The unseasonably warm and sunny weather again seemed to limit migration with two of five singing Reed Warbler and two Wheatear all that could be found on site. However as the temperatures cooled early evening a small easterly movement of hirundines with at least 25 Swallow, 14 Swift and nine House Martin.
Also heading east, but well offsite, were four Crane high over the upper estuary north of Powderham, picked up thanks to news of them heading south over Exminster Marshes.
Whimbrel numbers also increased over the evening tide with at least 110 birds present as well as a brief staying flock of five Greenshank which left high north on the rising tide. Aside from Oystercatcher, other waders around The Bight were limited with 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Ringed Plover, six Turnstone, four Dunlin and two Sanderling.
Whimbrel - Lee Collins
A pale phase adult Arctic Skua close inshore also appeared late evening with five Sandwich Tern, two Great Northern Diver and single Common Scoter, Great Crested Grebe and Eider offshore.
Great Crested Grebe - Lee Collins
Elsewhere a pair of Great Crested Grebe were displaying in the estuary and a Little Grebe was carrying two tiny chicks at the Main Pond.
Other Wildlife: The weather encouraged the early appearance of two day-flying moths, a Yellow Belle in Greenland Lake was the third earliest for Devon and a Mother Shipton along the railway seawall is the earliest, and first April, Devon record. It was also only the second Recording Area sighting after one on 22 May 2022. A female Muslin Moth at Langstone Rock was a more typical date but just the third record.
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