Sunday 22nd March

A sunny Sunday and the Warren was typically busy with people, at least the majority of visiting birders seemed to understand the concept of social distancing. The Kentish Plover was present in the Bight on both high tides with counts from the morning tide including 250 Oystercatcher, 149 Curlew, 55 Dark and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 30 Grey and three Ringed Plover and the wintering Whimbrel.

Kentish Plover - Lee Collins

Elsewhere four Eider off Warren Point were new arrivals, with two Wheatear also fresh in, a sinensis Cormorant was on Finger Point and the male Teal continues to swim around the flooded Entrance Bushes.

Off site a Red Kite headed north over Dawlish at 10.50 but never made it to the Warren, presumably drifting inland.

Wildlife News: The Sand Crocus was putting on a good show in the sunshine, and this also encouraged three Comma and three Peacock onto the wing. 

Due to the significant ongoing erosion, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path has been washed away, so is completely closed with no access. Access to the Hide and Warren Point is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of any high tide. The only access to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

 14/02/20

17/01/20

28/11/19

02/10/19

Saturday 21st March

A sandblasted trip to the late afternoon tide was rewarded by the Warren's earliest ever Kentish Plover in the Bight, following one on 22/3/2001. A female, it was the first site record since April 2016 for this once annual visitor. 

Kentish Plover - Lee Collins

Also present over the high tide 221 Oystercatcher, 123 Curlew, 102 Dunlin, 69 Knot, 45 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 35 Grey and three Ringed Plover, 20 Bar-tailed Godwit and three Sanderling.

Friday 20th March

The first official Spring morning saw five Chiffchaff as the only migrants with three Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver offshore. 

Wildlife News: Sand Crocus buds were on show but failed to open in the overcast conditions. 

Ringing News: A Pale-bellied Brent Goose that was one of 22 birds had been ringed in western Iceland on 15 May 2018; it has spent most of this winter in Normandy, France having been recorded passing through Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland last autumn. 

Thursday 19th March

Spring arrived in the form of four Wheatear along the beach, at least seven Chiffchaff on site and the second earliest ever Blackcap subsinging in Dead Dolphin Wood. Other migrants included a dozen Meadow Pipit overhead and a Goldcrest on Warren Point. Elsewhere the female Eider was offshore and the flooded area of Greenland Lake held 12 Snipe, six Teal and two Shoveler.

Wheatear - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: The weather was however not spring like and insects were not on the wing but two Grey Seal were in the estuary. 

Wednesday 18th March

Again little sign of migrants with just two Chiffchaff in the bushes early morning. Elsewhere the pair of Shoveler had moved to the flooded areas of Greenland Lake, Water Rail called from Dead Dolphin Wood and the female Eider was offshore. 

Wildlife News: The second Red Admiral of the year was on the wing until taken by a Robin.

Wood Mouse - John Gowland

Tuesday 17th March

Pale-bellied Brent Geese were again shaping up to be the only migrants with 17 arriving in off the sea, but the first Sandwich Tern of the year made a belated appearance off the sea wall. Elsewhere the Eider was offshore, with 136 Oystercatcher, 38 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, four Greenshank, an adult winter Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary. 

Monday 16th March

The long-awaited first two Wheatear of the year were present this morning but soon moved through with two Chiffchaff the only remaining migrants early evening.

Wildlife News: A day of welcome sunshine saw the first Sand Crocus of the year in flower.

Sunday 15th March

Spring migrants were limited to 22 Pale-bellied Brent Geese with 141 Dark-bellied Brent Geese also present. Also in the estuary 125 Curlew, 80 Knot, 52 Grey Plover, 12 Teal, a Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere two Great Northern Diver and the female Eider were offshore, three Chiffchaff were on site and the male Teal remained in the flooded Entrance Bushes. 

Wildlife News: A Wood Mouse was foraging out in the open in Wryneck Plain. 

Saturday 14th March

Counts from the estuary included 374 Oystercatcher, 200 Dunlin, 196 Curlew, 146 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 81 Knot, 73 Bar-tailed Godwit, 63 Common Gull, 52 Grey Plover, 25 Turnstone and three Greenshank. Elsewhere four Chiffchaff were on site and 42 Common Scoter were offshore with six Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver.

 Teal - Alan Keatley

Ringed Plover - Dave Jewell

Wildlife News: An early Plain-faced Dronefly Eristalis arbustorum was the pick of the few insects on the wing. 

Plain-faced Dronefly - Alan Keatley