Sunday 31st July

Wader counts included 578 Oystercatcher, 401 Curlew, 216 Dunlin, 124 Ringed Plover, 90 Redshank, 58 Sanderling, 37 Whimbrel, three Knot and two Greenshank, with 127 Sandwich Tern and the Slavonian Grebe also present. Elsewhere three Shoveler flew in off late afternoon and passerine migrants included four Wheatear, four Sedge and six Willow Warbler with 22 Whitethroat on site, some presumably also moving through.

 Whitethroat - Alan Keatley

Willow Warbler - Alan Keatley

Saturday 30th July

Waders continue to move through with counts including 609 Oystercatcher, 424 Curlew, 107 Dunlin, 105 Ringed Plover, 46 Sanderling, two Greenshank and a Black-tailed Godwit. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, 155 Sandwich and seven Common Tern. Elsewhere 27 Whitethroat, four Willow and a Sedge Warbler were on site and four Mediterranean Gull were along the beach.

Mediterranean Gull (juvenile) - Dave Jewell

Friday 29th July

An evening visit saw a juvenile Little Ringed Plover over the high tide with 71 Ringed Plover, 56 Dunlin and 32 Sanderling. Elsewhere a escaped/feral Barnacle Goose was with 27 Canada Geese in Shutterton Creek and two Mediterranean Gull were in the estuary.

Thursday 28th July

An evening visit saw a juvenile Wheatear in Wryneck Plain, 38 Common Scoter, five Common Tern and two Mediterranean Gull offshore and 37 Ringed Plover and a Greenshank in the estuary.

Tuesday 26th July

A quick evening visit saw single Mediterranean Gull and Greenshank in the estuary and the summering Teal on the Main Pond.

Monday 25th July

A morning visit saw a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull in the estuary with 194 Sandwich, three Common and an Arctic Tern. Wader counts included 48 Dunlin, 24 Sanderling and 10 Ringed Plover. Elsewhere the first Sedge Warbler of the autumn was on the Dune Ridge and two Stock Dove were in the saltmarsh.

Sunday 24th July

Counts from the estuary included 358 Curlew, 166 Sandwich and six Common Tern, 103 Redshank, 46 Sanderling, 26 Dunlin, 13 Whimbrel, eight Ringed Plover, five Greenshank, four Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Offshore 93 Shag, 90 Gannet, 59 Manx Shearwater and 24 Common Scoter. Elsewhere a Buzzard was in Dead Dolphin Wood, two juvenile Green Woodpecker were by the Railway Station, a Grey Wagtail was on the seawall and a juvenile Wheatear was in Greenland Lake.

Saturday 23rd July

A juvenile Little Ringed Plover at dusk was the highlight with other wader counts including 461 Oystercatcher, 421 Curlew, 96 Redshank, 37 Dunlin (inc first juv), 29 Sanderling, 22 Whimbrel, six Ringed Plover, three Common Sandpiper and two Greenshank. Also in the estuary 129 Sandwich and two Common Tern, six Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere seawatching early morning saw 266 Manx Shearwater and 108 Gannet lingering offshore before heading south, 100+ Shag and 24 Common Scoter were on the sea and 29 Swallow, seven Swift, three Sand and a House Martin flew through.

 Dunlin

 Greenshank

Sanderling

 all taken by Dave Boult

Ringing News: A Belgian Mediterranean Gull was on the beach with Polish & German ringed Black-headed Gull.

Friday 22nd July

Sightings included an juvenile Black Tern over Finger Point and an adult Mediterranean Gull on the beach, a dead male Sand Lizard on the Dune Ridge and Small Skipper, Red Admiral, Common Darter, Emperor Dragonfly and several Six-spot Burnet Moth in Greenland Lake.

Thursday 21st July

A sub-adult Pomarine Skua offshore during the morning was the highlight with 42 Manx Shearwater also heading south and 36 Common Scoter and 35 Shag on the sea. Records from the estuary included the first two Kingfisher of the autumn, 167 Sandwich Tern (59 juveniles), nine Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe, with wader counts included 489 Oystercatcher, 333 Curlew, 128 Redshank, 52 Dunlin, 28 Sanderling, 15 Whimbrel, two Greenshank and single Bar and Black-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere a Yellow Wagtail was on Wryneck Plain briefly early morning.

Wednesday 20th July

Another juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was in the estuary today with nine Mediterranean Gull, 109 Sandwich and two Common Tern. Wader counts included 400 Oystercatcher, 372 Curlew, 108 Redshank, 50 Dunlin, 21 Sanderling, 17 Whimbrel, three Ringed Plover and a Greenshank. Also in the estuary a juvenile Great-crested Grebe, the Slavonian Grebe and lone Brent Geese.

Tuesday 19th July

The adult Little Gull was again on Finger Point whilst gull numbers increased to 407 Black-headed and 20 Mediterranean Gull. Also in the estuary 455 Oystercatcher, 387 Curlew, 141 Sandwich Tern, 68 Dunlin, 13 Whimbrel, four Ringed Plover, three Greenshank, two Black and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood, a Yellow Wagtail was overhead and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull offshore was the first addition to the year list since May.

Little Gull

Monday 18th July

An adult summer Little Gull on Finger Point early morning was the highlight with 182 Black-headed and 12 Mediterranean Gull. Other counts from the estuary included 153 Sandwich and a Common Tern,  63 Dunlin, 53 Redshank, 16  Whimbrel, 15 Sanderling, three Common Sandpiper and single Greenshank, Bar and Black-tailed Godwit. Other records included the continued presence of the Brent Goose and Slavonian Grebe, 11 Shelduck that flew in off mid morning and a juvenile Wheatear in front of the hide.

Sunday 17th July

Counts from the estuary included 300+ Oystercatcher & Curlew, 225 Black-headed Gull, 134 Sandwich Tern, 63 Dunlin, 58 Redshank, 13 Sanderling, 13 Whimbrel, six Ringed Plover, four Mediterranean Gull and a Bar-tailed Godwit, with the Slavonian Grebe and Brent Goose still present. Elsewhere two Shoveler flew in off the sea during the evening, a Stock Dove was in the Railway Saltmarsh, two Sand Martin flew through and two Treecreeper were on site.  

Ringing News: Amongst the Sandwich Tern were at least four colour-ringed birds, a returning individual from Holland and birds from Belgium, the Farne Islands and Wales.  The Welsh bird below was seen in Namibia in December 2015.

Saturday 16th July

A Dark-bellied Brent Goose in the Bight was the biggest surprise of the day, especially as none have been noted on the Exe this summer; the resident Slavonian Grebe was also in the estuary. Wader counts included 412 Curlew, 233 Oystercatcher, 54 Redshank, 54 Dunlin, 25 Sanderling and 11 Whimbrel. Terns continue to arrive with 137 Sandwich (25 juvs) and six Common Tern also present. Elsewhere 42 Common Scoter and five Great-crested Grebe were offshore with two Willow Warbler and a Treecreeper on site.

Friday 15th July

Whilst migration has been in full flow on the estuary for a few weeks, autumn has just started to arrive elsewhere on site with a single Grey Wagtail overhead and a couple of Willow Warbler and a Wheatear on site. In the estuary a Greenshank joined 38 Redshank, four Whimbrel and a Common Sandpiper all heading south with 61 Sandwich and a Common Tern, an adult summer Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe also present. Elsewhere 14 Sanderling were along the beach and 41 Shag, 32 Common Scoter and a Great-crested Grebe were offshore.

Wednesday 13th July

An evening visit saw an early migrant Redstart (sex/age unreported) by the Main Pond. Elsewhere an adult Mediterranean Gull was in the estuary with 70+ Linnet and eight Stonechat across the site, the latter including the first juvenile from a presumed second brood in Greenland Lake.

Tuesday 12th July

An evening visit saw 65 Sandwich Tern in the estuary with 135 Carrion Crow, four Common Sandpiper and a Mediterranean Gull also out on the mudflats. Elsewhere 70 Linnet roosted on the Golf Course.

Monday 11th July

The summer-plumaged Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood with 65 Sandwich Tern (11 juvs), 15 Dunlin and a couple of Mediterranean Gull also in the estuary.

Sunday 10th July

Much of the action was offshore with three Pomarine Skua south early morning, a Bonxie south late morning and 45 Manx Shearwater and 42 Gannet south in the evening with two Arctic Skua harrying terns and 33 Common Scoter on the sea. Counts from the estuary included 277 Curlew, 62 Sandwich Tern, 20 Dunlin, 15 Mediterranean Gull and four Whimbrel. Elsewhere the Teal remains on the Main Pond, now in eclipse plumage, and at least one Treecreeper was in the Entrance Bushes.

Saturday 9th July

Single Pomarine and Arctic Skua were offshore during the morning with 42 Common Scoter and seven Manx Shearwater. In the estuary counts included 342 Curlew, 55 Sandwich Tern, 12 Turnstone, seven Whimbrel, seven Dunlin, four Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Wheatear was an early migrant.

Friday 8th July

Curlew numbers have increased with 369 roosting in the Railway Saltmarsh along with 30 Redshank, 10 Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, a Common Sandpiper, four Mediterranean Gull and eight Dunlin. Elsewhere an Arctic Skua was offshore with 10 Sandwich and three Common Tern.

Thursday 7th July

An evening visit saw the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary along with 280 Curlew, 44 Turnstone, 20 Redshank, 12 Whimbrel, five Dunlin, two Ringed Plover and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Offshore 45 Common Scoter and six Great-crested Grebe were new arrivals with five Arctic Skua distantly harassing a lone Kittiwake.

Wednesday 6th July

Counts over the evening tide included the first two Common Sandpiper of the autumn with 301 Oystercatcher, 240 Curlew, 219 Black-headed Gull, 15 Redshank, eight Mediterranean Gull, five Dunlin, two Ringed Plover, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Slavonian Grebe.

Tuesday 5th July

Waders continue to pass through with tern and gull numbers on the rise. Counts from the estuary included 277 Curlew, 139 Black-headed Gull, 39 Sandwich Tern, 19 Redshank, 18 Shelduck, three Dunlin and two Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere the first couple of Sand Martin of the autumn flew through.

Monday 4th July

Counts over the evening high tide included 282 Curlew, 24 Sandwich Tern, 17 Dunlin, eight Redshank, four Mediterranean Gull, two Ringed and a Grey Plover.

Sunday 3rd July

A sub adult Pomarine Skua joined a dark phase Arctic Skua harrying the 57 Sandwich and single Common Tern offshore. Wader counts included 274 Curlew, 12 Dunlin, six Redshank, two Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Bar & Black-tailed Godwit and a Sanderling. Also in the estuary eight Mediterranean Gull, the Slavonian Grebe and 11 Shelduck.

Saturday 2nd July

Both tides and over 11h:35m of effort today.  Most interest was at sea on the evening when four Arctic Skua chased a single Kittiwake high into the sky for prey, also a single Great Skua flew in, an immature Great Northern Diver loafed far out and a Little Tern inshore briefly landed on the beach.  Also out there, c.20 Kittiwake, 18 Gannet, 15 Manx Shearwater, ten Common Scoter and two Guillemot. 

Over the high tides, wader counts were 320 Oystercatcher, 234 Curlew, ten Whimbrel, eight Little Egret, eight Redshank, seven Black-tailed Godwit, three Bar-tailed Godwit, two Sanderling and a Dunlin.  The resident Slavonian Grebe remained in the estuary near the railway wall.  On the beach and in the saltmarshes, 104 Black-headed Gull, 44 Sandwich Tern, 18 Great Black-back Gull, eight Little Egret, four Mediterranean Gull (two adult, a second-summer and a first-summer with a green ring) and three adult Common Gull.

The drake Teal was still on the Main Pond.  At least 21 Swift flew west, though five Swallow and four House Martin seemed to be locally foraging birds.  The bushes revealed a Great Spotted Woodpecker, 20+ Long-tailed Tit, two Bullfinch and single-figures counts of the regular warblers.

Wildlife news: The first Southern Hawker of the year was around the Main Pond with Small Skipper and Gatekeeper also making their first appearance. Elsewhere a Golden-ringed Dragonfly was hunting around bushes below John's Watch.

 Blue-tailed Damselfly - Alan Keatley

Sand Wasp Ammophila sabulosa - Alan Keatley