130+ Chaffinches, c60 Goldfinches, c20 Pied Wagtails, 10+ Linnets, 4 Chiffchaffs, 5 Greenfinches, 16+ Redpolls, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Goldcrests, c30 Siskins, 3 Reed Buntings, c30 Skylarks, 32 Starlings and 11 Stock Doves.

Mudbank - c640 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and at least 7 Pale-bellied Brent Geese.

An afternoon stroll on the pebbled heaths - 13 Tufted Ducks, 1 Goosander, 1 Teal, 18 Mallard, 7 Crossbills, 7 Fieldfares and 4+ Redpolls.

Brambling

Brambling - I think this is only the second time I've managed to photograph a Brambling in Exmouth. They're regular enough as autumn fly-overs but there's very little to tempt them to land!

Totals from 0740 'til 1025 but loads missed as birds passed west along a broad front - 1 Swallow, 3 Brambling, c9000+ Woodpigeons, c25 Robins, 5 Chiffchaffs, c20 Pied Wagtails, 7 Blackbirds, 8+ Goldcrests, c90 Chaffinches, 28+ Siskins, 3 Song Thrushes, 4+ Redpolls, c80 Goldfinches, 25+ Linnets, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Reed Bunting, 4+ Cirl Buntings, 14+ Greenfinches, 18 Starlings, c60 Meadow Pipits, 26 Stock Doves, 15 Jackdaws, 1 Grey Wagtail, 20+ Skylarks, 1 Peregrine and 2 Sparrowhawks. Zero effort into counting Mudbank stuff but a Firecrest was in Oaks behind the benches.

Tufties, Woodies

Five of eight Tufted Ducks off Mudbank this morning.

A later start and just a short spell on Orcombe this morning - 1 Grey Heron, 1 Brambling, 18+ Chaffinches, 1800+ Woodpigeons, 4 Goldcrests, 3 Song Thrushes, 4 Stonechats, 3 Starlings, 15 Stock Doves, 1 Rock Pipit, 3 Blackbirds, 6+ Pied Wagtails, 1 Blackcap, just 2 Chiffchaffs and a handful of Meadow Pipits.

Mudbank - 8 Tufted Ducks, 8 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and 8 Grey Plovers the only species counted on a very short visit!

It's that time of year again - migrating Woodpigeons!

Stock Doves too.

22/10 - Orcombe for just over an hour before work - 5 Chiffchaffs, at least 50 Chaffinches, 8 Goldcrests, 30+ Meadow Pipits, c25 Pied Wagtails, 1+ Redpoll, c30 Siskins, 45+ Linnets, 45+ Goldfinches, 10+ Greenfinches, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Reed Bunting, 8 Starlings, 2 Blackcaps and 1 Firecrest.

21/10 from 0750 - 22+ Robins, 9 Goldcrests, 13 Blackbirds, c40 Meadow Pipits, 16 Woodpigeons, 6 Chiffchaffs, 3 Song Thrushes, 2 Blackcaps, c90 Goldfinches, c40 Chaffinches, up to 7 Cirl Buntings (including three high west first thing), c20 Skylarks, 13+ Pied Wagtails, c40 Linnets, 7+ Siskins, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Rock Pipit, 16+ Swallows, 20 Black-headed Gulls, 7 Greenfinches, 4 Stonechats, 30+ Jackdaws, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 3 Starlings.

Meadow Pipit - Orcombe Point.

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.