Wednesday 9th April

Counts from the estuary over the evening tide included 73 Curlew, 24 Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Dunlin, four Turnstone, three Greenshank, three Ringed Plover, two Dark-bellied Brent Geese, two Knot and single Redshank, Sanderling and Whimbrel.

Elsewhere nine Sandwich Tern, three Great Crested Grebe and the immature male Eider were offshore and other migrants included two Wheatear and a Willow Warbler. 

Other Wildlife: The highlight was a new bug for site, a Straw Stiltbug Neides tipularius found by chance, well camouflaged amongst the Marram, on Warren Point, At the opposite end of the Recording Area, the tortoise beetle Cassida vibex near Langstone Rock, was another new species. A Spear Thistle Lacebug Tingis cardui, was appropriately on Spear Thistle by the new path onto the nature reserve.

Straw Stiltbug Neides tipularius - Alan Keatley

Spear Thistle Lacebug Tingis cardui - Alan Keatley

Cassida vibex - Alan Keatley

Other finds included a Small Copper amongst five butterfly species, a Green Shieldbug and several Common Nettle Bug Liocoris tripustulatus. A female Sand Lizard on the Dune Ridge was trying to avoid the attention of a hunting male Kestrel.

Small Copper - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 8th April

Counts from The Bight on the evening tide included 414 Oystercatcher, 24 Bar-tailed Godwit, three Dunlin, two Sanderling and a Whimbrel. 

At least 23 Sandwich Tern were split between the estuary and offshore with five Common Scoter, five Great Crested Grebe, four Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver, three Eider and two Red-breasted Merganser on the sea.

Other migrants were limited to three Swallow, two Wheatear  and two Willow Warbler.

Monday 7th April

A relatively quiet day with little on the move and a low high tide. Migrants were limited to three Willow Warbler, a Wheatear and a single Swallow, whilst counts from the estuary included 27 Curlew, 22 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Dunlin, nine Redshank and Teal, three Greenshank and a Whimbrel. 

Elsewhere a pair of Teal and the first Mallard brood were on the Main Pond and 11 Sandwich Tern, two Eider, two Great Crested Grebe and a Red-throated Diver were offshore.

Other Wildlife: Insects are still responding well to the sunny weather, albeit with a chilly onshore wind. Five species of butterfly were on the wing including the first Small Copper of the year, two Comma and four Orange-tip.

Speckled Wood - Dave Jewell

Nectar seeking mining bees included the first Orange-tailed Andrena haemorrhoa, Buffish A. nigroaenea, Sandpit A. barbilabris and Yellow-legged A. flavipes. Amongst the numerous Buff-tailed Bumblebee was a single Tree Bumblebee.

Orange-tailed Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa - Alan Keatley

Beetles and bugs on the beach included a Copper Greenclock Poecilus cupreus, a Sea Rocket Flea Beetle Psylliodes marcida and the planthoppers Anaceratagallia ribauti and Muirodelphax aubei.

Anaceratagallia ribauti - Alan Keatley

Copper Greenclock Poecilus cupreus - Alan Keatley

The resident Grey Squirrel was watched carrying an acorn across the Golf Course from the Turkey Oaks alongside the estuary to the Entrance Bushes.

Sunday 6th April

A female Redstart around Dead Dolphin Wood was a welcome record for this increasingly scarce migrant, the first here since Aug 2023 and just the third since Sep 2021. Other migrants included 10 Willow Warbler and four Blackcap with 24 Swallow, four Sand and two House Martin, two Siskin and a Buzzard heading east along with single figures of Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.

Redstart - Lee Collins

Robin - Dave Jewell

Counts from the estuary included 57 Dunlin, 31 Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 13 Teal, eight Turnstone, six Sanderling, four Red-breasted Merganser, three Ringed and a Grey Plover, three Greenshank and a 2cy Mediterranean Gull. 

Elsewhere 17 Sandwich Tern, 11 Common Scoter, five Great Northern Diver (four south) and three Eider offshore with a Reed Bunting and a Water Rail at the Main Pond. 

Year list addition:

122. Redstart

Other Wildlife: Fewer flying insects in the cooling wind with just Peacock and Speckled Wood butterflies noted. The conditions were however ideal for Sand Crocus, with a single Fritillary in flower in Greenland Lake. 

Saturday 5th April

The first Red Kite of the year flew east over site at 10am, with a second bird north offsite along Eastdon Ridge at 11.10am. Between these sightings an Osprey flew north over Starcross at 10.50am.

 

Also overhead 38 Swallow, seven Sand and the first three House Martin of the year, 12 Meadow Pipit

and a Siskin. Grounded migrants included 11 Chiffchaff, 10 Willow Warbler, two Wheatear and a female Blackcap.

Wheatear - Lee Collins

Willow Warbler - Dave Jewell

Elsewhere 13 Sandwich Tern, two Great Northern Diver and an Eider were offshore and counts from the high tide included 315 Oystercatcher, 61 Dunlin, 37 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Sanderling, eight Redshank, eight Grey and five Ringed Plover, six Teal and a Greenshank.

Reed Bunting - Lee Collins

Year list additions:

121. Red Kite
120. House Martin

Ringing News: Although most wintering waders are long gone the wintering Swedish ringed Turnstone is still present. Ringed in August 2021 on passage on Nidingen in the SW of the country, it has been present each winter since. 

Turnstone - Lee Collins

Other Wildlife: The warm weather and cloudless sky provided ideal conditions for Sand Crocus, with thousands likely in flower across the site, with hundreds easily viewable in the Crocus Compound behind the Visitor Centre. 

Sand Crocus - Kevin Rylands

Insects also responded with ten species of mining bee on the wing, with Cliff Andrena thoracica and Small Sallow A. praecox new for the year and Sandpit A. barbilabris the most numerous. A female Tawny Mining Bee A. fulva in the car park was the first for the Recording Area, the 78th bee species recorded on the Warren. 

The Grey Squirrel was in the Entrance Bushes, with a couple of Orange-tip outnumbered by Peacock, Small White and Speckled Wood.

Friday 4th April

The first two Whimbrel of the year were in The Bight amongst 78 Curlew over a low high tide, with 35 Dunlin, 10 Sanderling, eight Turnstone, six Grey and four Ringed Plover, five Teal and four Dark-bellied Brent Geese also in the estuary.

Whimbrel - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere the first two Swallow of the summer flew through, two Willow Warbler were by the Main Pond and two Sandwich Tern were offshore.

Year list additions:
119. Swallow
118. Whimbrel

Other Wildlife: Overcast conditions saw attention focussed on the beach where the minute scavenger beetle Cartodere bifasciata and seaweed rove beetle Cafius xantholoma were new for the year. 

Cafius xantholoma - Alan Keatley

Cartodere bifasciata - Alan Keatley

As the day brightened up other insects were more active with four species of butterfly and bumblebee on the wing with Orange-tip, Small White and Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius first emergences. Also new for the year the daggerfly Empis femorata and the hoverfly Common Meadow Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus. 

Empis femorata - Alan Keatley

Thursday 3rd April

An evening visit after the rain failed to locate any migrants with the exception of a new male Pheasant! There were new arrivals offshore with eight Eider including four adult males, so at least two fresh in.

In the estuary at low tide, 10 Redshank, eight Turnstone, seven Dark-bellied Brent Geese, three Teal, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser, two Greenshank and two Sandwich Tern.

Wednesday 2nd April

An evening visit on the rising tide saw 72 Carrion Crow, 34 Dunlin, 22 Turnstone, 11 Redshank, seven Grey Plover, four Greenshank, two Dark-bellied Brent Geese, two Sandwich Tern, two Teal and a Knot in the estuary.

Other Wildlife: The first Common Carder Bee of the year was on the wing as were the first two Common Pipistrelle. A Water Vole showed well on the Main Pond.

Tuesday 1st April

The high spring tide resulted in little room for waders to roost in the estuary with 22 Turnstone and eight Sanderling resorting to what's left of the beach. The Curlew, Oystercatcher and 26 Bar-tailed Godwit found limited space on Finger Point with 29 Dunlin, six Grey Plover and a Knot also around The Bight. 

In the saltmarsh 17 Redshank and six Greenshank, with 12 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 12 Teal and two Red-breasted Merganser also in the estuary, with two Sandwich Tern and a fly through Sand Martin.

Elsewhere a pair of Teal were on the First Pond and single singing Blackcap, Willow Warbler and five Chiffchaff were in the bushes.

Other Wildlife: Fewer insects today in the strong easterly wind with a Tipula vernalis cranefly noted and a saltmarsh ground beetle Pogonus chalceus in The Bight on the intertidal sand. In sheltered areas were at least six Common Lizard, a Comma, and a couple of Speckled Wood and Peacock.

Comma - Alan Keatley

Pogonus chalceus - Alan Keatley

Tipula vernalis - Alan Keatley

Monday 31st March

On a low tide visit a flock of 11 Pale-bellied Brent Geese on an offshore sandbar was the most notable sighting, with two Grey Plover in The Bight and two Great Crested Grebe off the seawall late morning.

 

Elsewhere Blackcap is on territory in Dead Dolphin Wood with a migrant Willow Warbler by the Main Pond.

Other Wildlife: More insects on the wing for the first time this year in the fine weather. Leading the way was a selection a ladybirds on the Alexanders including 10-spot, Pine and a variety of Harlequin.

10-spot Ladybird - Alan Keatley

Pine Ladybird - Alan Keatley

New bees for the year included Common Furrow Bee Lasioglossum calceatum and Common Mini-miner Andrena minutula nectaring on Dandelion. Hoverflies have also responded to the weather with good numbers of Grey-spotted Boxer Platycheirus albimanus, Common Eristalis tenax and Tapered Dronefly E. pertinax along with singles of Common Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus and Spring Epistrophe E. eligans.

Grey-spotted Boxer Platycheirus albimanus - Alan Keatley

Common Furrow Bee Lasioglossum calceatum - Alan Keatley

Butterflies were limited to six Speckled Wood and four Peacock, with the Grey Squirrel roaming around the Entrance Bushes.

Sunday 30th March

Highlights from a short morning visit included four Willow Warbler, five Chiffchaff and single Buzzard and Sparrowhawk in the bushes with three Sandwich Tern offshore.

Other Wildlife: A Peacock butterfly was on the wing and several dozen Sand Crocus were flowering in the Crocus Compound behind the Visitor Centre.

Sand Crocus - David Flack

Saturday 29th March

Early morning at least 18 Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver flew south offshore with 15 Sandwich Tern foraging, six Great Northern and five Red-throated Diver on the sea along with five Common Scoter and two Eider. 

Counts from the estuary over the high tide included 120 Curlew, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Redshank, 12 Sanderling, nine Grey and three Ringed Plover, eight Dunlin, six Red-breasted Merganser and a Knot. 

Elsewhere migrants included two Willow Warbler and a Blackcap, with the pair of Tufted Duck still on the Main Pond. 

Other Wildlife: The first Speckled Wood of the year was found freshly emerged in the Entrance Bushes, with a male Sandpit Mining Bee Andrena barbilabris, single Honey Bee and Harlequin Ladybird also new for the year.

Speckled Wood - Alan Keatley

Sandpit Mining Bee Andrena barbilabris -  Alan Keatley

Friday 28th March

Counts from the estuary included 310 Oystercatcher, 110 Curlew, 15 Dunlin, nine Grey Plover, three Bar-tailed Godwit and a Knot, with 11 Sandwich Tern, 10 Great Crested Grebe, four Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver and an immature male Eider offshore.

Elsewhere the first Willow Warbler of the year joined yesterday's Blackcap in song.

Year list addition:
117. Willow Warbler

Thursday 27th March

A singing male Blackcap and a female Wheatear were new arrivals, with at least 60 Linnet on site also likely to include migrants. A Meadow Pipit displaying on Warren Point may have also been a migrant, but hopefully will be the first to hold territory since 2013. 

Wheatear - Dean Hall

Blackcap - Dean Hall

Counts over the evening high tide in addition to the Oystercatcher and Curlew, included 46 Dark and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 42 Turnstone, 16 Sanderling, 10 Teal, nine Grey and three Ringed Plover, eight Greenshank, three Dunlin, two Red-breasted Merganser and a Knot.

Offshore there were 14 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Sandwich Tern, six Eider (three female & three male (two ad)), six Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver. 

Other Wildlife: Warm but few insects in the cloudy conditions, although a Peacock was on the wing along with Hairy-footed Flower Bee Anthophora plumipes, Early Bumblebee, a few Tapered Dronefly, a Marmalade Hoverfly and a Grey-spotted Boxer. 

Hairy-footed Flower Bee Anthophora plumipes - Alan Keatley

Early Bumblebee - Kevin Rylands

Also recorded a Grey Squirrel around the Entrance Bushes, the strandline beetle Broscus cephalotes around The Bight, the first Striped Ommatoiulus sabulosus and White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodoiulus niger of the year and new for the Warren the white blister rust Albugo hohenheimia on Hairy Bittercress and the cellar spider Psilochorus simoni in a golf course shed. 

Striped Millipede Ommatoiulus sabulosus - Alan Keatley

Broscus cephalotes - Alan Keatley

Amara tibialis - Alan Keatley

Albugo hohenheimia - Kevin Rylands

Wednesday 26th March

The year's first Black-throated Diver was offshore early evening along with nine Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver. Also present 20 Great Crested Grebe, an increase to seven Eider, five males (three immature & two adult) and two females and three Sandwich Tern. 

Counts from the estuary over the evening tide included 351 Oystercatcher, 162 Curlew, 42 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 24 Redshank, 20 Turnstone, 16 Sanderling, eight Grey and four Ringed Plover, eight Dunlin, four Greenshank, four Red-breasted Merganser, two Teal and a Knot.

Year list addition:
116. Black-throated Diver

Tuesday 25th March

The four Eider remain offshore with 16 Great Crested Grebe, six Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver also off the sea wall.

Counts from the low high tide included 37 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 21 Teal, 17 Redshank, 15 Sanderling, eight Shelduck, seven Greenshank, three Sandwich Tern and a Dunlin.

Elsewhere few if any migrants on site although four Chiffchaff were around the Main Pond.

Stonechat - Dave Jewell. One of several males holding territory, with females likely already on eggs

Other Wildlife: At least a dozen Sand Crocus was in flower on a south facing bank on the Golf Course, a week later than last year but the same date as 2023. With cloudy conditions forecast until Saturday it may be a while before they are joined by larger numbers.

Sand (Warren) Crocus Romulea columnae - Dave Jewell

Also taking advantage of the sunny weather a basking Common Lizard and two Peacock, with the hoverflies Slender Melanostoma M. scalare and Grey-spotted Boxer Platycheirus albimanus on the wing for the first time.

Other active invertebrates included Copper Sunjumper Heliophanus cupreus, Black Marram Weevil Otiorhychus atroapterus, the leafhopper Agallia cf. ribauti and the planthopper Muirodelphax aubei.

Muirodelphax aubei (male) - Alan Keatley

Muirodelphax aubei (female) - Alan Keatley

Black Marram Weevil Otiorhychus atroapterus - Alan Keatley

Monday 24th March

A late afternoon visit on a dropping tide saw 62 Turnstone, 42 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 32 Teal, 22 Sanderling, 21 Redshank, six Greenshank, two Red-breasted Merganser and a Grey Plover in the estuary.

Elsewhere eight Great Crested Grebe, four Common Scoter, four Eider, two Great Northern Diver and two Sandwich Tern were offshore, the pair of  Tufted Duck were on the Main Pond, 55 Linnet and eight Chiffchaff were on site and a calling Grey Heron flew very high east.

Other Wildlife: The continuing good weather is increasing the variety of insects including nectaring Yarrow Blacklet Cheilosia vernalis, Furry Dronefly Eristalis intricaria and the picture-winged fly Tephritis vespertina.

Furry Dronefly Eristalis intricaria - Alan Keatley

Yarrow Blacklet Cheilosia vernalis - Alan Keatley

A male Trimmer's Mining Bee Andrena trimmerana was warming up on a fence with an Ichneumon stramentor on a wall near Langstone Rock.

Trimmer's Mining Bee Andrena trimmerana - Alan Keatley

Ichneumon stramentor - Alan Keatley

More terrestrial insects include a new species, Bembidion tetracolum, a common and widespread ground beetle. Other beetles included the rove beetle Ocypus brunnipes and ground beetle Harpalus affinis.

Bembidion tetracolum - Alan Keatley

Harpalus affinis - Alan Keatley