Monday 25th March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

The Barnacle Goose made a surprise reappearance in the Bight early morning with a small flock of Brent Geese, also in the estuary 185 Curlew, 40 Redshank, 26 Turnstone, six Greenshank, three Eider, two Sanderling and a Ringed Plover.

Overhead a Red Kite flew east at 11.30 with 120 Chaffinch and the first Grey Wagtail of the year heading the same way earlier in the day. Elsewhere a Sandwich Tern and a Red-throated Diver were offshore and four Wheatear were on site.

 Shoveler - Lee Collins

 Barnacle Goose - Martin Rooney

Wildlife News: The Sand Crocus put on a good show once the sun came out early afternoon with a new population of c200 flowering plants discovered in the Wryneck Plain. The sun also brought out the first Dark-edged Beefly and Small Tortoiseshell of the year, both in the Entrance Bushes. Elsewhere a Grey Seal was off the seawall and a Fox was by the hide.

Sunday 24th March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

A few migrants arrived overnight but it was a quiet day overall with nine Chiffchaff, seven Wheatear and two Blackcap on site with 30+ Lesser Black-backed Gull, a dozen Chaffinch, five Rook and a Siskin overhead and a Kestrel in off the sea. Elsewhere the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond, three Great Northern Diver were offshore and 308 Oystercatcher, 163 Curlew, 40 Redshank, 26 Dark-bellied and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, the latter arriving from the south, three Eider, two Greenshank  and a Sandwich Tern were in the estuary.

Wildlife News: The sunshine brought out the Sand Crocus for only the second time this year, it appeared in record numbers with over 1,200 in flower in the Crocus Compound and Greenland Lake; amongst these was a rare eight petalled variant.

 Sand Crocus

 over 100 in this photo

The same weather saw the first Speckled Wood of the year along with a Peacock and a Brimstone, a scarce but increasing visitor.

Saturday 23rd March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

The first Blackcap of the year was singing in the Entrance Bushes, part of the first notable arrival of summer migrants with 11 Chiffchaff and at least 10 Wheatear on site and three Sand Martin north. Also overhead 328 Chaffinch, 14 Meadow Pipit and a Siskin.

Wheatear - Lee Collins

Counts from the estuary included 214 Oystercatcher, 93 Curlew, 49 Common Gull, 31 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 24 Grey Plover, 17 Knot, 15 Sanderling, 14 Ringed Plover, six Greenshank, three Eider and two Sandwich Tern. Elsewhere a pair of Tufted Duck and three Great Northern Diver were offshore and the Cetti's Warbler was at the Main Pond.

Friday 22nd March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

Spring migration was in evidence but there were few summer migrants to be found. The highlight was a good candidate for wild Barnacle Goose that arrived offshore in a flock of 15 Pale-bellied Brent Geese with six more Pale-bellies drooping in soon after. They later moved into the estuary where wintering species continue to dwindle, counts included 35 Dark and the two long-staying Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, 11 Teal, three Greenshank and three Eider.

 Barnacle & Pale-bellied Brent Geese - Alan Keatley

 

Elsewhere a Wheatear was around the Bight and four Chiffchaff were in the bushes whilst five Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver were offshore.

 
Wildlife News: A male Hairy-footed Flower Bee was nectaring on planted Rosemary near the seawall. Although a common early spring species this was apparently the first site record and the 225th hymenopteran species for the recording area.

Thursday 21st March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

Ten Eider offshore (3m, 4f & 3 imm males) were new arrivals with the three overwintering immature males still in the estuary, also offshore two Red-throated Diver, 23 Great-crested Grebe and 20 Common Scoter.

Elsewhere two Wheatear and three Chiffchaff were on site with counts from the estuary including 156 Oystercatcher, 115 Curlew, 54 Redshank, 49 Dark and the two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 29 Common Gull, 10 Grey Plover, four Greenshank, four Ringed Plover and a Bar-tailed Godwit.

Wildlife News: A Common Seal was close inshore from John's Watch.

Wednesday 20th March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

A visit for the evening high tide saw counts of 202 Oystercatcher, 68 Redshank, 64 Dark and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 27 Turnstone, 15 Sanderling, five Greenshank, three Dunlin and three Ringed Plover, only the second record of the year. Elsewhere two Sand Martin flew through, two Wheatear, including the first female, were on the Golf Course and four Shoveler were at the Main Pond.

Tuesday 19th March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

A late afternoon visit saw the first four Tufted Duck of the year off John's Watch, three males and a female, also offshore 30 Great-crested Grebe. Elsewhere records from the estuary included 300 Oystercatcher, 45 Dark-bellied and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 20 Dunlin, 14 Grey Plover and a Knot.

Monday 18th March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

Counts from the estuary at high tide included 249 Oystercatcher, 115 Curlew, 76 Dark and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 39 Redshank, 35 Turnstone, 24 Grey Plover, 14 Dunlin, 11 Knot, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, two Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere migrants were limited to two Chiffchaff.

Sunday 17th March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

The long awaited first Wheatear of the year made landfall in Greenland Lake this morning but didn't linger with plenty of people and dogs making the most of a dry sunny Sunday. Also on site at least three singing male Cirl Bunting, a nest building pair of Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker and two Chiffchaff with five Rook and single Jackdaw and Raven overhead.

Elsewhere counts from the estuary included 198 Curlew, 170 Oystercatcher, 80 Dark-bellied and two Pale-belled Brent Geese, 34 Redshank, eight Teal, three Sandwich Tern, two Bar-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank.

Wildlife News: Despite the continuing windy weather the sunshine brought out the first few Sand Crocus of the year, an earlier than average date.

Saturday 16th March

Due to the significant erosion at Dawlish Warren, Teignbridge District Council is advising extreme caution when visiting. The dune path between groyne 10 – 18 is unsafe and a section of this path is completely closed with no access. Access to Warren Point and the bird hide is only possible via the beach with the risk of being cut off for a period either side of each high tide. The only access, up and back down, to these areas is along the beach at lower states of tide.

Seawatching during the day saw a Great Skua offshore with four Manx Shearwater head south along with 356 Gannet, 98 Fulmar, 25 Kittiwake and five Red-throated Diver. Also south c140 Black-tailed Godwit in three separate flocks; a Great Northern Diver was feeding on crabs off the seawall despite the conditions.

A drake Goldeneye was in the estuary with three Pale-bellied Brent Geese in the Bight and counts of 104 Turnstone, 83 Curlew, 48 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, a Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere two Chiffchaff were around the Main Pond and small numbers of Meadow Pipit passed over.

Great-spotted Woodpecker - Alan Keatley