Saturday 30th June

The birding has little chance of keeping up with the weather with the resident Slavonian Grebe being the highlight. Also in the estuary 218 Curlew, seven Redshank, four Sandwich Tern, a Dunlin and a summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull. Elsewhere the first Willow Warbler of the autumn was in the Entrance Bushes and six Shoveler flew over.

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was hauled out on Bull Hill. A Golden-ringed Dragonfly was in Greenland Lake and at least 12 species of butterfly were on the wing with a single Ringlet near Dead Dolphin Wood the highlight. In Greenland Lake Marsh Helleborine is out in abundance and the first Great Green Bush-cricket of the year were heard calling.

Friday 29th June

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

Monday 25th June

Wildlife News: A Silver-washed Fritillary by the First Pond was only the third site record and one of 11 butterfly species on the wing today. These included the first Gatekeeper of the year, Common Blue, Red Admiral and Comma.

 Comma - Simon Thurgood

Gatekeeper - Simon Thurgood

Meadow Brown - Simon Thurgood

Sunday 24th June

The Slavonian Grebe remains off Cockwood in full summer plumage but no other news was received.

Saturday 23rd June

In the estuary there were 12 Sandwich Tern to search through along with 145 Oystercatcher, 80 Curlew, 16 Dunlin, eight Redshank and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

Thursday 21st June

A hot and quiet summer day with counts from the estuary including 98 Curlew, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, seven Sanderling, two Dunlin, two Redshank and a Whimbrel. Just two Sandwich Tern were present. Elsewhere good number of young birds have fledged but the Moorhen and Little Grebe chicks on the Main Pond are still running the Grey Heron gauntlet.

Grey Heron - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: Midsummer day saw the first Marbled White, Ringlet and Small Skipper of the year on the wing, along with Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Common Darter and Beewolf.  Also flying Broad-bodied Chaser, Emperor Dragonfly, Red Admiral, Small White, Large Skipper, Small Copper, Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood. As well as the Beewolf other hymenoptera included Yellow-legged and Sandpit Mining Bee, Silvery Leafcutter and several Sharp-tailed Bee.

 Marbled White - Alan Keatley

Ringlet - Alan Keatley

Sunday 17th June

Wader counts included 86 Curlew, 15 Bar-tailed Godwit, five Redshank, two Ringed Plover and single Dunlin, Whimbrel, Sanderling and Greenshank. Elsewhere a lone Siskin overhead was further evidence of the changing seasons.

Saturday 16th June

Returning waders continue to herald the end of summer with a Greenshank and four Redshank joining 71 Curlew and seven Whimbrel in the Railway Saltmarsh. Sadly arrivals at this time of year indicate failed breeding further north. Other waders over high tide included 16 Bar-tailed Godwit, 13 Sanderling and two Dunlin. Elsewhere a Cuckoo was in Greenland Lake and 40 Common Scoter were offshore.

A rather hungry looking juvenile Stonechat - Alan Keatley

Friday 15th June

Counts over the evening tide included 231 Oystercatcher, 88 Curlew, 20 Sanderling, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, five Dunlin and a Whimbrel with a first summer Mediterranean Gull also in the estuary.

Thursday 14th June

A brief change in the weather with a stiff westerly early morning before the calmer brighter conditions returned. An unseasonal Osprey fishing in the river on the receding tide indicated a change in birds as well, also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, 59 Dunlin, 57 Curlew, 24 Sanderling, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit and two Whimbrel. Elsewhere 45 Common Scoter and 17 Manx Shearwater flew south offshore and a Cuckoo flew through Warren Point, already on its return migration.

Wildlife News: A Golden-ringed Dragonfly, the first of the year was in Greenland Lake vying with an Emperor Dragonfly. Several Large Skipper were also on the wing.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly - Alan Keatley

 Emperor - Alan Keatley

 

Large Skipper - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 13th June

The evening high tide saw 71 Curlew in the Railway Saltmarsh and 36 Dunlin, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Sanderling and two Ringed Plover in the Bight. The Curlew may already be returning failed breeding birds, one of the godwits is a ringed bird summering on the Exe and the Dunlin and Sanderling may still be heading north. Also in the estuary 10 Sandwich Tern and single first summer Mediterranean and Common Gull.

Elsewhere family parties of Stonechat, Whitethroat, Linnet, Blue Tit and Pied Wagtail amongst others were on site.

Tuesday 12th June

The Slavonian Grebe remains off Cockwood but no other news was received.

Saturday 9th June

A warm sunny summer Saturday with a low tide lived up to expectations with few birds on site. Counts from the estuary wee limited to 12 Dunlin, three Sanderling and a Ringed Plover whilst five Common Scoter were offshore and a Stock Dove was feeding in Greenland Lake.

Stock Dove - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: Several Painted Lady and Red Admiral showed insect migration was ongoing whilst new emergences for the year included the Hornet-mimic hoverfly Volucella zonaria and Pyramidal Orchid, with this white flower amongst 13 normal coloured spikes.

 Volucella zonaria - Alan Keatley

Pyramidal Orchid - Alan Keatley

Thursday 7th June

A Black-tailed Godwit was in the Bight with 24 Curlew, five Dunlin, three Grey Plover and two Sanderling. Elsewhere a Stock Dove in Greenland Lake was unexpected.

Pied Wagtail - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: The highlight was a male Long-horned Bee Eucera longicornis in the Back Meadow, the first site record of this nationally declining species. It is a section 41 conservation priority species occurring at a handful of sites in Devon. Elsewhere butterfly numbers were restricted by the overcast conditions to a few Brown Argus, Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood. At least seven Bee Orchid are now flowering near Dune Pond.

Long-horned Bee Eucera longicornis - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 5th June

A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was off the seawall with the Slavonian Grebe and two Bar-tailed Godwit in the estuary the only other news.

Monday 4th June

A quiet evening visit saw 20 Sanderling, 12 Ringed Plover and two Dunlin in the Bight with the Slavonian Grebe off Cockwood and an Eider sat on the breakwater at Langstone Rock.

 Ringed Plover - Martin Overy  A partial ring read of 961 is not enough to get a recovery if anyone is up for a challenge!

 

Linnet - Martin Overy

Wildlife News: The first Large Skipper of the year was on the wing along with a second Meadow Brown.

 Large Skipper - Simon Thurgood

 Meadow Brown - Simon Thurgood

Sunday 3rd June

A Willow Warbler singing in the Buffer Zone was a surprise new arrival with a Reed Warbler by the hide also a fresh migrant but it was otherwise quiet. In the estuary the Slavonian Grebe was off Cockwood and wader counts included 37 Dunlin, 34 Sanderling, 15 Ringed Plover, six Bar-tailed Godwit, four Grey Plover, three Whimbrel and two Turnstone. Offshore a summer plumaged Great Northern Diver and a single Eider.

 Grey Plover - Dave Jewell

Sedge Warbler - Dave Jewell

Ringing News: An Oystercatcher ringed at St Ishmaels in Pembrokeshire in September 2016 was in front of the hide with at least eight Warren ringed birds. Also present the colour ringed Bar-tailed Godwit that has been present for over a week but details still awaited.

Wildlife News: A reduced number of migrant insects but a few Silver Y and Red Admiral remain on site with a single Pied Hoverfly Scaeva pyrastri along the Dune Ridge. Also on the wing seven species of Bumblebee in order of abundance Buff-tailed, Red-tailed, Early, Common Carder, Heath, White-tailed and Tree.  Elsewhere a Broad-bodied Chaser and two Emperor Dragonfly were at the Dune Pond, at least seven Bee Orchid are in flower and two new fungi for the Recording Area were found: Melampsora lini, a rust on Fairy Flax and Microbotryum violaceum, Sea Campion Anther Smut.

Saturday 2nd June

Migration seems to have stopped overhead and in the bushes but waders continue to move in small numbers. Counts from the estuary included 60 Dunlin, 20 Ringed and two Grey Plover, four Sanderling, four Bar-tailed Godwit, three Whimbrel and three Knot. Also present three first summer Mediterranean Gull but just a single Sandwich Tern.

Wildlife News: The sunny conditions saw lots of invertebrate activity, although dragonflies remain conspicuous by their absence. Several Painted Lady and Red Admiral showed ongoing insect migration with a Green Hairstreak found in Greenland Lake. Bees on the wing included several Heath Bumblebee and the first Silvery Leaf-cutter (Megachile leachella) of the year along with Ashy, Buffish, Grey-patched and Sandpit Mining Bee.

 Ashy Mining Bee - Alan Keatley

 Grey-patched Mining Bee - Alan Keatley

 Buffish Mining Bee - Alan Keatley

Green Hairstreak - Alan Keatley

Friday 1st June

The was no sign of the Rose-coloured Starling this morning but a Cuckoo heard calling around Greenland Lake was a new arrival. Elsewhere several Ringed Plover, Dunlin and a Sanderling were feeding around the Bight, seven Whimbrel were on posts in front of the hide, with the Sedge Warbler, two Whitethroat and several Linnet behind the hide.

Wildlife News: The soliderfly Ornate Brigadier Odontomyia ornata was recorded on site for the third year in a row. The Warren is one of very few Devon sites for this scarce species.

Ornate Brigadier Odontomyia ornata - Steve Fuller