Pochard

This Whinchat was still present on Orcombe yesterday but there was no sign on a brief search today - just one Stonechat and a couple of Yellow Wagtails of note.

A morning look off Mudbank, before work, revealed 1 Pochard, 1 Tufted Duck, 2 Teal, 98+ Pintail, c200+ Wigeon, 3 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 120+ Mallard, 1 Turnstone, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 6+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, 11 Redshank, 8 Dunlin, 35 Little Egret and 1 Kingfisher.

Juvenile Black-tailed Godwit

Drake Tufted Duck - this would have been today's highlight but it was trumped by a Pochard - a far rarer bird in Exmouth!

   

Brindled Green 

Portland Ribbon Wave

Vestal - one of three trapped last night. Other immigrant species were just 2 Silver Y and 4 or 5 Rusty Dot Pearl.

Siskins

Wheatear. Two seen yesterday, including this juvenile. Just one seen today.

A nice clear morning on Orcombe produced some overhead movement. Siskins were the main feature with at least 177 recorded although that total includes single calls, where flocks weren't seen, so the true total is most likely considerably higher. The largest flock size noted was 17 though most flocks contained more than ten birds. Also noted today - 110+ Meadow Pipit, 6+ Skylark, 9+ Chaffinch, 12+ Grey Wagtail, 6+ Yellow Wagtail, 1+ 'alba' wagtail, 3 Whitethroat, 8 Chiffchaff, 1 Jay, 9+ Swallow, 6+ Goldfinch, 1 or 2 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Stonechat, 1 Whinchat, 3 Blackcap, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Wheatear, with small numbers of Jackdaw, Greenfinch and Woodpigeon apparently on the move. 

Also of note today - 2 Pochard and 6 Tufted Duck at Blackhill Quarry, and off Mudbank - 1 Mediterranean Gull, 13 Brent Goose, 4 Whimbrel, 2 Greenshank, 8 Common Gull, 27 Shelduck and 2 juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit.

Yesterday on Orcombe - my first Reed Bunting of the autumn, 4+ Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, 40+ Siskin and a few other bits and pieces.

At least 4 Yellow Wagtails in with cattle yesterday. At least six seen this morning.

Small Copper

Centre-barred Sallow

Rosy Rustic

Feathered Ranunculus

Light Emerald

Lunar Underwing

 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet

This Week

One of nine Yellow Wagtails in with cattle on Orcombe Point this afternoon. Very quiet otherwise with just 1 Grey Wagtail and 1 Meadow Pipit recorded. Nothing in the bushes.

Juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit - Mudbank. Otherwise just 15 Redshank this afternoon.

Yesterday on Orcombe - this juvenile Whinchat. Also 1+ Wheatear, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2+ Yellow Wagtail and 4 Chiffchaff.

Twenty-one Pale-bellied Brent Geese off Mudbank on Tuesday included a number of juvenile birds. A dozen birds were on Maer Rocks - see below.

Brents and Hirundines

Fourteen Pale-bellied Brent Geese fly in to join 12 Pale and 2 Dark-bellied birds. The flock of 28 remained off Mudbank for most of the day.

 

Orcombe first light - 7+ Siskin, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Wheatear, 3 Tree Pipit, 6 Yellow Wagtail, 15 Meadow Pipit, and 1 alba wagtail.

Mudbank - 1 Kingfisher, 4 Whimbrel, 1+ Osprey, 26 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 2 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 1 Peregrine, 3 Sand Martin, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Grey Wagtail, 39 Mallard, 1 Dunlin, 95 Wigeon, 1 Shoveler, 2 Pintail and 4 Turnstone.

One of three Sand Martin resting on wires at Mudbank this morning.

House Martin. One of about twenty birds that have been knocking around Mudbank for some time.

Kestrel - Orcombe  Point

Garganey

My second Garganey of the autumn was with 240+ Wigeon off Mudbank this morning.

 

Mudbank - 1 Garganey, 1 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 240+ Wigeon, 20+ Pintail, 1 Tree Pipit, 4+ Grey Wagtail, 7 Sandwich Tern, 10+ Siskin, 17 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 2 Whimbrel, 4 Knot and 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, including a yellow-flagged bird.

A very quick early morning look at Orcombe produced 1 Wheatear, 2 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Sandwich Tern, 2 Grey Wagtail, 6 Raven, 1+ Siskin and 2 Meadow Pipit.

Slim Pickings

 

Whinchat - it's been a poor autumn for this species on Orcombe. This is only my third following a very early July juvenile and a single August bird. I missed another a few days ago. Also this afternoon - 2 Wheatear, 3 Stock Dove and 20+ Swallow.

 

Off Mudbank today - the single Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 95+ Wigeon, 13 Redshank, 20+ Pintail, 4 Knot, 3 Greenshank, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Turnstone, 3+ Sandwich Tern, 1 Mediterranean Gull and 2 Whimbrel.

On Orcombe yesterday afternoon - 1 Hobby, 1+ Meadow Pipit and 50+ hirundine sp. Off Mudbank - 56 Wigeon, 1 Peregrine, 5 Grey Heron, 15+ Sandwich Tern, 1 Kestrel and 9 Knot.

On 2/9 off Mudbank - 175 Wigeon and 25 Pintail.

 

 

 An Orcombe Hobby isn't a common sight. This one flashed through late yesterday afternoon but as you can see it was near enough gone by the time I lifted the camera.

Pale-bellied Brent

Present at dawn and again this afternoon, this Pale-bellied Brent Goose is my first of the autumn. The Dark-bellied birds will start arriving soon...

 

Quick visits to Mudbank before and after work produced one Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 97 Wigeon, 16 Pintail, 1+ Yellow Wagtail, 10+ Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 4 Teal, 4 Whimbrel and 7 Bar-tailed Godwit.

Pintail and Wigeon - Mudbank.

Scarce Bordered Straw - the best of last night immigrant species. Otherwise just a couple Silver Y and a couple Rusty Dot Pearl. Other species included Dusky Thorn, September Thorn, Lime-speck Pug, Bloxworth Snout (which escaped the camera), Six-striped Rustic, Square-spot Rustic, Vine's Rustic, Angle Shades, Snout, Double-striped Pug, Flounced Rustic, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Large Yellow Underwing, Willow Beauty and Mother of Pearl.

Chiffchaff - Orcombe Point. Very quiet this afternoon with just 3 Meadow Pipit recorded plus a handful of Yellow Wagtails commuting between cattle herds.