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.