Thursday 12th October

The first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn was briefly behind the Visitor Centre mid morning with a late Reed Warbler, 13 Chiffchaff, four Blackcap and a Wheatear other new arrivals. Overhead 34 Skylark, eight Siskin and a couple of Chaffinch.

Counts in the estuary included a high of 153 Black-tailed Godwit, presumably disturbed by the ongoing work in Topsham; 391 Curlew, 265 Redshank, 65 Dark and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 36 Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Grey Plover, 11 Knot, five Sanderling, just three Dunlin and the Slavonian Grebe.

 Chiffchaff - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: The fine weather means good numbers of insects are still on the wing including three very late Emperor dragonfly, at least 10 Common Darter and six Migrant Hawker.

Migrant Hawker - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 11th October

Seawatching saw at least 400 Gannet head south in four hours but the movement continued through the day, also moving two Balearic Shearwater, nine Arctic and five Great Skua, 80 Common Scoter, just seven Kittiwake, a Great Northern Diver and a late juvenile Hobby.

Elsewhere a Merlin made a couple of hunting attempts around the Bight and Warren Point before heading high off towards Exmouth, with summer migrants dwindling to four Swallow and single Chiffchaff and Wheatear. Counts from the estuary included 1930 Wigeon, 431 Curlew, 261 Great Black-backed Gull, 201 Redshank, 185 Dunlin, 145 Dark-bellied and 19 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 93 Black-tailed and 27 Bar-tailed Godwit, 32 Grey Plover, 10 Knot, nine Mediterranean Gull, a Little Stint and the Slavonian Grebe.

Merlin - Lee Collins

Tuesday 10th October

A quieter day although Wigeon numbers continue to build with 1530 in Shutterton Creek, along with 154 Teal, 80 Dark-bellied and 22 Pale-belled Brent Geese. Also in the estuary counts of 381 Curlew, 200 Redshank, 32 Dunlin, 26 Grey Plover, 25 Black and 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, seven Mediterranean Gull, six Greenshank, three Sandwich Tern, a Snipe and the Slavonian Grebe.

Monday 9th October

Counts from the estuary included 1220 Wigeon, 368 Curlew, 190 Dark-bellied and 23 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 186 Redshank, 104 Teal, 14 Turnstone, 11 Mediterranean Gull, seven Greenshank, four Knot, just two Dunlin and the Slavonian Grebe.

Elsewhere three immature Velvet Scoter briefly dropped in offshore with 30 Common Scoter, three Mistle Thrush and three Siskin were overhead, a Coal Tit was around the Main Pond, nine Blackcap, eight Chiffchaff, a Wheatear and the late Whitethroat were on site.

Sunday 8th October

Once again clear skies reduced the hoped for vismig but 63 Skylark, 59 Meadow Pipit, 12 Greenfinch, 11 Siskin, nine Swallow, four Reed Bunting, a Grey Wagtail and a lone Redpoll did pass overhead. In the estuary a large increase to c1300 Wigeon but these were flushed by a paraglider mid morning and only c250 returned, also present the Slavonian Grebe, seven Pintail, a Ruff, a Little Stint and the first Red-breasted Merganser of the winter. Elsewhere a late Whitethroat, three Blackcap and a couple of Wheatear.

Wildlife News: The second Vagrant Emperor for the recording area ranging over Warren Point early afternoon was the undoubted highlight, small numbers of Red Admiral and Large White heading west and several Silver Y and Rush Veneer other evidence of insect migration.

Saturday 7th October

Seawatching early morning was productive with two Balearic Shearwater, 140+ Gannet, 138 Common Scoter, three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, two Great and an Arctic Skua south, with two Great Northern Diver on the sea, an immature Velvet Scoter that arrived from the south and a Merlin crossing the bay; the latter the first for the year.

Elsewhere a Little Stint remained with 149 Dunlin in the Bight with other counts in the estuary including 480 Wigeon, 218 Teal, 130 Redshank, 29 Grey Plover, 11 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 11 Mediterranean Gull, 10 Knot, five Sanderling, a Pintail, the Slavonian Grebe and an adult Yellow-legged Gull. The bushes remained quiet but 36 Swallow passed overhead.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: A Harbour Porpoise was offshore, a Weasel was by the Main Pond and insects included late Emperor and Golden-ringed Dragonfly, a dozen Red Admiral and a Comma.

Friday 6th October

A clear morning meant the vismig elsewhere passed too high to be recorded at the Warren but 72 Skylark were large and audible enough to be heard at sea level with 26 Meadow Pipit, five Siskin and three Mistle Thrush also overhead. Counts from the estuary included 795 Wigeon, 378 Curlew, 216 Redshank, 193 Dunlin, 29 Grey Plover, eight Mediterranean Gull, four Knot, three Greenshank, three Little Stint and a Ruff, only the second sighting of the year.

Grey Wagtail - Dave Jewell

Thursday 5th October

Counts from the estuary included 670 Wigeon, 97 Teal, 70 Redshank, 10 Mediterranean Gull, three Sandwich Tern, a Greenshank and a Kingfisher. Elsewhere the bushes were quiet with six Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest and three Siskin and three Swallow were overhead.

Wildlife News: Numerous butterflies species on show once the early weather cleared with Small Copper, Small & Large White, Comma, Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Red Admiral, with at least 20 of the latter with individuals on almost every ivy bush.

Common Carder bumblebees are still out in good number with a few Buff-tailed also still foraging. There were at least five Migrant Hawker hunting around the wooded edges, and double figures of Common Darter. Adding to the mix was a Silver Y and finally a late sand wasp Ammophila sabulosa.

 Common Darter - Alan Keatley

Ammophila sabulosa - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 3rd October

The first two Golden Plover of the year were present over the high tide along with a Little Stint and a juvenile Great-crested Grebe.

Wildlife News: A late Emperor was around the Main Pond.

Emperor Dragonfly - Dave Smallshire

Sunday 1st October

The Bonaparte's Gull was in the estuary early afternoon, feeding in the main channel on the rising tide. Also from the hide 475 Wigeon, 172 Great Black-backed Gull, 116 Dark-bellied and 20 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 72 Dunlin, 33 Bar-tailed Godwit, 28 Grey Plover, 20 Knot, eight Mediterranean Gull, five Greenshank and a Little Stint.

Elsewhere two Balearic Shearwater and 527 Gannet flew south in the first hour of light; 155 Meadow Pipit and a Yellow Wagtail were overhead; 10 Blackcap, six Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest, three Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail were on site; with 180 Goldfinch feeding on Evening Primrose in Greenland Lake and 155 Linnet in the Bight.

Wildlife News: Narrow-leaved Ragwort was discovered on Warren Point, only the 3rd Devon record of this increasing species.