Monday 21 October 2019

Monday 21st October

From shortly after dawn, small clouds of birds approached from over Exmouth and continued overhead in a WSW or W direction with totals during 2h:20m of 3,351 Woodpigeon, 849 Jackdaw (2nd highest ever site count), 412 Stock Dove (5th highest ever site count), c.20 alba wagtail, eight Rook, four Skylark, and singles of Swallow and Golden Plover. Heading high S out to sea in V-formations were 40 Lesser Black-backed Gull, and heading up the spit in a NE direction were 55 Goldfinch and three Siskin; all typical orientations for these species here at this time of the year.

The 10.9% of Stock Dove among the pigeon spp flocks overhead was quite high.  Not too dissimilar numbers and 8.7% was noted over East Sour today (via DBS).  A few thousand pigeon ssp. also headed in a similar direction over Exeter (6 miles NW of here) during the same time today. 

Off Orcombe Point, hundreds of Black-headed Gull milled around, mixed with smaller numbers of other birds.  Thirty Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver flew SW at sea. The fourth and perhaps most surprising max count of the year to appear today was 31 Mallard, most of which departed at dawn from their roost on the Main Pond, accompanied by an Aylesbury Duck.  A Kingfisher called from the Main Pond and single Coal Tit and Chiffchaff were heard in the bushes. 

The high tide was reportedly uneventful with a Lapwing being the only highlight.

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