Wednesday 27th 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.

Another quiet day with clear blue skies, almost June like except for the chilling northerly wind. Counts from the estuary were disappointing but birds were regularly disturbed by visitor traffic to a second boat moored in the Saltmarsh all ignoring the voluntary exclusion zone. Totals included 48 Curlew, 28 Turnstone, 24 Redshank, 12 Ringed Plover, five Greenshank, three Bar-tailed Godwit, a Knot and an Eider.

Elsewhere two Sandwich Tern were offshore, the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond and migrants were limited to six Wheatear on site and single figures of Chaffinch and Meadow Pipit overhead.

Chiffchaff - Lee Collins

Wildlife News: Another great day for the Sand Crocus and spring invertebrates, the highlight being the first Black Oil Beetle for the Recording Area. Other records included three Dark-edged Beefly, a Comma, a steady eastwards passage of dispersing queen bumblebees along the Dune Ridge and a Tree Bumblebee investigating a new nestbox.

Dark-edged Beefly - Lee Collins