Saturday 23rd March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

The first Blackcap of the year was singing in the Entrance Bushes, part of the first notable arrival of summer migrants with 11 Chiffchaff and at least 10 Wheatear on site and three Sand Martin north. Also overhead 328 Chaffinch, 14 Meadow Pipit and a Siskin.

Wheatear - Lee Collins

Counts from the estuary included 214 Oystercatcher, 93 Curlew, 49 Common Gull, 31 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 24 Grey Plover, 17 Knot, 15 Sanderling, 14 Ringed Plover, six Greenshank, three Eider and two Sandwich Tern. Elsewhere a pair of Tufted Duck and three Great Northern Diver were offshore and the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond.