Sibe Chiff

A Siberian Chiffchaff was along Madeira walk today. Also along there - several Goldcrests, at least 2 Firecrests and 4+ Chiffchaffs. The wintering Whimbrel is still showing very well in Duckpond and a Cetti's Warbler was along the cycle path between Mudbank and West Lodge. A male Stonechat was the only bird of note in the West Lodge reedbed.

Firecrest - Madeira Walk.

The wintering Whimbrel.

Short Catch-up

Firecrest - West Lodge.

Very little to report. A short sea-watch from the raised beach huts, first thing, produced 3 Red-throated Divers, 5 Great Northern Divers, 4 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Common Scoters, 1 Great Crested Grebe and an adult Mediterranean Gull. Otherwise at least 1 Firecrest and 2 Chiffchaffs at West Lodge.

Yesterday - the Whimbrel still in Duckpond and a Stonechat still on the Imperial recreation ground. Three Chiffchaffs were in scrub along Mudbank and a Firecrest was at West Lodge.

18/11 - Orcombe - 1 Golden Plover, c350 Woodpigeons, 14+ Skylarks, 1 Turnstone, 8 Goldcrests, 5 Chiffchaffs, 16+ Chaffinches and a pair of Cirl Buntings.

Little Egret - Maer Rocks 18/11/25.

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.