Wildlife Review 2025: Birds (Jul-Dec)

The annual summary and review of Jan-Jun 2025 can be found here 

July

The month saw further waders on their way south with the first two Greenshank on 4th, a juvenile Little Ringed Plover on 6th with two on the 8th when moulting male Ruff, was present, new for the year, and just the sixth July record, the earliest by several weeks after one on 22nd July 1989. Towards the end of the month a moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper was present on 22nd with an adult Little Stint on 28-30th.

Little Stint 30th July - Lee Collins

The first two juvenile Mediterranean Gull arrived on 4th with the now expected passage peaking at 137 on 12th. Also around the estuary single Roseate Tern on 8th & 27th, a Little Tern on 13th, Sandwich Tern numbers peaked at 213 on 15th with the first juvenile Yellow-legged Gull on 11th.

Mediterranean Gull (juvenile) and Bar-tailed Godwit 11th July - Dave Jewell

Passerine migrants included Sedge Warbler on 11th & 16th, the year’s only Treecreeper on 12th, the first juvenile Willow Warbler on 17th when a juvenile Cuckoo arrived staying until 24th and a Garden Warbler on 18th. 

Cuckoo 18th July - Lee Collins

Other records included a female Marsh Harrier over The Bight on 19th, a male Tufted Duck offshore and the first returning Teal on 26th and the clear highlight, an unexpected second site record of Chough on 27th. The first was around Langstone Rock on 13-14 October 1984. With 55 breeding pairs in Cornwall in 2024, the bird is likely a non-breeding wanderer from further west, the origin of the first record is unclear with the species extinct in the south west between 1973-2001. 

Chough 27th July - Lee Collins

August

The autumn’s first Wheatear appeared on 1st but apart from the year’s first Whinchat on 11th, a Garden Warbler and two Yellow Wagtail on 17th, passerine migration was limited, perhaps partly due to the attention given to an excellent wader and tern passage. 

The long tail of Storm Floris on 4th saw a few seabirds pushed into the bay, including 15 Balearic Shearwater and the first two Storm Petrel of the year. Small numbers of Balearic Shearwater continued during the month with 15 again recorded on 30th when c700 Kittiwake flew south in just 15 minutes and the month’s peak of six Arctic Skua.

Arctic Skua 23rd August - Ian Livsey

The second Spoonbill of the year was in the estuary on 11 & 14th with the second Green Sandpiper the last date and two Ruff on the 15th. Four Ruff were present on 17th, with two Little and a Black Tern and 436 Ringed Plover, the highest count since 23rd August 2015, but just the start of an exceptional passage. Numbers continued to rise daily until 958 were counted on 22nd, the second highest count for the Warren after 1,037 in August 1983.  

Ringed Plover 23rd August - Lee Collins

Ringed Plover were not the only species on the move with the first Marsh Sandpiper for the Recording Area, a pristine juvenile and just the fourth Devon record on the evening of 20th, with four Little Stint and a Ruff, all juveniles, the same day and a peak count of 374 Dunlin on 21st. Three more Ruff occurred during the month along with two Curlew Sandpiper, at least two Osprey, the first returning Snipe and Pintail on 23rd, a Green Sandpiper on 24th, a Little Stint on 28th and 22 Pale-bellied Brent Geese on 31st, just the fourth August they have been seen at the Warren after 2024, 2013 & 2008. 

Marsh Sandpiper 20th August - Kevin Rylands

The second half of the month also saw a large tern passage with 370+ Common and 140 Sandwich Tern joined by an adult Roseate, two Little and a juvenile Black Tern on 19th, rising to c600 Common, 166 Sandwich and two Roseate Tern on Bull Hill. The 22nd saw 800 Common, adult and juvenile Roseate and single Black and Little Tern, with over 1,430 Common Tern on 27th, the highest count since 1,807 on 28th August 2015. 

Black Tern 19th August - Lee Collins

September

The national Glossy Ibis influx arrived on the 2nd, with one in The Bight later joined by a second, the fifth site record of eight birds. Further sightings followed by singles on 6th, 9-11th, four on 7th, two on 8th and finally a flock of 24 that flew west over the Entrance Bushes on 26th.

Glossy Ibis 6th September - Lee Collins

Large feeding flocks remained offshore at the start of the month with peaks of 800+ Black-headed Gull and 500+ Common Tern on 4th when the first Sabine's Gull since October 2020, joined them remaining until the 6th. Also amongst these flocks at least two Arctic and Black Tern, a 1CY Little Gull and a Roseate Tern, with a late juvenile Roseate Tern later in the month on 19th when single juvenile Arctic and Black Tern were also present. 

Sabine's Gull 4th September - Luke Harman

Despite the feeding flocks seawatching was quiet especially compared to previous years, with a peak of 40 Balearic Shearwater on 3rd, the first Grey Phalarope since Dec 2023 on 9th, 17 Storm Petrel and a Pomarine Skua on 15th, four more Storm Petrel on 17th and four summer plumaged Red-throated Diver next day.

Grey Phalarope 9th September - Alan Keatley

Single juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint arrived on 4th & 6th respectively, followed by small numbers during the month with peals of four Curlew Sandpiper on 6th and three Little Stint on 20th. A Spotted Redshank arrived from the 6th, with a peak count of 12 Ruff, in a good autumn for the species on 7th.

Curlew Sandpiper 11th September - Lee Collins

Also in the estuary, an Osprey still early month, the first 21 returning Wigeon on 8th, the start of an influx of Caspian Gull with singles on 9th, 16th & 21st and three on 17th, the first multiple record; four Goosander on 19th and the first returning Avocet and Dark-bellied Brent Geese on 22nd. A Slavonian Grebe on 23rd, only the third new record since March 2017, It was also the earliest ever and just the fourth September arrival.

Caspian Gull 1CY 17th September - Lee Collins

Departing summer migrants were thin on the ground, with two Spotted Flycatcher on 19th & 24th and a peak of just seven Wheatear on 28th. Overhead an amazing two hour movement of 2,550 Swallow, 680 House and 170 Sand Martin on 22nd along with the year’s only Tree Pipit, was a standout event. Scarcer species included a selfishly suppressed Wryneck on 18th, an elusive Common Rosefinch in Greenland Lake on 19th, just the second Warren record after one back in October 1997.

Common Rosefinch 19th September - Andy Warr

Autumn arrivals included first Grey Wagtail on 6th, Water Rail and Siskin on 21st, Cetti’s Warbler on 24th and two Goldcrest on 25th.

October

Two Little Stint were still present on 1st, with the year’s first Garganey arriving with an influx of Teal next day, Teal numbers peaked at 870 on 3rd when the Garganey moved to Exmouth, 1,250 Wigeon were also present the same day. A second Garganey appeared on 26th, the latest ever after one on 20th October 1996.

Garganey 2nd October - Kevin Rylands

Also in the estuary a Spotted Redshank throughout with two on 18th, a Curlew Sandpiper on 5th, 34 Greenshank on 12th, the second highest Warren count after 37 in September 1960, a Common Tern on 18-19th, the last two Sandwich Tern on 20th and two late Curlew Sandpiper on 31st. Scarcer species included a Spoonbill intermittently from 17-29th, the year’s only Cattle Egret, five from the local wintering flock briefly in the Railway Saltmarsh on 18th and the continuing influx of Caspian Gull peaking at six on 19th. 

Spoonbill 17th October - Kevin Rylands

Late summer migrants remained scarce with the last Wheatear on 17th and last two Swallow on 26th, with a max of 25 Chiffchaff on 29th and several Firecrest and a Cetti’s Warbler throughout, although the latter more elusive. Other migrants included the year’s only Short-eared Owl on 15th, a male Yellowhammer and a Dartford Warbler on 26th, the latter overwintering, and a Merlin on 31st.

Firecrest 22nd October - Alan Livsey

Overhead clear skies reduced much visible migration but Woodpigeon passage peaked at 11,450 on 25th and Siskin at 250 on 14th with the first Redpoll on 5th and single Crossbill on 5th, Lapwing on 23rd and Brambling on 25th. 

Offshore two Pomarine Skua on 4th with a single on 18th when the year’s only Sooty Shearwater flew south, next day saw counts of 850 Kittiwake and 210 Gannet. Nine new Eider arrived on 12th with 10 present until the 19th before numbers slowly dwindled and finally six Tufted Duck on 25th.

November

The 1st saw 1,500 Kittiwake and 640 Gannet south along with two Velvet Scoter and the first Red-breasted Merganser of the winter. The remaining six Eider stayed until 3rd with an adult Little Gull offshore on 3-4th, and two on 15th, when five Velvet Scoter arrived, staying until the end of the month, the highest count since 3rd December 2016. Also offshore a pair of Tufted Duck on 18th, a female Goldeneye on 21st, a Storm Petrel on 22nd, just the sixth record for the month and on 29th a 1CY Little Gull, 14 Red-throated, 11 Great Northern and a Black-throated Diver flew south.

Red-throated Diver 23rd November - Alan Livsey

Records from the estuary included a Caspian Gull on the 3rd, the Garganey until 5th, a peak of 1,770 Wigeon on 5th, two Slavonian Grebe on 6th, a flock of 10 Pochard on 7th, the largest flock since 16th May 2014, two late Curlew Sandpiper on 7th, with one until 16th; a Purple Sandpiper surprisingly with Dunlin on 8th, a Barnacle Goose with the Brents 9-14th, occasional records of Spotted Redshank, with two on 15th, a juvenile Spoonbill 15-18th and a Goosander on 16th.

Slavonian Grebe 6th November - Jim Summers

Elsewhere two Firecrest, the Cetti’s and Dartford Warbler were present throughout, a Snow Bunting was on the beach on 3rd-6th, five Great White Egret over on 7th. 45,500 Woodpigeon and 17 Lapwing over on 8th, a peak of 16 Chiffchaff on 23rd, a Merlin across the Bight on 25th, an elusive Yellow-browed Warbler from 27th and the year’s only Black Redstart briefly on Warren Point on 29th. 

Snow Bunting 3rd November - Lee Collins

Offsite, although visible (if not identifiable!) from the Recording Area two Pallid Swift, just the fourth and fifth Devon records, lingered over the Golden Sands Holiday Park on 7th before being lost with the arrival of rain just after 13.30. 

Pallid Swift 7th November - Luke Harman

December

All eyes were on the estuary early month, and not because of the two Caspian Gull on 1st. An orange-billed tern was photographed from the Stuart Line Cruise as it passed Warren Point late morning on the 3rd, eventually identified as a Lesser Crested Tern it remained around the Warren until 6th before relocating to the Turf until 12th. A completely unexpected second for the Recording Area and Devon, following a bird here on 17-20 July 1985, although these is also a record of a Lesser Crested or Royal Tern here on 19 Dec 1987, considered the former by the observer.

Lesser Crested Tern 4th December - Dave Boult

Also in the estuary, a male Goosander was on 4th & 6th with a redhead on 23rd, an influx of Black-tailed Godwit with 740 on the 8th, 950 on 10th and 910 still on 23rd, a peak of nine Avocet on 13th, and the 18th Caspian Gull of the year, on 11th, with another on 17th, prior to this autumn there had only been 17 previous Warren records. Also on the 11th two immature Spoonbill flew in from the Otter Estuary, checked out the Warren and heading directly to the Teign! 

Caspian Gull 1CY 11th December - Lee Collins

Elsewhere a Storm Petrel feeding offshore on the 7th was the first December record for the Warren, one of number of unseasonal records of this species in recent years. The five Velvet Scoter were last seen on the 1st, the Yellow-browed Warbler present till the 5th with one reported on 12th along with the only Siberian Chiffchaff of the autumn. The first Fieldfare of the year flew over on 4th with a second on 26th and a Merlin was hunting in the estuary on 17th.

Yellow-browed Warbler 3rd December - Jim Summers

Later in the month the Spotted Redshank put in a couple of appearances with an early present on the 24th, a 1CY Ring-billed Gull in the estuary with Common Gull before flying upriver. The 11th site record but the first since February 2003. No sign the next day but a pair of Gadwall were the first for the year, the female again on the 28th.

There were few divers or seaduck at the close of the year but single Cetti’s and Dartford Warbler, Firecrest, Avocet, and for the first time, Buzzard were winter residents. 

Buzzard 26th November - Dean Hall

The hide unfortunately remains closed and due to continuing erosion there remains no public access to the surrounding viewing areas. The Recording Group would like to thank the Warren Golf Club and Devon Wildlife Trust for enabling long-standing monitoring efforts to continue.