Five Waxwing remained along
the Back Path, feeding on rosehips and drinking in puddles in Greenland
Lake until mid morning at least. Elsewhere 120+ Chaffinch and at least
three Brambling flew
east, 12 Siskin were in the Entrance Bushes, a Great Northern Diver was offshore and the Black-necked Grebe
and male
Bearded Tit
remain on the Main Pond.
The highlight of the day were Waxwing.
Three flew in over the Golf Course and dropped in by the Main Pond late morning,
two others later joined them ranging along the Back Path until dark, in addition
to these a flock of 20 headed east over Greenland Lake mid afternoon. These are
only the second record for the recording area and the first to actually land,
the only previous Waxwing on site flew east along the Dune Ridge in Dec 2010.
Other news was limited to the Black-necked Grebe
and male
Bearded Tit both of which
remain on the Main Pond.
The Black-necked Grebe
remains on the Main Pond where the male
Bearded Tit also showed
well, several Water Rail squealed from the reeds and a drake Gadwall
nearly landed before heading for the estuary. Elsewhere four Snipe and a
Jack Snipe were in
Greenland Lake, 35+ Chaffinch, nine Lesser Redpoll, six Siskin
and a Brambling flew
through, the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary, three Chiffchaff
and a Grey Wagtail were on site and offshore three Great Northern
and a Red-throated Diver flew south.
Tuesday 27th:
The Black-necked Grebe
was again reported on the unlikely location of the Main Pond but no other news was received.
Monday 26th:
A Black-necked Grebe
was reported on the Main Pond where the male
Bearded Tit also made another appearance, but no other news was received.
Sunday 25th:
A Little Gull
was off the sea wall, whilst in the estuary there were three
Avocet and a distant
Black-necked Grebe.
No other news was received.
Saturday 24th:
Another low pressure system moved
through during the day bringing easterly gales and heavy
rain, two hours seawatching from late morning produced a
Storm Petrel off the seawall, the first November record for the
recording area. Also offshore just 17 Gannet, 14
Turnstone, a Razorbill, an adult
Mediterranean Gull, a Great Northern and a
Red-throated Diver.
Friday 23rd:
Much quieter weatherwise but there
was very little offshore early morning. Elsewhere nine
Siskin and a Redpoll flew over, an adult
Mediterranean Gull was in the estuary and eight
Moorhen, four Little Grebe, at least two
Water Rail, a Snipe and a Chiffchaff
were around the Main Pond.
Thursday 22nd:
All the news came from seawatching,
an hour and half stint early morning produced 244
Gannet and 168 Kittiwake heading south along
with five Great Northern Diver, four Fulmar,
three diver sp, a Slavonian Grebe, a Goldeneye
and an adult
Yellow-legged Gull. An hour late afternoon
was much quieter with just 38 Kittiwake and 10
Gannet.
Wednesday 21st:
Four Great Northern Diver
flew north offshore before heading high up the estuary
early morning. Elsewhere four Great-crested,
three Slavonian and two Little Grebe were
in the estuary along with the first three Goldeneye
of the winter.
Tuesday 20th:
No news was received.
Monday 19th:
The
Bonaparte's Gull was reported
but no other news was received.
Sunday 18th:
The
Bonaparte's Gull was again present with
a
Slavonian Grebe and a distant
Eider flying southoffshore. Elsewhere a Firecrest was
with a Long-tailed Tit flock on Langstone Rock.
Saturday 17th:
The
Bonaparte's Gull was refound today again
around the seawall. Counts from the estuary included 1500
Oystercatcher, 875 Wigeon, 382 Dark-bellied
and two Pale-belliedBrent Geese, 231
Curlew, 210 Teal, 72
Grey Plover, eight Lapwing, four
Sanderling, two Shoveler and the
Slavonian Grebe.Elsewhere adrake Gadwall was on Main Pond and single
Red-throated and a
Great Northern Diver were offshore.
Wednesday 14th - Friday 16th:
No news was received.
Tuesday 13th:
Again no sign of the Bonaparte's
Gull whilst offshore there were single Black and
Red-throated Diver, with two Slavonian Grebe
in the estuary.
Monday 12th:
No sign of the
Bonaparte's Gull today in a thorough search. The only
other news received was of a single Water Pipit
again in front of the hide.
Sunday 11th:
The presumed second winter
Bonaparte's Gull was present along the beach
most of the day. Counts from the estuary included 1500
Oystercatcher, 336 Brent Geese and 56
Grey Plover, with a couple of
Red-throated Diver, a Mediterranean Gull and
a
Slavonian Grebe offshore. Elsewhere the male
Bearded Tit was at the Main Pond, two Water Pipit
were in front of the hide and four Siskin were
around the Entrance Bushes.
The
Bonaparte's Gull continues to show well off
the seawall, also offshore a
Red-throated Diver. Elsewhere the male Bearded Tit
remains elusive at the Main Pond, but did pose briefly
for a
photo.
Friday 9th:
The
Bonaparte's Gull, likely a second winter
rather than an adult, see picture
here, two Mediterranean
Gull and a Sandwich Tern were off the
seawall.
Thursday 8th:
The
Bonaparte's Gull and two Mediterranean
Gull were ranging along the beach most of the day
and two Great Northern Diver were offshore but no
other news was received.
Wednesday 7th:
The
Bonaparte's Gull was present off the sea wall
with 20+ Common Scoter, five
Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver
offshore. Elsewhere a juvenile
Cirl Buntingwas around the Buffer Zone, the male Bearded Tit
remains elusive at the Main Pond, two
Black-tailed Godwit, two Mediterranean Gull
and the Slavonian Grebe were in
the estuary.
Tuesday 6th:
A cold clear early November day and
pigeons were on the move with 23,500 Wood Pigeon
SW between 07.05 and 11.30 hrs. Most were out over the
sea, with few over the Warren or estuary, with a minimum
200 Stock Dove in the closer flocks. Also
overhead 30 Chaffinch, 23 Redwing, five Siskin and a
Mistle Thrush. Offshore the
Bonaparte's Gull was feeding near groyne two
with 11 Great-crested and a Little Grebe, three
Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver
further out. Elsewhere the Bearded Tit
remained at the Main Pond and a Greenshank was in
the estuary.
The unexpected highlight in the flat calm conditions was
the first Little Auk of the year. It flew directly in from a long way out, landed for five minutes
off John's Watch
before then flying off south, possibly the same bird was earlier off Branscombe
and later off Brixham. Also offshore a Sandwich Tern, three
Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver. Elsewhere the Water Pipit was in the Bight, the Bearded Tit was calling in the Buffer
Zone, three Coal Tit were on site and two Siskin flew over. The
Bonaparte's Gull was off Dawlish town in the afternoon and later reported off the Warren.
Little Auk 04/11/12
Saturday 3rd:
Counts from the estuary included 690 Wigeon, 273
Redshank, 101 Teal, 70 Grey Plover, eight Red-breasted Merganser, a
Sandwich Tern and a first winter Little
Gull. Elsewhere the Bearded Tit
was still at the Main Pond, vis mig included 4585 Wood Pigeon,
c50 Chaffinch, 33 Jackdaw, 22 Skylark and a Siskin
whilst offshore there were 185 Kittiwake and a Red-throated Diver.
Friday 2nd:
Counts from the estuary included 1200+ Dunlin, 1200
Oystercatcher, 650+ Wigeon, 433 Brent Geese, 218 Curlew,
90 Teal, 52 Grey Plover, 12 Red-breasted Merganser, a
Sandwich Tern and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere the Bearded Tit
was still at the Main Pond, the
Water Pipit was again briefly in front of the hide and offshore there
were a
Pomarine Skua and a Red-throated Diver.
A Water Pipit was
briefly in front of the hide mid morning with eight Pale-bellied Brent Geese,
an adult Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary.
Elsewhere the Bonaparte's Gull
was reported off groyne 12, the Bearded Tit
was still pinging from the Main Pond, a Sandwich Tern was at
Langstone Rock, three Chiffchaff and a Coal Tit were around the
First Pond and overhead there were four Siskin, two Lesser Redpoll
and two Swallow. Late news from last week includes the first Treecreeper of the year.
