Orcombe Nuthatch

I wasn't expecting the weather to be so still and fine this morning. It meant that there was a bit of stuff moving on Orcombe, from first light. I recorded 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Ringed Plover, 125+ Meadow Pipit, c15+ Chiffchaff, 9+ Grey Wagtail, 2 Willow Warbler, 2 Wheatear, 5 'Alba' Wagtail, c20+ Swallow, 1 Blackcap, 4 Tree Pipit, 2+ Goldcrest, 5 Whitethroat, 1 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 1 Garden Warbler and, best of all, a Nuthatch - only my second record on Orcombe and a peculiar sight as it bounced between hedges and passed over the top fields.

Late this afternoon a quick look off the docks produced at least 3, probably 4, juvenile Black Tern, 1 juvenile Arctic Tern, c5+ Common Tern and 5 Mediterranean Gull.

Two Portland Ribbon Waves were found by lights in the Bristol Schools camp this morning. I think it's safe to say there is clearly a colony here or nearby, following the first found on August 31st.

Comma. Several Red Admiral, a Painted Lady, several Speckled Wood and a Peacock were all seen today.

YLG

Juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (preening) on Warren Point - my first one for about a month. Note also the 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull stood to its right. Click on photo to enlarge.

 

Masses of birds again off the docks this evening. Three Black Tern again present, along with c12+ Common Tern, c50+ Sandwich Tern, c5/10+ Mediterranean Gull and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. Large numbers of both Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull.

Off Orcombe, in cool breezy conditions, at least 3 lingering Arctic Skua and 2 Black Tern.
The Wigeon flock off Mudbank has grown to 40 birds.

 

 

Kestrel - Orcombe Point

Bits and Bobs

This large and colourful Wheatear is probably a 'Greenland-type' - photographed on Orcombe a couple days ago.

Just a single Sedge Warbler noted on a quick scoot around Orcombe, after work this afternoon. Two Arctic Skuas were offshore, showing interest in c20+ Kittiwake that were lingering, and a White Wagtail was on the beach with c10+ Pied Wagtail.

A large gathering of gulls and terns off the docks included 3 Black Tern (Spencer had four), c10+ Common Tern, c30/40+ Sandwich Tern and at least 2 Mediterranean Gulls.

Just one Greenshank was the only bird of note off Mudbank.

Autumn Moths

 

Pink-barred Sallow - what a moth!

 

A muggy night last night so out went the trap, providing a really nice selection of species this morning: Orange Swift, Small Dusty Wave, Garden Carpet, Green Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, Double-striped Pug, Brimstone Moth, September Thorn, Early Thorn, Willow Beauty, Common Wave, Light Emerald, Archer's Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Pearly Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Square-spot Rustic, Pink-barred Sallow, Angle Shades, Dark Arches, Rosy Rustic, Uncertain, Vine's Rustic, Silver Y, Dark Spectacle, Spectacle, Straw Dot, Snout, Ruddy Streak, Twenty-plume Moth, Garden Rose Tortrix, Common Marble, Bramble Shoot Moth, Rusty Dot Pearl, Mother of Pearl, Coastal Pearl, Narrow-winged Grey and Elbow-stripe Grass-veneer.

 

Pearly Underwing - its fellow travellers included just a single Silver Y and Rusty Dot Pearl

Coastal Pearl - Mecyna asinalis

Female Orange Swift

My second Archer's Dart was a bit of a surprise in the trap this morning - such a stunning species.

Rosy Rustic

Spectacle and Dark Spectacle - I've always wanted to trap these two species together and seeing as both are fresh I've used the opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison shot.

Chevron

This Chevron was trapped last night by Martin - another new one for me, despite over ten years of looking at moths. Thanks Martin. This species apparently inhabits moorland, woodland and sandy areas so I wouldn't entirely rule out trapping one here in Exmouth one day.

Very Wet

Herring Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull - Exmouth cricket pitch.

 

It hasn't stopped raining all day and sea-watching was a bit of a wash-out first thing. Actually that's an understatement. Dreadful visibility meant that 6 'skua sp' all went unidentified, although one looked a likely Long-tailed and at least 2 were almost certainly Arctics. Otherwise 1 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Shearwater sp, c20+ Common Scoter, 24 Sandwich Tern, 1 Common Tern and 2 Curlew made it into a very soggy notebook. I had another look off the seafront late this afternoon, before going to pick up Maisie in Sidmouth, and was pleased to find 2 Black Terns zooming around in the murk.

I had a look off Mudbank during a slightly lighter spell of rain and picked up 17 Wigeon, 10 Teal, 2 Pintail, the White-cheeked Pintail and c300+ Mallard. Thirty-nine Redshank was a good count for this corner of the estuary.

One of at least 39 Redshank present off Mudbank/Imperial today.

One of 2 Pintail off Mudbank

Orcombe

 

Sandwich Terns on Maer Rocks

 

On Orcombe this morning, between 0615 and 0800, there was a noticeable increase in Meadow Pipit movement. At least 80 pushed west in small parties, no bigger than 10 birds strong. Also recorded were 34 Yellow Wagtail, 8 Grey Wagtail, 11+ Chiffchaff, 4+ Willow Warbler, 3 Wheatear, 4+ Blackcap, 3+ Tree Pipit, 1 Sedge Warbler, c10+ Swallow, 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Whinchat.

 

 

Martin trapped this August Thorn yesterday and kindly let me photograph it. It's only the second one I've seen. Its markings are similar to September Thorn but it rests with its wings much further apart, which renders it rather distinctive.