Thursday 10th October

The first Long-billed Dowitcher for the Warren was discovered associating with Oystercatcher on the afternoon's rising tide. It was soon flushed by a Merlin but was eventually relocated in front of the hide and occasionally feeding on the Golf Course. The hide should be accessible along the beach throughout the tide cycle tomorrow, there is no access to the Golf Course.

Long-billed Dowitcher - Alan Keatley

Long-billed Dowitcher - Luke Harman

Also in the estuary a good total of 1401 Wigeon, 165 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 67 Sandwich, five Common and an Arctic Tern, 17 Grey and two Golden Plover, 15 Mediterranean Gull, six Greenshank, four Red-breasted Merganser, a Pintail and a Slavonian Grebe.

Cirl Bunting - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 9th October

The feeding flock offshore was still present and estimated to comprise of 1,700 birds.  Two Arctic Skua in attendance chased around the Kittiwake and terns. Large numbers of terns remain on site with 112 Sandwich and a Common Tern in the estuary along with 82 Turnstone, 24 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plover, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, six Mediterranean Gull, five Grey Plover, three Knot, a Red-breasted Merganser and the Slavonian Grebe.

A Cetti's Warbler called a few times from reed-beds around the Main Pond. The bushes and dunes were quieter than yesterday, holding six Blackcap, five Chiffchaff, five Goldcrest and a Wheatear.  Overhead there were 162 Meadow Pipit, 41 alba Wagtail, 25 Jackdaw, 18 Skylark, 10 Chaffinch and three Siskin.

Tuesday 8th October

A Great White Egret leisurely flew along the coastline and headed up the spit at dawn. The massive seabird melee was still present far offshore, comprising mostly of Black-headed Gull, Kittiwake, Gannet, four Mediterranean Gull and terns, which totaled 141 Sandwich, seven Common and two adult Arctic Tern. In addition, passage south included two Balearic Shearwater. 

The first Red-breasted Merganser of the winter was in the estuary with 189 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 71 Turnstone, 36 Dunlin, 27 Ringed Plover, eight Grey Plover and four Sanderling.

Movement overhead 470 Meadow Pipit, 35 Skylark, 20 Swallow, four Rook, three Grey Wagtail and a Jackdaw with a clear arrival of 21 Blackcap in the bushes.

Wildlife news: two pods of four and five Common Dolphin joined the feeding frenzy offshore.

Monday 7th October

Good feeding conditions remain offshore attracting at least 96 Sandwich, two Common and an Arctic Tern with at least 10 Arctic and four Great Skua passing south. Elsewhere a Ruff was a new arrival in the Bight with counts from the estuary including 366 Wigeon, 217 Teal, 100+ Great Black-backed Gull, 63 Turnstone, 48 Ringed Plover, 37 Dunlin, two Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe.

Sunday 6th October

A Short-toed Lark was reportedly seen briefly along the Dune Ridge before flying to the Golf Course mid afternoon, but there was no further sign. Grounded migrants were limited to 12 Goldcrest, six Chiffchaff and three Blackcap, although overhead passage picked up with a late Tree Pipit amongst good number of Meadow Pipit, 115 alba Wagtail and a steady movement of Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Linnet. The year's first Merlin also passed through.

In the estuary numbers of terns increased considerably with a minimum of 159 Sandwich and five Common Tern on Bull Hill, with a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 374 Curlew, 143 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 24 Dunlin, seven Greenshank, eight Mediterranean Gull and two Pintail also present. Elsewhere at least six Arctic Skua were off the seawall harrying the terns and hundreds of gulls feeding offshore.

Saturday 5th October

Good feeding conditions remain offshore with the large numbers of gulls attracting in at least three Arctic Skua, whilst further out in the bay 19 Balearic Shearwater flew south in three groups. Counts from the estuary included 154 Teal, 143 Dunlin, 51 Ringed Plover, 45+ Sandwich Tern, 27 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Grey Plover, eight Greenshank, four Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe.

Overhead passage was limited by the lack of cloud but small parties of Goldfinch, Greenfinch and Linnet were heading east along with 75 Swallow, 50 Meadow Pipit, 45 Skylark, three Chaffinch and a Siskin. Grounded migrants included six Chiffchaff, four Goldcrest and a Wheatear.

Chiffchaff - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: A pod of eight Common Dolphin were offshore early morning with the usual late autumn butterflies and dragonflies on the wing including four Painted Lady, a Wall and several Migrant Hawker.

Friday 4th October

A Cetti's Warbler in the Entrance Bushes was seemingly the only new migrant, just the 10th for the Recording Area. Elsewhere just four Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest and a Wheatear were also on site with 11 House Martin and a Swallow overhead.

Seawatching was rewarding considering the relatively benign conditions, a juvenile Little Tern was the most notable record with 490 Gannet and 120 Kittiwake also heading south with two Pomarine, four Arctic and a Great Skua. In the estuary 78 Sandwich Tern, including a colour-ringed juvenile from Cemlyn Bay on Anglesey, and 47 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, including two juveniles.

Thursday 3rd October

Counts from the estuary included an exceptional October tally of 89 Sandwich Tern, 120 Dunlin, 76 Dark and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 10 Greenshank, nine Grey Plover, four Mediterranean Gull and two Black Swan.

Elsewhere single Wheatear and Goldcrest were on site, 25 Swallow flew west and 150 Gannet, 35 Kittiwake, four Arctic and a Great Skua were lingering off the seawall.

 Grey Plover (and Dunlin) - Alan Keatley

Mediterranean Gull (2nd winter) - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 2nd October

Counts from the estuary included 419 Curlew, a high count of 72 Sandwich Tern, 25 Turnstone, 22 Dark and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 20 Knot, 12 Grey Plover, six Greenshank, a Shoveler and the Slavonian Grebe. 

Elsewhere vismig was limited by a lack of cloud cover but 60 Meadow Pipit, 38 House Martin, 20 Skylark, 10 Swallow and a Grey Wagtail were overhead. Grounded migrants included five Wheatear, four Goldcrest and a Whitethroat whilst four Balearic Shearwater and an Arctic Skua headed south offshore. 

Tuesday 1st October

An evening visit on a rising tide saw counts of 517 Wigeon, 368 Redshank, 25 Knot, six Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, two Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe from the estuary.