Wednesday 22nd September

Dawlish Warren Rare Birds day by day shows the 22nd September as one of the quietest days in autumn. Once again there were no notable arrivals, however the continuing presence of the Dotterel and five Spoonbill meant there was no lack of quality this year. Both were seen over the foggy morning tide with the adult Spoonbill present in the evening but no news on the Dotterel. 

Other records received today included 58 Wigeon, 55 Dark-bellied Brent Geese (with a further 163 off site on Cockle Sands), 37 Mute Swan, 11 Mediterranean Gull and seven Greenshank.

Tuesday 21st September

Five Spoonbill, considered to be an adult and four immatures (1st & 2nd yrs), flew south late morning before dropping to feed in Shutterton Creek. They were flushed mid afternoon and flew to Exmouth before returning at high tide to roost on Finger Point. 

Also in the estuary the Dotterel was still present along with 53 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 33 Sanderling, four Pintail, two Common Tern and a Shoveler.

Dotterel - Lee Collins

Wildlife News: A Myotis bat species, probably Whiskered, was flying around the Golf Couse this evening, the first record for several years.

Monday 20th September

The Dotterel remained for it's third day, returning to roost in the Bight over both high tides alongside 234 Dunlin, 27 Black and 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Knot, eight Greenshank, three Grey Plover and a Whimbrel. 

Dotterel - Lee Collins

Also in the estuary 78 Teal, 19 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 16 Shelduck, nine Sandwich and a Common Tern. Elsewhere 28 Sanderling were along the beach, c165 Linnet were feeding around the Bight and migrants included 10 Wheatear, seven Chiffchaff and a Willow Warbler. A good count of 11 Stonechat also included some new arrivals.

Wildlife News: The year's first Clouded Yellow was in Greenland Lake and good numbers of Migrant Hawker were on the wing.

Migrant Hawker - Lee Collins

Sunday 19th September

The Dotterel was still present, almost as unexpected as its arrival on site. It adopted tidal movements like the majority of other waders, roosting around the shoreline of the Bight at high tide and feeding on the mudflats at low tide. Also in the estuary the Curlew Sandpiper, 158 Wigeon, 134 Teal, 51 Bar-tailed Godwit, mostly juveniles, 11 Knot, 10 Dark-bellied Brent Geese and two Whimbrel.

Dotterel - Alan Keatley 

Dotterel - Lee Collins

Elsewhere a Spotted Flycatcher was by the Main Pond, 28 Sanderling were on the beach and 54 Goldfinch and at least five Wheatear were onsite, including a couple of presumed Greenland birds.

Wildlife News: An unexpected highlight was a Grey Squirrel on the Golf Course. Less than annual, this species has a strong autumn occurrence pattern as young seek out their own territories. 

Grey Squirrel - Lee Collins

Saturday 18th September

The highlight, and probably bird of the year, was a juvenile Dotterel in the Bight over the evening tide. The last Warren record was seen briefly in Sep 1961 and before that one was seen in Jun 1867 with three other undated Victorian records. It was found on the mudflats with Ringed Plover and Dunlin before roosting with them around the shore of the Bight. 

Dotterel - Lee Collins

Also in the estuary the first five Dark-bellied Brent Geese of the winter and a Curlew Sandpiper with minimum counts of 348 Dunlin and 112 Ringed Plover, others left throughout the morning, 344 Redshank, 134 Teal, including one with distinctive white primaries, 22 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Greenshank, seven Knot, seven Sandwich and a Common Tern, four Grey Plover, seven Wigeon, three Mediterranean Gull and a Pintail.

Elsewhere 25 Sanderling were on the beach, 11 Common Scoter were offshore, a Kingfisher was on the Main Pond and 100+ Linnet and at least three Wheatear on site.

Friday 17th September

Two Yellow Wagtail overhead were the pick of the few migrants with five Chiffchaff, two Blackcap and a Willow Warbler. Also onsite 110 Linnet and 80 Goldfinch.

There were no reports from the high tide but 12 Sanderling were on the beach with 55 Great Black-backed Gull, 10 Turnstone and two Sandwich Tern in the estuary.

Wildlife News: Not much change on the insect front  with a couple of Comma the pick of the butterflies, and several Migrant Hawker in and around the edges of the meadows.

Comma - Alan Keatley

Migrant Hawker - Alan Keatley

Phytocoris varipes - Alan Keatley

Thursday 16th September

The Spotted Redshank was again in the estuary on an evening visit on the dropping tide, with 331 Redshank, 74 Teal, 11 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Knot, six Greenshank, just five Sandwich Tern, three Whimbrel and two Wigeon. Also on site at least two Wheatear and over 100 Linnet.

Wednesday 15th September

Two Spotted Flycatcher on Warren Point were making the most of the supply of insects around the Sycamores, constantly feeding for at least two hours. Other migrants included 13 Chiffchaff, nine Willow Warbler, five Blackcap and single Wheatear, Whitethroat and Reed Warbler. 

Spotted Flycatcher - both Alan Keatley

Counts from the estuary included 403 Curlew, 256 Dunlin, 49 Ringed Plover, 37 Great Black-backed Gull, 35 Sanderling, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Sandwich Tern, three Mediterranean Gull, two Knot and a Snipe.

Wildlife News: The Japanese Knotweed by the crazy golf, continues to provide an unexpectedly valuable nectar source. Today several individuals of three species of solitary bee present; Common Yellow-faced Bee Hylaeus communis, Green Lasioglossum morio and Common Furrow Bee Lasioglossum calceatum (both black and red forms). 

Common Furrow Bee - both Alan Keatley

Apart from the bees, drone flies and Helophilus hoverflies are still present in large numbers but other species are now fewer in numbers such as Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus, Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea, Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria, White-footed Hoverfly Platycheirus albimanus and Migrant Hoverfly Eupeodes corollae.

Tuesday 14th September

Records today included a Wheatear and 300+ mixed Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Sanderling in the Bight, with 40+ Mute Swan and just five Sandwich Tern in the estuary. Elsewhere a Kingfisher showed well on the Main Pond.

Wheatear - Dean Hall

Sunday 12th September

WeBS count tallies included 1100 Oystercatcher, 290 Curlew, 290 Redshank, 276 Dunlin, 149 Ringed Plover, 38 Sanderling, 32 Mute Swan, 25 Common and 16 Sandwich Tern, 16 Knot, 12 Bar and single Black-tailed Godwit, 11 Greenshank, eight Mediterranean Gull, three Whimbrel and a Snipe. The Spotted Redshank was also present before the count hour. 

Elsewhere nine Swallow and eight House Martin were present pre-roost and migrants included 13 Blackcap, eight Wheatear, single Whinchat, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat and the autumn's first Goldcrest. Overhead 18 Meadow Pipit and seven Grey Wagtail, with a Great Northern Diver offshore.

Wildlife News: A Vestal was flushed on Warren Point.