Elsewhere the eight Eider (six ♀ & two imm ♂) were close inshore off Warren Point, with five Red-throated and three Great Northern Diver also offshore, a Water Pipit was around the Bight, two Mistle Thrush flew in from mainland and appeared to drop on site, but were not relocated, five (three ♂ & two ♀) Shoveler were on the Main Pond and 14 Cirl Bunting, four Chiffchaff and three Goldcrest were on site.
Dawlish Warren Latest Sightings
Saturday 9 December 2023
Saturday 9th December
Elsewhere the eight Eider (six ♀ & two imm ♂) were close inshore off Warren Point, with five Red-throated and three Great Northern Diver also offshore, a Water Pipit was around the Bight, two Mistle Thrush flew in from mainland and appeared to drop on site, but were not relocated, five (three ♂ & two ♀) Shoveler were on the Main Pond and 14 Cirl Bunting, four Chiffchaff and three Goldcrest were on site.
Friday 8 December 2023
Friday 8th December
Just the two Gannet passed in an hour's watch from the seawall early morning, along with two Great Northern Diver and a Mediterranean Gull. However yesterday's weather had dropped in a foraging adult Little Gull and a Grey Phalarope, which flew SW before landing on sea at 08:15.
An adult Spoonbill was a new arrival, feeding in the Bight on the rising tide before roosting on Finger Point. Counts from the high tide included 1244 Dunlin, 961 Wigeon, 208 Teal, 151 Grey and 31 Ringed Plover, 134 Bar-tailed Godwit, 61 Knot, 18 Sanderling, seven Greenshank and three Red-breasted Merganser. At low tide, 338 Dark and five Pale-bellied Brent Goose and 73 Shelduck were feeding on the mudflats.
Elsewhere seven Eider and two Great Northern Diver were off Warren Point, a Water Pipit was around the Bight, a Mistle Thrush flew low SW over the shops with five Chiffchaff and three Goldcrest in the bushes.
Tuesday 5 December 2023
Tuesday 5th December
Wildfowl and wader numbers were much reduced on the neap high tide, with birds able to feed and roost elsewhere around the estuary. Counts included 830 Dunlin, 345 Wigeon, 250 Teal, 65 Shelduck, 49 Grey and four Ringed Plover, 18 Knot, 13 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, three Greenshank, two Red-breasted Merganser and just one Bar-tailed Godwit.
Elsewhere two pairs of Shoveler were on the Main Pond and around the bushes four Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest and two Firecrest.
Other Wildlife: An old Alder Tongue Taphrina alni found growing on Alder catkins was just the third site record.
Sunday 3 December 2023
Sunday 3rd December
Elsewhere two Water Pipit were around the Bight, with a couple of presumed littoralis Rock Pipit, 12 Skylark and just six Linnet. Around the bushes 49 Goldfinch, 15 Greenfinch, 12 Cirl and a Reed Bunting, nine Siskin, four Bullfinch, three Chiffchaff and three Goldcrest, with a single Siskin overhead and six Shoveler at the Main Pond (2 pairs; ♂, imm ♂).
Saturday 2 December 2023
Saturday 2nd December
Seven Chiffchaff, four Goldcrest and a Grey Wagtail were around the bushes, the latter closely avoiding a ♂ Sparrowhawk, with the Cetti's Warbler vocal at the Main Pond. A few Snipe were in the dunes and overhead along with eight Chaffinch and a Rook overhead.
Elsewhere 38 Great Crested Grebe, two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver were offshore, three Common Scoter close in off Langstone Rock and despite the conditions both Collared Dove and Feral Pigeon were in song/displaying.
Friday 1 December 2023
Friday 1st December
Estuary counts from high tide included c1735 Dunlin, c930 Wigeon, 412 Teal, 294 Redshank, 209 Dark and 22 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 126 Grey and 11 Ringed Plover, 120 Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, 81 Knot, four Sanderling and two Greenshank.
Tuesday 28 November 2023
Tuesday 28th November
Attention was again focused on the Entrance Bushes, Buffer Zone and Car Park where the Pallas's Warbler remained for a third day. It was however again very elusive with no records after late morning; also present in the roving tit flock, two Firecrest.
Offshore, good numbers of Great Crested Grebe, four Common Scoter and two Red-throated Diver.
Monday 27 November 2023
Monday 27th November
Pallas's Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus at Dawlish Warren, Devon this morning. This tiny bird not much bigger than a Goldcrest breeds in Siberia and should spend the winter in China and Thailand but some migrate east and turn up in the UK usually in late October & November pic.twitter.com/pjwdaTz6Ay
— John Walters (@JWentomologist) November 27, 2023
Pallas's Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus in autumn Sallows, Dawlish Warren, Devon - it was ranging between the car park and Greenland Lake with Long-tailed Tits pic.twitter.com/3Nj3RsARFG
— John Walters (@JWentomologist) November 27, 2023
Other Wildlife: The Grey Squirrel was again in the Entrance Bushes Alders.
Sunday 26 November 2023
Sunday 26th November
The long awaited first Pallas's Warbler for the Recording Area was discovered in the flooded Entrance Bushes mid morning and showed occasionally until disappearing early afternoon. It associated with a large mixed foraging flock of mixed tits, warblers and crests.
Also around the scrub a Siberian Chiffchaff, at least one Firecrest, six Goldcrest, five Chiffchaff, three Bullfinch and a ♂ Blackcap.
The tide was overlooked in favour of the Pallas's but a two hour seawatch early morning saw 168 Razorbill and 67 Kittiwake flew south with 25+ Great Crested Grebe, three Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver and a Red-breasted Merganser.
Other Wildlife: No flying insects in the damp. drizzly conditions but the Grey Squirrel was active in the Entrance Bushes.
Saturday 25 November 2023
Saturday 25th November
The first frost of the winter meant a cold start with rolling sea mist hampering viewing offshore until later in the day. A Purple Sandpiper briefly on the breakwater at Langstone Rock was an early highlight with a lone Velvet Scoter found off Groyne 12 late in the day. Also offshore 45 Great Crested Grebe, a significant increase, eight Red-throated and six Great Northern Diver, a ♂ Shoveler and an immature ♂ Eider.
In the estuary the Spotted Redshank was again present with counts including 1122 Wigeon, 321 Dark and 37 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 262 Teal, 165 Redshank, 113 Grey Plover, 86 Bar and three Black-tailed Godwit, 60 Knot, 53 Shelduck, 28 Ringed Plover, 17 Sanderling, eight Greenshank, three Red-breasted Merganser and single Little Grebe and Kingfisher.
A Siberian Chiffchaff was by the Main Pond, with seven Chiffchaff, six Goldcrest, four Song Thrush, two Bullfinch and a Redwing were on site with a lone Siskin overhead. Elsewhere 23 Skylark commuted between Warren Point and the Bight and a pair a Raven patrolled the site.
Other Wildlife: A few hardy insects were active once the frost had dissipated, with several Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Common Dronefly and Marmalade Hoverfly milling around the ornamental Hebe.
Elsewhere four Red Admiral and three Common Darter were still on the wing and a Harbour Porpoise was offshore.