Monday 29th August

Highlight was a site record count of the critically endangered Balearic Shearwater, with 287 east after first light, between 6.30 - 7.45, along with 60 Gannet, five Common Scoter and two Fulmar. the previous record was 271 on 22 August last year.

A juvenile Osprey was again in the estuary flushing everything from the Bight, it disappeared for a bit but then came back setting everything up again before eventually landing on Finger Point, possibly the first grounded record on site. Its presence meant the Dunlin and Ringed Plover counts were incomplete. 

Osprey - David Flack

Roosting on the Railway Saltmarsh there were 421 Curlew, 305 Redshank, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit, six Greenshank, five Whimbrel, two Knot and the Spotted Redshank. Also in the estuary 18 Sandwich Tern, seven Black-tailed Godwit on Bull Hill and two Mediterranean Gull.

Elsewhere three Grey and a Yellow Wagtail were overhead. a Kingfisher was at the Main Pond, and migrants included 13 Chiffchaff, six Blackcap, five Wheatear, three Whitethroat, three Reed, two Willow and a Sedge Warbler.

Wildlife News: A long overdue first Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year was in Greenland Lake with over 20 Rush Veneer and a Clouded Yellow also present.

Hummingbird Hawkmoth - David Flack

Sunday 28th August

A good day on site with 80 species recorded even though it was quiet in the bushes and offshore. In the estuary the Spotted Redshank and one Curlew Sandpiper were still present with a juvenile Little Gull in the Bight and an Osprey making an appearance. 

Dawlish Warren over this mornings high tide - juv Curlew Sand in the bight till c8am when appeared to fly high south- a bonus Fw little Gull near finger Point c815am then flew upriver, 4 Common Terns, 7 Sanderling, 3 Med Gulls, Swift, 3 Wheatears, 150 Swallows early am pic.twitter.com/Hd2kGVN9jK

— Mark Bailey (@markrabailey) August 28, 2022

Counts included 910 Black-headed and 11 Mediterranean Gull, 845 Oystercatcher, 359 Curlew, 296 Redshank, 169 Ringed Plover, 133 Dunlin, 37 Sandwich and 13 Common Tern, 19 Sanderling, 11 Bar and 11 Black-tailed Godwit, nine Wigeon, nine Shelduck, five Teal, five Turnstone, five Greenshank, three Whimbrel, three Kingfisher, two Knot and a Common Sandpiper. 

Also in the estuary the strange sight of an adult Gannet, occasionally diving, before being lost to view north of Powderham. It was later seen circling high over Lympstone before heading high NE inland. 

A pulse of hirundines early morning saw a late Swift head east with 150 Swallow, 25 House and seven Sand Martin, also seven Yellow and three Grey Wagtail. Grounded migrants were limited to five Wheatear and single Reed, Sedge and Willow Warbler with an increase to 85 Goldfinch.

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was in the estuary and Rush Veneer remain underfoot.

Saturday 27th August

The Spotted Redshank was still present, the third record in the last two years, after six blank years. Also in the estuary three Curlew Sandpiper with counts of 867 Oystercatcher, 392 Curlew, 312 Redshank, 112 Ringed Plover, 87 Dunlin, 34 Mute Swan, 22 Teal, 17 Black and 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Common Tern, six Greenshank, six Mediterranean Gull, four Whimbrel, two Knot, two Wigeon, a Turnstone and a Kingfisher.

Common Gull - Lee Collins

Elsewhere 10 Balearic Shearwater flew east with 30 Gannet, 18 Common Scoter and four Shelduck also offshore, with 17 Sanderling on the beach. Passerine migrants included two Grey Wagtail overhead with a Spotted Flycatcher, a Wheatear, four Whitethroat, three Willow, two Reed and two Sedge Warbler on site.

Wildlife News: A Golden-ringed Dragonfly was on the Golf Course and a few Rush Veneer remain on site.

Friday 26th August

Three immature Spoonbill were the highlight seen heading south over the Buffer Zone and out to sea just after 9am. Apart from that little overhead, except for a single flock of 55 House Martin and 40 Swallow. Five Grey Wagtail past Langstone Rock were notable, but returned soon after, so presumably local birds.

Avocet - Lee Collins

A flock of 17 Avocet that were first seen flying north off Mudbank, Exmouth this morning returned to the bottom end on the evening high tide, via a brief stay at Bowling Green Marsh. They circled the Warren and headed high west before returning. A flock of nine birds east offshore soon after were assumed to be part of the original flock, the first record of the year.

Sanderling - Alan Keatley

Also in the estuary single Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank were reported with counts of 136 Dunlin, 118 Ringed Plover, 40+ Sandwich and 10 Common Tern, 34 Mute Swan, 19 Sanderling on the beach, five Mediterranean and three Common Gull, including a smart juvenile, and a Turnstone.

Elsewhere at least five Balearic Shearwater and a dark phase Arctic Skua were offshore, 10 Chiffchaff, three Whitethroat and two Willow Warbler were in the bushes, 90 Linnet were on Warren Point, an immature Yellow Wagtail was around the Bight were 20 Swallow and a Sand Martin fed at high tide. 

Wildlife News: A Hook-barred Spearhorn Chrysotoxum festivum was the 48th hoverfly species recorded on site this year, also recorded for the first time in 2022 was the digger wasp Garden Ectemnius E. cavifrons.

Chrysotoxum festivum - Alan Keatley

Ectemnius cavifrons - Alan Keatley

Also on the wing a Clouded Yellow in Greenland Lake, several Migrant Hawker, Heather Colletes again with Hairy-saddled Colletes and a couple of late Silvery Leafcutter on Common Fleabane.

Clouded Yellow - Alan Keatley

Thursday 25th August

Records from the evening high tide included 78 Dunlin, 63 Ringed Plover, 52 Sandwich and two Common Tern, 22 (15 juv) Sanderling, five Bar and three juvenile Black-tailed Godwit, two Greenshank, two Shoveler on Finger Point, two Peregrine, one on a kill in the Bight and a juvenile Knot.

Wheatear - Lee Collins

Three Whinchat in Greenland Lake, the first of the autumn,  were the pick of the migrants with four Wheatear and single Garden, Willow and Reed Warbler also present. High overhead a juvenile Grey Heron flew in off the sea heading north. 

Wildlife News: Rush Veneer still present in grassy areas but numbers lower than of late. Autumn Ladies Tresses are flowering but in reduced numbers due to the lack of rain. 

Autumn Ladies Tresses beginning to show yesterday at Dawlish Warren. Such beautiful, other-worldly flowers. @Naturalcalendar @NearbyWild @WarrenBirding pic.twitter.com/tFUFkgQEdi

— Philip Strange (@PhilipsWriting) August 25, 2022

Wednesday 24th August

A juvenile Black Tern, the first of the year, was in the estuary with 50 Common Tern.

Tuesday 23rd August

Counts from the estuary included 386 Curlew, 147 Ringed Plover, 77 Sandwich and five Common Tern, 41 Mute Swan, 27 Dunlin16 Whimbrel, eight Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit, four Meditteranean Gull and two Grey Plover, with 26 Sanderling on the beach.

Mediterranean Gull - Alan Keatley

A Sedge Warbler in Greenland Lake and a Willow Warbler in the Entrance Bushes were the best of the migrants on a quiet day for migrants, with 70 Linnet and a Wheatear on Warren Point.

Wildlife News: A female Heather Colletes C.succinctus was found nectaring on Heather near the Crocus Compound. A new bee for the Recording Area, following likely records on the Golf Course last year and an a pre-1969 unconfirmed NBN record.

Heather Colletes - Alan Keatley

Also recorded today, for the first time in many years, a Wesmael's Digger Wasp Crossocerus wesmaeli.

Wesmael's Digger Wasp - Alan Keatley

There were more hoverflies than of late with a notable influx of Common Twist-tail Sphaerophoria scripta and increase of  Compost Syritta pipiens and Marmaldae Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus. Other hoverflies including Batman Myathropa florea, Hornet Volucella zonaria, Superb Ant-hill Xanthogramma pedissequum and Tiger Helophilus pendulus, along with Pied Plumehorn Volucella pellucens, Glass-winged Syrphus S.vitripennis and three dronefly species.

Butterflies included a fresh Painted Lady and the usual Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Common Blue and Small Copper, although there has been a notable drop off of in numbers of Gatekeeper.

Painted Lady - Alan Keatley

Monday 22nd August

Counts from the afternoon tide included 280 Curlew, 86 Ringed Plover, 73 Sandwich and 15 Common Tern, 41 Mute Swan, 38 Great Black-backed Gull, 20 Whimbrel, 14 Dunlin, nine Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, eight Greenshank, six Sanderling, six Mediterranean and a first winter Yellow-legged Gull. Small flocks of waders regularly flew south having circled and gained height as the tide dropped.

Elsewhere a Reed Warbler in Dead Dolphin Wood was the pick of the migrants, but may have only travelled from the Main Pond. 

Wildlife News: Still good numbers of Rush Veneer in the grasslands with another 25+ recorded.

Sunday 21st August

Seawatching early morning saw three Balearic Shearwater and two Pomarine Skua south along with 49 Kittiwake and 13 Common Scoter. During quiet spells distractions were provided by a Common Sandpiper along the sea wall, a Kingfisher on the groynes and a Peregrine on Langstone Rock. 

Counts from the estuary included 386 Curlew, 307 Redshank, 56 Sandwich and 55 Common Tern, 26 Ringed Plover, 16 Sanderling, 12 Bar and eight Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Whimbrel, eight Greenshank, three Mediterranean Gull, a Turnstone and a summer plumaged Knot.

Swallow - Martin Overy

Around the bushes fewer migrants with a single Wheatear, three Whitethroat, two Willow and a Sedge Warbler, with 11 Cirl Bunting also present. Overhead 32 Swallow and Sand Martin.

Wildlife News: At least 25 Rush Veneer were flushed across the site along with three Painted Lady.

Saturday 20th August

Seawatching early morning saw 86 critically endangered Balearic Shearwater and three Storm Petrel south, the latter the first since Oct 2020, with 150 Gannet, 17 Kittiwake, eight Common Scoter, two Common Tern and a Fulmar. 

There was also movement in the bushes with a Spotted Flycatcher at the Main Pond, seven Willow, two Sedge and singe Reed and Garden Warbler were on site with five Whitethroat and a Wheatear. 

Counts from the estuary included 875 Oystercatcher, 387 Curlew, 262 Redshank, 85 Sandwich Tern, 44 Mute Swan, 24 Whimbrel, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Mediterranean Gull, eight Greenshank and seven Sanderling.

Wildlife News: Single Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady were reported.