Wednesday 6 November 2024

Wednesday 6th November

A Yellow-browed Warbler was found in the Entrance Bushes, the autumn's fourth, with a Lapwing in the estuary the only other news received. 

Tuesday 5 November 2024

Tuesday 5th November

Counts from the estuary included 306 Dark-bellied Brent Geese around The Bight (with c600 on Cockle Sands, Exmouth), 46 Turnstone32 Sanderling29 Bar-tailed Godwit16 Knot16 Grey Plover, the first Red-breasted Merganser of the winter off Cockwood and a Avocet swimming with wildfowl in The Bight.

Elsewhere the five Eider and the Great Northern Diver were offshore, five Siskin were overhead, the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond and the bushes held 10 Chiffchaff, five Goldcrest and a Coal Tit.

Other Wildlife: A late Migrant Hawker was still active around the Main Pond. 

Sunday 3 November 2024

Sunday 3rd November

Any hopes of vismig were largely dashed by the wind, but the easterlies had brought in new arrivals, including a juvenile Little Gull briefly in the Bight before heading out to sea, a Golden Plover on the Golf Course, five Lapwing in The Bight, an overnight doubling to c500 Dunlin and the first juvenile Dark-bellied Brent Goose, the only one amongst 423 birds.

Less bothered by the wind, a juvenile Marsh Harrier flew over just after 8am with the year's first Short-eared Owl doing the same two hours later. 

Other counts from the estuary included 1172 Wigeon1016 Oystercatcher371 Teal311 Curlew62 Great Black-backed and a Mediterranean Gull46 Turnstone34 Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit11 Sanderling10 Greenshank, eight Knot, eight Cattle Egrettwo Shoveler, a Whimbrel and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose.

Elsewhere the summer plumaged Great Northern Diver19 Common Scoter and five Eider were offshore, a Cetti's Warbler was on the Golf Course and nine Chiffchaff, five Goldcrest and a Coal Tit were on site. 

Year list addition:

181. Short-eared Owl

Ringing News: Unfortunately the cannon was not fired so there are no additional DCWRG birds to look out for on the Exe. 

Over 40 previously ringed Oystercatcher were recorded though including E1, rung here in Feb 2018 but since only ever seen in late winter. 

Other recoveries included a 1cy Great Black-backed Gull from Looe, Cornwall and a fourth returning DCWRG Dunlin

Saturday 2 November 2024

Saturday 2nd November

Counts from the estuary at high tide included 957 Wigeon, 367 Dark and five Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 306 Curlew, 270 Redshank, 251 Teal, 240 Dunlin, 83 Great Black-backed, 19 Common and a Mediterranean Gull, 76 Turnstone, 30 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Ringed and 10 Grey Plover, eight Sanderling, seven Greenshank and single Kingfisher, Knot, Pintail, Shoveler and Whimbrel.

Elsewhere five immature Eider and two Great Northern Diver, one in summer plumage, were offshore, 203 Carrion Crow and three Jackdaw were on the mudflats preroost and five Chiffchaff, three Bullfinch, two Goldcrest and a Coal Tit.

Ringing News: Ahead of a new cannon-netting session tomorrow, ring reading was productive including five Curlew, three from the Exe and headstarted birds from Dorset and Suffolk, three Exe ringed Dunlin back for another winter and two regular Great Black-backed Gull from Looe, Cornwall and Portland, Dorset.

Tuesday 29 October 2024

Tuesday 29th October

A low tide visit and probably a little too late in the morning to note if there was any purposeful vigmig, with the notable exception of a pair of Whooper Swan N over Warren Point and heading up the estuary just before midday. The 16th Warren record.

Elsewhere a Cetti's Warbler was at the Dune Pond, two Water Rail at the Main Pond and five Chiffchaff and three Goldcrest were on site. 

Year list addition:

180. Whooper Swan

Other Wildlife: A few late insects still active included two Red Admiral, a Common Darter and, on Warren Point, a Field Grasshopper.

Field Grasshopper - Alan Keatley

Sunday 27 October 2024

Sunday 27th October

Another morning of vismig dominated by 15,050 Woodpigeon and 1026 Jackdaw, with a varied supporting cast including 225 Starling101 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 77 Chaffinch17 Meadow Pipit11 Skylark, five Buzzard, five Siskin, a site record four Egyptian Geese, two Sparrowhawk and single Great White EgretLesser RedpollRedwing and Red Kite.

Elsewhere counts from The Bight included 215 Dunlin, 57 Turnstone, 47 Ringed and three Grey Plover, nine Sanderling and a Whimbrel, a female Marsh Harrier flew north late afternoon, the Cetti's Warbler, two Water Rail, a Grey Wagtail and a Reed Bunting were at the Main Pond, and two Bullfinch, two Goldcrest, a Coal Tit and a Jay were in the bushes.

Other Wildlife: A Weasel ran across the path in front of the Visitor Centre.

Saturday 26 October 2024

Saturday 26th October

Huge numbers of Woodpigeon on the move in the first two hours, an estimated 31,230 birds, with flocks in the thousands in the first hour, with flocks of several hundred later. Their line was mostly W offshore whereas 347 Jackdawlargest flock 80, and 17 Rook took a more inland route.

Also against the clear blue sky, two flocks of 22 and five Redwing headed west with a lone Mistle Thrush east. at least 40 Skylark passed W, many too high to see, along with smaller numbers of Chaffinch and Linnet, seven Lesser Black-backed Gull, seven Siskin, two Reed Bunting and the first Lesser Redpoll of the year. 

Elsewhere an adult Spoonbill headed offshore, but shortly returned to the estuary, five Chiffchaff, two Goldcrest, single Coal Tit, Jay and a female Sparrowhawk were in the bushes with a vocal Cetti's Warbler and a Kingfisher at the Main Pond.

Year list addition:

179. Redpoll

Other Wildlife: With day long sunshine insects were obvious  including presumed migrants such as a late Southern Hawker, two Red Admiral, a Silver Y and a few Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus

Southern Hawker - Alan Keatley

Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus - Alan Keatley

Also on the wing a Speckled Wood, three Common Darter and the hoverflies; Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax, Humming Syrphus S. ribesii, Gossamer Hoverfly Baccha elongata and Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus.

The Grey Squirrel was in the Entrance Bushes. 

Silver Y - Alan Keatley

Friday 25 October 2024

Friday 25th October

The Yellow-browed Warbler was by the Main Pond but no other news was reported. 

Other Wildlife: Late news of a new Warren species, a braconid wasp found on a gull carcass on Warren Point. An Alysia species, likely Alysia manducator, a parasitoid of blowflies and houseflies, but unfortunately confirmation requires examination of a specimen. 


Alysia sp. - both Alan Keatley


Thursday 24 October 2024

Thursday 24th October

Counts from the Bight at high tide included 110 Dunlin83 Dark-bellied Brent Goose43 Turnstone30 Ringed and a Grey Plover14 Sanderling13 Bar-tailed Godwit and a Sandwich Tern.

Elsewhere the Yellow-browed Warbler remained around the Main Pond with five Chiffchaff, two Goldcrest and a Firecrest also in the bushes with single Great Northern Diver and Pomarine Skua offshore.

Other Wildlife: Dull and overcast, so not a day for insects with just a late Migrant Hawker on the wing in the Entrance Bushes.

Wednesday 23 October 2024

Wednesday 23rd October

A Yellow-browed Warbler, the third of the autumn, was by the Main Pond but no other news was reported.