Sunday 31st August

A Grey Phalarope feeding close off the seawall was a surprise start to the day especially considering the calm, sunny conditions. Also offshore two Arctic Skua and a Great Northern Diver. The highlight of the day was however the seventh Rose-coloured Starling for the recording area, a very mobile juvenile with 100+ Starling. Other migrants included a Whinchat in Greenland Lake, two Yellow Wagtail, a Little Ringed Plover and a Hobby overhead, three Sedge Warbler, a Spotted Flycatcher and a Nuthatch. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with seven Wigeon, six Common Sandpiper, 200+ Common and an Arctic Tern and a first winter Yellow-legged Gull.

 Nuthatch - Lee Collins

Rose-coloured Starling https://twitter.com/DawlishBirder/status/506155639488651264/photo/1 

 

Wildlife News: At two Clouded Yellow were on site with both Common and Grey Seal in the estuary.

Common Seal - Lee Collins

 

Ringing News: August has been a record month for recoveries on the Warren, thanks mainly to the excellent opportunities available from the hide. Over the month rings have been read on 63 different birds of 11 species. In total there have been 137 individual reads showing the site fidelity for many individuals.

 

Whilst the recording group are still awaiting details from ringers/ BTO for many of the records, birds have been traced from Poland (Black-headed Gull), Ireland (Little Tern), Guernsey, Norway, Dorset, France (Great Black-backed Gull), Cleveland (Common Tern) and Cornwall (Cormorant).

 

Saturday 30th August

With all five regular observers on site and nearly eleven hours birded, coverage today was good.  Including a pulse of passage south at sea before dawn, terns totals were 319 Common, 110 Sandwich, 6 Little, 4 Arctic, an adult Roseate and a juv Black Tern.   The sea was otherwise quiet with 35+ Gannet south, a Razorbill and 30 Common Scoter inshore.  Both high tides produced best counts of a juv Little Ringed Plover, 235 Ringed Plover, 319 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Ruff, two Knot, 25 Sanderling, 230 Dunlin, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Whimbrel, 485 Curlew, 1 Green Sandpiper, 7 Common Sandpiper, a juv Curlew Sandpiper and 2 Turnstone.  Within the estuary, there was the resident Slavonian Grebe, 1 Bar-headed Goose with the Canada Goose flocks; 1 Wigeon, 3 Teal, a site notable count of 58 Mallard; 6+ Little Egret and 7 Mediterranean Gull.  An Osprey made a brief sortie over the site at lunchtime. Two Kingfishers ranged widely.

Little movement overhead with 5 Grey Wagtail, 2 Meadow Pipit, a few Swallows, one Sand Martin, two Jackdaw, two Rook and four Raven. The bushes, dunes and reed-beds were uneventful with 2 Wheatear, 3 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 9 Blackcap, 10 Whitethroat, 15 Chiffchaff, 4 Willow Warbler, and the now semi-resident Treecreeper,  Though suspected for some time, pair of Collared Dove defending their nest against a couple of Magpies, was the first confirmed breeding record on site. 

Friday 29th August

There were still 180 Common Tern on Finger Point this morning with many more further upriver, also on Finger Point four Little and a Roseate Tern with a Black Tern over Bull Hill. Wader counts included 318 Redshank, 236 Dunlin, 160+ Ringed Plover with single Greenshank and Common Sandpiper. Elsewhere a Whinchat was on the Golf Course, three Grey Wagtail were overhead and the Slavonian Grebe, five Mediterranean Gull and a Kingfisher were in Shutterton Creek.

Thursday 28th August

Terns were again the main feature of the day with a movement of 501 Common Tern south before 7am with over 400 of those in just 20 minutes after dawn. The minimum count for the day was 747 birds, although 600+ were off site upriver late evening.  With these there were 168+ Sandwich Tern, at least 11 Arctic Tern, six Little, two Black and a single Roseate Tern. Waders included three Little Ringed Plover, the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, a juvenile Ruff, two Greenshank and eight Common Sandpiper with other counts including 1651 Oystercatcher, 296 Redshank, 283 Dunlin, and 268 Ringed Plover. Elsewhere migrants included single Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler and Yellow Wagtail, with an Osprey, four Swift and a Grey Wagtail overhead, the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood and the Treecreeper was again in the Entrance Bushes.

 Common Tern - Lee Collins

 Ruff - Lee Collins

Curlew Sandpiper - Simon Thurgood

Wednesday 27th August

Terns were the order of the day with incredible numbers around and passing through the site, although many were missed as no observers were on site early morning. In the afternoon Common Tern in their hundreds were flying south over the Bight and out to sea; many others remained in the estuary sheltering until pushed off by tide before heading upriver. A minimum of 865 were counted, the highest count for the recording area since 1000 in May 1973. With these flocks were at least 11 Black Tern, including a moulting adult, nine Little Tern, at least five Arctic Tern and three Roseate Tern, including two first summers. With all these there were also at least 275 Sandwich Tern. Other species didn't get much of a look in but a Shoveler was offshore, six Teal were in the estuary, five Wheatear were on the golf course and amongst the smaller waders there was a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper.

Roseate Terns - Lee Collins

Ringing News: A colour-ringed juvenile Little Tern first noted from the hide at the weekend was again present today. Although too distant to read the darvic code the colour and position of the ring meant it can be tracked back to its natal colony at Kilcoole, Co Wicklow, Ireland http://littleternconservation.blogspot.co.uk/
This is the first Little Tern recovery for the recording area and Devon.

Tuesday 26th August

Good numbers of terns remained around site with at least one juvenile Arctic Tern with 59 Common Tern on Finger Point, also feeding either in the estuary or offshore 17 Mediterranean Gull and the second winter Little Gull. Counts from the estuary included 278 Redshank, 218 Ringed Plover, 202 Dunlin, 16 Sanderling, three Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, the summer plumaged Grey Plover, a Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a Coot on the Main Pond was the first for the year, three Wheatear were on site and a Grey Wagtail was overhead.

Common Tern (top) & Arctic Tern - Lee Collins

Wildlife News: The Grey Seal was close offshore by groyne nine.

Monday 25th August

The wet weather that moved through during the day produced large numbers of terns around site with minimum counts of 200+ Sandwich, 120+ Common and at least six Arctic Tern with single Little and Black Tern also seen. Other counts included 480+ Curlew, 242+ Great Black-backed Gull,  212 Ringed Plover, 154 Dunlin,  20+ Whimbrel, 19 Black and six Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Sanderling, eight Mediterranean Gull and single Knot, Greenshank and Grey Plover. Elsewhere a Redstart was in Greenland Lake, three Balearic Shearwater and a Great Northern Diver were offshore, two Shoveler were in the Bight and the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary.

Knot, Black-tailed Godwit (both juveniles) & Turnstone  - Lee Collins

Wildlife News: At least five Bottle-nosed Dolphin were offshore early morning, a Grey Seal was in the estuary and Jersey Lily Amaryllis belladonna is in flower on Warren Neck - a first for a recording area.

Sunday 24th August

A small arrival of migrants included single Whinchat, Sedge Warbler and Yellow Wagtail, two Willow Warbler and five Wheatear. The Little Tern was in estuary with 196+ Sandwich and 25+ Common Tern whilst wader counts included 183 Dunlin, 142 Ringed Plover, seven Sanderling, five Bar and five Black-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, a Knot and a Common Sandpiper.

Ringed Plover - Lee Collins

Saturday 23rd August

A juvenile Little Ringed Plover in front of the hide and a Hobby that flew through south were new arrivals with the juvenile Litte Tern, Great Northern Diver and Slavonian Grebe all still present.

Little Tern - David Boult

Friday 22nd August

A juvenile Little Tern was feeding offshore this afternoon with Sandwich and 89+ Common Tern. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 158 Ringed Plover, 132 Dunlin, 79+ Great Black-backed Gull, 10 Sanderling, six Mediterranean Gull, four Black-tailed Godwit and single Knot and Greenshank.

Thursday 21st August

The Slavonian Grebe and Great Northern Diver were both in the estuary with 185+ Redshank, 140+ Sandwich Tern and four Mediterranean Gull.
 

Wednesday 20th August

Good numbers of terns still around site today with minimum totals of 156 Sandwich and 64 Common Tern, with them a couple of juvenile Arctic Tern and whilst watching from John's Watch a Hobby dashed through to the south and single Shoveler and Teal were sat on the sea. . Elsewhere counts from the estuary included 165+ Ringed Plover, 100+ Dunlin, six Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, a Knot and a Greenshank with the Slavonian Grebe still off Cockwood.

Tuesday 19th August

The recent run of whitebait just offshore has seen a decent arrival of terns around the estuary. Today at least 46 Common Tern were offshore along with singe Arctic and only the second Roseate Tern of the autumn. Elsewhere four Knot were on the rising tide with the usual waders with a Redstart and Garden Warbler around Greenland Lake.

Monday 18th August

Wader counts from the estuary included 280 Ringed Plover, 111 Dunlin, 13 Sanderling, eight Black and four Bar-tailed Godwit, four Turnstone and two Greenshank. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe and at least two juvenile Mediterranean Gull.

Wildlife News: At least one Clouded Yellow was in Greenland Lake with good numbers of Brown Argus on the wing.

 Brown Argus - Simon Thurgood

Clouded Yellow - Simon Thurgood

Sunday 17th August

No noticeable arrival of migrants overnight but a Redstart remained with four Wheatear, two Willow and a Garden Warbler. In the estuary the Great Northern Diver and Slavonian Grebe were still in Shutterton Creek with selected wader counts of 219 Redshank, 154 Ringed Plover, 133 Dunlin, 12 Whimbrel, 11 Sanderling, nine Black and two Bar-tailed Godwit, six Turnstone, the summer plumaged Knot and a Greenshank.  Also in the estuary 218 Sandwich and 25+ Common Tern, the second winter Little Gull, a first winter Yellow-legged Gull, 10+ Mediterranean Gull and 107+ Great Black-backed Gull.

 Knot - Lee Collins

Common Tern - Lee Collins

Ringing News: Records from the hide in recent days include a Belgian ringed Sandwich Tern and four juvenile Great Black-backed Gull from the colony on Portland Harbour breakwater.

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was in the estuary and hoverflies seen recently include the impressive Hornet-mimic Volucella zonaria and the migrant Scaeva pyrastri.

Saturday 16th August

A small arrival of migrants overnight was headlined by a couple of Redstart in Greenland Lake, along with two Wheatear, three Willow, a Garden and a Sedge Warbler. The counts of 15 Blackcap, 13 Chiffchaff, 12 Whitethroat and seven Reed Warbler however no doubt included Warren birds. Overhead there were a couple of Meadow Pipit heading east along with 214+ Swallow, 64+ House and two Sand Martin. A Great Northern Diver was in the estuary with the Slavonian Grebe, 80+ Sandwich and 14 Common Tern, a couple of first winter Yellow-legged Gull on Finger Point, a Green Sandpiper and 11 Mediterranean Gull. Wader counts included 536 Curlew, 242 Ringed Plover, 204 Redshank, 149 Dunlin, 20 Sanderling, nine Whimbrel, three Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, two Greenshank, two Snipe and single summer plumaged Knot, Grey Plover and Turnstone. Elsewhere an Arctic Skua was offshore and the Treecreeper was again behind the Main Pond.

 Great Northern Diver - Lee Collins

Greenshank - Lee Collins

Wildlife News: A Weasel showed well in Greenland Lake attempting to catch a couple of young Pied Wagtail unawares. Butterflies included several Brown Argus along with migrant Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady and Red Admiral.

Friday 15th August

Waders continue to move through site with a flock of 23 Black-tailed Godwit of note at this end of the estuary. Other counts included 103+ Ringed Plover, 10 Sanderling, five Bar-tailed Godwit, three Turnstone and a Common Sandpiper. Also in the estuary 15 Common Tern, including 10 juvs, and at least seven Mediterranean Gull with the Little Gull offshore.

Sanderling - Dave Jewell

Thursday 14th August

Counts from the estuary included 380+ Curlew, 153 Ringed Plover, 80+ Dunlin, seven Common Tern, four Turnstone, three Mediterranean Gull and single Common Sandpiper and Greenshank.

 Sandwich Tern - Lee Collins

Common Tern - Dave Jewell

Wildlife News: Jersey Tiger have been on the wing for a couple of weeks and the first Autumn Ladies-tresses are in flower in Greenland Lake.

Wednesday 13th August

The second winter Little Gull was in front of the hide with the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary. Counts from here and the beach roost included 1475 Oystercatcher, 449 Curlew, 218 Sandwich and 15+ Common Tern, 203 Redshank, 164 Ringed Plover, 110 Dunlin, 13 Black and five Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Sanderling, 10 Whimbrel, five Mediterranean Gull and single Knot, Turnstone and Common Sandpiper.

 Little Egret - Lee Collins

 

Little Gull - Lee Collins

Tuesday 12th August

The second winter Little Gull was again feeding offshore with 150+ Sandwich and 14 Common Tern also either there or roosting on sandbars in the estuary. Counts from the estuary included 180+ Great Black-backed Gull, 133 Ringed Plover, 58 Dunlin, 38 Whimbrel, two Common Sandpiper and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere seven Wheatear were on site.

Monday 11th August

Following yesterday's blow it was a return to more routine fare with just 10 Manx Shearwater offshore along with a Great Northern Diver. The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 16 Common Tern, at least eight Mediterranean Gull, 174+ Great Black-backed Gull, 110+ Dunlin, 106+ Ringed Plover, 55 Sanderling and single Turnstone, Black-tailed Godwit and a Common Sandpiper.  Elsewhere a Treecreeper was in the Entrance Bushes and five Wheatear and at least four Willow Warbler were on site.

 Common Sandpiper - Lee Collins

 Mediterranean Gull (german ringed) - Lee Collins

Mediterranean Gull - Simon Thurgood

Sunday 10th August

The remnants of Hurricane Bertha provided an unexpected highlight with the second site record of Great Shearwater found lingering with gulls off the seawall for at least 15 minutes. Even more unexpected were the third and fourth records both heading south between 8.10-8.20am. The only previous record was on 18th August 2000. Also south offshore two Balearic Shearwater, c40 Manx Shearwater, c30 Gannet, c20 Fulmar, two Arctic and two Great Skua. Elsewhere counts from the estuary included 169+ Great Black-backed Gull, 120+ Sandwich and 20 Common Tern, 100+ Ringed Plover, 16+ Mediterranean Gull, a Grey Plover and the Slavonian Grebe.

Saturday 9th August

The highlight of the day was the arrival of a second Treecreeper with both birds in bushes behind the Crocus compound. Other migrants on site included five Wheatear, two Sedge and a Garden Warbler. In the estuary the highlight was a new site record with a count of 21 Mediterranean Gull, other counts included 151 Sandwich and seven Common Tern, 1425 Oystercatcher, 471 Curlew, 138 Redshank, 102 Dunlin, 68 Ringed Plover, 52 Sanderling, 24 Whimbrel, 18 Little Egret, six Common Sandpiper, three Turnstone, three Bar-tailed Godwit and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a second winter Little Gull was offshore and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was on Finger Point.

Wheatear - Simon Thurgood

 

Wildlife News: A Clouded Yellow was one of the species recorded on the Big Butterfly Count and at least a dozen Small Red-eyed Damselfy.

Friday 8th August

Counts from the estuary included four Little and three Common Tern, both family groups, with 99+ Ringed Plover, 56 Sanderling, 55+ Great Black-backed Gull, 10 Whimbrel, seven Mediterranean Gull, four Black and a Bar-tailed Godwit, a smart summer plumaged Grey Plover, a Kittiwake in front of the hide and a Slavonian Grebe.

 Kittiwake - Lee Collins

Ringing News: Two new Great Black-backed Gull were seen, a juvenile and a second summer, both from Northern France, two new Mediterranean Gull also from France and return visits from a Dutch Sandwich Tern and a Polish Black-headed Gull all recorded from the hide.

 Black-headed Gull - Lee Collins

Great Black-backed Gull - Lee Collins

Wednesday 6th August

A continuing slight increase in passage numbers in the estuary with counts of 194 Ringed Plover, 189+ Sandwich and two Common Tern, 84 Dunlin, 57 Sanderling, six Whimbrel, five Bar-tailed Godwit, two Turnstone and a Common Sandpiper. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe and a Bar-headed Goose with 23 Common Scoter and a Great Northern Diver offshore.

Tuesday 5th August

A Caspian Tern flirted with the Warren today but was never actually noted in the recording area, so missed out on becoming the site's second record. Counts from the estuary made whilst not seeing the tern included 180+ Sandwich Tern, 133+ Ringed Plover, 120+ Redshank, 69 Great Black-backed Gull, c60 Sanderling, 50+ Dunlin, nine Turnstone and seven Whimbrel. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, at least seven Mediterranean Gull and a Common Sandpiper.

Monday 4th August

Wader counts included 1030 Oystercatcher, 168 Ringed Plover, 47 Dunlin, 46+ Sanderling, five Bar-tailed Godwit and a Turnstone. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, 120+ Sandwich Tern, 40+ Great Black-backed and a Mediterranean Gull.

 Ringed Plover - Lee Collins

Bar-tailed Godwit - Lee Collins

 

Wildlife News: The Common Seal was in the estuary.

Sunday 3rd August

A small arrival of migrants today with at least three Sedge Warbler on site and the first two Grey Wagtail of the autumn overhead. Also on site 13+ Blackcap, 11+ Whitethroat, seven Willow Warbler and a White Wagtail with the Treecreeper in Dead Dolphin Wood. Elsewhere a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was in front of the hide with 101 Sandwich Tern whilst wader counts included 74 Ringed Plover, 68 Dunlin and 57 Sanderling.

Wildlife News: A helice Clouded Yellow was on Warren Point and checking the few remaining Tamarisk bushes on site the RDB2 bug Tuponia mixticolor was seen along with the froghopper Opsius stactogalus, another Tamarisk dependant species.

Saturday 2nd August

The highlight was a Wood Sandpiper in the Bight briefly mid morning,other waders included 700+ Oystercatcher, 461 Curlew, 126 Redshank, 119 Ringed Plover, 68 Dunlin, 44 Sanderling, 12 Whimbrel, 12 Turnstone and six Bar-tailed Godwit. Also in the estuary 173 Sandwich Tern, 14 Little Egret and five Mediterranean Gull. Elsewhere four Willow Warbler were on site, 42 Common Scoter and four Great-crested Grebe were offshore with four Manx Shearwater south.

Wildlife News: At least 20 Small Red-eyed Damselfly were on the Main Pond.