Thursday 4th December

The Lesser Crested Tern remained in the lower estuary all day favouring the yellow wildlife refuge buoys. Best viewed from Cockwood or Warren Point, there is no access to the Golf Course. Many thanks for those visiting today, lots of positive comments from golfers and no issues reported. 

Lesser Crested Tern - Grahame Madge The picture that started it all yesterday

Lesser Crested Tern - Dave Boult

The Yellow-browed Warbler was still around the Main Pond with at least seven Chiffchaff and six Goldcrest, the first Fieldfare of the year was in Greenland Lake before flying N early morning, the Dartford Warbler was heard calling from the Golf Course and a drake Goosander flew W over Main Pond mid afternoon.

Elsewhere 32 Common Scoter, 12 Great Crested Grebe, three Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver were offshore with 52 Common Gull and six Greenshank. 

Year list addition:
187. Fieldfare

Wednesday 3rd December

One bird was the centre of attention, an orange-billed tern that was seen from the Stuart Line Cruise as it passed Warren Point late morning. Soon picked up roosting on a buoy mid estuary before making occasional feeding trips to the estuary mouth. Its identity remained unresolved with but as the tide rose it moved to a buoy nearer Cockwood and even fed in The Bight, confirming it to be a Lesser Crested Tern, just the tenth UK record. 

Lesser Crested Tern - Kevin Rylands

Lesser Crested Tern - Dave Boult

No doubt the bird reported briefly on the Axe on Monday, it remained on the buoy until at least 4.40pm when the light had all but gone.There is no access to the Golf Course, so best viewed from Cockwood or Warren Point.

Lesser Crested Tern - Dave Boult

A completely unexpected second for the Recording Area and Devon, following a bird here on 17-20 July 1985. A record of a Lesser Crested or Royal Tern here on 19 Dec 1987 is an interesting parallel to the days events. 

Earlier in the day there were 17 Common Scoter and four Pintail were offshore, a Grey Wagtail and a Shoveler were on the Main Pond and the Yellow-browed Warbler was still present and elusive. 

Shoveler - Jim Summers

Yellow-browed Warbler - Jim Summers

Year list addition:
186. Lesser Crested Tern

Monday 1st December

Seawatching early morning until 9.20 saw c700 Kittiwake and Gannet head south along with 12 Red-throated and 10 Great Northern Diver, three Fulmar and a Mediterranean Gull, with the five Velvet Scoter still present on the sea. 

Over a wet and windy high tide two 1CY Caspian Gull briefly joined 60+ Great Black-backed Gull on Finger Point with 86 Knot, 59 Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, 42 Cormorant and a Kingfisher also present. 

Caspian Gull - Lee Collins

Caspian Gulls - Lee Collins

Elsewhere the Yellow-browed Warbler was reported but no other news was received. 

Sunday 30th November

The five Velvet Scoter were off the seawall with 22 Common Scoter, 20 Great Crested Grebe, four Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver. 

The Yellow-browed Warbler remained around the Main Pond but was very elusive amongst at least 14 Chiffchaff and nine Goldcrest.

Cirl Bunting - Lee Collins

Counts from the estuary included 460 Teal, 125 Shelduck, 104 Grey and 45 Ringed Plover, 76 Knot, 24 Sanderling, seven Greenshank, four Red-breasted Merganser and an Avocet.

Other Wildlife: A Common Darter was still on the wing around the Entrance Bushes. 

Saturday 29th November

The five Velvet Scoter remained off the seawall with 26 Common Scoter, but most birds were on the move with hundreds of auks and Kittiwake heading south, closer in there were at least 35 Razorbill and two Guillemot. Also moving a briefly lingering 1CY Little Gull, 14 Red-throated, 11 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver, with seven Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver on the sea early afternoon. 

The Yellow-browed Warbler was again elusive around the Main Pond, with 14 Chiffchaff, six Goldcrest and a Firecrest also in the bushes. A fem/imm Black Redstart was a brief new arrival moving along the exposed stones at Warren Point before it headed off high towards The Maer, Exmouth. 

Counts from the estuary over high tide included 150 Redshank, 97 Curlew, 81 Grey and 45 Ringed Plover, 76 Knot, 57 Turnstone, 55 Bar and 19 Black-tailed Godwit, 32 Sanderling, a Kingfisher and the Avocet.

Ringing News: Over 50 Exe ringed Dunlin were recorded along with the wintering Welsh ringed Knot, Hampshire ringed Ringed Plover, German ringed Brent Goose, Dorset ringed Great Black-backed Gull and Seaton ringed Shelduck. 

Friday 28th November

The Yellow-browed Warbler made a brief appearance late in the day by the Main Pond with at least 15 Chiffchaff and 10 Goldcrest also present. Also vocal the Cetti's Warbler gave a brief burst of song near the First Pond, the Dartford Warbler calling from the Golf Course and a Tawny Owl calling behind Crocus Compound

Wildfowl counts from the estuary on the dropping tide included 682 Wigeon, 608 Teal, 223 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 95 Shelduck and three Red-breasted Merganser with nine Black-tailed Godwit, seven Greenshank and five Great Crested Grebe. 

Elsewhere the five Velvet Scoter, 14 Common Scoter, 14 Great Crested Grebe, 12 Razorbill and two Red-throated Diver were off the seawall and a roost of 450 Starling, three Water Rail and two Shoveler were at the Main Pond.

Thursday 27th November

The first Yellow-browed Warbler of the year was briefly behind the Main Pond late morning, but soon disappeared amongst the minimum 10 Chiffchaff, eight Goldcrest and a Firecrest also on site. The two drake Shoveler, a Kingfisher and a Snipe were on the Main Pond. 

Elsewhere at least 110 Great Black-backed Gull were roosting on Bull Hill at dusk and the five Velvet Scoter were off the seawall with 22 Common Scoter, two Great Crested Grebe, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver. 

Year list addition:
185. Yellow-browed Warbler

Wednesday 26th November

The five Velvet Scoter remained offshore with 26 Common Scoter, 11 Great Crested Grebe, nine Red-throated and three Great Northern Diver.

Counts over the high tide included 950 Dunlin, 115 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 76 Grey and 35 Ringed Plover, 41 Knot, 29 Sanderling, an Avocet and a Red-breasted Merganser. 

Curlew - Dean Hall

Avocet - Dean Hall

Elsewhere eight Chiffchaff, six Goldcrest and a Firecrest were attracting the attention of a Sparrowhawk in Dead Dolphin Wood, where a Buzzard was scanning Greenland Lake. Two drake Shoveler were on the Main Pond with 14 Teal and a Kingfisher.

Sparrowhawk - Lee Collins

Buzzard - Dean Hall

Other Wildlife: After a clear frosty start, very little insect activity but a couple of bugs were unearthed, the leafhopper Euscelis lineolatus and a Sand Sedge planthopper Kelisia sabulicola.

Euscelis lineolatus - Alan Keatley

Kelisia sabulicola - Alan Keatley

Candlesnuff Xylaria hypoxylon - Lee Collins

Tuesday 25th November

The five Velvet Scoter remain offshore with 26 Common Scoter and two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver.

At high tide the first Merlin of the year flew across The Bight with counts including 248 Teal, 105 Grey and 15 Ringed Plover, 78 Bar-tailed Godwit, 74 Knot and a drake Pintail. 

Year list addition:
184. Merlin

Ringing News: A total of 48 Exe ringed Dunlin were recorded.

Other Wildlife: An Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis, a scarce migrant moth, was on the Golf Course. 

Olive-tree Pearl Palpita vitrealis - Lee Collins

Monday 24th November

The five Velvet Scoter remained off Langstone Rock with 18 Common Scoter with the usual range of species, including a Kingfisher, in the estuary. At low tide, 166 Dark-bellied Brent Geese were feeding on shoreline at Warren Point. 

Elsewhere a second Kingfisher and a pair of Shoveler were at the Main Pond, five Chiffchaff, two Goldcrest, a Firecrest and at least one Redpoll were in the bushes and 35 Linnet and eight Skylark were feeding on the shore of The Bight.

Skylark - Dave Jewell

Ringing News: Attention over high tide today was largely focussed on Dunlin, with 35 different individuals recorded, the last the 1000th Dunlin recovery of the year on site. More information on recoveries from the Exe ringed birds can be found on the Devon and Cornwall Wader Ringing Group website.

Amongst other recoveries a Great Black-backed Gull from Norway, the 18th Norwegian ringed individual to be recorded at the Warren.

Other Wildlife: Hardly any insects on the wing, however a fly found on the wooden fencing along the Station Path appears to be Heteromyza rotundicornis, a widespread species, but new for the Recording Area. 

Heteromyza rotundicornis - Alan Keatley

Also widespread but new for the Warren was the leafhopper Empoasca decipiens found in rough grass on the Golf Course.

Empoasca decipiens - Alan Keatley

On the beach, a Mouse-eared Snail Myosotella myosotis, a saltmarsh associated mollusc was found under driftwood.

Mouse-eyed Snail Myosotella myosotis - Alan Keatley

Sunday 23rd November

The five Velvet Scoter remained offshore often separate from the raft of 28 Common Scoter, also on the sea nine Great Crested Grebe, eight Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver.

Red-throated Diver - Ian Livsey

Great Northern Diver - Ian Livsey

Records from the estuary included 374 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 93 Shelduck, 13 Great Crested Grebe and an Avocet amongst the usual waders and wildfowl. Elsewhere the Dartford Warbler was calling from the Golf Course, with at least 16 Chiffchaff, four Goldcrest and single Buzzard, Firecrest and Redpoll.

Saturday 22nd November

A Storm Petrel off the seawall early afternoon was a surprise just the sixth record for the month and with little else passing offshore, also present in choppy conditions at least 33 Common and two Velvet Scoter, three Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver.

Counts from the estuary included 266 Teal, 72 Bar and 58 Black-tailed Godwit, 70 Shelduck, 61 Grey and 19 Ringed Plover, 56 Knot, 24 Sanderling, two Red-breasted Merganser and a 1CY Yellow-legged Gull.

Elsewhere a Cetti's Warbler and a Kingfisher were at the Main Pond, eight Goldcrest, at least six Chiffchaff, single Buzzard, a Coal Tit and Firecrest were in the bushes and migrant Song Thrush were feeding around the shops and along the shore of The Bight. 

Friday 21st November

The five Velvet Scoter were still offshore, with four often separate and the fifth with a raft of 18 Common Scoter, also on the sea nine Great Crested Grebe, five Red-throated Diver and a female Goldeneye, the latter the first for the winter and just the third record of the year. 

Velvet Scoter - Jim Summers

Counts from the estuary included 51 Grey Plover, 41 Knot and 18 Sanderling with four Teal, the pair of Shoveler and a Snipe at the Main Pond. Elsewhere a Kingfisher was hovering over rockpools at Langstone Rock, a Chiffchaff was with 10 Long-tailed Tit on Warren Point, with at least seven elsewhere and two Firecrest in Dead Dolphin Wood.

Snipe - Jim Summers

Reed Bunting - Jim Summers

Thursday 20th November

A low tide visit on a cold but sunny day. The five Velvet Scoter remain offshore with 18 Common Scoter, with two Great Crested Grebe and a Red-throated Diver in the bay. 

A pair of Shoveler have returned to the Main Pond for the winter were at least two Water Rail were present and a Kingfisher zipped through. 

Shoveler - Alan Keatley

The bushes were relatively quiet unless you encountered the roaming Long-tailed Tit flock, accompanied by at least eight Chiffchaff, two Goldcrest and a Coal Tit.

Other Wildlife: Insect activity was largely confined to the beach with a new beetle for the Recording Area, Dryops luridus, being the highlight, also present Helophorus brevipalpis and the groundbug Stygnocoris fuligineus.

Dryops luridus - Alan Keatley

Stygnocoris fuligineus - Alan Keatley

Helophorus brevipalpis - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 19th November

The five Velvet and eight Common Scoter were off Langstone Rock with single Great Northern and Red-throated Diver.

Elsewhere four Red-breasted Merganser were in the estuary and at least 10 Chiffchaff were around the bushes. 

Tuesday 18th November

Offshore the five Velvet Scoter remained with 11 Common Scoter, six Great Crested Grebe, a brief pair of Tufted Duck and a Red-throated Diver also present. 

Little to report from the estuary on low tide visit, but a Spoonbill was overhead and good numbers of birds moved around the scrub with 14 Long-tailed, 12 Blue and six Great Tit, 12 Chiffchaff, eight Goldcrest and two Firecrest whilst seven Teal, two Kingfisher and a Little Grebe were on the Main Pond.

Teal - Dean Hall

Other Wildlife: Late in the year, but still opportunities to finding new insects, with the ant hunting rove beetle Drusilla canaliculata found at the end of Warren Point, with the groundbug Scolopostethus decoratus at the same location. 

Drusilla canaliculata - Alan Keatley

Scolopostethus decoratus - Alan Keatley

A Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana was warming up in Skipper Meadow, with other insects on the wing including single Peacock and Red Admiral, Humming Syrphus S. ribesii hoverfly, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and a few Common Wasp.

Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana - Alan Keatley

Monday 17th November

The five Velvet Scoter remain offshore although more distant and near Langstone Rock than the seawall, also on the sea eight Common Scoter and single Great Northern and Red-throated Diver.

In the estuary counts on the afternoon high tide included 970 Wigeon, 241 Curlew, 58 Grey Plover, 47 Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, 27 Sanderling, 10 Greenshank, nine Great Crested Grebe, three Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a Kingfisher. 

Sunday 16th November

The five female Velvet Scoter, four adults, remained off the seawall with eight Common Scoter, five Great Crested Grebe and a Great Northern Diver with a redhead Goosander north over seawall early afternoon.

The juvenile Spoonbill was again actively feeding in Shutterton Creek on the incoming tide with eight Greenshank and single Avocet, Lapwing and Spotted Redshank also present. Counts included 392 Dark and three Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 41 Bar and four Black-tailed Godwit, 15 Sanderling, the Curlew Sandpiper amongst the Dunlin and a Kingfisher.

Curlew Sandpiper & Dunlin - Lee Collins

Elsewhere at least 6000 Woodpigeon flew SW early morning and the Firecrest was still in Dead Dolphin Wood.

Other Wildlife: A bull Grey Seal was in the estuary.

Saturday 15th November

Five female/immature Velvet Scoter off the seawall, rafting with seven Common Scoter, were unexpected, the highest count since 3rd December 2016. Also offshore two adult Little Gull and four Great Northern Diver.

A juvenile Spoonbill in the estuary was another new arrival, although it flew off south on the rising tide. Also in the estuary at least 1000 Dunlin and Wigeon, 180+ Redshank, 130 Curlew, 103 Shelduck, 54 Ringed and 52 Grey Plover, 42 Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Sanderling, 15 Greenshank, six Great Crested Grebe, two adult Mediterranean Gull, two Spotted Redshank and an Avocet.

Elsewhere two Firecrest were around the Main Pond with at least seven Chiffchaff and six Goldcrest and a Kingfisher. 

Other Wildlife: A Grey Seal was offshore. 

Friday 14th November

The Barnacle Goose was still amongst a smaller flock of Brent Geese over the high tide with counts from the estuary including 1480 Wigeon, 118 Shelduck, 55 Teal, 41 Grey Plover, 37 Knot, 18 Black and seven Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Greenshank, six Great Crested Grebe, two Pintail, a Kingfisher and a Lapwing.

Elsewhere the Dartford Warbler was along the Back Path and 35 Linnet were feeding in The Bight.

Thursday 13th November

The Barnacle Goose remained in The Bight with 180 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and 87 Shelduck with wader counts including 1000 Dunlin, 36 Grey and 30 Ringed Plover, 20 Turnstone and seven Bar-tailed Godwit.

Barnacle Goose - Dean Hall

Elsewhere five Chiffchaff, two Goldcrest, two Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Chaffinch were in the bushes with a Water Rail and the first returning Little Grebe at the Main Pond.

Meadow Pipit - Dean Hall

 Great Spotted Woodpecker  - Dean Hall

Wednesday 12th November

Two Firecrest today, one in the carpark bushes and the usual bird in Dead Dolphin Wood. Amongst the roaming Long-tailed Tit were eight Goldcrest, a Coal Tit and at least twelve Chiffchaff. Also on site four Siskin in the Entrance Bushes, a Kingfisher at the Main Pond, a Grey Wagtail at Langstone Rock and 40 Linnet around The Bight.

Elsewhere two Great Northern Diver were offshore and in the estuary counts on the receding tide included 900 Dunlin, 101 Shelduck, 36 Turnstone, 19 Knot and 12 Grey Plover.

Other Wildlife: Of the few insects on the wing a November Moth agg was near the Main Pond and just one late hoverfly, a docile Hairy-eyed Syrphus S. torvus. Other insects were on a much smaller scale with the leafhoppers Megopthalmus scabripennis and Ribautiana tenerrina and the barkfly Valenzuela flavidus. 

November Moth agg - Alan Keatley

Megopthalmus scabripennis - Alan Keatley

Ribautiana tenerrina - Alan Keatley

A few specimens of the tiny national rare Petalwort Petalophyllum ralfsii have emerged in Greenland Lake. 

Petalwort Petalophyllum ralfsii - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 11th November

The Barnacle Goose continues to associate with the Dark-bellied Brent Geese in The Bight with other sightings similar to recent days in the wet and windy conditions.

Barnacle Goose, Brent Geese and Shelduck - Jim Summers

The geese were still present on the mudflats in the afternoon when five Avocet flew towards the estuary corner.