Saturday 21st December

Some early morning movement out to sea with 139 Kittiwake and 56 Gannet SW along with seven Common Scoter, five Great Northern and Red-throated Diver and three Eider.

A sixth Great Northern Diver was in the estuary, with 98 Grey and 20 Ringed Plover, 96 Bar-Tailed Godwit, 40 Knot, nine Sanderling, nine Greenshank, three Red-breasted Merganser, two Shoveler and a Pintail.

Elsewhere four Shoveler were on the Main Pond with 11 Long-tailed Tit, two Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest on site. The highlight was a Common Redpoll with a single Lesser Redpoll, the second site record for this soon to be subspecies. The site was however strangely quiet for finches with four Bullfinch the peak count, along with single Chaffinch and Linnet and no Greenfinch or Goldfinch.

Year list addition:

187. Common Redpoll

Ringing News: A total of 17 colour-ringed Dunlin were recorded, including a new individual for the winter.  

Friday 20th December

A low tide visit saw 247 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 84 Carrion Crow and 73 Shelduck  feeding on the mudflats in the estuary with a Great Northern Diver in the main channel.

Elsewhere five Shoveler were on the Main Pond with five Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest in the bushes.

Thursday 19th December

A busy high tide with 1400 Dunlin around The Bight along with 106 Shelduck, 40 Knot, 20 Sanderling and 20 Ringed Plover. Also in the estuary, 274 Wigeon, 115 Redshank, 68 Common and three adult Mediterranean Gull, three Greenshank and three Red-breasted Merganser.

Elsewhere three Shoveler on the Main Pond, six Chiffchaff on site and three Eider offshore.

Ringing News: An incredible 33 colour-ringed Dunlin were recorded, including four new for the winter, taking the season's total to 50 individuals. also noted five Exe ringed Grey Plover and a headstarted Curlew from Sussex.

Tuesday 17th December

Increased activity offshore in a stiff south-easterly with 25 auk sp., 20 Gannet and seven Red-throated Diver moving offshore in the first half hour. The same conditions limited activity in the bushes with just two Chiffchaff noted.

Elsewhere a few wader counts were possible before they started to disperse on the dropping tide with 78 Grey Plover, 77 Curlew and 22 Turnstone amongst the usual suspects. Also in the estuary, 290 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and single Red-breasted Merganser and a Pintail. 

Pintail - Dean Hall

Sunday 15th December

Again no sign of the Green-winged Teal in the estuary where counts included, 418 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 379 Teal, 363 Wigeon, 97 Shelduck, eight Greenshank, threes of Black-tailed Godwit, Pintail and Red-breasted Merganser and single Kingfisher and Mediterranean Gull.

Elsewhere a Tawny Owl briefly in the Entrance Bushes was the first of the year, with 13 Long-tailed Tit, eight Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest, two Siskin and a Buzzard were on site, 31 Great Crested Grebe, six Red-throated and five Great Northern Diver were offshore and single Lesser Redpoll and Siskin were overhead.

Year list addition:

186. Tawny Owl

Other Wildlife: The weather saw Red Admiral again on the wing, along with Buff-tailed Bumblebee. Dolphins were again distantly offshore and the Grey Squirrel still on the Golf Course.

Saturday 14th December

No sign of the Green-winged Teal amongst 430 Teal in the estuary, with other counts including 358 Dark and a Pale bellied Brent Geese, 159 Wigeon, 102 Common and an adult Mediterranean Gull, 86 Turnstone, 74 Shelduck, nine Greenshank, two Pintail and single Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit and the Water Pipit.

In flat calm conditions offshore counts included 32 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Guillemot, nine Red-throated and six Great Northern Diver and three Eider.

Elsewhere two Rook were overhead, two Shoveler were at the Main Pond with six Chiffchaff and single Firecrest, Goldcrest and Siskin. 

Other Wildlife: A pod of at least 12 Bottle-nosed and three Common Dolphin were offshore, the largest count of Bottle-nosed since March 2011. Elsewhere the sunshine brought out a late flying Red Admiral.

Friday 13th December

The drake Green-winged Teal was again in the estuary with 376 Teal in an area with no general access, along with the first Water Pipit of the winter, three Pintail and two Avocet. 

Other counts over the evening high tide included 290 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 99 Grey and 38 Ringed Plover, 90 Shelduck, 84 Knot, 71 Common Gull, 14 Sanderling, nine Greenshank and a Black-tailed Godwit. 

Ringing News: Seven colour-ringed Dunlin were recorded with two new for the winter, including AE ringed here as a 1CY in Nov 2019 and back for the fifth successive winter; this season's tally is now up to 46 different individuals. Three Exe ringed Grey Plover were also present, including one new for the year, last seen in March 2023. 

Thursday 12th December

A low tide visit saw 324 Dark-bellied Brent Geese feeding on the mudflats with two Shoveler and a Pintail, but no sign of the Green-winged, amongst 100+ Teal. Off site 25 Lapwing landed on Cockle Sands.

Elsewhere three Lesser Redpoll were feeding in the Entrance Bushes, with five Bullfinch, two Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest on site and three Eider and a Great Northern Diver offshore. 

Other Wildlife: Insect activity was limited in the dull conditions with a Devil's Coach Horse on the beach keeping others hidden.

Devil's Coach Horse - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 11th December

The drake Green-winged Teal was still in the estuary in an area with no general access, along with two Avocet, two Pintail and a Shoveler. 

Ringing News: Fifteen colour-ringed Dunlin were recorded over the high tide. 

Tuesday 10th December

A drake Green-winged Teal was in the estuary later afternoon in an area with no general access, the second record for the Warren but presumably last October's bird returning. Also in the estuary, 403 Wigeon, 112 Grey Plover, 110 Shelduck, 72 Knot, 71 Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, 34 Sanderling, six Greenshank, two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, a pair of Shoveler and an Avocet.

Elsewhere three Great Northern Diver and two Eider were offshore, with four Bullfinch and two Chiffchaff in the bushes.

Year list addition:

185. Green-winged Teal

Monday 9th December

Following reports of the Dusky Warbler 'east of Langstone Cliff hotel' on Saturday, today it was reported 'still by the carpark', at the same time others were seeing nothing at the previously favoured location. If anyone knows where it was please let us know! 

Two Avocet were in the estuary at high tide along with 900 Dunlin, 195 Teal, 122 Redshank, 107 Shelduck, 40 Turnstone, eight Sanderling, seven Greenshank and three Pintail. 

Elsewhere nine Great Crested Grebe, three Common Scoter and a Great Northern Diver were offshore with two pairs of Shoveler on the Main Pond and two Chiffchaff on site.

Sunday 8th December

No reports of the Dusky Warbler today but five Chiffchaff and single Buzzard and Goldcrest were on site with four Eider, three Common Scoter and two Great Northern Diver offshore.

A third Great Northern Diver was in the estuary with single Avocet and Spotted Redshank, with counts including 662 Dunlin, 435 Teal, 384 Wigeon, 254 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 132 Redshank, 84 Shelduck, 56 Turnstone, 19 Ringed Plover, 11 Great Crested Grebe, nine Greenshank and three Red-breasted Merganser.

Saturday 7th December

The Dusky Warbler was still present but only showed briefly early morning, with two Goldcrest and a Sparrowhawk also noted in the bushes in the blown out conditions. 

Elsewhere 53 Gannet, 38 auk sp., 80% split in favour of Guillemot, 10 Kittiwake, four Red-throated and three Great Northern Diver, a Common Scoter and a Mediterranean Gull were offshore and counts amongst the usual suspects included 103 Shelduck, 29 Ringed Plover and 14 Sanderling.

Other Wildlife: An Atlantic Bluefin Tuna was seen breaching offshore.

Friday 6th December

The Dusky Warbler was again present but was very elusive seen for less than a few minutes all day, those waiting unsuccessfully did noted a Firecrest in the trackside bushes and an immature male Black Redstart around the Go-Karts and seawall. 

Counts from the estuary included 133 Teal, 100 Bar-tailed Godwit, 75 Grey and 23 Ringed Plover, 68 Shelduck, 38 Common and an adult Mediterranean Gull. 

Elsewhere five Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver, four Eider and a Common Scoter were offshore with nine Teal and a pair of Shoveler on the Main Pond. 

Shag (left) and Cormorant - Jim Summers

Ringing News: A total of 14 Dunlin were recorded today, 13 from the Exe and the returning Welsh ringed bird. 

Other Wildlife: Previously suspected the presence of Oak Cloud (Brown Oak Slender) Acrocercops brongniardella on site was confirmed with leafmines found on Holm Oak at Langstone Rock. 

Thursday 5th December

The Dusky Warbler was again present, today showing well all morning, often feeding low in the grass between the railway and the seawall.

Dusky Warbler - Dean Hall

Dusky Warbler - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere four Eider, three Great Northern Diver and two Common Scoter were offshore, 10 Meadow Pipit were in Greenland Lake and three Chiffchaff were around the Main Pond.

Wednesday 4th December

The reappearance of the Dusky Warbler was a surprise, again around the scrub between the Crazy Golf and Railway footbridge. It showed well for ten minutes around 10.30 before again disappearing with no further sign.

Dusky Warbler - both Jim Summers

Elsewhere a Great Northern Diver and four Eider were offshore, with 920 Oystercatcher, 88 Bar-tailed Godwit, 22 Sanderling and 10 Ringed Plover in the estuary.

Ringing News: Fourteen Exe colour-ringed Dunlin were recorded including two new birds for the winter. 

Other Wildlife: A new fungus species for the Recording Area was found whilst dipping the warbler, Spilopodia nervisequia darkening the veins on Ribwort Plantain.

Spilopodia nervisequia - Kevin Rylands

Tuesday 3rd December

A mobile Dusky Warbler around the Crazy Golf and Railway footbridge was an obvious highlight, just the Warren's second record and almost exactly 30 years since the first on 21-28 Nov 1994. Unfortunately it was only present 11:05 to 11:45, calling constantly it presumably left the area. 

Dusky Warbler - both Alan Keatley

Offshore there were 17 Great Crested Grebe, five Great Northern and five Red-throated Diver and four Eider.

Elsewhere a Lapwing was in the estuary, the Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis) was around the Main Pond, with four Chiffchaff and a Firecrest on site. Also at the Main Pond, a roost of 860 Starling, nine Teal, a pair of Shoveler, a Grey Wagtail and more unusually, a Buzzard. 

Ringing News: A good total of 16 colour-ringed Dunlin were recorded including four new for the winter, including a regularly returning bird ringed in Poland in July 2017.  

Year list addition:

184. Dusky Warbler

Other Wildlife: A very rare December Painted Lady flew past the Dusky Warbler and a Grey Squirrel was at the Station.

Sunday 1st December

A tristis Siberian Chiffchaff, the first of the year, was a new arrival amongst seven Chiffchaff, including a grey bird with a 'normal' call, four Goldcrest, a Firecrest and the Coal Tit. Also on site, 21 Meadow Pipit, six Bullfinch, two Reed Bunting, single Great Spotted and Green Woodpecker and, at the Main Pond, the Cetti's Warbler. 

The Spotted Redshank was again in the estuary, with counts of 1195 Dunlin, 484 Wigeon, 144 Redshank, 54 Bar-tailed Godwit, 93 Teal, 32 Turnstone, 20 Ringed Plover, eight Sanderling, eight Greenshank, three Mediterranean Gull and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose.

Elsewhere four Great Northern Diver and four Eider were on the sea, with two additional Great Northern Diver heading S.

Other Wildlife: Sweet Violet was one of several plants still in flower, a regular species in the BSBI New Year Plant Hunt.