Tuesday 27th April

The first Common Sandpiper of the year flew along the beach this morning with 17 Sandwich and two Common Tern offshore with six Mediterranean Gull heading east. A distant flock of 14 'commic' Tern were probably Arctic. 

Counts from the estuary included 53 Bar-tailed Godwit, 20 Dunlin, 17 Knot, 15 Whimbrel, 14 Grey Plover and a Greenshank. One of the Whimbrel was colour-ringed D63, this is the fifth time in six years this bird has been recorded at the Warren on spring migration. Two Egyptian Geese landed briefly on Finger Point during the evening tide.

Elsewhere the first Hobby of the year flew through with 40 Swallow and 40 House Martin, two Willow Warbler were new migrants and five Whitethroat and three Reed Warbler were on territory. 

Sunday 25th April

The first Common Tern of the year was offshore, seen from Exmouth early morning with a Great Skua, 30+ Sandwich Tern, 10 Kittiwake, eight Common Scoter and five Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver.  

Overhead there were 46 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 29 House and eight Sand Martin, 20 Swallow, 13 Swift and a Meadow Pipit. Elsewhere four Wheatear were on site with three Reed Warbler in song at the Main Pond. 

Wildlife News: Another new plant for the Recording Area was found today, Mediterranean Spurge Euphorbia characias, like several recent additions this is a non-native species that has spread from plantings around the tourist areas. 

Mediterranean Spurge Euphorbia characias - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 24th April

Seawatching early morning again paid dividends with singles of Pomarine, Arctic and Great Skua all heading east along with c40 Manx Shearwater, 20 Common Scoter and seven Great Northern Diver. Also offshore the first Swift of the year and 30 Sandwich Tern. The lack of other terns remains a concern, when the first Common Tern appears it will be the latest first arrival on record. 

Friday 23rd April

Seawatching early evening saw a fully spooned pale phase Pomarine Skua head east along with a distant Great Skua, 30 Manx Shearwater, five Mediterranean Gull and 40+ Swallow; 25 Sandwich Tern were lingering along with single Great and Arctic Skua. 

Elsewhere a single Wheatear was in the Bight and counts from the estuary included 83 Bar-tailed Godwit, 40 Dunlin, 17 Knot, nine Ringed and five Grey Plover. 

Thursday 22nd April

Three Wheatear showed a continuing trickle of migration with three Whitethroat and a Reed Warbler also present on site. Elsewhere at least 12 Whimbrel and a Greenshank were in the estuary, two Sanderling were on the beach and two Sandwich Tern were offshore.

Whitethroat - Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: A Common Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio along the seawall by Langstone Rock was new for the Recording Area, also on the wing Sandpit Mining Bee, Early Bumblebee and the first St Marks Fly Bibio marci of the year. The last few Sand Crocus remain in flower during sunny periods. 

Common Green Furrow Bee - Alan Keatley

St Marks Fly 

Tuesday 20th April

An evening visit saw 20 Manx Shearwater fly east offshore with single Red-throated and Great Northern Diver also present with 24 Sandwich Tern, six Great-crested Grebe and two Red-breasted Merganser. On the beach between groynes 11 and 12 there were 20 Pale-bellied and two Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

Elsewhere two Swallow and a Whimbrel came in off, two Willow Warbler and a Wheatear were remaining migrants and the two Whitethroat and several Blackcap and Chiffchaff are already on territory. 

Monday 19th April

The first Reed Warbler of the year was at the Main Pond along with the presumed long-staying and very elusive Siberian Chiffchaff and a second equally pale individual.

Siberian Chiffchaff - Dean Hall

More unexpected though was a Red-throated Diver on the Main Pond late in the day. Although not looking in the best of health it was feeding on occasion; the Canada Geese took a dislike to it if it came too close and the two pairs of Little Grebe gave it a wide berth.

Red-throated Diver - Luke Harman

Elsewhere three Wheatear and two Whitethroat were on site and 70 Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew north up the estuary, with other counts including 170 Oystercatcher, four Whimbrel, three Sanderling and three Sandwich Tern. 

Wildlife News: Several Small Copper were on the wing and Water Vole were present at the Main Pond. A large number of Eyelash Fungi Scutellinia scutellata were found on rotting wood near Dead Dolphin Wood. 

Eyelash Fungi

Sunday 18th April

Single Cuckoo and Redstart were the pick of the migrants although both were brief and soon moved through with seven Wheatear and seven Willow Warbler also on site. A fly by Little Ringed Plover and two Stock Dove were also new for the year.

Counts from the estuary included 48 Bar-tailed Godwit, 24 Whimbrel, six Dunlin and six Grey and six Ringed Plover.

Offshore there were 15 Sandwich Tern, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver.

Willow Warbler - Lee Collins

Saturday 17th April

The series of cold nights followed by sunny cloudless days continues with the site drying by the hour. Migrants were limited to nine Willow Warbler and two Wheatear on the Warren but there was more movement noticeable in the estuary. Counts included 43 Dunlin, 35 Bar-tailed Godwit, 19 Knot, 14 Turnstone, 13 Whimbrel and 12 Grey Plover. 

A Dark-bellied Brent Goose remained in the estuary and offshore there were just two Sandwich Tern with two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver.

Wildlife News: No fewer than four species were added to the Recording Area tally today including the willow sawfly Euura bergmanni and New Holm Oak Pigmy Ectoedemia heringella. First records for the year included the nationally rare Black Mining Bee Andrena pilipes and Garden and Early Bumblebee.

Euura bergmanni - Alan Keatley

Black Mining Bee - Alan Keatley

Tuesday 13th April

A small arrival of migrants were greeted by a ground frost, something that was absent almost all winter. At least 10 Willow Warbler were on site early morning with three Wheatear but the highlight was a brief Grasshopper Warbler early evening, the 2nd earliest record, following one on 11th April 2004. Overhead a Yellow Wagtail, a Siskin and a few high flying Chaffinch.

Counts from the estuary included 12 Whimbrel, 22 Ringed and six Grey Plover, 21 Knot, nine Redshank, eight Sandwich Tern, seven Dunlin, seven Turnstone, two Bar-tailed Godwit and single Dark-bellied Brent Geese and Greenshank. Off site 44 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were on Cockle Sands, Exmouth in the evening. Elsewhere a pair of Gadwall, the first of the year, were on the Main Pond and a Red-throated Diver was offshore.