Friday 26th July

An early autumn fall was noticeable first thing with a notable count of 21 Willow Warbler on site along with 15 Chiffchaff, 10 Blackcap and a Garden Warbler with the first two Meadow Pipit of the season overhead.

A Little Ringed Plover was a new arrival in The Bight with counts from the estuary including 305 Black-headed, 13 Mediterranean and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 87 Sandwich Tern, 38 Whimbrel, 34 Sanderling, 25 Ringed Plover, 19 Dunlin, including the first juveniles, the six Eider and a Common Sandpiper.

Offshore four Balearic Shearwater flew distantly SW with 17 Common Scoter and a Great Crested Grebe on the sea.

Other Wildlife: Two Common Dolphin were offshore with single Painted Lady and Red Admiral new arrivals. 

Thursday 25th July

Offshore at least two of the summering Great Northern Diver remain, along with 30 feeding Gannet, including several juveniles, hopefully indicating a good breeding season and recovery from avian flu, and 21 Common Scoter. Elsewhere a juvenile Willow Warbler near the Dune Pond was a sign of early autumn passage.

Willow Warbler - Dean Hall

Rain coincided with the mid-morning high tide, but didn't bring in anything unexpected to the estuary, where counts included 150 Black-headed and five Mediterranean Gull, 102 Sandwich and three Common Tern, 92 Redshank, 25 Sanderling, 25 Turnstone, nine Greenshank, seven Dunlin, the six Eider, three Bar-tailed Godwit and a Ringed Plover.

Other Wildlife: The rain put a dampener on flying insect activity with most sheltering in vegetation including the first Jersey Tiger of the year, as well as the soldier fly Dull Four-spined Legionnaire Chorisops tibialis and a Slender Wood-borer Wasp Trypoxylon attenuatum. 

Jersey Tiger - Dean Hall

Hoverflies included a Superb Ant-hill Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissequum, Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and Common Twist-tail Sphaerophoria scripta, the last two species presumed migrants.

Superb Ant-hill Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedissequum - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere a young Fox was ambling along The Bight shoreline.

Fox - Dean Hall

Wednesday 24th July

Estuary counts over the morning high tide included 90 Black-headed and eight Mediterranean Gull, 45 Whimbrel, 23 Dunlin, 19 Sanderling, 18 Turnstone, 17 Ringed Plover, a good tally of 14 Common Sandpiper, 10 Greenshank and the six Eider.

Tuesday 23rd July

No sign of the Roseate Tern today but counts from the estuary included 450 Oystercatcher, 273 Curlew, 114 Redshank, 42 Whimbrel, 23 Dunlin, 13 Ringed Plover, 12 Greenshank and nine Sanderling.

Other Wildlife: With Water Mint and Common Fleabane coming into flower insects have an improved range of nectar sources with solitary bees, wasps, bugs and hoverflies all taking advantage. These included Hairy Hylaeus hyalinatus and Common Yellow-faced Bee H. communis, Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio, Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea, Parsley Blacklet Cheilosia pagana, Hairy-backed Boxhead Wasp Crossocerus megacephalus and Gasteruption jaculator.

Hairy Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus hyalinatus - Alan Keatley

Hairy-backed Boxhead Wasp Crossocerus megacephalus - Alan Keatley

More selective feeders included several Burdock Gall Fly Terellia tussilaginis. 

Burdock Gall Fly Terellia tussilaginis - Alan Keatley

Cryptocephalus fulvus - Alan Keatley. Beetle species 406 for the Recording Area

A welcome increase in butterfly numbers with eight species on the wing, including new generation Common Blue and Speckled Wood. A total of five dragonfly species included Black-tailed Skimmer and Golden-ringed Dragonfly. 

Golden-ringed Dragonfly - Alan Keatley

Monday 22nd July

Many of the roosting Sandwich Tern flew past Langstone Rock early morning with 82 heading SW in the first 1hr 30mins after dawn, 72 were still in the estuary mid morning with five Common and the Roseate Tern. The latter dropped into The Bight for a brief stay just before 10.30 not being seen again until it returned at 19.30.

Also in the estuary 352 Curlew, 125 Redshank, 54 Whimbrel, 51 Dunlin, 14 Greenshank, six Eider, four Black and two Bar-tailed Godwit, three Common Sandpiper, two Ringed Plover and a Sanderling. At least 25 Mediterranean Gull, including six juveniles, were split between the estuary and passing SW offshore. 

Elsewhere a Kingfisher was at the Main Pond and offshore a dark phase immature Pomarine Skua flew SW early morning with a dark phase Arctic Skua and a Red-throated Diver lingering.

Sunday 21st July

After no sign all day the Roseate Tern reappeared in The Bight just after 19.30 before again departing upriver half an hour later. Also around The Bight today at least 124 Sandwich, three Common and an Arctic Tern. Plenty of birds seemed to be carrying fish although birds are mostly foraging in the estuary.

Other counts over high tide included 549 Oystercatcher, 261 Curlew, 127 Redshank, 55 Whimbrel, 19 Mediterranean and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 15 Dunlin, 13 Greenshank, six Sanderling, six Eider, five Ringed Plover, two Knot and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Turnstone.

Elsewhere watching over the morning tide a 2cy male Peregrine was on Finger Point, a Snipe flew in off the sea and eight Common Scoter, six Manx Shearwater and a Great Northern Diver were offshore.

Other Wildlife: A Bright Wave was an unexpected discovery in the dunes, the first Warren and just the fourth Devon record for this rare migrant and Kent resident. One in Dorset last week was just the sixth county record. Unfortunately this one eluded both the focus and a pot!

Bright Wave - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 20th July

A Roseate Tern was again the day's highlight, arriving in The Bight just after 19.30 and lingering for just half an hour. The state of moult and bill colouring revealed this to be the third brief staying individual in the last four days.

Sandwich Tern numbers peaked at 142 on the evening high tide, double the number present in the morning, with seven Common Tern including, two juveniles, in the morning and just four later in the day. 

Other counts from the estuary included 261 Curlew, 134 Redshank, 55 Whimbrel, 52 Dunlin, 29 Turnstone, 24 Mediterranean and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 16 Greenshank, 12 Ringed Plover, nine Sanderling, six Eider, three Common Sandpiper and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Knot.

Greenshank - Lee Collins

Elsewhere 25 Common Scoter and five Arctic Skua were offshore and a big movement of 158 Swift flew E early evening ahead of rain.

Ringing News: A Polish Black-headed Gull was in The Bight, TNPH was ringed as an adult at a colony in NE Poland in May 2020 and has with the exception of 2022 been recorded here each July since then.

Black-headed Gull - Lee Collins

Friday 19th July

No sign of any of the scarce terns today but the evening tide still saw at least 120 Sandwich (54 juvs) and four Common Tern coming and going. Also in the estuary 108 Redshank, 53 Dunlin, 16 Mediterranean Gull, nine Greenshank, seven Sanderling, the six Eider, two Ringed Plover and a breeding plumaged red Knot.

Other Wildlife: Single Golden-ringed Dragonfly and Red Admiral were on the Golf Course.

Dune Jumper Marpissa nivoyi - Kevin Rylands

Golden-brown Tubic (Brown Bark Moth) Crassa unitella - Kevin Rylands

Thursday 18th July

An adult Roseate Tern was again in The Bight on the evening tide, this bird was however unringed, so a second individual in two days. also present 136 Sandwich, 12 Common, including the first juvenile, and single Arctic and Little Tern.

Little Tern - Lee Collins

Wader counts included 137 Redshank, 43 Dunlin, 29 Whimbrel, 13 Greenshank, five Sanderling and a Bar-tailed Godwit with 12 Mediterranean Gull and the six Eider also in the estuary.

Elsewhere the second Marsh Harrier of the year was picked up distantly offshore flying NNE before eventually making landfall over Exmouth just after 6.15am; 16 Common Scoter, six Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver were on the sea, two Sand Martin were overhead and the first Wheatear of the autumn was on the Golf Course.

Other Wildlife: Ideal weather for observing summer insects - warm, sunny with a slight breeze. Leading the way again were solitary wasps with Four-banded Digger Wasp Gorytes quadrifasciatus and Dull Cuckoo Wasp Hedychridium roseum nectaring on Wild Carrot. The Shieldbug Digger Wasp Astata boops, host to the cuckoo wasp, was watched taking a captured shieldbug back to its nest burrow. 

Four-banded Digger Wasp Gorytes quadrifasciatus - Alan Keatley

Dull Cuckoo Wasp Hedychridium roseum - Alan Keatley

Shieldbug Digger Wasp Astata boops - Alan Keatley

Also nectaring, the hoverflies Dark-winged Chrysogaster C. solstitialis and Hornet Plumehorn Volucella zonaria and the summer generation of Yellow-legged Andrena flavipes and Short-fringed Mining Bee A. dorsata and with a Waisted Beegrabber Physocephala rufipes watching on.

Short-fringed Mining Bee Andrena dorsata - Alan Keatley

The warm weather favoured orthoptera were at least two Roesel's Bush-cricket stridulating in the Back Meadow, with several Great Green Bush-cricket and numerous Meadow Grasshopper in the long grass and Lesser Cockroach amongst the Marram.

Meadow Grasshopper - Alan Keatley

At least half a dozen Silver Y were disturbed from path sides with a Golden-ringed Dragonfly also on site.

Wednesday 17th July

The long awaited first Roseate Tern of the year, an adult, roosted in The Bight on the dropping evening tide, joining a minimum of 120 Sandwich and eight Common Tern. Also in the estuary 15 Dunlin, four Ringed Plover and four Common Sandpiper.

Roseate Tern - Lee Collins

Elsewhere six Common Sandpiper were around Langstone Rock early morning, with an Arctic Skua, six Great Northern, an immature Red-throated and a diver sp offshore. On site the first autumn Garden Warbler and a Willow Warbler.

Year list addition:

158. Roseate Tern

Tuesday 16th July

A Cuckoo was on Warren Point and at least 70 Sandwich Tern and six Mediterranean Gull were alternating between roosting in the estuary or feeding offshore.

Other Wildlife: Not surprisingly for mid-July solitary wasps were to the fore. Leading the way was the ant-like dryinid wasp Gonatopes clavipes, found under driftwood on Warren Point. 

Gonatopes clavipes - Alan Keatley

Other species included the first Little Mason-wasp Microdynerus exilis and Mournful Wasp Pemphredon lugubris of the year, Three-banded Mason-wasp Ancistrocerus trifasciatus, Slender-bodied Digger Wasp Crabro cribrarius and Red-legged Spider Wasp Episyron rufipes.

Little Mason-wasp Microdynerus exilis - Alan Keatley

Three-banded Mason-wasp Ancistrocerus trifasciatus - Alan Keatley

Red-legged Spider Wasp Episyron rufipes - Alan Keatley

Bees included the first Coastal Leafcutter Megachile maritima of 2024 and the first of the summer generation of Painted Nomad Bee Nomada furcata. Bugs included a couple of Ant Damsel Bug Himacerus mirmicoides on umbellifers and on the coastal mirid Lygus maritimus in The Bight. After a lone early summer record, several Common Darter were also making an appearance.

Painted Nomad Bee Nomada furcata - Alan Keatley

Ant Damsel Bug Himacerus mirmicoides - Alan Keatley

Sunday 14th July

Counts from the estuary included 419 Oystercatcher, with ringed birds returning to winter on most days, 289 Curlew, 107 Sandwich Tern including 44 juveniles, 93 Redshank, 46 Whimbrel, 21 Dunlin, 11 Mediterranean Gull, 10 Greenshank, the six Eider, five Common Sandpiper, three Ringed Plover, two Common Tern and a Bar-tailed Godwit. 

Elsewhere 34+ Common Scoter and two Great Northern Diver were offshore and on site c95 Starling, c70 Linnet and single Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Other Wildlife: A Golden-ringed Dragonfly on Warren Point was one of six Odonata species recorded today along with nine species of butterfly, including single Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell. Day-flying moths included Six-spot Burnet, Yellow Shell and a couple of Silver Y.

Poplar Hawkmoth - Kevin Rylands

Dasineura rosae gall - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 13th July

A moulting ♂ Tufted Duck in the estuary was unexpected, increased wader and tern counts pointed to other new arrivals. Totals included 312 Curlew, 105 Redshank, 39 Dunlin, 32 Whimbrel, 24 Mediterranean Gull, nine Greenshank, seven Ringed Plover, the six Eider, five Common Sandpiper, two Bar-tailed Godwit, a Sanderling and, on Bull Hill, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull. 

The terns were commuting between The Bight and offshore with minimum counts of 176 Sandwich (54 juvs) and three Common Tern. Also offshore a second juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, 23 Common Scoter, three Great Northern Diver and a Great Crested Grebe. 

Elsewhere a Coal Tit was in the Entrance Bushes, single Lesser Whitethroat and Willow Warbler were around Dead Dolphin Wood, 18 Swallow and 10 Sand Martin flew through and a sixth Common Sandpiper was at Langstone Rock. 

Other Wildlife: Despite the overcast conditions and occasional showers a few butterflies were on the wing including singles of Brown Argus, Marbled White, Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell.

Gatekeeper - Kevin Rylands

Friday 12th July

The first juvenile Yellow-legged Gull of the year was in the estuary with 171 Black-headed and 20+ Mediterranean Gull, a minimum of 112 Sandwich Tern, at least 39 juveniles, the six Eider and a lone Common Tern.

Wader counts over the high tide included 260 Curlew, 80 Redshank, 23 Dunlin, 16 Whimbrel, six Greenshank, five Ringed Plover, two Bar-tailed Godwit and a Sanderling. 

Elsewhere a Coal Tit was in Dead Dolphin Wood and offshore 17 Common Scoter, six Great Northern Diver and four Great Crested Grebe.

Other Wildlife: A newly independent Fox cub was around the Bight with the soldierfly Flecked Snout Nemotelus notatus on the Dune Ridge. 

Fox - Lee Collins

Flecked Snout Nemotelus notatus - Lee Collins

Thursday 11th July

An early morning visit saw 41 Swift foraging low over the site, with nine Common Scoter, a distant raft of seven Great Northern Diver and four Common Tern offshore.

Elsewhere the six Eider were roosting on Pole Sands, and whilst a Willow Warbler in the Entrance Bushes was already heading south, a Whitethroat was again nest building in Greenland Lake.

Other Wildlife: A Grey Seal was off Langstone Rock.

Wednesday 10th July

At least 80 Sandwich and a Common Tern remain in the estuary, with 74 Redshank, 29+ Mediterranean Gull, 22 Dunlin, five Greenshank and two Common Sandpiper. Elsewhere a flock of 10 Sand Martin flew SE and three Common Scoter were offshore.

Other Wildlife: The sunshine stirred insects into action following a couple of days of dull weather. Red-banded Sand Wasp Ammophila sabulosa were busy searching for moth larvae to take back to their nest holes, the first Black-thighed Epeolus E. variegatus was on the wing with Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio now numerous across the site.

Red-banded Sand Wasp Ammophila sabulosa - Alan Keatley

Black-thighed Epeolus E. variegatus - Alan Keatley

Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio - Alan Keatley

Butterflies and dragonflies species are still low in numbers, apart from at least eight Small Red-eyed Damselfly on the Main Pond.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly - Alan Keatley

Beosus maritimus nymph - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 9th July

Despite the overnight deluge there was no sign of the Long-tailed Skua, but there was a noticeable arrival of terns and waders. Two Arctic Tern were the highlight, a 1cy (portlandica) and a 2cy bird, also present either feeding offshore or roosting in the estuary, 112 Sandwich Tern, min 25 juveniles, 14 Common and a Little Tern.

Arctic Tern (3cy) - Lee Collins

Counts from the estuary included 70 Black-headed and 46 Mediterranean Gull, 60 Redshank, 52 Dunlin, 31 Turnstone, 18 Whimbrel, eight Common Sandpiper, the six Eider, four Greenshank, two Bar and Black-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plover and Knot and a single Sanderling.

Elsewhere 27 Shelduck flew in off the sea and up the estuary with 14 Common Scoter and an immature Arctic Skua offshore.

Other Wildlife: Damp and drizzly for most of the day, and the normally active insects were mainly inactive, sheltered in flower heads, particularly Ragwort. These included the first Pantaloon Bee Dasypoda hirtipes of the year, Bare-shouldered Colletes C. similis, Yellow-legged Andrena flavipes and Sandpit Mining Bee A. barbilabris. 

Pantaloon Bee - Alan Keatley

Bare-saddled Colletes - Alan Keatley

Sheltering wasps included Bee-wolf and Willow Mason Wasp Symmorphus bifasciatus and selected flies included Red-legged Eriothrix E. rufomaculata, the shieldbug tachinid Ectophasia crassipennis and the hoverfly Riponnensia splendens. 

Bee Wolf - Alan Keatley

Monday 8th July

An unexpected highlight was a Long-tailed Skua, at least a third calendar year, watched hawking low over The Bight and Golf Course for a few minutes, before flying over the dune ridge and lost to view heading SW down the beach just before 8.30am. Only the fourth July record and the first Warren record since a similar aged bird offshore on 4 July 2020.

The same bird was again in the estuary early evening off Cockwood before relocating to Cockle Sands off Exmouth on the rising tide. Also in the estuary, two adult Little Ringed Plover on the morning tide, at least 57 Sandwich (15 juvs) and eight Common Tern, 33 Mediterranean Gull, including the first juvenile, and a Kittiwake. 

Counts included 193 Curlew, 58 Redshank, 29 Turnstone, 25 Dunlin, a sudden arrival of 24 Shelduck including 14 juveniles, 16 Whimbrel, the six Eider, six Greenshank, three Ringed Plover, two Bar-tailed Godwit and a Sanderling.

Elsewhere a raft of four immature Pomarine Skua offshore had presumably roosted before they headed slowly SW early morning, and four Sand Martin joined 12 Swallow feeding low over The Bight in the mizzle.

Swallow - Dave Jewell

Year list addition:

157. Long-tailed Skua

Sunday 7th July

The first Little Ringed Plover of the year flew over Warren Point with an Osprey another brief highlight, flying SW along back of the Warren and away inland early morning.

More settled birds in the estuary included 290 Curlew, 31 Redshank, 26 Turnstone, 25 Whimbrel, 13 Dunlin, 13 Mute Swan, the six Eider, five Greenshank, two Ringed Plover, two Black and a Bar-tailed Godwit. 

Black-tailed Godwit - Dave Jewell

At least 31 Sandwich Tern, including 11 juveniles, were commuting between the estuary and feeding offshore along with 30 Mediterranean Gull. Remaining offshore were 16 Common and a Little Tern, an immature Arctic Skua, six Common Scoter and an immature Great Northern Diver.

Year list addition:

156. Little Ringed Plover

Ringing News: Five colour-ringed Sandwich Tern have been recorded this week, three from Wales, a new bird from Cemlyn and two returning birds, including one not seen since 2020; a returning bird from Hampshire and a new bird from Larne Lough, Northern Ireland.

Other Wildlife: At least two Common Dolphin were feeding offshore.