2020 got off to a slow start with visibility limited by a persistent drizzle and a speedboat race within the SPA limiting the number of birds offshore. Perseverance however ended up revealing a total of 73 species on site with omissions including Great Northern Diver, Common Scoter, Canada Goose, Razorbill, Guillemot and Goldcrest.
The highlight was the first Jack Snipe since December 2017 which showed briefly in the Saltmarsh along with a minimum count of 190 Snipe, 12 Golden Plover in the Bight were also unexpected. Counts from the estuary included 1210 Dunlin, 260 Wigeon, 201 Teal, 194 Bar-tailed Godwit, 180 Grey Plover, 137 Knot, 42 Brent Geese, three Greenshank, two adult Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe.
Elsewhere a Chiffchaff in the Entrance Bushes was the first for a few weeks, the drake Shoveler remains on the Main Pond with a female mobile around site, the Scandinavian Rock Pipit was at the sea wall and offshore there were five Red-throated Diver and the female Eider.
Wildlife News: The annual BSBI New Year Plant Hunt saw a total of 32 species in flower including Sweet Violet, Red Dead-nettle, Sticky Groundsel and Summer Snowflake. Several regular species such as Portland Spurge and Fragrant Evening-primrose would have made the list but mowing removed many flowering plants. The same management has also chopped up a large population of Collared Earthstar Geastrum triplex on Warren Point.
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