Thursday 28th February

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

The highlights on another warm spring-like day were both overhead; the first February record of Red Kite drifting north at 8.15am and the third Warren record of Glossy Ibis high east at 10.30. Elsewhere a Sandwich Tern and a Red-throated Diver were offshore, a Chiffchaff was at the Main Pond and the first four Ringed Plover of the year(!), 99 Common Gull and three Black-tailed Godwit were in the estuary.

 

Long-tailed Tit - Alan Keatley

 

Red Kite - Alan Keatley

 

Wildlife News: Despite the weather still no butterflies or solitary bees were seen , however there were a couple of hoverflies with an Eristalis tenax and an early, no doubt migrant, Eupeodes corollae - the fifth species of the year. 

 

 Eupeodes corollae - Alan Keatley 

Eristalis tenax - Alan Keatley