Friday 6th November

A bit milder and winds shifted to a fresh ENE this morning with the effect of visible migration a distinctly muted affair compared to recent days with only 1,835 Woodpigeon of which 325+ flew low northeast in the reverse direction from usual, a larger reverse movement than that seen yesterday (excluded from that day's total). Unless otherwise stated all flew northeast: c.50 Goldfinch, c.30 Greenfinch, 17 Meadow Pipit, c.15 Linnet, 15 Siskin, 14 Chaffinch, three Skylark (W), three Pied Wagtail (NE), two Great Northern Diver did a circuit high overhead; two Jackdaw (WSW), single Song Thrush (N), Blackbird (NW), a Rook and a late Swallow.

Time allowed for the high tide period to be covered and most waterbirds were counted - 1,115 Wigeon, 552 Dunlin, 256 Teal, 159 Redshank, 84 Grey Plover, 50 Bar-tailed Godwit, 31 Ringed Plover, 26 Curlew, 26 Knot, 21 Great Black-backed Gull, 18 Cormorant, 12 Pale-bellied Brent Goose among a three-figure count of Dark-bellied Brent Goose; a few Mute Swan, eight Sanderling, seven Little Egret, four Greenshank, four Lesser Black-backed Gull, three Grey Heron, two Mallard, two Common Snipe, single Canada Goose, drake Shoveler, immature Pintail, the usual drake Eider, a 'red-head' Red-breasted Merganser, a Little Grebe, the Slavonian Grebe and perhaps yesterday's Lapwing.

A second-winter (male?) Caspian Gull showed well on and around Finger Point for while before it flew off southwest down the spit at 11:17. This is the site's seventh record; all have been since April 2014.

second-winter Caspian Gull on Finger Point - Lee Collins

Ringed birds produced much of the interest with the Icelandic-ringed Pale-bellied Brent Goose again; two Swedish metal-ringed Dunlin, the return of 'J9Y', a Polish colour-ringed Dunlin that was ringed as an adult in early-July 2017 on the Baltic Sea coastline and seen at Dawlish Warren in Dec 2019/ Jan 2020. The long-staying German metal-ringed Ringed Plover again, and to the dismay of the observer, a too briefly seen yellow colour-ringed pipit in The Bight.

In the Entrance Bushes, four Goldcrest, three Chiffchaff, three Bullfinch and the Firecrest was elusive and remained largely hidden in the thick foliage of an Ivy-covered tree for shelter against the strengthening wind.