Sunday 11th December

The two Velvet Scoter were again offshore with 66 Common Scoter, 27 Great-crested Grebe and 18 Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere counts from the estuary included the first Jack Snipe of the winter, 1400 Dunlin, 1168 Oystercatcher, 388 Brent Geese, 101 Grey and three Golden Plover, 34 Turnstone, five Greenshank, two Lapwing and the two Slavonian Grebe.

 Lapwing - Lee Collins

Redshank - Simon Thurgood

Saturday 10th December

Counts from the estuary included 395 Brent Geese, 150 Grey Plover, 81 Knot, 21 Sanderling, four Greenshank, the two Slavonian Grebe, a Goldeneye, a Lapwing and a female Eider. Elsewhere five Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were offshore with just 35 Common Scoter, a Dartford Warbler was reported and five Chiffchaff remained in the Entrance Bushes.

Thursday 8th December

A Water Pipit on Woodhenge was a new arrival on an otherwise fairly typical winter day. Also from the hide there were counts of 1100 Dunlin, 156 Brent Geese, 21 Ringed Plover, 16 Sanderling and just six Knot. Elsewhere the two Velvet Scoter were still offshore with 90 Common Scoter, two Red-throated Diver and two Eider, two Shoveler were on the Main Pond and a Cirl Bunting in full song on the golf course was ignoring the season. 

Water Pipit - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 7th December

The Siberian Chiffchaff was still in the Entrance Bushes, but there was no news on the Yellow-browed Warbler. Counts from the estuary included 1000+ Dunlin, 73 Grey and 18 Ringed Plover, 15 Bar-tailed Godwit and eight Red-breasted Merganser. Elsewhere a Red-throated Diver and a flock of 10 Eider were off John's Watch, presumably the birds recently off Teignmouth, and two Shoveler and two drake Teal were on the Main Pond.

Tuesday 6th December

The Yellow-browed Warbler remains on site favouring the Back Meadow and Main Pond area today, with the Siberian Chiffchaff still in the Entrance Bushes. The flat conditions offshore allowed for counts of  23 Great-crested Grebe, 12 Red-throated Diver and the two Velvet Scoter.

Monday 5th December

The Yellow-browed Warbler was still vocal around the Entrance Bushes this morning with two Velvet Scoter and a Great Northern Diver remaining offshore. A Black-necked Grebe off the saltmarsh was a new arrival with 147 Grey Plover, 106 Knot, eight Greenshank and the two Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary.

Sunday 4th December

The fifth Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn was a surprise arrival, although a new bird was also found in Exmouth today. It was vocal and mobile around the Entrance Bushes where there were also four Chiffchaff and the Siberian Chiffchaff. Elsewhere the two Velvet Scoter were still offshore with five Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver whilst wader counts from the estuary increased slightly with 1600 Dunlin, 157 Grey Plover, 144 Bar-tailed Godwit, 81 Knot and six Greenshank with the two Slavonian Grebe also still present.

Saturday 3rd December

Offshore there were five Velvet Scoter, three mobile and two within the raft of 90 Common Scoter, with 580+ Guillemot, six Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver flying south. elsewhere a tristis Chiffchaff was in the Entrance Bushes, a Fieldfare remains along the Back Path, three Shoveler were on the Main Pond, the Bonaparte's Gull was off Warren Point and counts from the estuary included 307 Wigeon, 198 Brent Geese, 195 Teal, 115 Grey Plover, 88 Knot, 60+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 23 Ringed Plover, two Slavonian Grebe and a Pintail.

Friday 2nd December

Two Velvet Scoter were off John's Watch, presumed to be the same birds that were present briefly last weekend.

Thursday 1st December

The two Slavonian Grebe were off Cockwood but no other news was received.