Sunday 14th July 2013

The first Snipe of the autumn was an early return, other waders inluded 98 Dunlin, 25+ Whimbrel, 11 Redshank, nine Common Sandpiper, four Ringed Plover, three Bar and two Black-tailed Godwit and a single Sanderling.  Also in the estuary four Mediterranean Gull and a Common Tern.

Saturday 13th July 2013

The first juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was offshore this evening, with at least half a dozen Mediterranean Gull also around site, mostly adults but also this injured first summer.

 Mediterraean Gull 13/07/13 © Lee Collins

 

Elsewhere 44 Dunlin and a Ringed Plover were in the Bight with eight immature Gadwall, whilst 58 Sandwich and five Common Tern were also in the estuary.

Friday 12th July 2013

Over the morning high tide there were 46 Dunlin and two Sanderling. Offshore a Balearic Shearwater was seen from Exmouth but there was no other news.

Thursday 11th July 2013

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 65+ Sandwich Tern, 59 Dunlin, 11+ Whimbrel and three Ringed Plover. Elsewhere four Common Tern were offshore and at least six Mediterraean Gull were on site.

Wednesday 10th July 2013

Wader counts included 400+ Curlew, 260+ Oystercatcher, 36 Dunlin, six Whimbrel, four Sanderling and a Ringed Plover. Also in the estuary the Slavonain Grebe, 50+ Sandwich and three Common Tern. Elsewhere an eclipse drake Gadwall and a Great-crested Grebe were offshore and two adult Mediterranean Gull were on the beach, including a Belgian rung bird first seen at the Warren in July 2010.

Monday 8th July 2013

The Slavonian Grebe remains in the estuary with 26 Dunlin, five Redshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Sanderling and a French ringed adult Mediterraean Gull. Elsewhere an Arctic Skua and six Common Tern were offshore and a juvenile Coal Tit was briefly behind the hide.

Sunday 7th July 2013

Two adult Pomarine Skua were offshore early morning with 30 Common Scoter and 20 Manx Shearwater. A distant flock of c400 Common Scoter were again present late evening. The first three Teal of autumn arrived early on the hottest day of the year, also in the estuary 404 Curlew, 290 Oystercatcher, 11+ Whimbrel, seven Dunlin, at least seven Mediterraean Gull, four Common Sandpiper, single Grey and Ringed Plover and a Sanderling. Elsewhere a Yellow Wagtail over was another early migrant.

Saturday 6th July 2013

Waders included the first Common Sandpiper of the year with a good count of 15 on the beach early morning, also present 328 Curlew, two Redshank and two Dunlin and a Whimbrel. The first Coal Tit of the year was also recorded, a juvenile in a Tamarisk along the Dune Ridge.

Offshore 28 Common Scoter, three Shoveler and  four Mediterranean Gull flew through with c20 Sandwich, six Common and two Roseate Tern present with a pale phase Arctic Skua lingering. The first arriving juvenile Black-headed Gull and Sandwich Tern were recorded today.

Wildlife News: The nationally scare Hornet Beetle Leptura aurulenta was recorded today. A first for the recording area and another example of the importance of the willow and flowering scrub habitats surviving on site.

Hornet Beetle Leptura aurulenta - a longhorn beetle ©  Guy Freeman

Thursday 4th July 2013

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary but no other news was received.

Tuesday 2nd July 2013

Return passage is increasingly evident with 57 Sandwich and two Common Tern in the estuary with wader counts of 254 Curlew, 169 Oystercatcher, seven Dunlin and single Bar-tailed Godwit and Whimbrel.