Thursday 30th November

Two Red-throated Diver were close in off the seawall with a few Great-crested Grebe and Gannet. Elsewhere a Common Snipe and the pair of Shoveler were on the Main Pond with Bullfinch, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest in the Bushes.

Red-throated Diver - Martin Rooney

Wednesday 29th November

The Jack Snipe was again on the Main Pond with a Common Snipe, a Little Grebe and the pair of Shoveler.

Tuesday 28th November

The Bonaparte's Gull was briefly offshore this morning having arrived from the Dawlish direction, also offshore 15 Great-crested Grebe and five Red-throated Diver but most were probably outside the recording area. Elsewhere three Chiffchaff were on site with a Great Northern Diver, the Slavonian Grebe and 250+ Dark and 17 Pale-bellied Brent Geese in the estuary.

Saturday 25th November

A continuing winter feel today with a site record 13 Collared Dove an unexpected highlight. In the estuary the cold weather perhaps lead to some increased counts with 1270 Dunlin, 244 Dark and 27 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 81 Shelduck, 76 Grey Plover, 48 Knot, 22 Sanderling, four Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere single Great Northern and Red-throated Diver were offshore, a Firecrest was in Dead Dolphin Wood, two Shoveler were on the Main Pond and five Chiffchaff and a Redwing were in the Entrance Bushes.

Wildlife News: at least six Buff-tailed Bumblebee were around the Boathouse.

Thursday 23rd November

The first visitors since the weekend saw five Great Northern Diver fly south early morning but there was surprisingly little else moving after yesterday's weather. There were few new arrivals in the estuary but a female Goldeneye was the first of the winter. Counts from the hide included 840 Wigeon, 800 Dunlin, 347 Dark and 29 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 186 Teal, 107 Grey Plover, 65 Shelduck, 54 Common Gull, 18 Knot, five Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe.

Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler remains at the Main Pond with two Chiffchaff, a Kingfisher and a Snipe.

Wildlife News: At least three Common Darter remain on the wing with a Common Banded Hoverfly Syrphus ribesii and a Honey Bee nectaring on flowering Gorse.

Syrphus ribesii - Alan Keatley

Sunday 19th November

A Black Redstart, a male and the first of the year, moved along the Dune Ridge past John's Watch but failed to linger. Other new arrivals were in the estuary with an increase to 1110 Dunlin over high tide along with 575 Wigeon, 378 Teal, 196 Dark and 20 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 140 Redshank, 136 Black and 74 Bar-tailed Godwit, 95 Grey Plover, 53 Turnstone, 17 Sanderling and four Greenshank.

Elsewhere the Bonaparte's Gull was around Langstone Rock early afternoon, three Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were offshore and the pair of Shoveler remain on the Main Pond.

Ringing News: A Sandwich Tern seen here in four of the last five autumns was recently re-sighted in South Africa. https://midwalesringers.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/a-very-well-travelled-sandwich.html

Wildlife News: In the sunny weather a queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee was still on the wing.
 

Saturday 18th November

A crisp early winter day with a good mix of expected species. Counts from the estuary included 850 Wigeon, 785 Dunlin, 391 Teal, 160 Dark and 13 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 121 Redshank, 71 Grey Plover, 62 Shelduck, 15 Knot, seven Sanderling, four Greenshank, a Great Northern Diver and the Slavonian Grebe.

Elsewhere a second Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver were offshore with a female Eider  12 Common Scoter and 12 Great-crested Grebe, the Cetti's Warbler, Jack Snipe and a pair of Shoveler were still at the Main Pond and two Mistle Thrush were overhead.

Thursday 16th November

Another quiet low tide visit although with single Red-throated Diver offshore, the Great Northern Diver and the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary and a late movement of at least 11 Bullfinch and three Redpoll overhead. Late afternoon the Bonaparte's Gull was in the estuary channel off Bull Hill, the first record since 29 October.

Tuesday 14th November

An early morning visit showed little in the way of movement as autumn draws to a close. The Cetti's Warbler was still at the Main Pond with a pair of Shoveler and a single visible Snipe. Elsewhere single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver were offshore, a second Great Northern Diver was in the estuary and a Cirl Bunting was in song along the Back Path.

Sunday 12th November

The WeBS count was over an hour before one of the lowest high tides of the month and the wader numbers, with a couple of exceptions, certainly reflect that. Counts included 1308 Oystercatcher, 313 Redshank, 155 Curlew, 84 Dunlin, 45 Turnstone, 22 Snipe, 16 Ringed and 13 Grey Plover, six Greenshank, four Black and three Bar-tailed Godwit, a Knot and a Sanderling.  Wildfowl numbers included 489 Wigeon, 358 Dark and four Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 276 Teal and 76 Shelduck, also in the estuary a Great Northern Diver and a Sandwich Tern.

Elsewhere a Firecrest was in the Entrance Bushes, three Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver were offshore and 40 Chaffinch, three Siskin and a Grey Wagtail were overhead.