Thursday 30th June

In front of the hide, over the afternoon high tide, there were approximately 186 Oystercatcher along with 26 Sandwich Tern, 15 Great Black-backed and a Common Gull and three juvenile Pied Wagtail. Also in the estuary c50 Black-headed Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere a few Skylark remain on the Point but little else except the usual Linnet, Whitethroat and Starling, and a couple of Gannet were feeding offshore towards Orcombe joined later by the Sandwich Tern.

Wildlife News: Marsh Helleborine are in flower in Greenland Lake and a lone Pyramidal Orchid is along the Dune Ridge.

Pyramidal Orchid - Alan Keatley

  

Friday 24th June

A post-Referendum early morning jaunt to the high tide produced 245 Oystercatcher, 202 Curlew and one Turnstone, but no other small waders.  Other waterbirds noted,  22 Canada Goose (including the 4 grown goslings), 13 Black-headed Gull (cf. 1000 at Bowling Green Marsh), 11 Cormorant, 8 Shelduck, six Mute Swan, four Little Egret and a Grey Heron.

At sea, a flock of 51 Kittiwake, also 12 Gannet, 10 Common Scoter, four Mallard in off and four Sandwich Tern.  The drake Teal, Little Grebes and the mobile male Reed Bunting remained on the ponds.

A Stock Dove was briefly in Greenland Lake, a Sparrowhawk chased one whilst mobbed by many other finches across the bushes; also present 65 Starling, two Goldfinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.  Overhead, 15 Swift flew through WSW; though nine Swallow and two House Martin were local birds. 

Tuesday 21st June

A morning tide visit produced 3-fig Oystercatcher, 72 Curlew, 21 Canada Goose, 16 Black-headed Gull, 13 Cormorant, three Shelduck two Little Egret and a Redshank; no small waders.

The elusive drake Teal was again on the Main Pond.  At sea, 45 Shag, seven Common Scoter, five Gannet, four Sandwich Tern, two Kittiwake and a distant auk sp. with chick. Overhead just five Swift, 2 Swallow and two Jackdaw.

Bizarrely, a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker briefly joined 149 Starling probing the ground around Greenland Lake.  Highlights in the bushes, single Coal Tit and Treecreeper; the family of Stonechat still and a Rock Pipit was on the seawall. 

Stonechat - Martin Overy

 

Sunday 19th June

At sea, 24 Gannet, 22 Manx Shearwater, 12 Sandwich Tern, 11 Common Scoter, 11 Black-headed Gull in off, eight Kittiwake and single Fulmar, Great Crested Grebe and Common Tern.  Two high tides again today with selected counts of 308 Oystercatcher, 115 Curlew, 29 Great Black-backed Gull, 15 Turnstone, 11 Sanderling, 8 Shelduck, three Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwit, two Redshank and a Dunlin, 

On the Main Pond, an elusive drake Teal; two adult and two young Little Grebe.  Two local Swallow in otherwise empty skies. Two Rock Pipit on the seawall and a rare mention for the Feral Pigeons that roost upon Langstone Rock, six today.

Two Stock Dove dropped into Greenland lake briefly, where 120 Starling foraged avidly all day; the family of five Stonechat remained beside the 7th fairway and elsewhere two each of Bullfinch, Goldfinch and Cirl Bunting. 

Saturday 18th June

Inshore a raft of 72 Shag and further out a flock of 46 Kittiwake and 45 Gannet fed actively. Also at sea, 23 Sandwich Tern, 14 Black-headed Gull flew in off,14 Manx Shearwater, two Fulmar and a single Common Scoter.  

Both tides today were covered and best totals were 304 Oystercatcher, 127 Curlew, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, 11 Sanderling, four Dunlin, three Whimbrel, three Little Egret, two Redshank and two Grey Heron.  The first juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull was an early date.

On the Main Pond, two Little Grebe continued to feed chicks and the singing mobile male Reed Bunting had no others to contest its territory on site.

A passage of 95 Swift flew WSW; five Swallow and two House Martin were local birds. Single Kestrel, Peregrine.and Buzzard passed over.  Most of the nine Jackdaw seen commuted to Exmouth, 

On Warren Point, a Cuckoo remained all day.  Gathering post-fledging flocks of  84 Starling and 22 Long-tailed Tit roamed the site; the family of five Stonechat remained in bushes beside the 7th fairway and elsewhere five Goldfinch, a pair of Bullfinch and a Cirl Bunting. 

Wildlife News: One Painted Lady was present along with the first Small Skipper of the year. Dragonflies included the first Common Darter and Golden-ringed Dragonfly of the year, the latter a scarce migrant to the Warren.

 Common Darter - Alan Keatley

 Small Skipper - Alan Keatley

Golden-ringed Dragonfly - Alan Keatley

Thursday 16th June

Counts over the high tide included 71 Curlew with failed breeders already returning south, also 261 Oystercatcher, 21 Sanderling, two Dunlin and two Whimbrel. Elsewhere 13 Manx Shearwater and seven Sandwich Tern were offshore.

Wednesday 15th June

The Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood on the evening tide but no other news was received.

Monday 13th June

A Coal Tit in the Entrance Bushes was the highlight of an early morning visit with the drake Teal on the Main Pond the only other sighting of note.

Sunday 12th June

Three Arctic Skua offshore flying south mid morning were unexpected but otherwise sightings remained much the same with 39 Curlew, 18 Sanderling, two Dunlin and a Ringed Plover over high tide, a Cuckoo again on Warren Point and 16 Long-tailed Tit and at least one Treecreeper in the Entrance Bushes.

Wildlife News: Three species of dragonfly were on the wing; Black-tailed Skimmer, Emperor, and Broad-bodied Chaser with Blue-tailed and Azure Damselfly also on the wing.

Saturday 11th June

Counts over high tide included 172 Oystercatcher, 24 Curlew, 19 Sanderling, eight Dunlin, three Whimbrel and two Ringed Plover, with the Slavonian Grebe just north of the recording area. Elsewhere 91 Shag were feeding offshore, at least one Treecreeper reappeared in the Entrance Bushes and the similarly elusive drake Teal remains on the Main Pond.

Wildlife News: Roe Deer footprints were found on Warren Point, so yesterday's individual at Exmouth presumably made a successful crossing later in the day. Migrant insects continue to arrive with good numbers of Diamond-backed Moth and single figures of Red Admiral and Painted Lady.

 Diamond-backed Moth (on Bittersweet) - Alan Keatley

Dune Robberfly - Alan Keatley

Friday 10th June

The Slavonian Grebe was again off Cockwood this morning but no other news was received.

Wildlife News: A Roe Deer attempted to make the crossing from Exmouth to Warren Point but turned back when disturbed by a boat. A couple of Painted Lady were around the station early evening.

Thursday 9th June

A couple of hours in the fog this morning produced little other than 36 Sanderling, 13 Turnstone and singles of Whimbrel, Ringed Plover and Dunlin.

Wednesday 8th June

The resident Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood this evening, in full summer plumage, with a Stock Dove feeding along the shoreline on the mudflats.

Wildlife News: The first Meadow Brown of the year was reported in Greenland Lake where Blue-eyed Grass is now in flower alongside the emerging Southern Marsh Orchids.

Tuesday 7th June

A continuing midsummer feel to proceedings but a few species are starting to move with 22 Black-headed Gull on site this evening. Over high tide there were still 43 Sanderling, seven Dunlin, six Whimbrel, four Ringed Plover and 16 Sandwich Tern.

Wildlife News: Clouds of the migrant Diamond-back Moth were present this evening, part of a nationwide influx.

Sunday 5th June

Nine Black-tailed Godwit were unexpected over the high tide especially as other wader counts remained much the same with 42 Sanderling, 15 Dunlin, 14 Turnstone, eight Ringed Plover, six Whimbrel and two Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere 51 Kittiwake, 43 Shag and 11 Sandwich Tern were feeding offshore.

Wildlife News: A Green Hairstreak was around Dead Dolphin Wood.

Saturday 4th June

Wader counts saw a continuing passage with 22 Sanderling, 14 Turnstone and 10 Dunlin presumably still heading northward whilst the 13 Curlew (including the same yellow-ringed bird), four Ringed Plover, two Whimbrel and single Bar-tailed Godwit may be summering along with the 200 Oystercatcher. Elsewhere 18 Sandwich Tern were feeding offshore with 41 Shag, 40 Kittiwake and two Great-crested Grebe, at least two Cuckoo were on Warren Point and 33 Swift were overhead.

Wildlife News: A Bank Vole clambered about brambles near the First Pond and an Emperor dragonfly quartered the dune ridge. Stranded Barrel Jelly-fish continue to increase in number along the beaches.

Thursday 2nd June

Counts over the high tide included 15 Ringed Plover, 13 Sandwich Tern, 10 Dunlin, two Whimbrel, two Grey Plover and a Sanderling. Elsewhere the Cuckoo remains around Greenland Lake and another late/early Siskin was overhead.