Goosanders

Goosanders - Mudbank. Barely annual in Exmouth but this trio follows a single bird west past Orcombe on October 5th.

A little bit of movement on Orcombe this morning with c700+ Woodpigeons east, 10 Chaffinches, 1 Little Egret and 1 Lapwing logged. Also - c35 Pied Wagtails, 215+ Starlings, 5 Chiffchaffs, 10 Goldcrests, 2 Stock Doves, 1+ Stonechat, 1 Snipe, 4 Song Thrushes and c10+ Meadow Pipits.

The Yellow-browed Warbler called just once but clearly in scrub at Mudbank and also seen - c6+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Firecrest, several Goldcrests and 1 Blackcap. Off there - 3 Goosanders (two females and an immature male), 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, c20 Ringed Plovers, 20 Grey Plovers, 22 Bar-tailed Godwits, 22 Great Crested Grebes and c150 Redshank.

A lone Lapwing heading over Orcombe this morning.

A flock of Starlings heading towards a cattle herd below Bond's Farm. I counted 215 in five flocks in total but estimate c300+ were present in the final gathering.

Spot Red

Orcombe from dawn - 1 Snipe, 2 Cirl Buntings, 1 Firecrest, 16 Blackbirds, 5 Song Thrushes, c55 Chaffinches, 7 Goldcrests, 11+ Greenfinches, 1 Rock Pipit, c10/20+ Meadow Pipits, c55 Starlings, 1+ Siskin, 6 Chiffchaffs and 2 Curlew.

Mudbank - 1 Yellow-browed Warbler still, 6+ Chiffchaffs, 1 Firecrest, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers, 25 Knot, 1 Shoveler,  33+ Great Crested Grebes, 1 Spotted Redshank, c120 Redshank, 8 Greenshank, 9+ Grey Plover and 11 Teal. Nearby - 1 Cirl Bunting and 1 Stonechat on the Imperial rec, the Whimbrel in Duckpond and a Black Redstart in the 'Gut'. A Firecrest was along Madeira Walk.

Spotted Redshank - Mudbank.

Whimbrel - Duckpond.

Blackbird - Imperal rec.

YBW

This morning's Yellow-browed Warbler.

Orcombe in wet weather was a bit better than expected - 1 Golden Plover, 1+ Brambling, 1+ Redpoll, 25 Stock Doves, 3 Rock Pipits, 1 Moorhen, 1 Cirl Bunting, 13 Skylarks, 3+ Chiffchaffs and c40 Starlings. Nearby - 1 Firecrest in Maer Lane and a big flock of c300+ Starling out across the bay. A further 2 Firecrests were in the Maer long-stay carpark.

Mudbank - 3 Shoveler, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers and 10 Greenshank. In scrub between the top and bottom benches - 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Firecrest and 3+ Chiffchaffs.

Shelly Beach - 1 Cattle Egret (Cockle Sands) and 1 Mediterranean Gull on Bull Hill.

Drake Shovelers - Mudbank.

Barnacle, Black Reds

Whimbrel - Duckpond. This long-staying bird looks set to winter...

The Barnacle Goose was scoped from Shelly Beach this afternoon - well off towards Cockwood Corner but standing out like a sore thumb amongst the Brents. I'm pretty sure it was the 'goose sp'  I saw from the car a couple days ago as it flew towards the Warren. Nearby - 3 Black Redstarts in the 'Gut' and a Whimbrel in Duckpond.

Off Mudbank - 47+ Great Crested Grebes, 140+ Shelduck, c30 Sanderling, 12+ Bar-tailed Godwits and 6+ Grey Plovers. Five Avocets flew downriver at 1520 and continued towards Cockwood.

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - Duckpond.

Some of the 47+ Great Crested Grebes off Mudbank. The highest count for a while.

At least three Black Redstarts (2 female types and a male) were in the 'Gut' around the Camperdown long-stay carpark and the new scout building this afternoon.

Poss grey goose sp?

Dawn yesterday.

Orcombe /Maer Lane - not much moving in breezy conditions but managed to dig out 3 Firecrests, 1 Black Redstart, 7+ Goldcrests, 1 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 10 Stock Doves, 13+ Meadow Pipits, 15+ Skylarks, 18 Starlings and 1+ Chiffchaff.

A Redwing was in the Maer long-stay carpark and 8 juvenile Dark-bellied Brent Geese were in Duckpond. What looked to be a 'grey' goose sp flew parallel to the seafront and dropped down from height over the Warren, but I was driving so couldn't really get anything on it.

Mudbank - 22+ Sanderling, 10 Ringed Plovers, 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 4 Knot, 19+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Grey Plovers, 1 Firecrest and 1 Chiffchaff. 

Yesterday on Orcombe - 17000+ Woodpigeons, 1 Moorhen (slurry pit), 5+ Cirl Buntings, 1 Redwing, 3 Reed Buntings, 1 Blackcap, c160+ Chaffinches, 11+ Blackbirds, 7+ Song Thrushes, 5+ Goldcrests, 7+ Chiffchaffs, c20 Meadow Pipits, c50 Goldfinches, 16+ Stock Doves, 8+ Linnets, c80 Starlings and just 1 Siskin. 

A Firecrest was at Prattshayes Farm and off Mudbank - 32 Sanderling, 28 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Red-breasted Mergansers.

Black Redstart - Maer farm. Possibly the same as the bird seen on the 7th, a few hundred yards away.

Meadow Pipit.

A slightly closer look at the presumed Gadwall x Wigeon hybrid off Mudbank.

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.