A look from Cockwood Steps this evening revealed the Slavonian Grebe along with four Greenshank, two Whimbrel, two Knot and a juvenile Black-tailed Godwit in with Redshank, Curlew and Bar-tailed Godwit.
Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Monday, 28 August 2017
Monday 28th August
On another blazing hot day, selected counts during the late morning high tide were c.510 Black-headed Gull, 437 Curlew, 287 Redshank, 131 Dunlin, 113 Ringed Plover, 55 Great Black-backed Gull, 48 Sandwich Tern, 30 Cormorant, 20 Mute Swan, 14 Common Tern, nine Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Sanderling, seven Little Egret, four Greenshank, three Knot, three Mediterranean Gull, two Grey Heron, two Wigeon (our first of the autumn), and single Teal, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit and a Stock Dove on the saltmarsh. The Irish-ringed juv Little Tern was again present.
A Black-headed Gull ringed near Wokingham, Berkshire in 2013 was at Dawlish Warren again today; seems to be regular with previous appearances in 2013 and annually since 2015. .
The bushes, ponds and open areas were hard work, producing 15 Chiffchaff, 11 Whitethroat, six Blackcap, six Stonechat, three Reed Warbler, three Wheatear, two Greenfinch, two Cirl Bunting, single Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. The total of 70 Goldfinch was the highest so far on site this year.
Lighter passage overhead totaled 25+ Swallow, five Grey Wagtail, four Meadow Pipit, three Yellow Wagtail, two Rook and single Sand Martin, House Martin, Tree Pipit and a Buzzard. Nothing of note at sea again today.
Wildlife News: three Red Admiral and a scattering of Common Darter, Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker and Emperor dragonflies.
A Black-headed Gull ringed near Wokingham, Berkshire in 2013 was at Dawlish Warren again today; seems to be regular with previous appearances in 2013 and annually since 2015. .
The bushes, ponds and open areas were hard work, producing 15 Chiffchaff, 11 Whitethroat, six Blackcap, six Stonechat, three Reed Warbler, three Wheatear, two Greenfinch, two Cirl Bunting, single Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. The total of 70 Goldfinch was the highest so far on site this year.
Lighter passage overhead totaled 25+ Swallow, five Grey Wagtail, four Meadow Pipit, three Yellow Wagtail, two Rook and single Sand Martin, House Martin, Tree Pipit and a Buzzard. Nothing of note at sea again today.
Wildlife News: three Red Admiral and a scattering of Common Darter, Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker and Emperor dragonflies.
Sunday, 27 August 2017
Sunday 27th August
The hot, calm and sunny weather drew the tourists to the sea and beaches in droves with some commenting on the day as the busiest in many years. A combination of a high tide, season and seemingly profusions of marine and aerial food, the site was also packed with birds and played host to 1135+ Black-headed Gull, by far the highest count here ever in Aug; 1096 Oystercatcher, 381 Curlew, 235 Canada Goose departed the estuary roost early morning; 226 Redshank, 203 Dunlin, 120 Ringed Plover, 102 Sandwich Tern, 46 Great Black-backed Gull, 34 Turnstone, 31 Common Tern, 26 Cormorant, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12+ Mediterranean Gull, eight Little Egret, six Sanderling, six Greenshank, four Black-tailed Godwit, three Grey Heron, three juv Little Ringed Plover, three Whimbrel, a Common Snipe flew over and a juv Little Tern.
The Little Tern sported a green Darvic ring, early indications are that it came from a colony in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, interestingly from where Dawlish Warren has hosted birds before.
Clouds of gulls anting were joined by 85+ Swallow and seven Swift. Overhead passage included c.10 Yellow Wagtail, four Sand Martin, three Tree Pipit, two Meadow Pipit, and single Grey Wagtail and Chaffinch.
Quieter than yesterday in the bushes, counts were 11 Chiffchaff, nine Whitethroat, four Blackcap and singles of Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting and Great Spotted Woodpecker. In open areas, 25 Goldfinch, six Greenfinch and four Wheatear.
The Little Tern sported a green Darvic ring, early indications are that it came from a colony in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, interestingly from where Dawlish Warren has hosted birds before.
Clouds of gulls anting were joined by 85+ Swallow and seven Swift. Overhead passage included c.10 Yellow Wagtail, four Sand Martin, three Tree Pipit, two Meadow Pipit, and single Grey Wagtail and Chaffinch.
Quieter than yesterday in the bushes, counts were 11 Chiffchaff, nine Whitethroat, four Blackcap and singles of Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting and Great Spotted Woodpecker. In open areas, 25 Goldfinch, six Greenfinch and four Wheatear.
Saturday, 26 August 2017
Saturday 26th August
A beautiful day; on the mid-morning high tide only 926 Oystercatcher, 416 Curlew, 201 Dunlin, 147 Canada Goose flew west in flocks to farmland from their overnight roost on the estuary; 135+ Redshank, 130 Ringed Plover, 26 Mute Swan, 24 Cormorant, some Bar-tailed Godwit, 10 Little Egret, seven Whimbrel, three Greenshank, three Sanderling, two juv Knot, two Grey Heron, the resident Slavonian Grebe, a Teal and a Common Snipe flew in off and into the saltmarsh. A juv Peregrine stooped into small waders flocks, unsuccessfully. Also seen, two Kingfisher.
Of the c.250 Black-headed Gull, one with a white Darvic 'T7VE' was ringed in Poland as a pullus in 2012; it was seen at Dawlish Warren from Jun to Sep 2014, in Aug 2016 and now again in Aug 2017. Of the 112 Sandwich Tern, some familiar ringed individuals. Yellow 'T87', a pullus ringed in Holland in 2015 was regular here that autumn, then at Salcombe in Sep 2015 and then in Namibia in Nov 2016. Remarkably, it was back here at Dawlish Warren in Jun and Aug 2017, but during the intervening period was twice seen in Texel, Holland; gosh! Another interesting bird, red 'KAH' was ringed in mid west Wales in 2013 and since has been recorded annually (except 2014) here at Dawlish Warren in autumn, so far this August it has stayed for 3 weeks.
Also in the estuary 14 Common Tern, nine Mediterranean Gull (mixed ages). nine Common Gull and highlights were single juv Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern and a juv Roseate Tern flew out to sea.
Among small gull flocks anting, c.40 Swallow, four Swift and a House Martin; at higher elevation two Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard soared around. A flock of four Raven flew north, only the fourth record of the year. Passage overhead, seven Yellow Wagtail, two Grey Wagtail and two Meadow Pipit.
A thorough search of the bushes, dunes and ponds revealed 16 Chiffchaff, six Blackcap, five Whitethroat, three Wheatear, three Reed Warbler in the reedbeds, two Sedge Warbler on Warren Point, two Willow Warbler and a again this year's max of nine Stonechat. Counts of nine Long-tailed Tit, eight Blue Tit and five Great Tit were unremarkable. Finch flocks in the Buffer Zone and Greenland Lake were made up of 36 Goldfinch and a similar number of Linnet.
Wildlife news: a few Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker, Common Darter and an Emperor were widely distributed today. A Jersey Tiger was in the woods.
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| Sanderling (Alan Keatley) |
Of the c.250 Black-headed Gull, one with a white Darvic 'T7VE' was ringed in Poland as a pullus in 2012; it was seen at Dawlish Warren from Jun to Sep 2014, in Aug 2016 and now again in Aug 2017. Of the 112 Sandwich Tern, some familiar ringed individuals. Yellow 'T87', a pullus ringed in Holland in 2015 was regular here that autumn, then at Salcombe in Sep 2015 and then in Namibia in Nov 2016. Remarkably, it was back here at Dawlish Warren in Jun and Aug 2017, but during the intervening period was twice seen in Texel, Holland; gosh! Another interesting bird, red 'KAH' was ringed in mid west Wales in 2013 and since has been recorded annually (except 2014) here at Dawlish Warren in autumn, so far this August it has stayed for 3 weeks.
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| ringed Sandwich Tern (Lee Collins) |
Also in the estuary 14 Common Tern, nine Mediterranean Gull (mixed ages). nine Common Gull and highlights were single juv Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern and a juv Roseate Tern flew out to sea.
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| juv Mediterranean Gull (Dave Jewell) |
A thorough search of the bushes, dunes and ponds revealed 16 Chiffchaff, six Blackcap, five Whitethroat, three Wheatear, three Reed Warbler in the reedbeds, two Sedge Warbler on Warren Point, two Willow Warbler and a again this year's max of nine Stonechat. Counts of nine Long-tailed Tit, eight Blue Tit and five Great Tit were unremarkable. Finch flocks in the Buffer Zone and Greenland Lake were made up of 36 Goldfinch and a similar number of Linnet.
Wildlife news: a few Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker, Common Darter and an Emperor were widely distributed today. A Jersey Tiger was in the woods.
Friday, 25 August 2017
Friday 25th August
A cold and foggy morning hampered birding and little was seen, nine Mediterranean Gull noted. The highlight was a Sandwich Tern in front of the hide that was ringed at Lady's Island, Co. Wexford in 1993, so 24 years old ! (the British record is 30 years, 9 months old; BTO). It was also seen here in Aug last year.
By contract, a warm, humid and sunny evening was more favourable and on the rising tide at dusk selected counts were 1495 Oystercatcher, 279 Redshank, 27 Mute Swan, 22 Great Black-backed Gull, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, five Greenshank, two Knot, two Sanderling, and along the railway embankment, a Common Sandpiper.
Feeding along the leeward side of the dune ridge, 23 Swallow, two Swift, a Sand Martin, A party of 12 House Martin foraged over the saltmarsh corner at dusk. A finch fell prey of a Sparrowhawk that buzzed a flock in Greenland Lake that contained 25+ Goldfinch, many Linnet and a Greenfinch. A Wheatear was also seen.
By contract, a warm, humid and sunny evening was more favourable and on the rising tide at dusk selected counts were 1495 Oystercatcher, 279 Redshank, 27 Mute Swan, 22 Great Black-backed Gull, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, five Greenshank, two Knot, two Sanderling, and along the railway embankment, a Common Sandpiper.
Feeding along the leeward side of the dune ridge, 23 Swallow, two Swift, a Sand Martin, A party of 12 House Martin foraged over the saltmarsh corner at dusk. A finch fell prey of a Sparrowhawk that buzzed a flock in Greenland Lake that contained 25+ Goldfinch, many Linnet and a Greenfinch. A Wheatear was also seen.
Wednesday, 23 August 2017
Wednesday 23rd August
A quick check around the bushes this morning produced seven Blackcap, six Whitethroat, five Chiffchaff, two Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher. A Coal Tit, only the third record of the year, accompanied a tit flock comprising of nine Blue Tit, seven Great Tit and six Long-tailed Tit. Other residents noted were some Stonechat, four Bullfinch and a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Overhead, 14 Swallow, four Swift, two Yellow Wagtail and a Meadow Pipit.
A White Stork that drifted over east in the afternoon was only the third record for the site. Presumably this was the same bird that had been touring north Devon and latterly south Devon since 15 August. On Thursday 24th, it was seen again, drifting north over Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham at c.10:00. Though its origins are unknown, it appeared to be unringed. Note, a green-ringed White Stork of unknown original on Portland, Dorset on 25 & 26th August is a different bird, distinguished by its clearly different wing moult pattern.
Overhead, 14 Swallow, four Swift, two Yellow Wagtail and a Meadow Pipit.
A White Stork that drifted over east in the afternoon was only the third record for the site. Presumably this was the same bird that had been touring north Devon and latterly south Devon since 15 August. On Thursday 24th, it was seen again, drifting north over Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham at c.10:00. Though its origins are unknown, it appeared to be unringed. Note, a green-ringed White Stork of unknown original on Portland, Dorset on 25 & 26th August is a different bird, distinguished by its clearly different wing moult pattern.
Monday, 21 August 2017
Monday 21st August
A Lesser Whitethroat north end of the Back Meadow was the first record of the year. No other news was received today..
Sunday, 20 August 2017
Sunday 20th August
Sea defence works along on the dune ridge continue to restrict access to the hide and Warren Point. The golf course is not a public right of way. Please follow signs and access guidance from staff. No works today so access was less restricted.
The juv White-winged Black Tern was off Shelly Beach and Cockle Sands, Exmouth this morning, watched from Warren Point. It didn't venture within the recording area, but some of the assembled throng did with 553 Black-headed Gull feeding briefly along the main Exe channel.
Peak counts on the ebbing morning tide and evening high tide were 1107 Oystercatcher, 413 Curlew, 269 Redshank, 209 Dunlin, 151 Ringed Plover, 50+ Sandwich Tern, 34 Great Black-backed Gull, 30+ Common Tern; 27 Mute Swan, 27 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Cormorant, 16 (2 summer-plumage) Grey Plover, 14 Black-tailed Godwit, 13 Sanderling, 12 Turnstone, 10 Mediterranean Gull (3 juv, 2 fs, ss, 4 adult), six Whimbrel, five Greenshank, three juv Shelduck, three Grey Heron and three Little Egret.
Calm conditions this morning before the remnants of 'Hurricane Gert' produced nothing of note, then as the SSW strengthen and the rain arrived, two Manx Shearwater and single Balearic Shearwater, Storm Petrel and the Great Northern Diver again offshore.
Overhead, post-roost feeding low of the estuary and later moving ahead of the rain band, 50 Swallow, 15 House Martin, six Swift, a Sand Martin, a Grey Wagtail and a Yellow Wagtail. Largely abandoned compared to yesterday, the bushes supported only low single-figures of the regular warblers; a Sedge Warbler and a Wheatear were on the golf course.
Peak counts on the ebbing morning tide and evening high tide were 1107 Oystercatcher, 413 Curlew, 269 Redshank, 209 Dunlin, 151 Ringed Plover, 50+ Sandwich Tern, 34 Great Black-backed Gull, 30+ Common Tern; 27 Mute Swan, 27 Bar-tailed Godwit, 18 Cormorant, 16 (2 summer-plumage) Grey Plover, 14 Black-tailed Godwit, 13 Sanderling, 12 Turnstone, 10 Mediterranean Gull (3 juv, 2 fs, ss, 4 adult), six Whimbrel, five Greenshank, three juv Shelduck, three Grey Heron and three Little Egret.
A Whimbrel colour-ringed in mid-west Wales in 2015 spent a few weeks in both springs of 2016 and 2017 on the lower Exe Estuary, and then was seen here as a returning bird for the first time today.
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| Black-tailed Godwit (Lee Collins) |
Calm conditions this morning before the remnants of 'Hurricane Gert' produced nothing of note, then as the SSW strengthen and the rain arrived, two Manx Shearwater and single Balearic Shearwater, Storm Petrel and the Great Northern Diver again offshore.
Overhead, post-roost feeding low of the estuary and later moving ahead of the rain band, 50 Swallow, 15 House Martin, six Swift, a Sand Martin, a Grey Wagtail and a Yellow Wagtail. Largely abandoned compared to yesterday, the bushes supported only low single-figures of the regular warblers; a Sedge Warbler and a Wheatear were on the golf course.
Saturday, 19 August 2017
Saturday 19th August
Sea defence works along on the dune ridge continue to restrict access to the hide and Warren Point. The golf course is not a public right of way. Please follow signs and access guidance from staff. No works today so access was less restricted.
The White-winged Black Tern was again in the estuary this evening, feeding with other terns and gulls over Cockle Sands, Exmouth and sometimes hawking high over the lower estuary, but not seen inside the recording area today, nor was an Arctic Tern. On site, 33 Sandwich Tern and 23 Common Tern.
Between occasional showers in a freshening westerly breeze, overhead passed 26 Swallow, five House Martin, three Swift, three Meadow Pipit (first of the autumn), two Sand Martin, a Rook and a Kestrel.
Highlights at sea were three Fulmar, a Manx Shearwater and again an unseasonal Great Northern Diver.
Wildlife News: an abundance of flowering Autumn Lady’s-tresses across Greenland Lake, three Southern Hawker, a Grey Seal offshore and a Stoat.
A morning spent scouring the bushes produced 15 Blackcap, 13
Chiffchaff, 12 Whitethroat, four Willow Warbler, three Reed Warbler, and single
Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler and a Sparrowhawk. Finch flocks assembled between Greenland Lake
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| Sedge Warbler (Alan Keatley)
During the mid-evening high tide, 1032 Oystercatcher, 331 Curlew, 201 Redshank, 182 Dunlin, 119 Ringed Plover, 37 Great Black-backed Gull, 19 Mute Swan, 13 juv Black-tailed Godwit, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, nine Mediterranean Gull, eight Little Egret, five Sanderling, four Greenshank, three Grey Heron, two Whimbrel, a Turnstone, a Common Sandpiper and on the railway saltmarsh, a Stock Dove.
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Close in front of the hide, examination of ‘wasp’, Darvic and metal rings on Oystercatchers revealed at least four ringed here in 1989 and one in 1990;
‘T24’ ringed in Aberdeenshire has returned for its fourth consecutive winter
and ‘JA’, ringed in Iceland in spring 2016, also spent last winter here.
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| Oystercatchers with rings (Lee Collins) |
The White-winged Black Tern was again in the estuary this evening, feeding with other terns and gulls over Cockle Sands, Exmouth and sometimes hawking high over the lower estuary, but not seen inside the recording area today, nor was an Arctic Tern. On site, 33 Sandwich Tern and 23 Common Tern.
Between occasional showers in a freshening westerly breeze, overhead passed 26 Swallow, five House Martin, three Swift, three Meadow Pipit (first of the autumn), two Sand Martin, a Rook and a Kestrel.
Highlights at sea were three Fulmar, a Manx Shearwater and again an unseasonal Great Northern Diver.
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| Autumn Lady's-tresses (Alan Keatley) |
Wildlife News: an abundance of flowering Autumn Lady’s-tresses across Greenland Lake, three Southern Hawker, a Grey Seal offshore and a Stoat.
Thursday, 17 August 2017
Thursday 17th August
Sea defence works along on the dune ridge continue to restrict access to the hide and Warren Point. The golf course is not a public right of way. Please follow signs and access guidance from staff.
The juv White-winged Black Tern accompanied two Black Tern, though at times the Black Terns ventured far out to sea, the star bird remained north of Bull Hill inside the estuary this morning. Counts on Bull Hill were 52 Sandwich Tern and 30+ Great Black-backed Gull. A few Common Tern were still in evidence.
On the rising tide, the usual wader species arrived with representative counts of 278 Dunlin and 165 Ringed Plover achieved early, enticed by the rain-soaked sands of The Bight. Apart from the Black Terns, quiet at sea with only an immature Great Northern Diver close offshore of interest.
Small numbers of Swallow and 12 Swift headed south. A Sparrowhawk scattered a mixed flock of finches on the golf course fairways, which included 25 Goldfinch. The main areas of bushes were as expected with nine Blackcap, a flock of eight Long-tailed Tit, a few Chiffchaff, two Whitethroat, two Willow Warbler and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The unexpected surprise of the day was a Goldcrest in a Sycamore on Warren Point, the earliest post-breeding record since 2010. A Wheatear and a Rock Pipit were also up at Warren Point.
Wildlife news: in the humid air and sunny spells, butterflies were plentiful, many Gatekeeper, a few Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Large White, two Red Admiral, one Small Copper and a Painted Lady. Day flying moths were also active, three Yellow Belle were in Greenland Lake and a Jersey Tiger also seen. Two families of Fox remain on site and a grown cub was spotted on Warren Point.
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