Tuesday 31st May

The morning high tide saw a welcome late arrival of migrant waders with 85 Sanderling, 76 Dunlin, 38 Ringed and a Grey Plover, six Whimbrel and three Bar-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere just two Sandwich Tern were offshore.

Sunday 29th May

At least 73 Sanderling were feeding on the beach, including a Dutch ringed bird with counts from the estuary including 158 Oystercatcher, 34 Ringed Plover, 27 Dunlin, nine Curlew, nine Whimbrel, three first summer Mediterranean Gull and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Redshank. Highlight of the day was an adult summer-plumaged Continental Black-tailed Godwit which flew over and rapidly gained height as it headed up estuary, if accepted, the first Devon record.

Offshore four Great Northern Diver, 20 Black-headed Gull, 18 Common Scoter and five Sandwich Tern with 23 Canada Geese in off. Elsewhere 14 Swallow and six Swift were overhead with single Wheatear and Willow Warbler on site.

Saturday 28th May

Counts over the morning tide included 173 Oystercatcher, 101 Sanderling, 32 Shelduck, 14 Ringed Plover, 11 Curlew, 10 Dunlin, nine Whimbrel, seven Black-headed Gull and two Bar-tailed Godwit. Offshore seven Common Scoter and six Sandwich Tern.

Away from the estuary most of the action was on the Main Pond with nine Mallard ducklings, seven cygnets, five Moorhen chicks and three Little Grebe chicks.

Wildlife News: Eight species of butterfly, including Painted Lady and six Bumblebee species, including Tree, Garden and Early, were on the wing. Elsewhere two Water Vole were at the Main Pond, a Migrant Field Syrph Eupeodes corollae was by the seawall, a Broad-bodied Chaser was on the Golf Course and a Cream-streaked Ladybird and an Aethes deaurana were in the Buffer Zone. 

Ivy Broomrape - a rare species on site making sporadic appearances around the car park. 

Friday 27th May

Aside from a couple of Gannet offshore and a dozen Swallow overhead it was a day to enjoy breeding species with several family groups of Starling and Stonechat across the site.

Wildlife News: Unlike the birds it was a day of unexpected visitors. First to appear was a Grey Squirrel running around the Go-cart track, luckily it was closed. 

Grey Squirrel - Alan Keatley

Second up was a Greater Bulb Fly Merodon equestris, also near the go-carts, and like the squirrel a visitor from the 'mainland', the first for at least five years.

Great Bulb Fly - Alan Keatley

The last unexpected visitor was a male Red-veined Darter, which came in off the sea near to the exposed geotubes, landed on top of the Marram for a minute and then few inland. More expected new sightings for the year included a Large Pied Hoverfly Volucella pelluscens, Emperor Dragonfly and Silvery Leafcutter Megachile leachella.

Large Pied Hoverfly - Alan Keatley

Thursday 26th May

The second Cuckoo of the year was enjoying the abundance of Brown-tail moth caterpillars on Warren Point. This may well be the first autumn migrant, the BTO tracking study has the earliest UK departure date as 3rd June.

Elsewhere 30 Ringed Plover, 18 Dunlin and a Sanderling were in the Bight with three Sandwich Tern offshore and 30 Swallow and a Swift overhead.

Little Grebe - Dave Jewell

Wildlife News: A Bordered Straw was nectaring in Greenland Lake with numbers of both Azure and Blue-tailed Damselfly on the wing.

Bordered Straw - Dave Jewell

Wasp Beetle - Dave Jewell

Reticulate Blood Bee Sphecodes reticulatus - Alan Keatley

Alder Sawfly Eriocampa ovata - Alan Keatley

Monday 23rd May

Two notable reports today both from observers offsite, during the morning 17 Red Kite flew west over the Recording Area and caravan parks, including a flock of 13 having presumably kettled further east. Early afternoon the first Great White Egret of the year flew along Exmouth beach and into the estuary and Recording Area.

Sunday 22nd May

Counts from the estuary and beach included 145 Oystercatcher, 28 Curlew, 24 Sanderling, 17 Whimbrel, 15 Shelduck, nine Ringed Plover, six Turnstone, five Dunlin and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Black-headed Gull.

Elsewhere three Great Northern Diver, six Sandwich Tern and four Common Scoter were offshore, late migrants included three Wheatear on Warren Point and a singing Willow Warbler in Dead Dolphin Wood with a mobile flock of 31 Long-tailed Tit showing a good breeding season locally. 

Wildlife News: The highlight was the first site record of the day flying moth Mother Shipton in the Back Meadow, with other species seen during the day including Cinnabar, Clouded Border, Common Carpet, Common Marble, Garden Grass-veneer, Straw Dot, Triple-striped Piercer and Yellow Shell.

The fine weather saw the first 10 butterfly species day of 2022; three Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Green-veined and Small White, Orange-tip, Small Copper, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Speckled Wood and three Meadow Brown.

Also on the wing the Warren's first Hairy Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus hyalinatus, Blue-tailed and Azure

Damselfly, Gossamer Hoverfly Baccha elongata, Common Red-legged Robberfly Dioctria rufipes and Small Semaphore Fly Rivellia syngenesiae.

Small Semaphore Fly - Kevin Rylands

The first Badger for at least five years has been active in the Skipper Meadow, three Common Shrew were in the Education area and a Sand Lizard was along the Dune Ridge.

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle - Kevin Rylands

Yellow Rattle - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 21st May

Most waders seem to have passed through but Sanderling are traditionally late and 64 were on the beach with two Turnstone. In the estuary counts included 163 Oystercatcher, 13 Shelduck, 10 Whimbrel, two Ringed Plover and single Mediterranean Gull, Dunlin, Bar-tailed Godwit and Fulmar.

Elsewhere six Great Northern Diver were offshore with nine Sandwich Tern and six Manx Shearwater, two Wheatear were on site, 12 Swallow and two Swift flew threw and another brood of at least seven Mallard duckling will try to avoid the Grey Heron on the Main Pond.

Wildlife News: The first Painted Lady of the year was on the Golf Course along with workers of both Heath and Early Bumblebee. Also new for the year the first Great Green Bush-cricket and Long-winged Conehead nymphs. The garden escape Love-in-a-Mist Nigella damascena was found on the Golf Course, a new species for the Recording Area as was the soldier beetle Rhagonycha lignosa.

Some more images from Thursday night.

Great Prominent - Kevin Rylands

Pebble Hooktip - Kevin Rylands

Marbled Minor agg - Kevin Rylands

Iron Prominent - Kevin Rylands

Friday 20th May

Wildlife News: Light trapping overnight saw a total of 65 moth species recorded for National Moth Night with several Cockchafer and a Shore Sexton Beetle Necrodes littoralis also to the bulb.

Alder Kitten - Luke Harman

Maiden's Blush - Kevin Rylands

Two new species for the Recording Area were noted, Alder Kitten and Mottled Pug, plus the first confirmed records of Maiden's Blush. Other highlights included four Portland Ribbon Wave, two Great Prominent, Cream-spot Tiger, Iron and Pebble Prominent, Pale Tussock, Yellow Belle, Gold Spot and the migrants Bordered Straw, Rush Veneer, Rusty-dot Pearl and Diamond-back Moth. 

Great Prominent - Luke Harman

Portland Ribbon Wave - Luke Harman

Gold Spot - Luke Harman

Peach Blossom - Luke Harman

Bordered Straw - Luke Harman

Away from the traps, moths were particularly active nectaring around the flowering Tree Lupin and Sycamore. The non natives providing essential nutrients at a quiet time of year before many native species flower.

Angle Shades - Kevin Rylands

Thursday 19th May

There were no small waders present in the estuary over the high tides, but 27 Sanderling and seven Whimbrel were on the beach with 13 Curlew in the Bight. On site the Canada Goose pair from the Main Pond still have their three goslings and at least two pairs of Stonechat are feeding well grown fledged young. A single Bar-tailed Godwit and a flock of Sanderling were heard overhead at night and a Tawny Owl was calling from Dead Dolphin Wood.

Wildlife News: The first Meadow Brown of the year was on the wing in Greenland Lake with other new emergences including Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis, Stripe-faced Hoverfly Eristalis nemorum, Bumblebee Blacklet Cheilosia illustrata and Stripe-legged Robberfly Dioctria baumhaueri.

Small Spotty-eyed Dronefly Eristalinus sepulchralis - Alan Keatley

Empis stercoria - Alan Keatley

Red Mason Bee - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 18th May

The first summer Bonaparte's Gull was at Cockle Sands, Exmouth early morning but flew into the Recording Area mid morning before circling over Eastdon with the Black-headed Gull flock and heading back towards Cockle Sands. The seventh site record but the first since the regular returning adult was last seen in Feb 2018. 

Also in the estuary 12 Whimbrel, 10 Curlew, nine Sanderling, five Little Egret, two Dunlin and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Greenshank.

Tuesday 17th May

Two highlights were seen distantly offsite at Mudbank, Exmouth; a first summer Bonaparte's Gull seen from Warren Point and two Goosander seen from Cockwood Steps. The Warren however wasn't without its own rewards with two Hobby, one of which sat on a fence along the Dune Ridge, a very rare grounded record for site, whilst offshore there was another Puffin with a handful of Guillemot and Razorbill, 30 Gannet, 23 Common Scoter, seven Manx Shearwater and an Arctic Skua. 

Hobby - Lee Collins

Counts from the estuary included 36 Turnstone, 33 Sanderling, 27 Whimbrel, 12 Sandwich Tern, three first summer Mediterranean Gull, three Dunlin, two Ringed and a Little Ringed Plover. Elsewhere 22 Swallow and a Swift flew through with two Wheatear and a smart summer plumaged Scandinavian Rock Pipit the only grounded migrants.

Whitethroat - Dave Jewell

Sunday 15th May

Seawatching from first light was rewarding following the first substantial rain for a while; with at least two Balearic Shearwater offshore stopping to feed occasionally with 56 Manx Shearwater. Also passing a dark phase spooned Pomarine Skua, a pale phase Arctic Skua and two distant pale phase skua sp, that were likely also Pomarine; 83 Common Scoter, nine Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver. A good auk passage included a single Puffin with 360+ auk sp, those close enough to identify were roughly 2:1 Guillemot : Razorbill.

Sanderling - Lee Collins

Counts from the estuary had dropped overnight, with 28 Dunlin, 27 Sanderling, 15 Turnstone, 12 Whimbrel, three Ringed and a Grey Plover, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose.

Whimbrel - Dave Jewell

Elsewhere a Roseate Tern was feeding off John's Watch with four Sandwich and a Common Tern early morning, a welcome sight after a blank spring in 2021, a first summer Mediterranean Gull was also present. No obvious grounded migrants but single Swift and Sand Martin flew through with 16 Swallow and three House Martin. A Red Kite flew across the estuary late morning but just north of the Recording Area.

Wildlife News: Despite the largely overcast conditions a few insects were on the wing including the first Red Admiral for several weeks. Some diurnal mothing recorded the nationally rare Alexanders Conch Aethes deaurana for a second year, Common Tubic Alabonia geoffrella, Yellow Shell and a Common Swift. 

Aethes deaurana - Kevin Rylands

Common Tubic - Alan Keatley

Common Swift - Kevin Rylands

Three sawfly species were also recorded Macrophya annulata, Tenthredo arculata and Turnip Sawfly Athalia rosae. 

Macrophya annulata - Alan Keatley

Tenthredo arculata - Alan Keatley

Turnip Sawfly - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 14th May

An overnight arrival of waders saw the year's first Little Stint in with 69 Sanderling, 51 Dunlin, 10 Ringed Plover, five Bar-tailed Godwit and two Little Ringed Plover. Also in the estuary 41 Curlew, 17 Whimbrel, 16 Turnstone and a domestic Swan Goose, a first for the Recording Area. 

Little Stint & Dunlin - Lee Collins

Little Ringed Plover - Lee Collins

Elsewhere a Greenland Wheatear was on the Golf Course and offshore 14 Great Northern Diver, including a flock of nine, 62 Shag, 16 Manx Shearwater, just three Sandwich Tern, two distant Arctic Skua and a Red-throated Diver.

Ringing News: At least 12 Exe ringed Oystercatcher were recorded over high tide, all first summers. These will likely be present until Spring next year, when they will head off to find breeding territories. A recent resighting gives an indication of where some might end up.

I often find submitting colour-ring sightings a tedious chore- but when you receive prompt feedback from the ringing group it feels worthwhile. This Oystercatcher ringed at one of my old stomping grounds in Sept. 2019 and present at Loch Barvas a few days ago. pic.twitter.com/c8C2JUnM7K

— Andy Williams (@pelagicbirder) May 10, 2022

Wildlife News: The first Broad-bodied Chaser of the year emerged from a pond on the Golf Course with other new records including a Cinnabar moth and the first nymph Grey Bush-cricket. 

Friday 13th May

A Sedge Warbler was at the Main Pond, a Willow Warbler was in the Entrance Bushes and 12 Sanderling and two Turnstone on the beach.

Wildlife News: A Meadow Long-horn Cauchas rufimitrella was found nectaring in the Buffer Zone on Hemlock Water Dropwort; a first for the Recording Area, the larvae feed on Cuckoo-flower. 

Meadow Long-horn - Kevin Rylands

Thursday 12th May

A brief Turtle Dove in Greenland Lake was the highlight, the first spring record since 2017 for this much declined species. Other migrants were however noticeable by their absence.

Elsewhere a Common Sandpiper was on the seawall early morning, with it or another on the Main Pond in the evening, nine Turnstone were on Langstone Rock and 35 Whimbrel and seven Bar-tailed Godwit were in the estuary. Offshore eight Great Northern Diver, six Common Scoter, six Manx Shearwater and two Sandwich Tern. 

Wildlife News: The first record of Flavous Nomad Bee Nomada flava was found on Warren Point, with first 2022 records of several species including Thick-thighed Pollen Beetle Oedemera nobilis, Red-banded Sand Wasp Ammophila sabulosa, Kite-tailed Robberfly Tolmerus atricapillus and the tachinid Thelaria nigripes.

Flavous Nomad Bee - both Alan Keatley

Kite-tailed Robberfly - Alan Keatley

Thelaria nigripes - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 11th May

Counts from the afternoon tide included estuary 127 Oystercatcher, 49 Dunlin, 18 Ringed Plover, 15 Shelduck, 13 Curlew, eight Whimbrel, six Sanderling and three Bar-tailed Godwit.

A dark phase Arctic Skua harried the Sandwich Tern, a couple of Herring Gull and even a Gannet at one point. Also offshore 20 Gannet, seven Sandwich Tern, two Manx Shearwater, two Razorbill and a Guillemot.

Elsewhere a Wheatear was on the Golf Course with seven Swallow, five Swift and two House Martin overhead.

Tuesday 10th May

In the evening10 Gannet and four Sandwich Tern were feeding offshore with five Swallow and a Swift flew south. 

Monday 9th May

Aside from the breeding species it was quiet on site, with a single Wheatear on the Golf Course and a single Swift overhead. Elsewhere five Sandwich Tern and a first summer Mediterranean Gull were offshore and 17 Sanderling were on the beach. 

Saturday 7th May

No news was received from high tide but 12 Whimbrel were on the mudflats at low tide with six Turnstone on the seawall. Offshore three Great Northern Diver, including one in summer plumage, five Common Scoter, a Great-crested Grebe and 680 Herring Gull.

Wildlife News: Holly Blue and Small Tortoiseshell were the pick of the butterflies with good numbers of insects including many Hairy Shieldbug and the first Warren records of Brassica Shieldbug. Also new for the Recording Area the distinctive galls of Cottonwool Gall Wasp Andricus quercusramuli.

Cotton Wool Wasp gall - Kevin Rylands

Drinker Moth caterpillar - Kevin Rylands

Thursday 5th May

An immature Black Guillemot which flew across the bay before pitching distantly offshore was an obvious highlight the first since May 2018 and only the 12th site record, although the fourth in May. Otherwise it was relatively quiet offshore with two Red-throated and two Great Northern Diver through and a handful of Sandwich Tern feeding. 

Wader numbers have largely dropped off although 95 Bar-tailed Godwit remain along with 36 Dunlin, 18 Ringed Plover, 12 Sanderling and a Knot. A Common Sandpiper on the beach was a new arrival as were single Wheatear and Sedge Warbler. 

Ringing News: A Bar-tailed Godwit on the beach had been rung at Terschelling, Holland on 6th May 2019, and was recorded there again in Spring 2020. This is the first sighting away from there, perhaps its next stop on the way to Russian breeding grounds.

Bar-tailed Godwit - Lee Collins

Wildlife News: The fine weather brought out a good number if insects including Dark Bush Cricket nymphs, Azure and Blue-tailed Damselfly, Wasp Beetle, the striking Cinnamon Bug Corizus hyoscyami, Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea, Small Spotty-eyed Dronefly Eristalinus sepulchralis and Early Mason-wasp Ancistrocerus nigricornis, all new for the year. 

Batman Hoverfly - Alan Keatley

In addition a further overlooked(?) new Warren species was discovered, the widespread Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus. These took the annual biodiversity audit to over 1000 species, with 5083 species now seen in the Recording Area. 

Downlooker Snipefly - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 3rd May

Counts from the estuary included 228 Oystercatcher, 186 Dunlin, 140 Bar-tailed Godwit, 110 Whimbrel, 59 Ringed and two Grey Plover, 23 Turnstone, seven Sanderling and a Knot. Numbers on the morning tide were largely the same as yesterday suggesting no overnight arrivals, but numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Ringed Plover were much lower on the evening tide. 

Bar-tailed Godwit - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere five Sandwich Tern and a first summer Mediterranean Gull were offshore and 17 Swallow, a House Martin and a Buzzard passed overhead.

Reed Warbler - Dean Hall

Ringing News: Amongst the roosting Whimbrel this evening was D63, first recorded here in 2016 and stopping off on the Exe for at least it's sixth Spring migration. 

Wildlife News: A few more insect species, if not numbers, are beginning to emerge with Cocksfoot Moth new for the year along with Red-legged Spider Wasp Epsilon rufipes, the longhorn beetle Grammoptera ruficornis and Superb Ant-hill Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissequum.

Cocksfoot Moth - Alan Keatley

Common Grammoptera - Alan Keatley