Friday 29th November

The highlight was an enormous flock of Black-tailed Godwit in Shutterton Creek, with the count of 976 a new site record and almost double the previous peak of 512 back in December 1984!  This is the majority of the wintering population on the Exe although c200 birds were also on Exminster Marshes this morning. A more unwelcome sight was the presence of at least 38 Carrion Crow around the Bight at high tide; the increased numbers were constantly disturbing the roosting waders. Also in the estuary 548 Wigeon, 153 Bar-tailed Godwit, 116 Knot, 79 Teal, 49 Common Gull, 45 Snipe, six Greenshank, four Shoveler and the Slavonian Grebe.

Elsewhere a second Slavonian Grebe was a welcome sight off the seawall with three Red-throated Diver, 18 Great-crested Grebe and 12 Common Scoter, two Raven were overhead and six Cirl Bunting and a Chiffchaff were on site.

Thursday 28th November

The highlight was a reported Grey Phalarope but no details were received. There was no seabird passage offshore but eight Great Northern and five Red-throated Diver were noted. Counts from the estuary included 342 Black-tailed Godwit, no doubt displaced by flooding further upriver, 120 Knot, 102 Bar-tailed Godwit, three Greenshank, an adult Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere 29 Snipe flew over Greenland Lake and two Chiffchaff were in the bushes.

 Great Northern Diver - Alan Keatley

Bullfinch - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was offshore.

Wednesday 27th November

Over high tide 51 Shelduck, five Golden Plover and four Pale-bellied Brent Geese were in the Bight, with 146 Bar-tailed Godwit, 74 Snipe and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary.

Tuesday 26th November

Counts from the estuary included 425 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 60+ Snipe, 56 Shelduck, 38 Great Black-backed and 29 Common Gull, five Red-breasted Merganser, five Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere the female Shoveler was on the Main Pond, the Scandinavian Rock Pipit was at the seawall and at least seven Cirl Bunting were on site.

The overnight wind and rain combined with the high tide lead to further serious erosion along the Dune Ridge and the exposure of the geotube in a couple of places. This was a core part of the 2017 Beach Management Scheme and was buried at the back of the rebuilt dune and intended to remain buried even under storm conditions. It was estimated, depending on the severity of future storms, that beach levels would return to 2016 levels within 20 years, it has taken just two years for the beach to drop beyond 2016 levels.

Monday 25th November

The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood this evening with a possible adult Bonaparte's Gull.

Sunday 24th November

Counts from the estuary included 1510 Oystercatcher, 470 Dunlin, 420 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent, 131 Knot, 116 Bar-tailed Godwit, 113 Grey Plover, 53 Snipe, feeding out on the mud with other waders, 22 Turnstone and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere three Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver and a female Eider were offshore and a Firecrest remained in the Entrance Bushes with five Goldcrest and just a single Chiffchaff.

Saturday 23rd November

Counts from the estuary included 930 Dunlin, 829 Wigeon, 295 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent, 160 Bar-tailed Godwit, 121 Knot, 119 Grey Plover, 71 Shelduck, 21 Sanderling, two Pintail and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Firecrest was in Dead Dolphin Wood, a Great Northern Diver and female Eider were offshore and the Scandinavian Rock Pipit was on the seawall.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese - Alan Keatley

Around 15% of the flock this autumn are juveniles, a welcome sign of a good breeding season.  

Friday 22nd November

A Firecrest was along the Back Path early morning with 14 Long-tailed Tit, five Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff with a Shoveler on the Main Pond and a Red-throated Diver offshore. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 61 Great Black-backed Gull, 50 Snipe, 44 Shelduck and 21 Sanderling.

Wednesday 20th November

The Warren's sixth Caspian Gull, a first winter, was on Finger Point with an influx of 77 Great Black-backed Gull early afternoon before being flushed. Also in the estuary 348 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 145 Teal, 96 Knot, 89 Grey and 26 Ringed Plover, 15 Sanderling, 12 Red-breasted Merganser, a Golden Plover and the Slavonian Grebe. Very low numbers of Curlew, Wigeon and Bar-tailed Godwit were present due to constant illegal disturbance from a kite-surfer in Shutterton Creek.

The strong SE wind saw 300+ Kittiwake and auk sp head south offshore early morning with the first Fulmar for several months, 213 Gannet, 13 Great Northern and six Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere three Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff were on site and the Shoveler remains on the Main Pond.

Monday 18th November

Seven Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were offshore late afternoon with 400+ Wigeon, 18 Great-crested Grebe, 10 Common Scoter and an Eider but no other news was received.

Wildlife News: At least two Harbour Porpoise were off the seawall.

Sunday 17th November

The first Snow Bunting since October 2016 circled over the Entrance Bushes before seeming to land on the beach but unfortunately there was no further sign. An immature Black Redstart around the Go-Karts was another new arrival, with a Firecrest and the Cetti's Warbler by the Dune Pond.

Elsewhere 15 Great-crested Grebe, two Eider, two Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver were offshore and counts from the estuary included 276 Dark-bellied Brent Geese (44 juveniles), 102 Knot, 62 Bar-tailed Godwit and the Slavonian Grebe.

Wildlife News: Seven Bottle-nosed Dolphin, only the second sighting since Sep 2017, and a Harbour Porpoise were off the seawall.

Saturday 16th November

A cold early winter day saw a good total of 75 species recorded through the day. Counts from the estuary included 1260 Dunlin, 510 Wigeon, 367 Dark and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 219 Redshank, 142 Bar-tailed Godwit, 116 Grey Plover, 94 Knot, 82 Teal, 77 Turnstone, eight Lapwing, five Greenshank, a Kingfisher and the Slavonian Grebe.

 Dunlin, Knot & Grey Plover - Dave Jewell

Dunlin - Dave Jewell

Elsewhere two Eider, three Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver were offshore. Six Goldcrest, five Cirl Bunting, two Chiffchaff and two Firecrest were on site and a Shoveler was at the Main Pond.

Cirl Bunting - Dave Jewell

Wildlife News: At least four Common Darter remain at the Main Pond, including a pair ovipositing. Two Red Admiral were also still on the wing.

Thursday 14th November

The first frost of the autumn saw a Great Northern Diver, two female Eider and five Common Scoter offshore, with the Cetti's Warbler and a Shoveler at the Main Pond. Also on site four Cirl Bunting, 33 Goldfinch, 28 Greenfinch, four Goldcrest and two Chiffchaff.

Wednesday 13th November

The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood with a Little Grebe but no other news was received.

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was on a Pontoon in the estuary.

Monday 11th November

The Slavonian Grebe and four Red-breasted Merganser were off Cockwood Steps but no other news was received.

Saturday 9th November

The highlight was a Slavonian Grebe briefly offshore, the first new arrival for this formally regular species since March 2017; the flightless resident bird remained in the estuary.  Counts from the estuary included 972 Oystercatcher, 530 Dark-bellied and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 400+ Dunlin, 310 Wigeon, 154 Teal, 40 Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Shelduck, five Red-breasted Merganser and a Greenshank.

Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler was still at the Main Pond, the Scandinavian Rock Pipit was at the seawall, six Goldcrest and two Chiffchaff were on site and also offshore two Red-throated Diver and eight Great-crested Grebe.

Scandinavian Rock Pipit (ringed in Norway) - Alan Keatley

Friday 8th November

A switch to cold NW winds saw virtually no overhead movement, except a tardy flock of 35 Wood Pigeon. Elsewhere three Goldcrest and two Chiffchaff were in the bushes, the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese were on offshore sandbars. The highlight was the first Long-tailed Duck of the year, an immature off the seawall, before flying south with Common Scoter, also offshore two Eider, three Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver.

Thursday 7th November

A third consecutive morning of pigeon movement with 11,140 Wood Pigeon and 18 Stock Dove heading SW before 8.30am, when the tap was abruptly turned off. Also over 98 Jackdaw, 18 Skylark, five Snipe and a couple of Siskin.

Elsewhere single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver were offshore, the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond and counts from the estuary included 651 Oystercatcher, 605 Wigeon, 332 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 93 Teal, 77 Dunlin, 20 Grey Plover, 15 Red-breasted Merganser and the Slavonian Grebe.

Wednesday 6th November

The conditions looked good for continued vis mig and for once the birds followed the books with 19,458 Wood Pigeon counted heading SW along with a minimum of 76 Stock Dove, the largest flocks heading out to sea before 8 o'clock. Also moving a high count of 754 Jackdaw, 221 Starling, 100 Skylark, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 12 Siskin, just six Chaffinch, six Shoveler, two Pintail and single Snipe and Golden Plover.

Elsewhere the highlight was a Little Auk briefly off the seawall, the first since 2015, also offshore 75 Common Scoter, two Eider and two Red-throated Diver. Counts from the estuary were much reduced as a paraglider flushed all the waders and wildfowl with just 530 Wigeon and 223 Brent Geese returning in any number, also present four Greenshank, a Great Northern Diver and the Slavonian Grebe.

Kestrel - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: At least five Common Darter were still on the wing with three Red Admiral, whilst a Grey Seal was offshore. good numbers of fungi are out including Bird's Nest Fungi Crucibulum laeve in the Desert.

Bird's Nest Fungi - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 5th November

Pigeons continued to move with 33135 Wood Pigeon and a minimum of 82 Stock Dove heading SW during the morning along with 48 Lesser Black-backed Gull south and 39 Skylark, 11 Jackdaw, seven Lapwing, two Lesser Redpoll and a Siskin also overhead. Three Peregrine were hunting the pigeons and elsewhere two Sandwich Tern, seven Greenshank, three Red-breasted Merganser and the Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary.

Monday 4th November

Visible migration started up again but finches remain largely absent. Totals included 5320 Wood Pigeon, 141 Jackdaw, three Bullfinch, a Siskin and a Great-spotted Woodpecker which flew high west. Grounded migrants included a Firecrest in the Entrance Bushes, four Goldcrest and three Chiffchaff, whilst the Cetti's Warbler remained at the Main Pond.

Elsewhere a juvenile Peregrine hunted pigeon flocks, two Eider were offshore, the Scandinavian Rock Pipit was at the seawall and counts from the estuary included 302 Dark-bellied Brent Geese (27 juveniles), seven Greenshank, four Pale-bellied Brent Geese, two late Sandwich Tern and the Slavonian Grebe.

Sunday 3rd November

Counts over high tide were limited due to considerable boat activity in the Exclusion Zone flushing the majority of waders and wildfowl in Shutterton Creek. Totals included 770 Oystercatcher, 500 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, with a good percentage of 53 juveniles, 246 Redshank, 68 Turnstone, 12 Greenshank, three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, two Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe.

A Mistle Thrush was the pick of a small overhead passage with 300 Wood Pigeon, 20 Skylark, 17 Jackdaw, two Stock Dove, two Siskin and single Bullfinch and Grey Wagtail. Elsewhere three Eider and single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver were offshore, the Merlin was again around the Bight and two adult Peregrine hunted the pigeons.

Wildlife News: A probable female Vagrant Emperor was feeding over the Dune Pond before flying west along the Dune Ridge.

Saturday 2nd November

Attention was turned to the sea following the overnight gale but seabirds disappointed with just 140 Gannet, 58 Kittiwake and a Skua sp through before 11am but other seawall highlights came in the form of the first Goosander of the year circling the bay, five Great Northern Diver, a Merlin and a Fieldfare, with the Scandinavian Rock Pipit still present.

Elsewhere a Black Redstart and a Wheatear were on the Dune Ridge at what remains of John's Watch, the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond, a second Merlin was around the Bight and counts from the estuary included 328 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 141 Great Black-backed Gull, 56 Bar-tailed Godwit, 22 Shelduck, 10 Greenshank, a Whimbrel and the Slavonian Grebe.

Friday 1st November

Counts from the estuary continue to increase with 1540 Wigeon, 1445 Dunlin, 362 Dark and four Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 223 Black and 29 Bar-tailed Godwit, 59 Sanderling, 43 Turnstone, 10 Greenshank, two Shoveler and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere three Eider and a Great Northern Diver were offshore, two Lapwing were again on the Golf Course, the Scandinavian Rock Pipit was on the seawall, the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond with two Firecrest and a Redwing on site.

Great-spotted Woodpecker - Dave Jewell

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was offshore and two Red Admiral and a Painted Lady were on the wing.