Tuesday 13th October

Another busy high tide with a juvenile Osprey and four immature Spoonbill in The Bight, the 3CY Caspian Gull on Finger Point and, late morning, a juvenile Marsh Harrier over Warren Point.

The usual suspects were present in the estuary with counts including 860 Wigeon, 320 Redshank, 80 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 34 Knot, 26 Turnstone, 19 Greenshank, nine Grey Plover, four Black-tailed Godwit, two Sandwich Tern and a Whimbrel.

Elsewhere two Common Scoter were off the seawall, but there was no sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler with nine Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest and a Blackcap in the bushes.

Monday 12th October

Two new arrivals for the year, both part of a wider national influx, the first was a Jay briefly in Dead Dolphin Wood before flying north, with a Yellow-browed Warbler found late in the day of the Golf Course, with several Chiffchaff pre-roost. 

Jay - Alan Keatley

A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was in The Bight with counts from the estuary including 61 Dark and five Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 55 Ringed Plover, 38 Knot, 36 Dunlin, 19 Greenshank, six Mediterranean Gull, four Black-tailed Godwit, three Sandwich Tern, two Whimbrel and a female Pintail.

Elsewhere two Grey Wagtail included one at the Main Pond, 60 Linnet were feeding in The Bight at low tide, a dozen skylark were overhead and the Red-legged Partridge was on the Golf Course.

Grey Wagtail - Alan Keatley

Year List additions:
174. Yellow-browed Warbler
173. Jay

Other Wildlife: With fewer flying insects on the wing, attention again switched to more terrestrial species, those noted included a nationally scarce Tawny Cockroach Ectobius pallidus, with an attached ootheca (egg case), the lacebug Acalypta parvula, a lacehopper Cixius nervosus and the leafhopper Kelisia sabulicola, and ladybirds included Meadow Rhyzobius litura, 16-spot and a Kidney-spot Ladybird nymph.

Tawny Cockroach Ectobius pallidus - Alan Keatley

16-spot Ladybird - Alan Keatley

Acalypta parvula - Alan Keatley

Cixius nervosus - Alan Keatley

A few Ivy Bee were still active despite the overcast conditions, the the same Ivy also busy after dusk with Pearly Underwing, Black Rustic, Sallow and at least five Oedemera femoralis false blister beetles.

Ivy Bee - Kevin Rylands

The bull Grey Seal was off Langstone Rock.

Sunday 11th October

The first two Avocet of the autumn flew east along the beach mid-morning, pausing briefly to consider landing near groyne 13 before continuing towards the estuary mouth. The first two juvenile Dark-bellied Brent Geese, amongst 106 birds, were also new arrivals.

In the estuary the regular Spotted Redshank was present along with 670 Wigeon, 70 Shelduck, 53 Ringed Plover, 51 Dunlin, 36 Turnstone, 34 Knot, 33 Greenshank, six Mediterranean Gull, four Black-tailed Godwit, the two Whimbrel and a Sandwich Tern. 

Elsewhere another 1,200 Woodpigeon few west early morning and, offshore, an Arctic Skua flew south.

Saturday 10th October

New arrivals in the estuary included a family group of five Pale-bellied Brent Geese, a moulting adult Spotted Redshank, with a few black feathers still on the breast and an eclipse male Shoveler.

Counts from the estuary included 520 Teal, 330 Curlew, 241 Canada Goose, 96 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 53 Shelduck, 49 Dunlin, 39 Ringed Plover, 35 Turnstone, 28 Bar and six Black-tailed Godwit, 27 Knot, 17 Sanderling, three Mediterranean Gull, two Sandwich Tern, two Whimbrel and the regular Spotted Redshank. 

Other migrants included 1,200 Woodpigeon high west in several flocks, an early start to their autumn movements and an immature Dartford Warbler on the Golf Course. also on site eight Chiffchaff and single Blackcap and Goldcrest. 

Elsewhere a Great Northern Diver and two Common Scoter were offshore, a Kingfisher was at the Main Pond and a Buzzard in the Entrance Bushes attracted the unwanted attention of at least 20 Carrion Crow and five Magpie. 

Other Wildlife: A largely overcast day saw few insects on the wing although a Migrant Hawker was active during a brighter spell. Attention instead was diverted groundwards with a tiny leafhopper Megophthalmus scabripennis, and even smaller at 2mm a minute scavenger beetle Cartodere bifasciata, both new for the year.

Cartodere bifasciata - Alan Keatley

 Megophthalmus scabripennis - Alan Keatley

Friday 9th October

A 1CY Caspian Gull dropped onto Finger Point late evening joining at least 55 Great Black-backed Gull with 14 Common and nine Mediterranean Gull roosting in the estuary. 

Caspian Gull - Lee Collins

Counts over the high tide included 91 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 60 Dunlin, 46 Mute Swan, 45 Ringed and 31 Grey Plover, 34 Knot, 20 Greenshank and two Sandwich Tern. Also present juvenile Osprey and Curlew Sandpiper with single Spotted Redshank and Whimbrel.

Elsewhere 12 Common Scoter and an Arctic Skua were offshore, a Kingfisher was off the seawall, a Buzzard was in the Entrance Bushes and a Snipe was at the Main Pond. 

Snipe - James Marshall

Ringing News: A colour-ringed Icelandic Oystercatcher, the sixth Iceland ringed individual recorded Warren. Four Exe ringed Oystercatcher have also been recorded in Iceland, one of which 8K was also recorded today. 

Since July a total of 174 Exe-ringed Oystercatcher have been recorded back for another winter on the estuary, including two new birds today.

Thursday 8th October

The Spotted Redshank remains in the estuary with 75 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 26 Greenshank, 20 Grey Plover, 12 Sanderling, three Sandwich Tern, two Pintail, a Kingfisher and a Whimbrel.

Elsewhere 11 Swallow flew over, a flock of nine east late morning and two north early evening, counts of seven Chiffchaff and three Great Spotted Woodpecker, both included one on Warren Point and the Red-legged Partridge was on the Golf Course.

Other Wildlife: The sunny morning increased insect activity with at least twenty Common Darter on the wing with several pairs ovipositing around the Main Pond, plus a couple of Migrant Hawker around the Entrance Bushes. Butterflies moving through including a few Clouded Yellow, Red Admiral and Small White.

Common Darter - Alan Keatley

Clouded Yellow - Alan Keatley

Also recorded a Grey Seal off Warren Point and in Greenland Lake, the Rhophalid bug Liorhyssus hyalinus.

Liorhyssus hyalinus - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 7th October

A Ruff was a new arrival in the estuary, with the Little Stint and Spotted Redshank still present. Counts included 420 Teal, 68 Ringed Plover, 57 Shelduck, 55 Dunlin, 34 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 34 Turnstone, 31 Grey Plover, 25 Bar and three Black-tailed Godwit, 22 Greenshank, 14 Sanderling, six Pintail, two Mediterranean Gull, two Whimbrel and a Kingfisher.

Pintail - Kevin Rylands

Elsewhere a Wheatear and the Red-legged Partridge were on the Golf Course, just three Chiffchaff in the blown out bushes and a Great Northern Diver offshore.

Other Wildlife: Showery and breezy until mid-afternoon; the damp weather suited a Common Toad however, but not flying insects with just a few Speckled Wood and a couple of Common Darter on the wing.

Common Toad - Alan Keatley

A bull Grey Seal was hunting the sheltered waters close off the beach late afternoon and a male Lesser Cockroach Capraiellus panzeri briefly ventured from cover, a national scarce species, but common within the Recording Area.

Lesser Cockroach - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 6th October

The highlight from the estuary was a site record count of 40 Greenshank, the previous being 37 in September 1960. This follows on from the previous second highest count of 34 on 12 October last year. Also present the juvenile Little Stint and a 1CY Caspian Gull, likely the same as on Orcombe Point on 2 October, and presumably the same as yesterday.

Caspian Gull 1CY - all Lee Collins

Counts included 264 Canada and a Bar-headed Goose, 52 Ringed Plover, 45 Great Black-backed and three Mediterranean Gull, 45 Mute Swan, 35 Knot, 32 Turnstone, 29 Dunlin, 19 Bar and six Black-tailed Godwit, 16 Sanderling, nine Sandwich Tern, four Pintail and single Spotted Redshank and Whimbrel.

Elsewhere overhead an immature Marsh Harrier flew W late morning, with a Great White Egret high NE a few hours later and on site a Short-eared Owl, 12 Chiffchaff, two Goldcrest and a Blackcap.

Other Wildlife: At least two Common Dolphin were distantly offshore. 

Monday 5th October

The pick of the highlights was a juvenile Hen Harrier that flew west across the estuary early afternoon, with four Spoonbill briefly before returning north, two (1&3CY) Caspian Gull, a Little Stint, presumably also from upriver, and a Lapwing.

Spoonbill - Kevin Rylands

Spoonbill - Lee Collins

Caspian Gull 3CY - Lee Collins

Counts from the estuary included 910 Wigeon, 340 Teal, 61 Great Black-backed and three Mediterranean Gull, 33 Turnstone, 32 Dunlin, 32 Greenshank 27 Knot, 23 Bar and six Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Sanderling, 12 Grey Plover, 11 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, six Sandwich Tern and single Kingfisher, Pintail, Spotted Redshank and Whimbrel.

Elsewhere at least 19 Chiffchaff were onsite, with three Goldcrest, a Blackcap and a Wheatear, the Cetti's Warbler was still at the Main Pond and small numbers of Skylark continue to move overhead. 

Other Wildlife: At least eight Clouded Yellow and five Red Admiral flew west and three Grey Seal were on Bull Hill. On the Dune Ridge several Ragwort feeding flea beetle Longitarsus flavicornis and a tiny barkfly Cerobasis guestfalica.

Longitarsus flavicornis - Alan Keatley

Cerobasis guestfalica - Alan Keatley

Sunday 4th October

The Spotted Redshank and two Pintail remained in the estuary with Redshank and Wigeon respectively. Counts included 302 Curlew, 64 Shelduck, 55 Ringed Plover, 32 Dunlin, 25 Knot, 21 Greenshank, 17 Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Sanderling, 10 Sandwich Tern, eight Grey Plover, three Dark-bellied Brent Geese and a Whimbrel. 

Elsewhere a Firecrest and the Coal Tit were in the Entrance Bushes, six Common Scoter and a Great Crested Grebe were offshore, a Kingfisher was at the Main Pond and six Swallow were overhead. 

Other Wildlife: At least 25 Clouded Yellow and 15 Red Admiral flew west during the afternoon, with some pausing to feed. The warm weather and sunshine saw plenty of activity around the remaining nectar sources, including three Twist-winged Parasite Fly Ectophasia crassipennis, half a dozen hoverfly species including Marsh Stripe-back Helophilus hybridus and Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum. 

Clouded Yellow - James Marshall

Twist-winged Parasite Fly Ectophasia crassipennis - Kevin Rylands

At least three Common Dolphin were feeding offshore.