Friday 31st October

Seawatching from first light saw a very heavy southerly passage of auks and Kittiwake, along with seven Great Northern Diver, four Arctic Skua and a small hooded, long tailed falcon sp.

Another 1CY Caspian Gull was on Finger Point over high tide with c80 Great Black-backed Gull and 46 Cormorant. Two Curlew Sandpiper were surprise late arrivals in the Bight with 260 Dunlin, 48 Ringed Plover, 13 Sanderling and 11 Pale-bellied Brent Geese.

Curlew Sandpiper (front) and Dunlin - Lee Collins

Thursday 30th October

An early morning song thrush looked like a migrant as it flew in high and dropped directly into a gorse bush in the buffer zone not to be seen again. Apart from a single flock of 17 Skylark nothing else was on the move.

At least nine Chiffchaff, six Goldcrest and two male Blackcap were with the tit flock, with five Siskin and three Chaffinch in the Entrance Bushes. 

Counts of wildfowl and waders from a low high tide included 801 Wigeon, 516 Teal, 186 Dunlin, 109 Dark and 12 Light-bellied Brent Geese, 65 Turnstone, 55 Curlew, 41 Great Black-backed, 28 Common and an adult Mediterranean Gull, 26 Ringed Plover, 10 Greenshank, nine Bar-tailed Godwit, three Great Crested Grebe and a Pintail. 

Elsewhere at least 300 Gannet were feeding in the bay, most distantly, with three Common Scoter and a Great Northern Diver on the sea.

Other Wildlife: An interesting day for insects with a variety found sheltering including the tiny lace bug Acalypha parvula, the barkfly Pteroxanium kelloggi, and the bugs Beosus maritimus and Grey Damselbug Himacerus major. 

Acalypha parvula - Alan Keatley

Pteroxanium kelloggi - Alan Keatley

Grey Damselbug Himacerus major - Alan Keatley

Some beetles were blown onto the beach in the strong southwesterlies including several Dune Scarab and a Black Marram Weevil Otiorhynchus atroapterus.

Black Marram Weevil Otiorhynchus atroapterus - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 29th October

An overnight arrival of late migrants included at least 25 Chiffchaff, four Goldcrest and two Blackcap in the bushes with 15 Meadow Pipit in Greenland Lake and an increase in Blackbird across the site.

Elsewhere the Spoonbill was in The Bight, six Eider were offshore and a Teal was at the First Pond. 

Teal - Jim Summers

Tuesday 28th October

The Spoonbill and 10 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were in The Bight with the usual mix of waders and wildfowl. 

Elsewhere six Eider were offshore and the bushes held seven Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest, two Siskin and a Firecrest with the usual tits, and two Great Spotted Woodpecker were near the Main Pond.

Other Wildlife: A good selection of insects for the end of October included a late Mourning Wasp Perphredon lugubris and a Speckled Wood in Dead Dolphin Wood and two Migrant Hawker, a Common Darter and a Red Admiral in Greenland Lake. 

Mourning Wasp Perphredon lugubris - Alan Keatley

Hoverflies included a few Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus, Common Tiger Hoverfly Helophilus pendulus and Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax, with a Noon Fly Mesembrina meridiana also on the wing.

Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus - Alan Keatley

a planthopper Eurysa lineata - Alan Keatley

Sunday 26th October

Another morning of varied vismig although passerines remain low in number, especially compared to more elevated sites. Woodpigeon again made up the bulk of birds overhead with at least 6500 heading W with 23 Jackdaw, 18 Skylark, 15+ Stock Dove, eight Chaffinch, eight Rook, seven Redpoll, six Siskin, two Reed Bunting, two Swallow and a Pintail. 

Grounded migrants included a male Yellowhammer with Cirl Bunting in Greenland Lake and a vocal Dartford Warbler on the Golf Course, both firsts for the year. Otherwise there was little change in the bushes with eight Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest, two Coal Tit, a Buzzard and a Firecrest. 

The latest ever Garganey, after one on 20th October 1996, was in the estuary with 556 Teal: other counts included 469 Wigeon, 267 Redshank, 264 Dark and five Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 160+ Dunlin, 96 Black and 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 40 Turnstone, 22 Knot, 14 Greenshank, 10 Sanderling, four Mediterranean Gull, a Kingfisher, a Pintail and the adult Spoonbill.

Elsewhere nine Common Scoter, six Eider and three Great Northern Diver were on the sea. 

Year list additions:
181. Yellowhammer
180. Dartford Warbler

Saturday 25th October

Ideal conditions for a movement of Woodpigeon with a stiff north-westerly and scattered cloud cover from dawn. Flocks totalling at least 11,450 were moving west most of the morning mainly in low hundreds with a few larger flocks, within them a few Stock Dove, Starling, racing pigeons and even a 1cy Common Gull. 

Woodpigeon - Dave Jewell

The strength of the wind presumably reduced movement of smaller passerines, although the first Brambling of the year headed east with a Redpoll and single figures of Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit, Siskin and Skylark.

Meadow Pipit - Lee Collins

Onsite eight Chiffchaff, four Goldcrest and a Firecrest were roving with 15 Blue, 14 Long-tailed and six Great Tit, with the Cetti's Warbler in scrub behind the Crocus Compound and three Teal, two Kingfisher, a Snipe and a Water Rail at the Main Pond.

Long-tailed Tit - Dave Jewell

In the estuary counts over the high tide included 460 Wigeon, 450 Teal, 341 Dark and 12 Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 180 Dunlin, 94 Shelduck, 52 Ringed and six Grey Plover, 44 Turnstone, 24 Knot, 18 Sanderling, 17 Bar-tailed Godwit, 17 Greenshank, 15 Little Egret and two Mediterranean Gull.

Dark (front) and Pale-bellied Brent Geese - Lee Collins

Offshore a flock of six Tufted Duck flew south mid afternoon with eight Common Scoter, six Eider and a Red-throated Diver on the sea.

Year list addition: 
179. Brambling

Ringing News: Three colour-ringed Dark-bellied Brent Geese, two with satellite collars, from the same Dutch/German scheme have been present recently, two, a pair, were ringed on Terschelling this spring, a stop off point on spring migration.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese - Lee Collins

Other Wildlife: Finding shelter were three Migrant Hawker, a Common Darter and a couple of Red Admiral, along with the hoverflies Migrant Broadtail Eupeodes corollae, Hairy-eyed Syrphus S. torvus and Large Marsh Hoverfly Helophilus trivittatus.

Hairy-eyed Syrphus S. torvus - Alan Keatley

In Dead Dolphin Wood were a Hooded Dryomyza D. anilis and 10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata, with a beach darkling beetle Phaleria cadaverina by the geotubes.

10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata - Alan Keatley

Hooded Dryomyza D. anilis - Alan Keatley

Phaleria cadaverina - Alan Keatley

Friday 24th October

Records from the estuary were similar to recent days with although six Pale-bellied Brent Geese were an increase with counts of 200 Dunlin, 87 Shelduck, 73 Turnstone, 34 Ringed Plover and 18 Sanderling in The Bight, along with the two Pintail amongst the Wigeon and Teal.

Occasional scans overhead saw at least 1300 Woodpigeon heading west.

Ringing News: A landmark recovery with the 200th Warren record of P:87B, a Great Black-backed Gull ringed as a chick on Portland Harbour breakwater in June 2015 and first recorded here in October of the same year. 

 

Thursday 23rd October

A different day with the northern edge of Storm Benjamin producing strong NW winds, bright at first, but intermittent showers setting in by mid-morning. Woodpigeon were on the move in the first hour over Exmouth before a few flocks headed west over the estuary, at least 950 with a minimum of 30 Stock Dove amongst them. Little else on the move apart from a few Pied Wagtail and Meadow Pipit with a Lapwing south west over The Bight, now a notable species for the Recording Area.

The Spoonbill again spent high tide on Finger Point, with counts from the estuary including 238 Dark and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 237 Curlew, 202 Dunlin, 118 Shelduck, 43 Black and 17 Bar-tailed Godwit, 26 Knot, 26 Turnstone, 21 Ringed and 18 Grey Plover. 

Grey Plover - Jim Summers

It was quieter in the blown-out bushes with fewer tits and and just six Chiffchaff, although the Firecrest was vocal in Dead Dolphin Wood and a new Chiffchaff was sheltering deep in scrub on Warren Point.

Chiffchaff - Jim Summers

Elsewhere single Kingfisher, Snipe and a Water Rail were on the Main Pond and single Mediterranean Gull and Red-throated Diver were offshore.

Peregrine - Jim Summers

Other Wildlife: With the change in conditions fewer insects apart from several Common Wasp, although the long-legged fly Dolichopus griseipennis was in Dead Dolphin Wood.

Dolichopus griseipennis - Alan Keatley

Tenuiphantes tenuis - Alan Keatley

 

Wednesday 22nd October

The Firecrest showed well behind the Main Pond.

Firecrest - Ian Livsey

Tuesday 21st October

A good sized roving tit flock was mobile around the various areas of woodland, with 20 Blue, 14 Long-tailed and six Great Tit joined by at least twelve Chiffchaff, four Goldcrest and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. A Firecrest remained separate, favouring the Back Meadow side of the Main Pond, where the elusive Cetti's Warbler gave a brief burst of subsong. 

Elsewhere eight Eider remained offshore, four Golden Plover were new arrivals in The Bight and 140 Dunlin, 40 Ringed Plover and two Pintail were amongst the other waders and wildfowl in the estuary.

Other Wildlife: The warm and sunny weather re-energised the insects with numerous Common Wasp on the remaining Ivy flowers with a couple of Ivy Bee, Yellow Dung Fly Scaphophaga stercoraria and the hoverflies Pale-knobbed Lucent Didea fasciata and Humming Syrphus S. ribesii.

Yellow Dung Fly Scaphophaga stercoraria - Alan Keatley

Also on the wing four Speckled Wood, two Red Admiral migrating through and at the Main Pond, a few hawking Migrant Hawker and Common Darter. 

Speckled Wood - Alan Keatley

Turtle Shieldbug Podops inuncta - Alan Keatley

Rhombic Leatherbug Syromastus rhombeus - Alan Keatley

Monday 20th October

A 1cy Caspian Gull was with 50+ Great Black-backed Gull and a Spoonbill were again on Finger Point over the morning high tide, with the Spoonbill at least returning for the evening tide. 

Caspian Gull - Lee Collins

Also in the estuary 123 Black-tailed Godwit in the Railway Saltmarsh, 61 Shelduck, 33 Ringed Plover and two Pintail. 

Elsewhere at least eight Eider were offshore along with two Sandwich Tern, a Pintail and a Red-throated Diver. 

Ringing News: Wintering Dunlin are starting to arrive with three returning Exe-ringed birds recorded today. 

Sunday 19th October

A visit for the evening tide after the rain saw a new Devon record count of six Caspian Gull, all 1cy & photographed, on Finger Point, with at least 87 Great Black-backed and eight Mediterranean Gull and the adult Spoonbill earlier seen at Bowling Green. 

Caspian Gulls - all Lee Collins

Prior to 2025 there had been 17 Caspian Gull at the Warren, with the first in April 2014; assuming duplication with the birds reported yesterday, there have been 14 birds so far this year. 

Also in the estuary single Common Tern and Spotted Redshank, c300 Curlew, 206 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, with 10 juveniles, 160+ Dunlin, 95 Turnstone, 31 Bar-tailed Godwit, 26 Knot, 15 Sanderling, 14 Greenshank, 13 Grey Plover, three Pintail with the Wigeon and Teal, a Kingfisher and a Whimbrel. 

The 10 Eider remain offshore with 850 Kittiwake, 210 Gannet and a Manx Shearwater south. 

Ringing News: Two of the Caspian Gull were ringed, one from Germany and one from Holland, with them were Great Black-backed Gull from France, Cornwall and Portland and a Herring Gull also from Portland.

In The Bight were two Dutch ringed Dark-bellied Brent Geese, one wearing a satellite collar. 

Saturday 18th October

The first Cattle Egret of the year arrived on cue, with five from the local wintering flock briefly joining 15 Little Egret in the Railway Saltmarsh early morning. 

Dawn - Kevin Rylands

Also in the estuary counts of 1250 Wigeon, 122 Dunlin, 68 Turnstone, 27 Knot, 19 Bar-tailed Godwit, 14 Greenshank, eight Sanderling, four Caspian Gull (two 2cy, two 1cy), a Devon record if accepted, two Grey Plover, two Spotted Redshank, an immature Common Tern and single Kingfisher, Pintail, Whimbrel and 1cy Yellow-legged Gull. 

Offshore flocks of 25 Common Scoter and 10 Eider were repeatedly disturbed but at least 20 kitesurfers, a Manx Shearwater flew along the beach and single Pomarine Skua and Sooty Shearwater were reported.

Elsewhere a Firecrest was by the Main Pond, with eight Chiffchaff, three Goldcrest and two Grey Wagtail and a Glossy Ibis was reported.

Grey Wagtail - Jim Summers

Greenfinch - Jim Summers

Year list additions: 
178. Cattle Egret
177. Sooty Shearwater
176. Pomarine Skua (3 Jun)

Other Wildlife: Flying insects consisted of single Hornet, Common Carder Bee, Marmalade Hoverfly, Ectophasia crassipennis, Mydaea corni and Migrant Hawker, despite the overcast conditions the season seems to be over.

Mydaea corni - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere the large rove beetle Tasgius ater found under driftwood around The Bight and a Common Case-bearer Colephora serratella on birch near the Main Pond. 

Common Case-bearer Colephora serratella - Alan Keatley

Tasgius ater - Alan Keatley

Friday 17th October

An adult Spoonbill around The Bight on the evening high tide was a new arrival, just the fourth record this year. Also in the estuary 212 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 74 Dunlin, 71 Ringed Plover, 30 Bar-tailed Godwit, 15 Sanderling, 14 Greenshank, three Grey Plover, two Great Crested Grebe and a Whimbrel. 

Spoonbill - Kevin Rylands

Elsewhere a Wheatear was on the Golf Course and offshore there were 25 Common Scoter, 10 Eider and a Great Crested Grebe.

Thursday 16th October

Benign conditions were favorable for some visible migration albeit in lower numbers today, with 44 Siskin overhead, also moving 37 Skylark, with others grounded on Warren Point, 35 Goldfinch, 30 Meadow Pipit, six Swallow and two Redpoll.

Grounded migrants consisted of 14 Chiffchaff, four Goldcrest, two Blackcap and a Firecrest in the Entrance Bushes and a Wheatear on the sea wall.

A low tide visit meant the waders were scattered, 81 Turnstone were however notable, large counts here are limited as local birds roost at Starcross at high tide. Other counts included 310 Teal, 130 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 29 Knot and 19 Greenshank.

Rock Pipit - Dave Jewell

Elsewhere 24 Common Scoter and the ten Eider remain offshore.

Other Wildlife: Fewer flying insects with just one Migrant Hawker on the wing, a few Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax on Ivy and on fungi on near the Main Pond was the fungus fly Suillia notata. New for the Recording Area, a male with distinctive dense black hairs on mid femur, a distinguishing feature of this species.

Suillia notata - Alan Keatley

Elsewhere a Strawberry Blossom Weevil Anthonomus rubi was nectaring on Dandelion in the Buffer Zone, a Devil's Coach-horse Ocypus olens on the Golf Course, a Woodlouse Spider Dysdera crocata under driftwood in The Bight.

Strawberry Blossom Weevil Anthonomus rubi  - Alan Keatley

Devil's Coach-horse Ocypus olens - Dave Jewell

Woodlouse Spider Dysdera crocata - Alan Keatley

Wednesday 15th October

The first Short-eared Owl of the year was on Warren Point this morning, before flying SW along the ridge. Other migrants included eight Chiffchaff, two Swallow and a Blackcap.

Counts from the estuary included 675 Wigeon, 195 Redshank, 83 Dunlin, 53 Ringed and five Grey Plover, 32 Turnstone, 30 Knot, 24 Greenshank, 19 Bar-tailed Godwit, 19 Shelduck, 15 Little Egret, five Sanderling, a Whimbrel and a Spotted Redshank.

Elsewhere the 10 Eider were offshore. 

Year list addition: 
175. Short-eared Owl

Tuesday 14th October

Low cloud saw an increase in visible migration overhead with many birds dropping in briefly before continuing east. Siskin was the main mover, with over 250 passing in small groups of up to 40 during the morning, also through c40 Goldfinch, 15 Swallow and smaller numbers of Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Chaffinch, with a Great Spotted Woodpecker turning back west high over The Bight.

On site a roving tit flock held single Coal Tit and Firecrest, at least eight Chiffchaff and two Goldcrest with a Kingfisher at the Main Pond.   

A low high tide saw reduced counts in the estuary with 61 Dark and two Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 60 Dunlin, 53 Ringed and 12 Grey Plover, 17 Knot, three Bar-tailed Godwit, three Sandwich Tern, a Kingfisher and a Whimbrel present, with 11 Greenshank, a Great Crested Grebe and a 1cy Yellow-legged Gull at low tide.

Elsewhere the 10 Eider remain offshore. 

Other Wildlife: A Vagrant Emperor was reported from Warren Point, continuing the biennial pattern of records since 2019. 

Dune Scarab - Dean Hall

Arctosa perita - Dean Hall

Monday 13th October

With just four Chiffchaff the bushes were relatively quiet, although a showy Snipe was on the Main Pond. The bird surprise was a single flock of 65 Siskin calling and heading NE over the ridge and Bight, with a single Swallow also heading NE along the spit.

Snipe - Alan Keatley

Counts from the high tide included 305 Curlew, 54 Dunlin, 31 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 24 Knot, 19 Bar-tailed Godwit, 16 Ringed and 10 Grey Plover, 15 Shelduck, two Sanderling, a Sandwich Tern and a Whimbrel. 

Elsewhere the flock of 10 Eider were offshore with six Common Scoter.

Other Wildlife: A gorse weevil Andrion regensteinense was found on the Golf Course, a common species that has up to now eluded the Warren list. Also noted today a Common Lizard at Langstone Rock, a minute scavenger beetle Cartodere bifasciatus around the Bight and on the beach, the ground bug Scolopostethus affinis. 

Andrion regensteinense - Alan Keatley

Cartodere bifasciatus - Alan Keatley

Scolopostethus affinis - Alan Keatley