Wednesday 1st May

A quieter day with two Wheatear by the Visitor Centre the only grounded migrants with a few Swallow passing overhead, with local birds feeding over the Main Pond. Also now on territory five Whitethroat and at two of the ponds, three singing Reed Warbler.

Whitethroat - Dean Hall

The low high tide moved hardly anything in The Bight, bar the usual Oystercatcher and four of the lingering Eider. Other waders included at least 15 Whimbrel, mainly on the  beach, some moving to the estuary as the tide came in, and just a couple of Sanderling, also on the beach.

Whimbrel - Dean Hall

Sandwich Tern numbers were also low with only six offshore along with a single Great Crested Grebe.

Other Wildlife: A good selection of invertebrates encountered today including the excellently camouflaged Dune Wolf Xerolycosa miniata. A nationally scarce dune specialist, only a slight movement gave it location away, perhaps why this is the first record here, the only south Devon site, for over 25 years! 

Dune Wolf - Alan Keatley

Also out on Warren Point the first Cinnabar of the year, three Small Copper and a Burdock feeding picture-winged fly Tephritis bardanae. 

Cinnabar - Alan Keatley

Small Copper - Dean Hall

Tephritis bardanae - Alan Keatley

Monday 29th April

Seawatching for 1 hr 45 min early morning saw c200 Guillemot, 120+ Manx Shearwater, 104 Gannet and 85+ Kittiwake flew SW with 16 Common Scoter, nine Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver. Also offshore a pale phase Arctic Skua flew into the bay, 10 Sandwich and a Little Tern were foraging and a ♀ Eider was off the seawall.

Counts from the estuary included 46 Whimbrel, 25 Dunlin, 22 Bar-tailed Godwit, five Eider, four Knot, two Sanderling and single Greenshank and Redshank. Elsewhere other migrants were limited to eight Wheatear on site and two Rook and a Sand Martin overhead.

Other Wildlife: Too windy for most flying insects with just a few hoverflies keeping low to the ground, including the first Common Snout Rhingia campestris of the year. Also keeping out of the wind was a Cricket Bat Spider Mangora acalypha tucked away in a Nettle leaf.

Common Snout Hoverfly - Alan Keatley

Cricket Bat Spider - Alan Keatley

Two beetles no doubt dislodged from higher branches were the longhorn Common Grammoptera G. ruficornis and an Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni. A third species, the ground dwelling pill beetle Cytilus sericeus was new for the Recording Area.

Common Grammoptera - Alan Keatley

Alder Leaf Beetle - Alan Keatley

Cytilus sericeus - Kevin Rylands

Sunday 28th April

Seawatching early morning was a case of quality over quantity, with the year's first Hobby in off at 6.50am, eight Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, a dark phase Arctic Skua and just four Sandwich Tern.

Counts from the estuary included 64 Whimbrel, 59 Dunlin, 34 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Ringed Plover, 11 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, five Eider, five Sanderling, two Knot and a Greenshank.

Elsewhere a late Snipe was in Greenland Lake, a third Lesser Whitethroat of the spring was competing with Cirl Bunting song near the Dune Pond, two Siskin, three Sand and two House Martin flew NE and a pair of Jackdaw were prospecting Langstone Rock.

Year list addition:

146. Hobby

Other Wildlife: Another cold, overcast start but  insect activity picked up as it brightened later in the day. A Green-veined White and four Orange-tip were on the wing along with Orange-belted Hoverfly Xylota segnis, Common Carpet and Sandpit Mining Bee. 

Orange-tip (on the larval foodplant Cuckoo-flower) - Kevin Rylands

A fifth Green-winged Orchid, a third stunted specimen, was discovered flowering, this one on Warren Point close to an existing plant. Four other species were in flower including the first Marsh Helleborine in Greenland Lake, also there ahead of translocation, Petalwort Petalophylum ralfsii. This nationally rare liverwort is being moved ahead of the expected imminent and planned breach in the Dune Ridge.

Petalwort Petalophylum ralfsii - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 27th April

A small fall of migrants after the overnight rain were largely sylvias, with 14 Blackcap predominating, the third highest April count. With them at least six Whitethroat, the first two Garden Warbler of the year and a Lesser Whitethroat. Other arrivals included eight Wheatear and the third Grasshopper Warbler of the month, with seven Swift, 19 Swallow, 16 House and 15 Sand Martin heading NE. 

Counts from the estuary included 80+ Whimbrel, 30+ Dunlin, 28 Ringed Plover, 17 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Sanderling, 11 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, eight Turnstone, seven Knot, five Eider and a Greenshank.

Sanderling - Dave Jewell

Offshore eight Sandwich and a Common Tern were foraging early morning with totals of 62 Common Scoter, five Great Northern and four Red-throated Diver either on sea or flying SW. Also moving a flock of seven Tufted Duck (and a duck sp.) flew east and heading north, seven Lesser Black-backed, six Common and six Black-headed Gull.

Year list additions:

144. Swift
145. Garden Warbler

Ringing News: A Norwegian Bar-tailed Godwit yellow Flag PTE is visiting the Warren for a second time, and has now been present for a week. It was ringed as a juvenile in Rogaland, SW Norway on 30 August 2021, first being seen here on 19 September 2021. 

Other Wildlife: Invertebrate activity picked up during sunny periods in the afternoon with the first of several Black Mining Bee Andrena pilipes on the wing. Other bees included Early and Red-tailed Bumblebee, Chocolate, Short-fringed and Yellow-legged Mining Bee and Hairy-footed Flower Bee.

Day-flying micro-moths included good numbers of Nettle-tap Anthophila fabriciana as well as two new species for the Recording Area, Common Oak Leafminer Phyllonorycter quercifoliella and Feathered Cutter Incurvaria masculella.

Nettle-tap - Kevin Rylands

Phyllonorycter quercifoliella - Kevin Rylands

Incurvaria masculella - Kevin Rylands

Also found today a second Early-purple Orchid in Greenland Lake, a nest of Neodiprion sertifer, a pine sawfly larvae and Uromyces anthyllidis, a rust on Kidney Vetch, the 800th fungi for the Recording Area.

Neodiprion sertifer - Kevin Rylands

Uromyces anthyllidis - Kevin Rylands

Friday 26th April

Spring wader passage continues with varying numbers and species moving through on a daily basis, today's counts included 76 Whimbrel, 40 Ringed Plover, 36 Dunlin, 24 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Sanderling and seven Common Sandpiper.

Whimbrel - Alan Keatley

Sandwich Tern are also varying in numbers daily at the moment, at least 62 were in the Recording Area with another 28 and two Common Tern further up the estuary. Also present 10 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, five Eider and a Red-breasted Merganser.

Elsewhere a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver and a raft of 27 Common Scoter were offshore, with single Wheatear and Willow Warbler on site and House Martin overhead.

Other Wildlife: Spring appears to be on hold for flying insects with activity restricted to sheltered spots. On nettles were the spring sawflies - Aglaostigma fulvipes, Aglaostigma aucupariae and the Common Nettle Bug Liocoris tripustulatus.

Aglaostigma aucupariae - Alan Keatley

Liocoris tripustulatus - Alan Keatley

Thursday 25th April

The first Yellow Wagtail of the year passed overhead along with a couple of Rook, whilst grounded migrants included two Common Sandpiper, a new Reed Warbler and singles of Wheatear and Willow Warbler.

Year list addition:

143. Yellow Wagtail

Wednesday 24th April

A reeling Grasshopper Warbler in the Entrance Bushes early morning was the highlight along with 15 Whimbrel and a female Wheatear in Greenland Lake, at least eight Cirl Bunting on site and three Sand Martin overhead. 

One or 8 Cirl Buntings on site so far @WarrenBirding pic.twitter.com/Bjq1fdZYqO

— James Marshall (@JamesMa34702179) April 24, 2024

Tuesday 23rd April

Migrant warblers were in full voice with two Reed and a Willow Warbler at the Main Pond, with five Whitethroat and several Blackcap and Chiffchaff spread throughout the reserve. Also at the Main Pond a posse of thirteen young Mallard ducklings staying close to mum as she was hassled by a couple of males. A typically silent male Bullfinch was deep in the Entrance Bushes. 

Mallard - Alan Keatley

Bullfinch - Dean Hall

Many of the waders from the last couple of days have moved on but a dozen Whimbrel were passing through and a mixed flock of 29 Ringed Plover, 11 Dunlin and a Sanderling were in The Bight. Other records from the estuary included 18 Dark and seven Pale-bellied Brent Goose, eight Sandwich Tern and a lone Eider.

Other Wildlife: Despite the seemingly ideal conditions no butterflies were recorded today, a Xylota segnis sheltering in the bushes, was one of just one of a few hoverflies as well. 

Xylota segnis - Alan Keatley

Species that were on the wing included a few Green Longhorn Adela reaumurella moths and a queen Median Wasp Dolichovespula media.

Median Wasp - Alan Keatley

Green Longhorn - Alan Keatley

Monday 22nd April

Waders continue to move through with maximum counts across the two high tides including 64 Dunlin, 56 Bar-tailed Godwit, 55 Ringed Plover, 36 Whimbrel, 10 Knot, seven Sanderling, two Redshank and a Greenshank. Also in the estuary 24 Sandwich Tern, 13 Dark and the family of seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese, seven Eider, two Red-breasted Merganser and a 2cy Mediterranean Gull.

Elsewhere a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was offshore with three Reed Warbler and a Wheatear on site. 

Sunday 21st April

The first Lesser Whitethroat of the year, a vocal ♂ ranging along Back Path, was aside from five Wheatear, the only obvious grounded migrant. It was a bit busier overhead with three Red Kite the highlight, along with 18 Swallow, 15 Goldfinch, seven Rook, six House and three Sand Martin and two Grey Heron.

Whitethroat - Dave Jewell

Offsite a further three Red Kite drifted N along Cofton Ridge, with nine Swift.

Counts from the estuary included 44 Whimbrel, 44 Dunlin, 36 Ringed and a Grey Plover, 33 Bar-tailed Godwit, 21 Pale and 14 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, eight Knot, seven Sanderling, the seven Eider, four Teal, two Redshank, a Greenshank and a ♂ Red-breasted Merganser.

Elsewhere 19 Sandwich Tern and a Red-throated Diver were offshore, with two Red-throated Diver heading high S out of estuary. 

Year List addition:

142. Lesser Whitethroat

Other Wildlife: A fourth Green-winged Orchid was found in flower, a plant that last flowered in 2020. The Early-purple Orchid continues to unfurl.

Early-purple Orchid - Kevin Rylands