Wednesday 30th November

The Bonaparte's Gull was off Warren Point in the afternoon but no other news was received.

Tuesday 29th November

As part of an estuary wide low tide count the following figures were recorded from the Beach & Bight: 161 Oystercatcher, 118 Brent Geese, 47 Wigeon, 12 Dunlin, eight Turnstone, six Curlew, five Redshank, two Knot, two Grey Plover and a Greenshank. Elsewhere two Water Rail and a Snipe were on the Main Pond.

Sunday 27th November

The duck theme continued with three Pochard and a Tufted Duck in with the Common Scoter raft, with five Shoveler, eight Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver also offshore. Elsewhere two Slavonian Grebe and a Greenshank were in the estuary, two Raven were overhead and eight Chiffchaff, two Redwing and a Fieldfare were on site.

Saturday 26th November

The first Scaup of the year, an immature female, was in the estuary during the morning before heading off site; other duck news was at sea with two Pochard amongst the 180 strong Common Scoter flock, two Velvet Scoter off the seawall before heading south, an Eider, six Gadwall and nine Pintail. Also offshore five Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver.

Counts from the estuary included three Lapwing, only the second record of the year, 1061 Oystercatcher, 1050 Dunlin, 133 Curlew, 60 Turnstone, 60 Redshank, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit, two Slavonian Grebe and single Greenshank, Snipe and Black-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere a Dartford Warbler was on Warren Point, five Chiffchaff and three Cirl Bunting were on site and a Fieldfare flew over.

Scaup - Alan Keatley

  Eider - Alan Keatley

Friday 25th November

Offshore a drake Pochard with the Common Scoter flock was unexpected with five Red-throated Diver also present. Elsewhere three Shoveler were on the Main Pond and counts from the estuary included 327 Dark-bellied and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 98 Grey Plover, 82 Shelduck, 59 Knot, 23 Sanderling, 12 Pintail, a Shoveler and, off Cockwood, a Slavonian Grebe.

Thursday 24th November

A late Swallow over the Entrance Bushes was the highlight although the Bonaparte's Gull again but in an appearance feeding in the Bight late morning. Elsewhere 140 Common Scoter, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were offshore and counts from the estuary included 282 Wigeon, 190 Brent Geese, 81 Shelduck and 42 Teal. The duck numbers are much reduced since the marshes at the north end of the estuary flooded.

This Common Scoter was an unusual visitor to finger Point - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 23rd November

The two Slavonian Grebe were off Cockwood but no other news was received.

Sunday 20th November

The overnight storm blew through before first light but the calm conditions resulted in little to no movement but at least nine Great Northern Diver were recorded offshore during the day with two Red-throated Diver and the immature male Long-tailed Duck still with 140 Common Scoter.

Counts from the estuary included 1253 Oystercatcher, 1200+ Dunlin, 326 Brent Geese, 135 Grey Plover, 77 Redshank, 59 Shelduck and just 38 Curlew, the rest presumably taking advantage of the saturated fields elsewhere around the Exe. Also from the hide the juvenile Spoonbill roosted on Finger Point, a Kingfisher was in Shutterton Creek and two Slavonian Grebe, 12 Red-breasted Merganser and a Goldeneye were off Cockwood.

Saturday 19th November

A Barn Owl found roosting in Dead Dolphin Wood was an unexpected highlight, only the 5th site record and the first since Nov-Dec 2003. A more expected first for the year was an immature Long-tailed Duck found offshore in with 165 Common Scoter, also offshore an Eider, six Great-crested Grebe, two Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver.

A third Great Northern Diver was in front of the hide with other records from the estuary including a juvenile Spoonbill on Finger Point, two Slavonian Grebe off Cockwood and counts of c1800 Dunlin, 837 Wigeon, 277 Teal, 133 Grey Plover, 34 Turnstone, 24 Ringed Plover, six Knot and a Greenshank. Elsewhere the Bonaparte's Gull was feeding off the seawall late afternoon, seven Chiffchaff were on site and three Shoveler were on the Main Pond.

 Barn Owl - Lee Collins

Spoonbill - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: A young Grey Seal was in the estuary.

Thursday 17th November

Winter birding has descended on the Warren with few new arrivals. Counts from the estuary including 1210 Wigeon, 164 Brent Geese, 130 Teal, 85 Redshank, 44 Grey Plover, 34 Turnstone, 25 Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, 22 Sanderling and a Greenshank. Elsewhere six Chiffchaff were in the bushes and 75 Common Scoter, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were offshore.

Wildlife News: The Girdled Knight Tricholoma cingulatum was a recent discovery on sallows by the Main Pond. This is a new species for the recording area and there is only one Devon record on the NBN, a good example of how much there is still to discover on site.

Girdled Knight Tricholoma cingulatum - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 16th November

The Bonaparte's Gull was reported in the Bight early afternoon but no other news was received.

Tuesday 15th November

The Bonaparte's Gull was reported on the beach at some stage during the day but no more information was received.

Monday 14th November

A Tawny Owl was calling from the Golf course early evening but no other news was received.

Sunday 13th November

An adult Spoonbill in the estuary early morning and three redhead Goosander, one south early morning and two off John's Watch early afternoon, were the highlights; along with the Bonaparte's Gull along the beach and Yellow-browed Warbler in the Entrance Bushes both still present but elusive.

Counts from the estuary included the Avocet, 1350 Oystercatcher, 1128 Wigeon, 725 Dunlin, 366 Teal, 276 Brent Geese, 118 Redshank, 47 Grey Plover and three Greenshank. Vismig during the morning saw 230 Chaffinch, 17 Skylark, nine Redpoll, four Redwing, two Brambling and a Siskin. Elsewhere a Slavonian Grebe and 166 Common Scoter were offshore and the pair of Shoveler were on the Main Pond.

Saturday 12th November

The Bonaparte's Gull was briefly in the Bight on the rising tide this afternoon, another brief visitor was the second Avocet of the year on Bull Hill. Also in the estuary 825 Dunlin, 62 Brent Geese, 67 Turnstone, 62 Grey and a Golden Plover, 19 Sanderling, 14 Red-breasted Merganser, three Mediterranean Gull, three Greenshank, two Kingfisher and a Goldeneye.

Overhead 303 Redwing flew through with 161 Chaffinch, three Mistle Thrush, two Redpoll and a Siskin. Elsewhere a Pomarine Skua flew south early morning, three Great Northern and three Red-throated Diver, 135 Common Scoter and an Eider were also offshore and eight Chiffchaff and a Blackcap were on site.

Thursday 10th November

The arrival of rain prevented any vismig but flocks of 25 Redwing and 120 Wood Pigeon did pass through early on with the Yellow-browed Warbler still around the Entrance Bushes and 11+ Chiffchaff also on site. Elsewhere the Bonaparte's Gull was along the beach, counts from the estuary included 860 Wigeon, 310 Teal, 264 Brent Geese, nine Red-breasted Merganser and six Shelduck and offshore there were 155 Common Scoter, two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, an Eider and 30+ Kittiwake feeding with 40+ Gannet.

Shoveler - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 9th November

The Bonaparte's Gull was reported on the groynes today but no other news has been received since the weekend.

Sunday 6th November

Vismig this morning was slow going but a steady stream of 3-400 sized flocks saw the Wood Pigeon count eventually rise to 11360. The smaller flocks made it easier to multitask counting and picking out Stock Dove with an autumn high of 49 noted heading west. Also overhead 97 Chaffinch, five Redpoll, four Rook, four Jackdaw and two Golden Plover.

Counts from the estuary included 1195 Oystercatcher, 1095 Dunlin, 148 Brent Geese; only two juveniles, 77 Grey Plover, 32 Turnstone, 16 Shelduck and five Red-breasted Merganser. Elsewhere one Eider remained offshore, the Bonaparte's Gull flew along the beach midmorning, a pair of Shoveler were on the Main Pond and the Yellow-browed Warbler was in the Entrance Bushes with at least eight Chiffchaff also on site.

Wildlife News: A couple of Common Darter and Red Admiral were still on the wing in sheltered sunny spots.

Saturday 5th November

The fourth Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn was around the Entrance Bushes but most other new arrivals just passed through including at least five Coal Tit and a Fieldfare that paused briefly in the Cuckoo's Nest. Overhead the usual mix of species but in lower than expected numbers with 2585 Wood Pigeon, 76 Chaffinch, 17 Skylark, 11 Siskin, five Stock Dove, four Mistle Thrush and single Brambling, Redpoll and Shoveler.

Elsewhere the Bonaparte's Gull was on the 1st groyne late morning before heading to Warren Point, 1210 Dunlin were in the estuary with 21 Bar and eight Black-tailed Godwit, 13 Greenshank, seven Sanderling and four Red-breasted Merganser; and 125+ Common Scoter and two Eider were offshore.

Friday 4th November

The Bonaparte's Gull was feeding off the seawall early morning, with a redhead Goosander and a Great Skua heading south and the Red-necked Grebe, 121 Common Scoter, two Eider, a Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver also offshore. Later on as the tide dropped the Bonaparte's Gull was in the estuary off Warren Point, also in the estuary 1025 Dunlin, 232 Brent Geese, 66 Grey Plover, 10 Greenshank and a Goldeneye. Elsewhere two Mistle Thrush flew over and seven Chiffchaff were on site.

Thursday 3rd November

The first Red-necked Grebe of the year was off the seawall mid afternoon before drifting south, also offshore 156 Common Scoter, five Pintail, a Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver. Overhead pigeons were again on the move with 14875 Wood Pigeon and 19 Stock Dove counted heading west with a couple of small groups of Dunlin in with them. Heading in the other direction there were 148 Chaffinch, 12 Skylark and single Mistle Thrush, Siskin, Redpoll and Brambling.

Elsewhere the Bonaparte's Gull was off Warren Point, with the first returning Goldeneye, 27 Ringed Plover, 19 Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, two Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary.

Wednesday 2nd November

Migration continues late in the autumn at the Warren and two new species for the year were recorded today; a juvenile Spoonbill that flew in off this afternoon before being feeding off Cockwood, and a flock of seven Pochard offshore with 103 Common Scoter and Wigeon. Vismig was also in evidence with the first sizable Wood Pigeon movement, 4910 headed west along with 24 Stock Dove. Also overhead 233 Chaffinch, six Redpoll, three Siskin, two Mistle Thrush and a Redwing.

Elsewhere the Bonaparte's Gull flew over the Dune Ridge into the estuary early afternoon, a Dartford Warbler was in Greenland Lake, two Eider were offshore and counts from the estuary included 792 Wigeon, 555 Teal, 152 Redshank, 102 Brent Geese and 53 Knot.

Tuesday 1st November

The Bonaparte's Gull was around Langstone Rock early morning with 90 Common Scoter, 10 Great-crested Grebe and two Eider also offshore. Once the fog lifted some vismig was in evidence with a late Swallow, a Fieldfare, two Mistle Thrush, 152 Chaffinch, eight Siskin and two Redpoll. Elsewhere a Dartford Warbler was in Greenland Lake and counts from the estuary included 695 Dunlin, 74 Grey Plover, 61 Knot, 33 Turnstone and six Greenshank.