A look off Cockwood Steps late afternoon saw two Kingfisher in the estuary with 68 Shelduck, 49 Common Gull, seven Sanderling, three Greenshank, two Red-breasted Merganser and a Great-crested Grebe. Off site the two Black-necked Grebe were viewed distantly off Shelley Beach, Exmouth.
Wildlife News: The male Grey Seal was in the estuary.
The highlight was again seen at first light, a lone Barnacle Goose sat on the sea before heading inland away from the estuary. also offshore 80 Gannet, 38 Great-crested Grebe, 10 Common Scoter, five Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver.
A Water Pipit was again in the Bight with counts from the estuary including 1017 Dunlin, 465 Teal, 372 Wigeon, 151 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 84 Redshank, 80 Shelduck, 76 Grey and 38 Ringed Plover, 57 Turnstone, 11 Sanderling, seven Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, seven Red-breasted Merganser, six Greenshank, three Knot, two Pintail and a female Goldeneye.
Elsewhere the first Shoveler was back at the Main Pond with single Water Rail, Little Grebe, Teal and Kingfisher, whilst also on site there were 10 Cirl Bunting, eight Long-tailed Tit, five Chiffchaff, two Redwing, a Goldcrest and a Jay.
Counts from the estuary included 1750 Dunlin, 334 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 96 Grey and 30 Ringed Plover, 82 Knot, 72 Bar-tailed Godwit, 42 Turnstone, 35 Shelduck and five Sanderling. Elsewhere nine Great-crested Grebe, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were offshore and on site 35 Goldfinch, 20 Greenfinch, three Goldcrest, two Chiffchaff and a Redwing.
Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was in the estuary but the final appearance of typical November weather meant just a single Buff-tailed Bumblebee and two hoverflies were on the wing, single Common Spotted Field Sryph Eupeodes luniger and Slender Melanostoma Melanostoma scalare.
A brief look off the seawall early morning revealed four Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, 20 Common Scoter and 15 Great-crested Grebe.
This afternoon a late Manx Shearwater and 75 Gannet were feeding offshore with 20+ Razorbill, 15 Kittiwake, six Great-crested Grebe, two Red-breasted Merganser and a single Red-throated Diver.
Earlier counts from the estuary included four Cattle Egret, 1580 Dunlin, 1062 Oystercatcher, 520 Wigeon, 444 Teal, 361 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 241 Redshank, 112 Bar-tailed Godwit, 99 Grey and 25 Ringed Plover, 80 Curlew, 56 Knot, 53 Shelduck, 52 Common Gull, 31 Turnstone, 23 Greenshank, 12 Snipe, nine Red-breasted Merganser, seven Sanderling and a Water Pipit.
Wildlife News: A bull Grey Seal was feeding off Langstone Rock with single Red Admiral and Common Darter on the wing.
Two Water Pipit in the Bight were the avian highlight, feeding alongside two Rock and two presumed Scandinavian Rock Pipit. Also in the estuary 52 Cattle Egret at first light, 1685 Dunlin, 631 Wigeon, 600 Teal, 297 Redshank, 280 Dark and one Pale-bellied Brent Geese,149 Curlew, 90 Bar and 64 Black-tailed Godwit, 70 Grey and 26 Ringed Plover, 58 Shelduck, 57 Knot, 41 Turnstone, 14 Greenshank, 13 Sanderling, two Red-breasted Merganser and Lapwing and Mediterranean Gull.
Elsewhere 18 Great-crested Grebe, 17 Great and five Red-throated Diver were offshore, single Redwing and Mistle Thrush were overhead, single Kingfisher, Little Grebe and Water Rail were at the Main Pond and five Song Thrush and three Goldcrest were in the bushes.
Wildlife News: The day's highlight was a single Atlantic Bluefin Tuna breaching a few times this evening seen from the sea wall, the second site record. At one point spooking an adult Gannet giving an impressive size comparison, the fish being over double the size of the Gannet.
Giant Horsetail Equisetum telmateia was discovered by the Entrance Bushes, the 742nd plant for the Recording Area. A nocturnal wander revealed a single Rusty-dot Peal, a very late Blood-vein, both Common and Lesne's Earwig and enough False Widow Spider to shut down every school in the country.
Calm conditions continue offshore with five Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver, 20+ Great-crested Grebe, two Common Scoter, two Razorbill and a Guillemot seen from the seawall. Elsewhere 80 Dark-bellied Brent Geese were in the estuary at low tide.
Wildlife News: Sand Crocus leaves were up on the Golf Course, at least two months early.
A quiet day with both high tides in darkness and no movement overhead. The calm flat sea did allow for four Red-throated and three Great Northern Diver to be located from the seawall with 60 Gannet, nine Great-crested Grebe, five Razorbill, three Common Scoter and a Guillemot also offshore.
Elsewhere 208 Dark-bellied Brent Geese were feeding off the beach at low tide, three Mute Swan, an adult and two juveniles were on the Main Pond, three Chiffchaff and two Bullfinch were in the scrub and finch numbers have dropped with 40 Linnet, 30 Goldfinch and 10 Greenfinch still feeding around site.
Wildlife News: A good range of insects remain on the wing in the exceptionally mild temperatures, but with cold weather forecast next week probably not for much longer. Several queen Buff-tailed and a couple of Common Carder Bumblebee were on the wing along with seven hoverfly species including an exceptionally late Gossamer Hoverfly Baccha elongata at the back of crocus compound as well as a few Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus.
Also still on the wing a Common Darter by the Main Pond and a Painted Lady along the Back Path.
