Thursday 29th September

Counts from the estuary included 499 Curlew, 226 Redshank, 222 Dunlin, 98 Brent Geese, 91 Ringed Plover, 84 Knot, 26 Turnstone, two Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint. Elsewhere 1235 Herring Gull were on site; nine Sandwich Tern, three Mediterranean Gull and 55 Common Scoter were offshore, a Sand Martin flew over and 230 Linnet and a Wheatear were in the Bight.

 Peregrine - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: The dead whale came ashore overnight to the south of Langstone Rock; a 15m Fin Whale, an impressive but sad sight.

On a lighter note, four ponies were released on site today to assist with habitat management.

Ponies (Ivan :Lakin)

Wednesday 28th September

The Wryneck remains amongst the soon to be removed scrub along the Dune Ridge, with other migrants including three Whitethroat, a Goldcrest and the first Mistle Thrush of autumn whilst 45+ Meadow Pipit, c40 Swallow and a couple of Rook passed overhead. In the estuary wildfowl continue to increase with 1920 Wigeon, 489 Teal and 113 Brent Geese; wader counts included 1760 Oystercatcher, 208 Dunlin, 91 Ringed Plover, 56 Knot, 54 Grey Plover and 51 Bar-tailed Godwit with a Little Stint, four Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary. Elsewhere a summer plumaged Red-throated Diver and nine Arctic Skua were offshore, two Jay were in Dead Dolphin Wood and 239 Linnet were feeding on Glasswort in the Bight.

Wildlife News: A large badly decomposing whale, apparently a Sperm Whale, was offshore in the evening, the morning tides will presumably decide whether it is Teignbridge or East Devon Council that receive the unexpected expense of removal.

Monday 26th September

Counts from the estuary included 1874 Wigeon, 519 Dunlin, 351 Teal, 145 Ringed Plover and 62 Brent Geese with 35 Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, six Mediterranean Gull, four Curlew Sandpiper, two Greenshank, a Ruff, a Little Stint and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere migrants were limited to 24 Blackcap and 20 Chiffchaff with 147 Linnet and 59 Goldfinch around the site.

Curlew Sandpiper - Dave Jewell

Sunday 25th September

The autumn's third Wryneck was the highlight but it was mobile and elusive along the Dune Ridge. other migrants included five Goldcrest, four Wheatear and a couple of Whitethroat. In the estuary wildfowl numbers continue to increase with 1935 Wigeon, 389 Teal and 174 Dark-bellied Brent Geese with wader counts including 1510 Oystercatcher, 488 Curlew, 189 Redshank, 116 Ringed Plover, 81 Knot, 39 Bar-tailed Godwit, 22 Sanderling, three Greenshank and a Curlew Sandpiper. Other records included two Pintail, the Slavonian Grebe, two Jay and a Coal Tit.

Saturday 24th September

An eventful day kicked off with a 3-hour sea-watch which produced totals of 215 Gannet, 55 Common Scoter, 29 Kittiwake, six Razorbill, five Sandwich Tern, three Common Tern, and two each of Sooty Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater and Manx Shearwater; all south  A Storm Petrel flew into the bay and a Black Tern showed well offshore for a while, before giving up its battle with the stiff southerly wind and disappeared north.  An inshore dark phase Arctic Skua was a rare sight in having commenced inner wing moult.

Too windy for bushes and overhead passage, noted were only three Swallow, two Rook, single Stock Dove, Raven, Grey Wagtail and a Goldcrest.

On the lunchtime neap high tide around, mostly around The Bight, totals were 517 Dunlin, 337 Curlew, 250+ Great Black-backed Gull, 82 Knot, 138 Ringed Plover, 54 Grey Plover, 49 Brent Goose, 35 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Sanderling, 15+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, four adult-winter Mediterranean Gull, four juv Curlew Sandpiper, three Black-tailed Godwit and single juv Little Stint and Greenshank.  A flock of 110 Linnet flitted among the roosting waders.  Spooked by incessant kite-surfer activity, displaced wildfowl swelled numbers sheltering in the estuary corner to 1,710 Wigeon, 344 Teal and four Pintail.

At 11:30, a juvenile presumed American Herring Gull flew low across The Bight with other gulls, over the spit and then coasted SW out of sight.  Despite it's distinctive appearance, with relatively short flight only views, identification could not be verified.  A gull of similar appearance on Bull Hill last Wednesday evening offers a glimmer of hope of a return.

Friday 23rd September

A Grasshopper Warbler showed well by the Dune Pond early morning but other migrants were limited to 18 Chiffchaff, 18 Blackcap, three Wheatear, a Reed Warbler and the first Goldcrest of the autumn. In the Bight four Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint remain with 398 Dunlin, 84 Ringed Plover, 70 Knot, 30 Grey Plover and 24 Sanderling, with an Osprey, 175 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, two Pintail and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary.

Thursday 22nd September

Numbers of birds in the estuary continue to increase with 830 Wigeon, 81 Brent Geese and 57 Grey Plover, along with two Little Stint, single Curlew Sandpiper, 24 Sanderling, four Mediterranean Gull, a Common Sandpiper and a Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere migrants included 16 Chiffchaff, seven Blackcap and two Wheatear. More local migrants combined to produce a rare six corvid day on site with seven Raven, two Rook and two Jackdaw overhead and two very vocal Jay in Dead Dolphin Wood.

Grey Plover - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 21st September

Another evening look from Cockwood steps showed a Curlew Sandpiper, the Slavonian Grebe, 23 Brent Geese, a Greenshank, 170 Great Black-backed and a Mediterranean Gull.

Wildlife News: A Common Seal was on Bull Hill.

Tuesday 20th September

An evening look off Cockwood steps showed 23 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, four adult Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. No other news was received.

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was on Bull Hill.

Monday 19th September

Three Curlew Sandpiper and three Little Stint remain in the estuary with 431 Dunlin, 129 Ringed Plover, 24 Grey Plover, 24 Sanderling, 23 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 10 Pintail, two Mediterranean Gull and two Sandwich Tern. Elsewhere grounded migrants were limited to three Wheatear.

Sunday 18th September

A probable Citrine Wagtail flew low past the hide towards The Bight at 10:50, but could not be relocated.  It was clearly heard calling by two regular observers, but on that alone, the easternmost forms of yellow wagtails could not be ruled out.  

On the high tides, c.305 Dunlin, 286 Redshank, 135 Ringed Plover, 57 Knot, 25 Sanderling, 21+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Grey Plover, 3 Greenshank, 3 Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper. In the estuary with the wildfowl, single Greylag Goose and Shoveler.  Lots of Wigeon and 28 Brent Goose in off the sea.  Also at sea, 20 Common Scoter, 4 Gannet, an Arctic Skua far out chased Kittiwakes and a Great Crested Grebe.

Overhead passage was very light today with 31 Swallow, 10+ Meadow Pipit, two Jackdaw, two Yellow Wagtail and two Grey Wagtail.  The bushes held 11 Chiffchaff, five Blackcap, four Wheatear and single Jay, Coal Tit, Whinchat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and a Reed Bunting.

Wildlife News: a regular sight at dusk recently, two Fox wandered the golf course and car park.

Saturday 17th September

Wildfowl numbers continue to climb with the first 14 Pintail of the autumn with 582 Wigeon, 112 Teal and a lone Shoveler. Wader counts included 1402 Oystercatcher, 339 Curlew, 336 Dunlin, 205 Redshank, 112 Ringed Plover, 38 Knot, 16 Grey Plover, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, two Curlew Sandpiper and single Ruff, Greenshank and Little Stint. Also in the estuary a Kingfisher, four Mediterranean Gull, 13 Sandwich and a Common Tern. 

Kingfisher - Alan Keatley

 

Elsewhere a juvenile Great Northern Diver flew over the spit and continued far up the estuary, a second Kingfisher was on the Main Pond, 40 Meadow Pipit, four Grey and a Yellow Wagtail were overhead, 15 Manx Shearwater were offshore and a Whinchat, 17 Chiffchaff, eight Wheatear, three Whitethroat, three Willow, a Reed and a Sedge Warbler were around site.

Wildlife News: Good numbers of Common Darter, Southern and Migrant Hawker were around site with a noticeable influx of Silver Y.

Silver Y - Alan Keatley

Friday 16th September

A Dark-bellied Brent Goose was in the estuary with 283 Dunlin, 17 Sandwich Tern, 15 Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Grey Plover, three Curlew Sandpiper, two Little Stint and a Shelduck.

Wigeon - Dave Jewell

Thursday 15th September

A Green Sandpiper briefly around the Bight was the highlight amongst the waders with three Curlew Sandpiper, two Little Stint, a Golden Plover and a Ruff also present. Counts included 225 Dunlin, 144 Redshank, 65 Ringed Plover, 36 Sanderling, 22 Knot, 18 Bar and 12 Black-tailed Godwit, five Grey Plover, three Greenshank and a Whimbrel. Wildfowl numbers continue to build with 290 Teal, 260 Wigeon, a Shelduck and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood, three Snipe were overhead with 21 alba, seven Yellow and two Grey Wagtail but grounded migrants were limited to a single Wheatear, a Whitethroat and two Willow Warbler.

Golden Plover - Chris Stone

Wednesday 14th September

Counts from the estuary included 400 Wigeon, 240 Redshank, 170 Teal, 58 Ringed Plover, 44 Knot, 39 Sanderling, 11 Black and six Bar-tailed Godwit, three Greenshank and two Little Stint.

Tuesday 13th September

An evening visit saw the waders in the Bight disturbed by a couple of helicopters and a Spitfire, but amongst the Dunlin and Ringed Plover at least two Little Stint were still present, whilst amongst the Redshank there was a single Ruff, at least two Greenshank and two Black-tailed Godwit. Also in the estuary 310+ Wigeon, 120+ Teal and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Whinchat was in bushes behind the hide and three Wheatear were in the Bight.

Monday 12th September

Three Little Stint and two Curlew Sandpiper were still present on the rising tide this afternoon with 170+ Dunlin, 133+ Ringed Plover, 51 Sandwich Tern and 32 Sanderling. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, an Osprey, and 210+ Great Black-backed and five Mediterranean Gull. Elsewhere a juvenile Black Tern flew south offshore and a juvenile Hobby flew through Greenland Lake.

Wildlife News: The Common and Grey Seal were both on Bull Hill.

Sunday 11th September

The highlight was a brief Wryneck over the Car Park, but it soon went to ground, other migrants included six Wheatear; including a Greenland race individual, a Garden, five Willow and a Reed Warbler, six Blackcap and five Whitethroat. Overhead there were 16 Meadow Pipit, seven Grey and a Yellow Wagtail. In the estuary three Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper were still present over high tide with 433 Curlew, 107 Ringed Plover, 35 Sanderling, just 35 Dunlin, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, seven Knot, five Greenshank and a Whimbrel.

Saturday 10th September

Seawatching early morning produced a Balearic Shearwater, at least one Storm Petrel, two Great and two Arctic Skua, c90 Gannet and 14 Kittiwake. In the estuary there were four Curlew Sandpiper and three Little Stint with 191 Dunlin, 169 Ringed Plover and 68 Knot in the Bight, with 453 Curlew, 277 Redshank, 16 Bar-tailed Godwit, four Greenshank, three Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary. Duck numbers are starting to build in Shutterton Creek with 108 Wigeon and 47 Teal, but disturbance from an illegally driven speedboat using Eels Dock flushed them offsite. Elsewhere 37 Sanderling were on the beach, an Osprey finally made it down river into the recording area this morning, nine Wheatear were onsite and single Jay and Coal Tit were in the Entrance Bushes.

Wildlife News: The first Clouded Yellow of the year was in Greenland Lake.

Friday 9th September

A flock of 18 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were in the estuary along with three Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper. Counts included 337 Dunlin, 218 Ringed Plover, 73 Wigeon and two Mediterranean Gull.

Thursday 8th September

The first Avocet of the year was in front of the hide with two Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper. Also in the Bight two Grey and a Yellow Wagtail. Despite the numbers up river no sign of any Osprey in the Recording Area.

Wheatear - Dave Jewell

Wednesday 7th September

Three Little Stint remain in the Bight with other wader counts including 254 Curlew, 80 Ringed Plover, 32 Sanderling, five Knot, two Bar-tailed Godwit and two Snipe. Elsewhere nine Wheatear were on site and overhead there were seven Grey and a Yellow Wagtail.

Tuesday 6th September

The Wryneck again showed on Warren Point this morning along with five Wheatear. Elsewhere a Ruff was present in the Bight with four Little Stint, 193 Dunlin, 117 Ringed Plover, three Black-tailed Godwit and two Snipe. Also in the estuary 15 Wigeon, four Common Sandpiper, four Stock Dove, two Kingfisher and the Slavonian Grebe.

Ruff - Dave Jewell

Monday 5th September

The long staying but elusive Wryneck showed briefly on Warren Point this morning, with four Wheatear the only other passerine migrants. The overnight rain and mist did however deliver two Ruff into the Bight over the morning high tide to join the four Little Stint, 380+ Dunlin, 146+ Ringed Plover, c35 Knot and 34+ Sanderling. Also in the estuary 240+ Redshank, 36 Wigeon, 17 Common Tern, 10 Teal, four Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere an Arctic Skua and a first year Yellow-legged Gull were offshore.

Ruff (with Dunlin) - Lee Collins

Sunday 4th September

The highlight was a reported Wryneck but we don't know whereabouts on site it was, other migrants were limited to five Wheatear and a Willow Warbler. In the estuary four Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper remained with 330 Dunlin, 190 Ringed Plover and 22 Sanderling. Other records from the estuary included 268 Redshank, 22 Wigeon, 21 Teal, four Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and the Slavonian Grebe with the first Greylag Goose of the year coming into roost with 187 Canada Geese. Offsite an Osprey flew down the east side of the estuary and a flock of 36 Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew out of the estuary and headed east past Orcombe Point being seen later at Abbotsbury and then Ferrybridge in Dorset.

Mixed waders -  Greg Bradbury

Wildlife News: Single Common and Grey Seal, the latter a new individual, were on Bull Hill. Flowering plants include Sea Daffodil and hundreds of Autumn-ladies-tresses and butterflies on the wing include Red Admiral, Small Copper, Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood.

Autumn-ladies-tresses - Greg Bradbury

Saturday 3rd September

Seawatching ahead of the rain early afternoon brought the first Sooty Shearwater of the year along with seven Balearic and 13 Manx Shearwater, also offshore three Arctic Skua, 50+ Gannet, 40+ Kittiwake and two Shoveler. Before the rain migrants on site had included five Wheatear, the Whinchat still in Greenland Lake, a Jay in Dead Dolphin Wood and Tree Pipit, Yellow and four Grey Wagtail overhead.

Wader counts 1400 Oystercatcher, 351 Dunlin, 331 Redshank, 181 Ringed Plover, 34 Knot and 27 Sanderling. with these flocks were four Little Stint, a Curlew Sandpiper, eight Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, three Greenshank and a Whimbrel. Other counts from the hide included 165 Great Black-backed Gull, 46 Wigeon, the first big arrival, 27 Sandwich Tern, nine Teal, six Mediterranean Gull, a second year Yellow-legged Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Also in the estuary, but outside the recording area, there were 27 Pale-bellied Brent Geese off Mudbank Lane, Exmouth.

Ringing News: This 'Sanderbling' was first found on 25th August and remained until 30th August. This is the latest recorded on site and the longest stayer. It was ringed on 7th July 2015 at Ostgronland in Greenland. This is the first recovery.

 

Sanderling - Lee Collins

Friday 2nd September

A juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper in the Bight was the highlight but was only present over the morning tide. Also in the Bight five Little Stint and three Curlew Sandpiper amongst 327+ Dunlin, 171+ Ringed Plover, 33 Sanderling and 31 Knot. Other counts from the estuary included 294 Redshank, seven Bar-tailed Godwit, six Wigeon, five Whimbrel, two Mediterranean Gull, a Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Whinchat was in Greenland Lake but other migrants were limited to four Wheatear and two Willow Warbler.

Pectoral Sandpiper - Lee Collins

 

Little Stint - Dave Jewell

Thursday 1st September

Three Little Stint were on the beach over the evening high tide with 350+ Dunlin and 170+ Ringed Plover but there was no sign of any Curlew Sandpiper. Elsewhere a Whinchat and a Sedge Warbler were on Warren Point with at least 10 Wheatear on site and a single Grey Wagtail overhead.

Sedge Warbler - Alan Keatley