Thursday 31st July

No news was received.

Ringing News: July proved especially rewarding for reading rings on the Warren, in fact it was the best ever month on site.

With the customary July build-up of Black-headed Gull (an Exe estimate would suggest 3000+) and returning Sandwich Tern noisily making their presence known along with building numbers of Oystercatcher. Dozens of visits, on many occasions twice a day, were carried out to work both tides with a heavy focus on finding any readable ringed bird. The vast majority on these reads were from birds close in front of the hide.

 

In total for the month there were 61 reads, from five species: Oystercatcher (14, 22), Great Black-backed Gull (1, 1), Black-headed Gull (7, 12), Mediterranean Gull (4, 5) and Sandwich Tern (14, 21). The numbers quoted in brackets signify the number of birds and then the number of reads. We await details on many, but known recoveries have come via Scotland, Holland, Belgium, Germany and Poland.

The next best single month at the Warren regards recoveries was in December 2013, when 41 rings were read.

Wednesday 30th July

A Wood Sandpiper calling over the Main Pond mid morning was the highlight. Elsewhere a juvenile Mediterranean Gull was with good numbers of Sandwich Tern close in front of the hide.

 

Sandwich Tern - Simon Thurgood

Tuesday 29th July

A Little Tern was in front of the hide this evening with 80+ Sandwich and a single Common Tern. Also in front of the hide the first Snipe of autumn with wader counts of 439 Curlew, 152 Redshank, 75 Dunlin, 60+ Sanderling, 49 Ringed Plover, seven Turnstone, five Whimbrel, a Grey Plover and a Common Sandpiper. Elsewhere two Mediterranean Gull were on the beach, a Kestrel was on Warren Point and a Whinchat was on Finger Point.

Wildlife News: A Clouded Yellow was on the Golf course this afternoon.

Sunday 27th July

Good numbers of waders remain on site with counts of 150 Redshank, 131 Dunlin, 57 Sanderling, 25 Ringed Plover and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Turnstone. Elsewhere at least six Mediterranean and the Little Gull were with the Black-headed Gull flock along the beach.

Saturday 26th July

Further evidence of autumn migration today with counts of 115 Redshank, 109 Dunlin, 64 Sanderling, 40 Ringed Plover and two Bar-tailed Godwit. Amongst the Black-headed Gull were at least five Mediterranean and a Little Gull with a different juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and an Arctic Skua offshore and the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary.

Little Gull - Lee Collins

Friday 25th July

The first, and perhaps only, Ruff of the year was in front of the hide over the evening tide with 125 Dunlin, 36 Sanderling, 22 Ringed Plover, three Turnstone and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. Elsewhere 11 Mediterranean Gull and a Little Gull were along the beach with 380+ Black-headed Gull.

Ruff - Lee Collins

Thursday 24th July

The first Jay of the year was by the Main Pond with the first Treecreeper in the Entrance Bushes, although that was apparently first seen last week. More typical migrants on site included at least five Willow and a Garden Warbler. Elsewhere five Shoveler and a Red-throated Diver were offshore, single Little, Yellow-legged and at least eight Mediterranean Gull were in the estuary with counts of 40+ Redshank, 31+ Whimbrel, 22 Ringed Plover, 19 Dunlin, two Bar-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank.

Wednesday 23rd July

A juvenile Redstart, the first of the year, was reported but no other news was received.

Tuesday 22nd July

The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood with single Yellow-legged and Mediterranean Gull also in the estuary.

Monday 21st July

An unringed juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was on Bull Hill with five Common Sandpiper, the Slavonian Grebe, 300+ Curlew and 98+ Sandwich Tern also in the estuary.

Sunday 20th July

More signs of autumn passage with two Willow Warbler and a juvenile Wheatear on site and 40 Swallow through. In the estuary wader counts included 390 Oystercatcher, 370 Curlew, 18 Dunlin, 16 Sanderling, 15 Whimbrel, five Ringed Plover, two Bar-tailed Godwit and a Turnstone. Also in the estuary 126 Sandwich Tern, five Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe with a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull on the beach with a Spanish ring.

Saturday 19th July

The overnight rain dropped some waders into the estuary with 99 Dunlin, 34 Sanderling and 14 Ringed Plover all notable increases; with them three Little Ringed Plover, eight Common Sandpiper and five Black-tailed Godwit. Also in the estuary 156+ Sandwich Tern, at least six Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere the first migrant Willow Warbler was by the Main Pond and c50 Common Scoter, 20 Manx Shearwater and five Common Tern were offshore.

Mediterranean Gull - both Laurie Allnatt

 

Wildlife News: Small Red-eyed Damselfly are out on the Main Pond, the most westerly UK location for this species, also there Emperor Dragonfly and Common Darter with a Black-tailed Skimmer around the Bight. Elsewhere several Lesser Cockroach were seen aloing the Dune Ridge, second generation Brown Argus and Common Blue were on the wing with 150+ Gatekeeper. In the estuary both Common and Grey Seal were present.

 

 

 

Friday 18th July

The Slavonian Grebe remains off Cockwood with 144+ Sandwich Tern and two Mediterranean Gull on the mudflats late afternoon.

Thursday 17th July

Tern numbers continue to slowly rise with 138+ Sandwich Tern this afternoon, other species are however thin on the ground. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe and a second summer Mediterranean Gull.

Wednesday 16th July

Counts from the estuary included 100+ Sandwich and a Common Tern, six Mediterranean Gull, five Dunlin, four Ringed Plover, two Sanderling, a Bar-tailed Godwit and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Teal was offshore with a flock of 15 Common Scoter.

Mediterranean Gull (juvenile) - Lee Collins

Tuesday 15th July

Tern numbers continue to rise with 133+ Sandwich Tern in the estuary with a new colour-ringed bird in front of the hide, this one from Scotland. Also in the estuary a returning Red-breasted Merganser, a Kingfisher, two Mediterranean Gull and single Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Bar and Black-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere a Great Northern Diver was again offshore with 53 Shag.

Ringing News: This Black-headed Gull (T6TM) was ringed 1677km to the east as a pullus at Truskaw, Izabelin, Mazowiekie in Poland on 08/06/2011. This was the first sighting since ringing.

Black-headed Gull (T6TM) - Lee Collins

View Black-headed Gull 12 July 2014 in a larger map

Monday 14th July

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with six Teal and a few new waders. Counts included 350+ Curlew, 114+ Sandwich Tern, nine Dunlin, three Mediterranean Gull, three Turnstone, three Common Sandpiper, two Common Tern, two Ringed Plover, a Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

Mediterranean Gull - Dave Jewell

Sunday 13th July

Aside from Curlew and Oystercatcher wader numbers remain low in the estuary with just 15 Redshank, eight Whimbrel, four Ringed Plover and a Dunlin over the high tide. Also in and around the the estuary over 100 Sandwich Tern, including a Dutch ringed bird. Elsewhere three Mediterranean Gull were along the beach with single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver offshore.

Wildlife News: Gatekeeper are starting to match Meadow Brown in numbers on the wing and Marsh Helleborine are in full flower in Greenland Lake.

Saturday 12th July

Counts from the estuary included c400 Curlew, 80+ Sandwich Tern with 14 juveniles, 30 Redshank, 16 Whimbrel, six Mediterranean Gull, three Common Sandpiper, two Common Tern, a Ringed Plover and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Great Northern Diver and 15 Common Scoter were offshore and the first Sedge Warbler of the autumn was on site.

Wildlife News: Great Green Bush Cricket are now vocal around site.

Friday 11th July

The Slavonian Grebe remains in the estuary and a Little Ringed Plover was reported but no other news was received.

Wednesday 9th July

The Slavonian Grebe was in Shutterton Creek but no other news was received.

Monday 7th July

Single Little and Common Tern were offshore but no other news was received.

Sunday 6th July

The highlight was unseen from the Warren, the site's fifth Great White Egret was watched flying through the recording area early morning, later being seen off Starcross. Elsewhere the first Roseate Tern of the autumn was offshore with Sandwich Tern, two Mediterranean Gull and a single Arctic Skua.

Saturday 5th July

Numbers of passage waders continue to increase with 382 Curlew, 267 Oystercatcher, 10 Redshank, seven Dunlin, four Whimbrel and a Ringed Plover. Also in the estuary 87 Sandwich Tern, a Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe.

Little Grebe - Lee Collins

Thursday 3rd July

The Slavonian Grebe remains in the estuary but no other news was received.

Tuesday 1st July

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 80+ Sandwich Tern, 12 Dunlin, two Ringed Plover and two adult Mediterranean Gull.