Mammals
A real change in status this year, with fluctuating appearances of a lone Grey Squirrel early in the year to March 16th, with sightings scarce in mid-summer with just one record in June and three in August. Then appeared regularly from early September to end of October, feeding on acorns and alder seeds. Then just one record end of November and two in December. Mainly seen around the Entrance Bushes, Dead Dolphin Wood or the trees on the golf course, one did venture as far as Warren Point on one occasion, perhaps the individual found dead on The Bight strandline in September.
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| Grey Squirrel 18th January - Alan Keatley |
Recorded on six dates throughout the year, Brown Rat is most likely seen early morning. Never too far away from a convenient food source or human activity, with several finding bird table food to their liking.
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| Brown Rat - Alan Keatley |
First recorded in 2013, from a re-introduction scheme at Cockwood, Water Vole have slowly established itself on the Warren. This elusive beast was reported on ten occasions this year, mostly at the Main Pond, but also in ditches and ponds on the Golf Course. The smaller Field and Bank Vole are also ever present, but rarely seen. A Field Vole was found in Greenland Lake on 21st January with a Bank Vole in the Buffer Zone on 12th June and at Langstone Rock on 9th September.
Smaller again mice are similarly under-recorded, with no sightings this year, although abandoned Harvest Mouse nests were found across site, including in reeds at the Main Pond, in the early winter and autumn. First recorded a few years ago, with one exception they remain unseen!
Another unseen species was Badger, with footprints, latrines and foraging signs all noted, a continuing increase in activity. Footprints again were the main evidence of the presence of Weasel and Stoat, but they were also occasionally seen, if briefly, as they ran between cover. A Weasel was spotted on several occasions, often near the Visitor Centre, between 12th January and 27th October, and a Stoat ran across the carpark on 8th November.
Uncertainty on however many Fox there are on site with footprints frequently found on soft sand. Sightings were reduced this year, with presumably only one active den, with most seen between May and September.
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| Fox 11th July - Lee Collins |
The only bat species identified this year were Common Pipistrelle on 3rd March, with pipistrelle sp. on many dates during the summer.
As with mice and voles, shrews are rarely recorded. Of the three species found on site Pygmy Shrew is the least recorded but one was seen on 21st January with the first Common Shrew noted on 24th April. Related to shrews and, like Harvest Mouse, yet to be seen on site, fresh molehills near the railway footbridge confirmed the continuing presence of Mole.
The Warren's historical relationship with Rabbit continues. Numbers fluctuate with disease (Myxomatosis, VHD1 & 2) taking its toll. Recorded throughout the year, particularly from mid-March to mid-October, numbers were low this year. Quiet times (early morning and evening) and quieter places like Warren Point are the best times and place to see them.
With the removal of a barge that was a favoured haul out in the lower estuary reduced seal sightings this year, although at least eight individuals (six Grey & two Common) were present in the estuary late winter. No particular pattern to appearances of Grey Seal with sightings in all months apart from February. Seen both offshore and in the estuary, unlike previous years only one individual was noted on any particular date with most sightings of a bull off Langstone Rock. As is typical fewer Common Seal were recorded; singles noted in the estuary in June, September and December with an adult and juvenile on Warren Point on 30th November.
Apart from a 13th January record, all other Harbour Porpoise sightings, ten, were between May and September. Usually seen singly, however two were noted on 9th May, with three on 17th & 30th August. In recent years Common Dolphin has lived up to its named, with twelve sightings between May and September and again on December 14th. Usually seen in small pods (including the occasional calf), the maximum was at least ten on 16th September. It was also a good year for Bottle-nosed Dolphin by recent standards with records on four occasions, three in August including a pod of four on 10th, and the final record of the year, a pod of ten on 14th December.
By far the mammal highlight of 2024 was Risso's Dolphin, a bull was seen well for up to two hours from the seawall, before slowly heading south on 22nd May. The first confirmed record, following two probables on 12th December 2010, it was spotted again distantly on 25th May. No doubt the same animal that had been seen occasionally in Torbay earlier in the year.
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| Risso's Dolphin 22nd May - David Flack |
Reptiles
The most frequently encountered species, Common Lizard were emerging from hibernation from 2nd March. Only ones or two were recorded on various dates until the autumn when adults and this year's juveniles were seen together. Seven were recorded on 11th September and a good total of nineteen on 1st October. Sand Lizard emerged later with the first, a female, on 28th April and the last on 29th August. Usually found on the Dune Ridge, this introduced reptile is susceptible to habitat loss due to sand dune erosion.
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| Sand Lizard 10th May - Lee Collins |
The first Slow-worm since 2021 was found on 7th April, missing part of its tail, it no doubt had a close encounter with a predator.
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| Slow-worm 7th April - Lee Collins |
Amphibians
Common Frog spawn was found in the temporary entrance pools on 6th Feb, with other spawn found in Greenland Lake. However, these pools dried out before the tadpoles could emerge. Common Toad fared better with adults found between May 30th and September 30th, although there were few toadlets noted this year.
Fish
Plenty of Rudd could the found at the Main Pond, attracting Kingfisher, Grey Heron and on at least one occasion a Little Egret to the. Little Grebe were also seen feeding smaller Rudd to their young.
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| Rudd (with Kingfisher) 9th September - Alan Keatley |
Marine fish are usually encountered stranded on the beach like the Lesser-spotted Dogfish on April 5th, falling victim to a predator such as Lesser Sandeel and, on 31st May, a European Eel, or are caught by anglers. A common coastal fish, the elongate shaped Garfish was noted offshore on 6th January, with species found around the shallows and estuary later in the year including Flounder, Plaice, Sea Bass, Common Sprat and Thick-lipped Mullet, scarcer species included a Starry Smooth-hound on 20th July and the first Common Goby for the Recording Area on 1st September.
Rockpooling at Langstone Rock revealed Common Pipefish on 9th September. Further searching found Conger Eel and a Topknot, a flatfish new for site on 19th September and a Five-bearded Rockling on 20th. Last, but not least, an Atlantic Bluefin Tuna was seen breaching on December 7th and 22nd.
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| Five-bearded Rockling 20th September - Kevin Rylands |
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