Friday 31st January

The male Peregrine was again around The Bight at high tide keeping the waders jumpy with over a third of the Dunlin (290) roosting on the seawall at Cockwood and just 520 on site along with 129 Bar-tailed Godwit, 89 Knot, 73 Redshank, 45 Common and a Mediterranean Gull, 45 Teal, 27 Sanderling, 15 Ringed Plover and seven Wigeon.

Peregrine - Lee Collins

Elsewhere 11 Common Scoter and four Eider were offshore.

Ringing News: With a further 26 Dunlin reads today over 400 have been made during the month. An total of 119 individuals have been recorded, two from Poland, one from Wales and the rest from the Exe, two of which were first ringed elsewhere, in Germany and Sweden.

Thursday 30th January

Around The Bight high tide counts were disrupted by a hunting Peregrine; the Kestrel on Warren Point having a lesser impact. The usual wader species were all present, with a couple of Avocet dropping in briefly and two Lapwing, the first of the year, passing overhead.

Kestrel - Dean Hall

Avocet - Lee Collins

Elsewhere there were four Eider and single Great Northern and Red-throated Diver offshore and the crisp cold start saw three Chiffchaff searching for insects in the Main Pond reeds, otherwise the bushes were quiet with just four Siskin moving between the alders.

Chiffchaff - Dean Hall

Year list addition:

101. Lapwing

Ringing News: Whilst the Peregrine may have hampered counts, the frequent movement of birds did provide good opportunities to check most of the Dunlin flock with a total of 50 colour-ringed bird recorded. So far 84 of the 99 ringed recently have been resighted.

Other Wildlife: Although bright and sunny it was too cold for flying insects except for a couple of Buff-tailed Bumblebee on ornamental Hebe and the early muscid Phaonia tuguriorum.

Phaonia tuguriorum - Alan Keatley

Terrestrial inverts included a 16-spot Ladybird, Potato Flea Beetle Psylliodes affinis and the spiders Clubiona comta and Zoropsis spinimana.

Zoropsis spinimana - Alan Keatley

16-spot Ladybird - Alan Keatley

Sunday 26th January

A wet and windy day courtesy of storm Herminia but little was passing offshore, with a 1hr 30m seawatch from first light recording just two Great Northern Diver and single Cormorant, Shag, Fulmar and Kittiwake amongst small numbers of gulls, including 23 Common Gull. The sea was similarly quiet after the rain. 

The weather cleared late afternoon and a check of the high tide included 474 Dark and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 105+ Grey Plover, 104 Great and four Lesser Black-backed Gull, 82 Shelduck, 54 Teal, 47 Bar-tailed Godwit, 32 Curlew, 12 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Red-breasted Merganser, two Knot and a Great Northern Diver in the estuary. Notable numbers of Great Black-backed Gull and (sadly) Red-breasted Merganser due to the conditions.

Saturday 25th January

The first Purple Sandpiper for over 12 months was at Langstone Rock with five Turnstone early morning, presumably the lone Exe wintering bird, previously seen at Orcombe Point, Exmouth.

Purple Sandpiper - David Flack

Also from the seawall, 29 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Great Northern and three Red-throated Diver, seven Common Scoter, three Eider and a Red-breasted Merganser were offshore.

In the estuary reduced numbers of waders on the low high tide with the presence of a male Peregrine around The Bight encouraging many to roost elsewhere as the waters rose. Of note the Peregrine spent some time appearing to feed on invertebrates along the strandline. 

Wader counts included 48 Redshank, 38 Ringed and a Golden Plover, 23 Turnstone,  22 Sanderling, seven Bar-tailed Godwit, five Greenshank and three Knot. Wildfowl included 371 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 74 Teal, four Red-breasted Merganser, three Shoveler, a pair of Goldeneye and a Wigeon with 71 Common and three adult Mediterranean Gull also in the estuary.

Golden Plover - Lee Collins

Elsewhere a Little Grebe was back on the Main Pond after an unusual three month absence, and three Siskin, three Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest were in the bushes.

Year list additions:

99. Purple Sandpiper
100. Little Grebe

Ringing News: A total of 37 Exe-ringed Dunlin were recorded over high tide along with 23 locally ringed Oystercatcher, including several at least 20 years old. 

Dunlin 17 - Lee Collins

Other Wildlife: The bull Grey Seal was again offshore, around Orcombe and the estuary mouth. An adult male Episinus maculipes was a new spider for the Recording Area. Not an unexpected find with the British Arachnological Society describing this species as 'no longer the rarity it once was: small populations probably occur in most suitable habitats along the south-west coast of the UK', but an unusual date. 

Friday 24th January

The tail of Storm Eowyn had long passed by first light, seawatching saw most birds passing distantly S, these included 136 Gannet, with no 1cy birds, 18 Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver, three diver sp and a Fulmar. Two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver were also on the sea. 

Elsewhere on a low high tide 870 Dunlin, 49 Common and a Mediterranean Gull, 30 Grey Plover and a Sanderling.

Ringing News: A total of 30 Exe-ringed Dunlin were recorded. 

Thursday 23rd January

A late afternoon visit saw 29 Great Crested Grebe, 10 Common Scoter, the three Eider, three Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver offshore, with 124 Teal, 71 Shelduck, nine Wigeon and two Red-breasted Merganser in the estuary.

Elsewhere three Water Rail and a pair of Shoveler were at the Main Pond.

Other Wildlife: A Water Vole showed well at the Main Pond at dusk.

Wednesday 22nd January

A notable movement of auks offshore early morning with 150 Razorbill eastward  in various size flocks up to 40, in the first 45 minutes, with five Guillemot picked out, also offshore 47 roosting Great Crested Grebe, 12 Gannet, three Eider, three Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver and a Fulmar.

In the estuary the low hightide meant wader numbers were reduced with no Bar-tailed Godwit or Sanderling. A Golden Plover was in The Bight with counts of 58 Shelduck, 42 Turnstone, 38 Ringed and four Grey Plover, 14 Wigeon, three Greenshank, a Knot and a Guillemot.

Elsewhere a large flock of 170 Siskin were a pleasant surprise in Dead Dolphin Wood dispersing and feeding amongst the site Alders. This is a winter record count for the Warren, after 124 in Feb last year and 100 in Jan 1994. 

Ringing News: A total of 45 Exe ringed Dunlin were noted. 

Other Wildlife: The male Grey Seal was off Langstone Rock. Still little invertebrate activity with Bark Sac Spider Clubiona corticalis, Leopard Slug Limax maximus and Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum in the Entrance Bushes, where a couple of Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha coccinea were fruiting on moss covered twigs.

Scarlet Elfcup Sarcoscypha coccinea - Alan Keatley

Monday 20th January

A late afternoon visit saw 31 Great Crested Grebe, three Common Scoter, the three Eider and two Great Northern Diver offshore, with 432 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese moving between the mudflats and fields at Eastdon.

Elsewhere three Water Rail, a pair of Shoveler and single Chiffchaff and Goldcrest were around the Main Pond and half a dozen Wren roosting in a nestbox in the Entrance Bushes.

Year list addition:

98. Feral Pigeon

Other Wildlife: Not surprisingly no flying insects on a dull chilly day. Hidden insects included Lesne's Earwig under marram grass and Syntomus foveatus, a ground beetle, under driftwood.

Lesne's Earwig - Alan Keatley

Syntomus foveatus - Alan Keatley

Sunday 19th January

Tallies from the monthly WeBS count included 885 Dunlin, 370 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 359 Snipe, the highest count since January 1987; 234 Teal, 140 Bar-tailed Godwit, 129 Grey and 38 Ringed Plover, 97 Knot, 20 Wigeon, seven Greenshank and single Jack Snipe, Kingfisher and Water Pipit.

Kingfisher - Martin Overy

Elsewhere 22 Razorbill, 20 Great Crested Grebe, the three Eider, two Great Northern and Red-throated Diver and a Guillemot were offshore with five Shoveler at the Main Pond and three Goldcrest, a Chiffchaff and a Firecrest on site. 

Saturday 18th January

Early morning saw good numbers of birds feeding offshore including a fairly even mix of c50 Guillemot and Razorbill, the three Eider and 19 Red-throated and 11 Great Northern Diver. 

Counts from the estuary on a big high tide included 1300 Dunlin, 200 Snipe, flushed by the rising waters, 185 Curlew, 156 Teal, 104 Bar-tailed Godwit, 70 Knot, 53 Cormorant, 46 Turnstone, 30 Ringed Plover, 24 Wigeon, 22 Sanderling, four Greenshank, three Red-breasted Merganser and a Mediterranean Gull.

Elsewhere 30 Siskin, three Bullfinch, two Chiffchaff and a Goldcrest in the bushes, male Kestrel and Sparrowhawk on Warren Point and three Stock Dove, two Jackdaw and a Rook overhead. 

Year list additions:

96. Kittiwake
97. Razorbill

Ringing News: A couple of notable reads amongst the Exe ringed waders. Dunlin AM was ringed as a 1cy on 7 September 2020 and has been seen regularly the last five winters and Oystercatcher EP, ringed here as a 2cy on 12 October 2021 and a non-breeding resident until Mar 2023 which was its last recorded sighting. Its apparent absence last winter likely due to wear making the colour-ring unreadable. 

Other Wildlife: The Grey Squirrel remains resident on the Golf Course. 

Friday 17th January

The Green-winged Teal was again in the estuary late morning and was then seen briefly at Exminster Marshes this afternoon. Also in the estuary a Kingfisher and an adult Mediterranean Gull. The first three Stock Dove of the year, over the Main Pond, was the only other news received. 

Year list additions:

93. Stock Dove
94. Mediterranean Gull
95. Firecrest (w/e 17th)

Ringing News: The metal ringed female Stonechat remains in Greenland Lake, it was ringed in the nest at Kingswear, south Devon in May 2022 and has been resident since April 2023, successfully breeding here the last two years. 

Stonechat - Lee Collins

In the estuary 44 Exe ringed Dunlin were noted, including seven new birds from the recent catch.

Thursday 16th January

Thick fog prevented coverage of the high tide with two Greenshank and two Red-breasted Merganser present in the estuary at low tide. Viewing offshore was also limited early morning but 49 Great Crested Grebe, seven Pintail and two Great Northern Diver were present late afternoon.

Elsewhere nine Skylark were in The Bight, three Siskin, and single Chiffchaff and Goldcrest were in the bushes with three Shoveler on the Main Pond.

Year list additions:

92. Pintail

Other Wildlife: Several Petalwort Petalophylum ralfsii were growing well in the translocation area by the Entrance Bushes.

Petalwort Petalophylum ralfsii - Alan Keatley

The Grey Squirrel was on the Golf Course with a Grey Seal off Langstone Rock. Smaller finds included the first Western Yellow Centipede Stigmatogaster subterranea for the Recording Area, one of the UK's longest species at over 70mm. 

Western Yellow Centipede Stigmatogaster subterranea - Kevin Rylands

Also under dead wood the rove beetle Paederus littoralis with the first Common Bluebottle Calliphora vicina of the year on the wing along with the grass fly Eutropha fulvifrons and the picture-winged fly Geomyza tripunctata.

Geomyza tripunctata - Alan Keatley

Paederus littoralis - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 15th January

A foggy start hampered counts offshore and in the estuary but an Egyptian Goose and 27 Sanderling were in The Bight with the usual species at high tide. A late afternoon visit saw 391 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese fly in to roost with 200 Carrion Crow, 72 Shelduck, five Jackdaw and four Greenshank on the mudflats and a Water Pipit in the saltmarsh.

Elsewhere 43 Great Crested Grebe, 11 Red-throated and four Great Northern Diver were offshore with two Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest in the bushes. 

Year list additions:

90. Egyptian Goose
91. Water Pipit

Ringing News: Despite the conditions 27 Exe ringed Dunlin were noted. So far 69 of the 99 birds marked 11 days ago have been resighted. 

Tuesday 14th January

A good day with the best weather of the year so far with almost unbroken sunshine and very light wind. This created flat calm conditions offshore where there were three Eider, 20 Great Crested Grebe, 18 Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver. There was also an unconfirmed report of single Red-necked and Slavonian Grebe.

The highlight was offsite, a White-tailed Eagle from the IoW reintroduction scheme, watched from Warren Point, circling above Powderham, mobbed by corvids and a pair of Buzzard. Unfortunately it didn't head towards the Warren.

On the Warren itself an increase in finches with 30 Goldfinch, 15 Greenfinch and four Lesser Redpoll in the bushes, with single Chiffchaff and Goldcrest. A brief calling Cetti's Warbler and five Shoveler  at the Main Pond.

Other Wildlife: A Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus on Warren Point was the first hoverfly of the year on a good day for invertebrates.

Red Marsh Ladybird Coccidula rufa - Alan Keatley

Common Damselbug Nabis rugosus - Alan Keatley

Demetrias atricapillus - Alan Keatley

Aphodius sphacelatus - Alan Keatley

Monday 13th January

An afternoon low tide tide visit so little to report from the estuary, with nine Great Crested Grebe and a Great Northern Diver offshore.

The bushes were relatively quiet, just 12 Long-tailed Tit and a couple of Siskin with two female Shoveler on the Main Pond.

Other Wildlife: The first Buff-tailed Bumblebee was a now expected sight at this time of year on the ornamental Hebe.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee - Alan Keatley

Other insects were not as obvious, on the beach the strandline Oarweed Fly Heterocheila buccata and under a log by the Main Pond, a Grey Arches caterpillar and the rove beetle Xantholinus longiventris.

Oarweed Fly Heterocheila buccata - Alan Keatley

Grey Arches - Alan Keatley

Xantholinus longiventris - Alan Keatley

Sunday 12th January

Early morning saw 13 Red-throated and seven Great Northern Diver offshore along with 19 Great Crested Grebe, three Red-breasted Merganser, three Eider and a Common Scoter. 

Elsewhere the Coal Tit, seven Siskin and single Chiffchaff and Goldcrest were in the bushes, 11 Teal and five Shoveler were at the Main Pond, three Jackdaw and single Lesser Redpoll and Rook were overhead.

There was no sign of the Green-winged Teal, with 94 Common Gull and a Avocet noted amongst the usual species in the estuary.

Ringing News: A total of 27 ringed Dunlin, included the German and Swedish ringed birds. Other recoveries included the Welsh ringed Knot and a metal ringed Shelduck from the Axe Estuary, last recorded here in November 2019.

Other Wildlife: A few larger fungi are still fruiting despite the weather with species such as Sulphur Tuft Hypholoma fasciculare, Scurfy Twiglet Tubaria furfuracea and new for the Recording Area, Firerug Inkcap Coprinellus domesticus along with the hardier and longer lasting Blushing Bracket Daedaleopsis confragosa and Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum.

Firerug Inkcap Coprinellus domesticus - Kevin Rylands

Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum - Kevin Rylands

Smaller species included the stitchwort leaf spot Mycosphaerella isariphora, new for the Warren on the sites only Greater Stitchwort and Chaetosphaerella phaeostroma, a fungi that parasitises dead wood fungi.

Chaetosphaerella phaeostroma - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 11th January

The moulting drake Green-winged Teal reappeared in an area with no general access with 187 Teal, the first sighting since 13 December. Also in the estuary, 193 Dark and a Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 110 Shelduck, 95 Wigeon, eight Greenshank, an Avocet and a Kingfisher. 

Elsewhere the first Fulmar of the year was offshore with the three Eider, three Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, with at least six Shoveler at the Main Pond and 25 Siskin, two Chiffchaff and single Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker in the bushes.

Year list additions:

82. Green-winged Teal
83. Great Spotted Woodpecker
84. Pheasant
85. Avocet
86. Rook
87. Fulmar
88. Reed Bunting
89. Coal Tit

Other Wildlife: Now is a good time to look for signs of the recently arrived and rapidly spreading Alexanders Straw Aethes deaurana, search the seeds left attached to dead Alexanders for larval exit holes.  

larval feeding signs of Alexanders Straw Aethes deaurana - Kevin Rylands

Thursday 9th January

A visit for the afternoon high tide saw 139 Shelduck, most in The Bight with 40 Knot and 38 Ringed Plover also present, although a Peregrine hampered other wader counts. 

Elsewhere four Great Northern Diver and the three Eider were offshore, a Golden Plover called overhead with two Chiffchaff and single Green Woodpecker and Siskin in the bushes. 

Year list additions:

77. Golden Plover
78. Grey Wagtail
79. Jack Snipe
80. Lesser Black-backed Gull
81. Siskin

Other Wildlife: A long-dead Mirror Carp was an unexpected tideline discovery, a first record for the Warren. Although they can occur in estuaries it was likely washed down river once deceased, so not added to the site audit.

Mirror Carp - Kevin Rylands

 

Tuesday 7th January

A vocal and briefly showy Cetti's Warbler by the First Pond was an unexpected highlight, presumably the bird last recorded on 1st December. Also on site two Sparrowhawk and a Chiffchaff with two Shoveler and two Water Rail at the Main Pond.

A good count of 131 Shelduck were around The Bight with 113 Bar-tailed Godwit, 69 Grey Plover, 35 Curlew, 34 Knot and eight Skylark. Elsewhere 93 Dark-bellied Brent Geese were on the flooded Golf Course, a Great Northern Diver was in the estuary and three Eider were offshore.

Year list additions:

75. Sparrowhawk
76. Cetti's Warbler

Wildlife News: A few invertebrates were found in sheltered areas.

Leiobunum blackwalli - Alan Keatley

Euscelis incisus - Alan Keatley

Neriene clathrata - Alan Keatley

Wildlife Review 2024: Other invertebrates

Bristletails (Archaeognatha)

Two species found this year; both prefer damp areas, Heathland Bristletail Dilta littoralis in damp grassland on 18th March and Sea Bristletail Petrobius maritimus on rocks near Langstone Rock on 11th August.

Heathland Bristletail Dilta littoralis - Alan Keatley

Mayflies (Baetidae)

One of the only two mayflies on the site audit, a Pond Olive Cloeon dipterum was noted appropriately on 17th May.

Barkflies (Psocodea)

Barkflies are tiny insects with simple forewing veins usually found on trees. The yellow barkfly Valenzuela flavidus was the first of the year on 21st May with Valenzuela burmeisteri on 17th August. Other species this year included Elipsocus hyalinatus on 1st June, Bertkauia lucifuga on 24th August, unlike most barkflies it's found at ground level under leaf litter, and Ectopsocus petersi on 23rd September.

Valenzuela flavidus 21st May - Alan Keatley

Green lacewings (Chrysopidae)

Two species are on the site audit, the Common Green Lacewing Chysoperla carnea was noted on 6th June, and following last year's first record, a Pearl Lacewing C. perla on 24th June.

Pearl Lacewing Chrysopa perla 24th June - Alan Keatley

Scorpionflies (Panorpidae)

Three very similar UK species differing in wing pattern and shape of the male genital capsule (which forms the scorpion-like ‘sting’). The two common species occur on site, with one noted this year, German Scorpionfly Panorpa germanica was recorded from 15th May.

German Scorpionfly Panorpa germanica 15th May - Alan Keatley

Springtails (Hexapoda)

Previously considered insects, springtails occupy damp habitats and can be found in leaf litter, under bark, logs and driftwood. There are twenty-four species on the site audit with most added in the last few years. Due to their minute size, identification of some is challenging. Only eleven species were recorded this year, mostly in the first few months, although they can be found any time of the year.

Curly Springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis 18th January - Alan Keatley

The Curly Springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis was the first springtail of the year on 18th January followed by Orchesella cincta on 22nd January. Globular springtails (Dicyrtomidae) were represented by Dicytomina saundersi from 27th January with D. minuta and D. ornata from 1st February. Arboreal species of the order Entomobrya included Entomobrya intermedia on 8th February and E. albicincta on 27th April. The marine springtail Anurida maritima, an intertidal species, was noted from 1st March. Tomocerus vulgaris was observed on 8th November.

Dicytomina saundersi 27th January - Alan Keatley

Millipedes and centipedes (Myriapoda)

Myriapods are poorly represented on site with only ten species identified, including three found new this year. Eight of the ten species were recorded this year.

The first new species was a Stony Centipede Lithobois microps on 27th January. In February the second new species of the year was another centipede, Geophilus flavus found on 18th, with a Bristly Millipede Polyxenus lagurus and the millipede Cylindroiulus latestriatus on the same date. The Common Flat-backed Millipede Polyesmus angustus was noted on 1st March. Into April the third new species, a White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodolulus niger was a good find on 3rd. 

White-legged Snake Millipede Tachypodolulus niger 3rd April - Alan Keatley

On 5th April Blunt-tailed Snake Millipede Cylindroiulus punctatus was added to the annual audit, with Striped Millipede Ommatioulus sabulosus, a species of more open ground, and therefore the most frequently recorded species, was also active the same day.

Striped Millipede Ommatioulus sabulosus 7th April - Alan Keatley

Molluscs (Mollusca)

A total of 41 species were recorded, 22 marine species including Pacific Oyster Magallana gigas on the Wreck and Common Piddock Pholas dactylus burrowing into the reefs at Langstone Rock. Terrestrial discoveries included two new species for the Recording Area, Marsh Slug Deroceras laeve and Hairy Snail Trochulus hispidus both unearthed on 1st March.

Crustaceans (Crustacea)

A total of 23 species were recorded, 12 marine species including Volcano Barnacle Perforatus perforatus, Common Lobster Homarus gammarus and Chameleon Prawn Hippolyte varians with three strandline specialists including the national scarce Beach Pill Woodlouse Armadillidium album and eight other woodlice including the subterranean Ant Woodlouse Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii.

Ant Woodlouse Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii - Kevin Rylands

Worms (Annelida)

Five species of earthworm (Oligochaeta) included a new species for the Recording Area, Green Worm Allolobophora chlorotica. Six species of marine segmented worms (Polychaete) also included a new species, Ross Worm Sabellaria spinulosa at Langstone Rock. 

Flatworms (Platyhelminthes)

Just one species recorded, the native Microplana terrestris, a scavenger of dead earthworms.

Sea anemones, jellyfish, corals etc (Cnidaria)

Six species from this diverse marine phylum were recorded including Snakeslock, Strawberry and Beadlet Anemone at Langstone Rock and Moon Aurelia aurita and Crystal Jellyfish Aequorea vitrina on the strandline, the latter a first for the Recording Area. 

Crystal Jellyfish Aequorea vitrina - Alan Keatley