Saturday 31st October

The six Spoonbill again roosted on Finger Point at high tide with other counts from the estuary including 1,970 Wigeon, 390 Teal, 280 Dunlin, 237 Curlew, 227 Black and 32 Bar-tailed Godwit, 47 Grey and 34 Ringed Plover, 40 Turnstone, 34 Sanderling, 16 Greenshank, three Mediterranean Gull, a Kingfisher and a Whimbrel.

Overhead at least 1,300 Woodpigeon, a couple of larger flocks totalling 950 W early morning, with smaller numbers heading N & E later in the day including one flock of 250; 175 Redwing, 25 Skylark, 14 Goldfinch, 12 Chaffinch, eight Stock Dove and a Golden Plover. 

Elsewhere grounded migrants included 30 Meadow Pipit, 10 Redwing, eight Song Thrush and five Siskin, the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond and two Great Northern Diver and an Eider were offshore.

Friday 30th October

Six Spoonbill roosting on Finger Point over high tide were the highlight in the estuary where other counts included 252 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 180 Dunlin, 143 Black-tailed Godwit, 34 Ringed Plover, 28 Sanderling, 10 Greenshank and three Mediterranean Gull. Two Pintail and a Shoveler were amongst the Wigeon and a Whimbrel in the saltmarsh is presumably last year's wintering bird returning. 

Elsewhere a Jay was in Dead Dolphin Wood, at least one Dartford Warbler was on the Golf Course, a Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond with two Grey Wagtail, a Kingfisher and a squealing Water Rail; five Chiffchaff, four Goldcrest and a Firecrest were on site, over 2,000 Woodpigeon flew W early morning and single Eider and Great Northern Diver were offshore. 

Ringing News: The slight rise in Dunlin numbers included an increase to five Exe ringed birds back for the winter.

Other Wildlife: At least six Common Darter and a Migrant Hawker were on the wing with a high total of 15 Silver Y flushed across the site.

Common Darter - Kevin Rylands

Thursday 29th October

Counts from the estuary included 1,320 Wigeon, 480 Teal, 238 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 217 Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Knot, 11 Greenshank, three Mediterranean Gull and a Kingfisher.

Elsewhere a near adult Yellow-legged Gull was on the beach, two Great Northern Diver and a female Eider were off Warren Point, 45 Skylark flew over, just two Chiffchaff in the bushes and the Dartford Warbler on the Golf Course.

Yellow-legged Gull - Alan Keatley

Other Wildlife: The tiny rove beetle Phytosus balticus was found under seaweed along the beach, Dawlish Warren is the only site in South Devon for the species. The much commoner leaf beetle Chrysolina banksii was noted near Langstone Rock. 

Phytosus balticus - Alan Keatley

Chrysolina banksii - Alan Keatley

A drop in temperature meant there were fewer insects on the wing with single Common Darter, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral, plus a couple of Common Globetail Sphaerophoria scripta and Marmalade Hoverfly. 

Common Globetail Sphaerophoria scripta - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 28th October

Counts from the estuary included 325 Redshank, 270 Curlew, 136 Black and 48 Bar-tailed Godwit, 32 Sanderling, two Whimbrel and a Spotted Redshank.

Elsewhere a female Mandarin was at the Main Pond, just the ninth site record and the first since April 2023, 14,790 Woodpigeon flew west, with 12 Skylark and a Mistle Thrush, two Great Northern Diver were offshore and two Red-throated Diver flew south.

Year List addition:
175. Mandarin

Tuesday 27th October

A Firecrest around the Entrance Bushes had earlier been seen on the ground fighting with a Goldcrest, both ignoring the observer and having to be separated. 

Ringing News: The first two DCWRG Exe ringed Dunlin were back for the winter.

Other Wildlife: Good numbers of Common Darter still around the ponds, plus a couple of Migrant Hawker in sheltered areas. Little else on the wing apart from single Peacock and Small Copper, the latter on Sea Rocket. Also, on Sea Rocket several late Ivy Bee, switching to this nectar source as flowering Ivy goes over. 

Common Darter - Alan Keatley

Ivy Bee - Alan Keatley

At ground level a Common Springtail-stalker Notiophilus biguttatus and a few rove beetles including Tasgius ater and a tiny Aleochara bipunctatus. 

Common Springtail-stalker Notiophilus biguttatus - Alan Keatley

Tasgius ater - Alan Keatley

Monday 26th October

Counts from the estuary over the evening high tide included 1,200 Wigeon, 276 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 137 Turnstone, 130 Dunlin, 87 Black-tailed Godwit, 82 Shelduck, 65 Great Black-backed and 10 Mediterranean Gull, 53 Mute Swan, 26 Knot, 13 Greenshank, 10 Great Crested Grebe, a Whimbrel and a late Curlew Sandpiper. 

Off the estuary mouth the three Eider still, six Common Scoter and three Great Northern Diver.

Other Wildlife: A Grey Seal was on Bull Hill.

Friday 23rd October

Seawatching from sunrise saw 329 Gannet and 209 Kittiwake head south in 50 minutes before the rain returned and just two Gannet passed in 30 minutes. Also heading south a 1CY Yellow-legged Gull, eight Great Northern Diver, eight Common Scoter, two Wigeon and 90 Oystercatcher, the latter presumably heading for the Teign after a rough night. 

Counts from the estuary included 194 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 115 Dunlin, 78 Great Black-backed Gull, 27 Sanderling, 26 Grey Plover, 14 Greenshank, 11 Black-tailed Godwit, two Mediterranean Gull, a Pintail and a Snipe, which flew and landed on Finger Point amongst the roosting gulls. 

Thursday 22nd October

Counts from the estuary included over 1,000 Wigeon, 680 Teal, 208 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, including just two juveniles, 120 Dunlin, 56 Shelduck, 48 Mute Swan, 24 Sanderling,18 Greenshank, 18 Grey Plover, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit and single Mediterranean Gull and Whimbrel. 

Elsewhere the three Eider and five Common Scoter were offshore.

Kestrel - Dean Hall

Other Wildlife: Two Grey Seal were in the estuary and the sunny morning still saw a few active insects, including a Hornet, a scarce sighting this year. 

Migrant Hawker - Dean Hall

Wednesday 21st October

A 75 minute seawatch from first light saw many birds distantly passing SW across the bay, in the strong NW winds. Counts included 312 Kittiwake, 224 Gannet, 30+ Razorbill, with most/all 280 auk sp likely the same, 12 Common and four Mediterranean Gull, a Great Northern Diver and a diver sp. On the sea seven Common Scoter and the three Eider.

The Spotted Redshank was again in the estuary early afternoon, along with the ringed 1CY intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull, 210 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 80 Dunlin, 34 Knot, 34 Ringed and three Grey Plover, 16 Greenshank, three Black-tailed Godwit, a Pintail and a Whimbrel.

Elsewhere a Bullfinch and a Firecrest were in Dead Dolphin Wood, 55 Linnet were in The Bight, six Chiffchaff were on site and 18 Goldfinch and a Chaffinch were overhead.

Other Wildlife: Two Red Admiral flew west.

Tuesday 20th October

Another day of arrivals with two Cattle Egret and an immature Marsh Harrier over the estuary, where there were counts of 97 Dunlin, 44 Ringed Plover, 44 Turnstone, 28 Knot, 20 Black-tailed Godwit, 17 Greenshank, five Pintail, a Whimbrel and the 1CY intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Offshore three fem/imm Eider arrived late morning, earlier seen at Hope's Nose, 60 Common Scoter were in several flocks across the bay and a Red-throated Diver circled before dropping in. 

Eider - Lee Collins

There was limited but varied movement overhead including the first Redpoll of autumn, 40 Goldfinch, 20 Greenfinch, 20 Skylark, six Swallow, two Siskin and single Golden Plover, House Martin and Redwing. 

Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler was in the Buffer Zone, a Firecrest was by Dead Dolphin Wood with six Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest on site.