First light saw some passage off the seawall with a Pomarine Skua south along with four Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver.
Over high tide a third year and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were on Finger Point, with counts of 70 Common Gull, 48 Bar and 20 Black-tailed Godwit, 38 Grey and 21 Ringed Plover and 10 Knot.
Counts from the estuary included 561 Wigeon, 370 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 208 Redshank, 205 Black-tailed Godwit, 160 Black-headed, 42 Common and two Mediterranean Gull, 72 Turnstone, 50 Shelduck, 31 Teal, eight Knot and six Greenshank.
Elsewhere two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver were offshore, a flock of 110 Woodpigeon and eight Stock Dove flew W and a Siberian Chiffchaff was by the Main Pond.
A calm, warm day after the recent storms, which have further reduced the beach levels, even causing Groyne 17 on Warren Point to break away. The lack of wind saw little passing offshore with two Arctic Skua and a Red-throated Diver south before the sun restricted viewing.
The clear weather saw some movement overhead with 6,370 Woodpigeon, 38 Jackdaw, nine Siskin, five Fieldfare, four Redwing, two Mistle Thrush, two Rook, two Lesser Redpoll and the first Yellowhammer of the year.
Counts from estuary included 1000+ Dunlin, 771 Wigeon, 373 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 170 Black-tailed Godwit, 107 Turnstone, 42 Shelduck, five Great Crested and a Little Grebe, 12 Greenshank, two Kingfisher and singles of Egyptian Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, Curlew Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank and Mediterranean Gull.
Elsewhere a Jack Snipe was in Greenland Lake, five Water Rail, two Cetti's Warbler, a Kingfisher and a singing Little Grebe were at the Main Pond with eight Goldcrest and six Chiffchaff.
Wildlife News: The exceptionally warm weather encouraged a Southern Hawker and six Common Darter on the wing, together with three Red Admiral.
Several Honey Bee and Buff-tailed Bumblebee are still active on ornamental shrubs with a couple of Humming Syrphus S.ribesii hoverflies.
A Hairy Shieldbug was in the Skipper Meadow and the first Turtle Shieldbug Podops inuncta since May 1984 was on the Golf Course.
A quick look from the seawall late afternoon saw 228 Kittiwake head south in just 40 minutes but little else with single figures of Gannet and Razorbill also passing.
At the Main Pond a Cetti's Warbler, 500+ Starling to roost, a Sparrowhawk and two Reed Bunting.
The Yellow-browed Warbler and a Firecrest were around the Main Pond but no other news was received.
Another largely grey and wet day but bookmarked with dry periods. Much attention was focussed around the Main Pond where a Penduline Tit flew in from the north calling, dropping straight into the reedbed just after 9am, unfortunately it was not seen for the rest of the day.
Also around the Main Pond and adjacent scrub, a Siberian Chiffchaff, the two Cetti's Warbler, six Goldcrest, five Chiffchaff, four Water Rail, two Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Reed Bunting, single Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk and Kingfisher, and a roost of 590 Starling at dusk.
Counts from the estuary included 986 Wigeon, 650 Dunlin, 523 Black and 47 Bar-tailed Godwit, 352 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 180 Redshank, 114 Teal, 102 Turnstone, 45 Shelduck, 41 Grey Plover, 11 Greenshank, seven Knot, seven Sanderling and a Kingfisher.
Elsewhere 10 Skylark, four Redwing, four Siskin and a Lesser Redpoll were overhead and offshore 182 Gannet, 31 Kittiwake, three Red-breasted Merganser, three Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver.
Wildlife News: A Common Darter was in Greenland Lake.
Another excellent day in the field with over 80 species recorded, the only downside the lack of cloud cover meaning most passerine migrants no doubt passed high overhead unheard and unseen. The clear skies did however mean pigeons were on the move, with at least 34,500 Woodpigeon over west during the day, with most (27,000) before 9am. The vast majority headed across the bay with distant dense flocks and lines looking like wisps of smoke with the naked eye.
Also overhead two Marsh Harrier, a 1st yr male at 8.30 and a 3rd yr male at 9.10, continuing the record year for the species, 300 Starling, 70 Skylark, 20 Chaffinch, 15 Rook, nine Jackdaw, five Lapwing, four Mistle Thrush, four Lesser Redpoll, two Siskin and single Golden Plover, Buzzard, Fieldfare and Redwing.
In the bushes, the Yellow-browed and Willow Warbler remained around the Main Pond, the former remaining very elusive, two Cetti's Warbler and a Kingfisher also there, a Wheatear on the beach and 75 Linnet in the Bight.
Counts from the estuary included 570 Dunlin, 252 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 214 Redshank, 118 Teal, 110 Curlew, 47 Shelduck, 39 Ringed and 23 Grey Plover, 31 Bar and four Black-tailed Godwit, 28 Cattle Egret, 10 Greenshank, eight Knot and single Pale-bellied Brent Goose and an adult Mediterranean Gull.
Wildlife News: A late Small Copper was on the wing with a Painted Lady, three Common Darter, two Red Admiral, a Peacock and a Hornet.
A vocal Yellow-browed Warbler in the Entrance Bushes and later, by the Main Pond was the highlight, the 24th site record, with the latest ever Willow Warbler, and the first ever November record, another surprise. Previous latest date was 29 Oct 1995. Also in the bushes, seven Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest and two Cetti's Warbler, with a Firecrest on Warren Point.
In the estuary two Curlew Sandpiper remain with counts including 500+ Dunlin, 269 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 188 Black-tailed Godwit, 61 Ringed and 48 Grey Plover, 51 Shelduck, 18 Sanderling, 15 Greenshank, two Knot and single Little Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser, Mediterranean Gull and Kingfisher.
Elsewhere 70+ Linnet and four Rock Pipit were in the Bight, a Great Northern Diver flew south offshore, and overhead 450 Woodpigeon in three flocks, nine Jackdaw, a Mistle Thrush and a handful of high finches including at least one Siskin. The one that got away though were two probable Red-rumped Swallow, that flew over Exmouth Quay and were lost to view over Warren Point.
Wildlife News: The sunny conditions saw two Red Admiral head south and a Common Darter in Greenland Lake. In the estuary a bull Grey Seal was unsuccessfully trying to woo two females, the song being heard over a long distance.
A visit to cover the morning tide showed three Curlew Sandpiper in the estuary with counts of 2110 Wigeon, 734 Dunlin, 282 Redshank, 196 Black-tailed Godwit, 55 Grey and 20+ Ringed Plover, 45 Great Black-backed Gull, five Greenshank, two Knot and two Kingfisher. Elsewhere a pale phase Arctic Skua was offshore.
Wildlife News: Late news from yesterday of another rare migrant moth, the first Spoladea recurvalis (Maize Moth) for the Recording Area, flushed near the Main Pond.
