Sunday 21st April

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 highlight was a Little Ringed Plover flew low north over John's Watch mid morning before joining three new arrivals at the top end of the estuary at Exminster. A Common Sandpiper at Langstone Rock and the Seawall was another new arrival. Counts from the estuary included 232 Oystercatcher, 41 Dunlin, 29 Whimbrel, 16 Curlew, six Grey and a Ringed Plover, two Bar-tailed Godwit and the two Brent Geese.

Elsewhere a Meadow Pipit was displaying on Warren Point for the first time since 2006, a pair of Whitethroat were already nest-building after arriving on Friday, 11 Sandwich Tern and a Red-throated Diver were offshore and a Lesser Redpoll was overhead with six Siskin, six Chaffinch, a Yellow Wagtail, 10 Swallow, two House and a Sand Martin.

Reed Warbler - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: The nationally scarce spider Alopecosa cuneata was discovered on the undamaged section of the Dune Ridge. A more expected addition to the Recording Area arachnid list was the Spring Harvestman Platybunus triangularis found in the Buffer Zone. Along the strandline several Barrel Jellyfish, two Masked Crab and a Sting Winkle.