Sunday 10th May

Seawatching early morning saw four Pomarine Skua (three pale and a dark phase) lingering offshore for a couple of hours with six Great Northern Diver, 17 Manx Shearwater and 250+ auk sp south, the highlight though was a single Puffin, the first since September 2011. Also passing offshore the first Merlin of the year and 100+ Swallow. Elsewhere a Spotted Flycatcher was in the bushes, 40 Sandwich, two Common and a Little Tern were feeding in the estuary mouth and counts from the estuary included 63 Dunlin, 30 Sanderling, 26 Ringed Plover, three Bar-tailed Godwit and two late Greenshank.

Sparrowhawk - Lee Collins

Saturday 9th May

A Roseate Tern was offshore with c30 Sandwich Tern and a dark phase Arctic Skua, 13 Great Northern Diver flew south with two on the sea with a Red-throated Diver. In the estuary there were 72 Dunlin, c20 Whimbrel, 18 Ringed and two Grey Plover, four Turnstone and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere what will probably be the year's only Turtle Dove flew through with 100+ Swallow, six Swift and a Hobby.

Wildlife News: Wall Brown are on the wing along the Dune Ridge and the first Painted Lady of the year was in the Buffer Zone.

Friday 8th May

Seawatching produced the bulk of the day's sightings with six Pomarine and two Arctic Skua, 800+ auk sp, three Great Northern Diver, 51 Sandwich, two Roseate, two Common and two Little Tern. The highlight however was a migrating Nightjar that flew in over Exmouth mid morning, the site's 16th record. Also passing through today 150 Swallow, singles of House and Sand Martin, 25 Swift and a Hobby. Elsewhere counts from the estuary included 46 Sanderling, 35 Dunlin, 25 Whimbrel, 20 Ringed and seven Grey Plover, five Bar-tailed Godwit and a Turnstone.

Thursday 7th May

Whimbrel still continue to move through with a minimum of 96 present over the evening tide, also present 14 Turnstone, 11 Ringed and four Grey Plover, 11 Dunlin, two Sanderling and single Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere a distant skua sp was offshore harassing Kittiwake.

Wednesday 6th May

Seawatching from 8.30am saw 52+ Manx Shearwater, 40+ Sandwich and six Common Tern, the first Arctic Skua of the year and 14 Great Northern Diver. Earlier 18 Great Northern Diver had flown south past Orcombe Point, Exmouth so a good passage in Lyme Bay this morning. Elsewhere 22 Dunlin, eight Sanderling, six Ringed and four Grey Plover were in the estuary and a pair of Shoveler were an unseasonal sight on Finger Point.

Tuesday 5th May

An evening visit saw a single Roseate Tern head south along with 105+ Manx Shearwater, 15 Kittiwake, six Sandwich Tern and three Fulmar with seven Great-crested Grebe on the sea. Elsewhere 142+ Whimbrel were on site over the high tide with 41 Dunlin, six Grey Plover, a Sanderling and a first summer Mediterranean Gull.

Monday 4th May

Counts from the estuary include 48 Dunlin, 40 Whimbrel, 11 Ringed and seven Grey Plover, four Sanderling, two Bar-tailed Godwit and two Knot. Elsewhere single Sedge and Garden Warbler remained on site along with two Wheatear and just the eight Sandwich Tern offshore today along with nine Common Scoter, three Great Northern Diver and a lone Manx Shearwater.

Wildlife News: A Stoat was watched hunting around the car park.

Stoat - Kevin Pearson

Sunday 3rd May

The first two Roseate Tern of the year were offshore mid evening with 50 Sandwich and a Common Tern, also offshore c120 Manx Shearwater, 40+ Kittiwake, a Mediterranean Gull and a Red-throated Diver. The overnight rain dropped in a few migrants the pick of which was the first Lesser Whitethroat of the year in Dead Dolphin Wood along with four Garden, two Sedge and a Willow Warbler. In the estuary there were 44 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 37 Dunlin, 17 Sanderling, 13 Turnstone, 10 Grey and a Ringed Plover. Elsewhere 70 Whimbrel were on the Golf Course and two Wheatear on site included a Greenland race bird. 

Wildlife News: Butterflies on the wing included Small Copper, Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Peacock and Speckled Wood with Common Carder Bumblebee also hunting for nectar sources.

Saturday 2nd May

Six Great Northern Diver flew south early morning with 10 Manx Shearwater and 36+ Sandwich Tern also offshore. Elsewhere wader counts during the day peaked at 52+ Whimbrel, 19 Dunlin, 11 Grey and five Ringed Plover with four Swift overhead and two Wheatear on site. 

Dunlin - Dave Jewell

Friday 1st May

Counts over the high tide included 60+ Whimbrel, 23 Dunlin, 13 Turnstone, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Grey Plover and single Curlew and Ringed Plover. Elsewhere 41 Sandwich Tern and 20 Common Scoter were offshore and two Wheatear and a Willow Warbler were on site.

Bar-tailed Godwit - Lee Collins

Whimbrel - Lee Collins

Wildlife News: A Fox showed well by the Main Pond and numbers of Barrel Jellyfish continue to wash up along the shoreline.