Friday 20th February

A Curlew Sandpiper was a surprise find when searching the Dunlin flocks for ringed birds, only the second winter record for the Warren after one on 1st January 1987. Also in the estuary 169 Common Gull, 92 Knot, 16 Lesser Black-backed Gull and single Avocet, Greenshank, Peregrine and the 4CY Yellow-legged Gull.

Curlew Sandpiper & Dunlin - Lee Collins

Elsewhere 73 Dark-bellied Brent Geese were feeding in the Golf Course with a separate flock of c100 that flew high east from estuary late afternoon, 18 Common Scoter, two Great Northern Diver and a Fulmar were offshore, 45 Linnet and a Snipe were on Warren Point and the Cetti's Warbler was by the Car Park.

Year List addition:
109. Curlew Sandpiper

Thursday 19th February

A low tide visit, so no meaningful estuary counts, the Cetti's Warbler remains around the car park, 16 Common Scoter were off the seawall and a pair of Mute Swan were by the Main Pond was a welcome sighting; the previous breeding male disappeared in November 2024 with the female remaining single throughout 2025, even incubating an unfertilised clutch. 

Mute Swan - Alan Keatley

Other Wildlife: Despite a sunny start the wind and temperature was keeping insects under cover including two black ground beetles; Mitten Blackclock Pterostichus nigrita and Great Blackclock Pterostichus niger on the edge of Dead Dolphin Wood.

Mitten Blackclock Pterostichus nigrita - Alan Keatley

Great Blackclock Pterostichus niger - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 17th February

Two 2CY Little Gull were feeding offshore mid afternoon with 34 Great Crested Grebe, seven Common Scoter, five Great Northern and four Red-throated Diver. 

Continuing signs of spring passage with 310 Black-headed, 85 Common, 16 Lesser Black-backed and two adult Mediterranean Gull, with 25 Shelduck, 23 Teal, 12 Greenshank, three Red-breasted Merganser, two Avocet, two Wigeon and a hunting Peregrine also in the estuary.

Oystercatcher - Jim Summers

Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler was around the Buffer Zone and car park, 12 Siskin, four Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest were in the bushes and, on the Main Pond single Cormorant, Little Grebe, Shoveler and Water Rail. 

Year List addition:
108. Feral Pigeon

Other Wildlife: A dry day but the drop in temperature limited insect activity with most finds sheltering under logs or driftwood, including the coastal specialist ground beetle Calathus cinctus and the darkling beetle Nalassus laevioctostriatus. 

Calathus cinctus - Alan Keatley

Nalassus laevioctostriatus - Alan Keatley

Monday 16th February

Counts from the evening high tide included 310 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 140 Common Gull, 22 Teal, 20 Snipe which left the saltmarsh at dusk, 10 Greenshank, seven Black-tailed Godwit, four Wigeon, three Avocet and two Red-breasted Merganser. 

Sunday 15th February

Counts from the estuary high tide included 270 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 130 Common Gull, 100 Bar-tailed Godwit, 29 Sanderling, 25 Ringed Plover, 14 Teal, 12 Greenshank, five Red-breasted Merganser and four Avocet.

Elsewhere eight Great Northern Diver were offshore with at least 45 Magpie to roost and the Cetti's Warbler was still in good voice around the car park. 

Saturday 14th February

A welcome springlike day saw increased activity around the bushes, the Cetti's Warbler was singing in the carpark, seemingly unfazed by the increase in visitors, with the Dartford Warbler near the Visitor Centre and at least five Chiffchaff and three Goldcrest on site. Many resident species were also in song including the Little Grebe on the Main Pond with two Chaffinch and a Siskin flying north.

Elsewhere three Great Northern Diver were offshore and the usual waders and wildfowl were in the estuary including 137 Curlew, 28 Shelduck, 12 Greenshank, 11 Teal, four Wigeon and a Great Northern Diver. 

Other Wildlife: The sunny conditions saw enough warmth for the first hoverflies of year, a couple of Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax on the Alexanders along with at least half a dozen fly species, including the first Orange-bearded Bluebottle Calliphora vomitoria of the year. 

Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax - Alan Keatley

Also emerging in the sunshine, a few Gorse Shieldbug, and with the sand drying out, the nationally scarce Dune Jumper Marpissa nivoyi and the not so rare money spider Stemonyphantes lineatus amongst the Marram and a Cucumber Spider Araniella cucurbitina lurking in Holly.

Dune Jumper Marpissa nivoyi - Alan Keatley

Gorse Shieldbug - Alan Keatley

Friday 13th January

Counts from the estuary over the afternoon high tide included 1,740 Dunlin, 75 Bar and 42 Black-tailed Godwit, 42 Grey and 28 Ringed Plover, 30 Sanderling, 14 Greenshank, five Red-breasted Merganser and a Great Northern Diver. 

Elsewhere 12 Great Northern and four Red-throated Diver were offshore with 18 Great Crested Grebe, 18 Wigeon and 10 Common Scoter. 

Ringing News: A total of 59 birds of seven species were recorded this afternoon; 33 Dunlin, 18 Oystercatcher and four Grey Plover from DCWRG projects, and single wintering Brent Goose from the Netherlands, Great Black-backed Gull from Looe, Cornwall, Knot from Wales, and Ringed Plover from Hampshire.

Elsewhere Oystercatcher 2C was recorded on Tiree, Argyll today for the third spring in a row, although it has not been recorded on the Exe since April 2020. 

Oystercatcher 2C back from Dawlish Warren, Devon today at Kirkapol, Tiree for the third spring running - in amongst hundreds of Oystercatchers now back to breed on the island #BirdingScotland

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— John Bowler (@tireebirder.bsky.social) 13 February 2026 at 14:54

Thursday 12th February

A minimum of 153 Common Gull were in the estuary on the rising tide, a welcome sign of spring passage. Also present 236 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 107 Knot, 20 Greenshank, 11 Teal, nine Avocet, four Red-breasted Merganser, two Wigeon, an adult Mediterranean Gull and the wintering Merlin. 

Elsewhere a 2CY Little Gull was offshore with 10 Common Scoter, eight Red-throated and six Great Northern Diver, and the Dartford Warbler was on the Golf Course. 

Wednesday 11th February

The Merlin was hunting waders around The Bight over the low high tide, with counts from the estuary including 144 Redshank, 118+ Common Gull, 57 Turnstone, 55 Bar and 40 Black-tailed Godwit, 23 Ringed Plover, 22 Greenshank, 21 Avocet, 16 Teal, five Red-breasted Merganser and a Great Northern Diver.

Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler was in fine song today, maybe this year will see the first bird breeding territory, the first two Stock Dove of the year dropped into the saltmarsh with six Common Scoter and two Great Northern Diver offshore.

Greenland Lake - both Dean Hall
Probably the most extensive flooding since the area was tidal. With the erosion from recent storms if we get another winter like this one it may be tidal again by next year. 

Year List addition:
107. Stock Dove

Other Wildlife: An increasing variety of invertebrates in the drier conditions including a Lesne's Earwig in the dunes, along with the ground spider Micaria micans and a Hedgehog Slug Arion intermedius, and more flies on the Alexanders. 

Lesne's Earwig - Alan Keatley

Micaria micans - Alan Keatley

Hedgehog Slug Arion intermedius - Alan Keatley

Phaonia tuguriorum - Alan Keatley

Suillia variegata - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 10th February

The first Cattle Egret of the year flew S from Cockwood early morning with a Greylag Goose doing the same a couple of hours later, briefly landing in Shutterton Creek. Also in the estuary 329 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 100+ Bar-tailed Godwit, 31 Ringed Plover, 16 Avocet, 11 Teal, six Greenshank, two Red-breasted Merganser and a Great Northern Diver.

An adult Little Gull was offshore along with 10 Great Crested Grebe, eight Common Scoter and eight Great Northern Diver with two Mute Swan in off the sea. Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler was singing from the car park, two Cirl Bunting were in Greenland Lake, the species has been very scarce this winter, and 10 Long-tailed Tit, two Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest were in the bushes. 

Cirl Bunting - Dean Hall

Year List additions:
106. Greylag Goose
105. Cattle Egret