Wednesday 31st July 2013

Offshore a single Balearic Shearwater flew distantly south late evening but more unexpected for the time of year were single Red and Black-throated Diver on the sea. In the estuary the Slavonian Grebe continued the unseasonal theme with counts of 194 Dunlin, 155 Sandwich and two Common Tern,  134 Ringed Plover and 60 Sanderling more typical, whilst Mute Swan mumbers doubled to 32.

No Roseate Tern were seen today but details of the ringed bird seen on Monday show that it was rung as a chick on Coquet Island, Northumberland on the 17th June 2011.

Tuesday 30th July 2013

The first returning Wheatear of the autumn was seen today but there were few other passerine migrants. In the estuary there were 163 Sandwich and three Common Tern, 126 Dunlin, 101 Ringed Plover, 36 Sanderling and the Slavonain Grebe. Offshore the Red-throated Diver, an adult Mediterraean Gull and three Great-crested Grebe.

Monday 29th July 2013

Two new Roseate Tern were in front of the hide this afternoon with 135+ Sandwich and an Arctic Tern. Also in the estuary 255 Dunlin and 118 Ringed Plover with an Arctic Skua and a Mediterranean Gull offshore.

Roseate Tern 29/07/13 © Lee Collins

Sunday 28th July 2013

The highlight was an adult Long-tailed Skua that flew distantly south just after 3pm, presumably the same bird headed south past Berry Head some 45 minutes later. This is only the second July record for the recording area. Also passing offshore before 4pm 100+ Manx Shearwater, three Arctic and a Great Skua with the Red-throated Diver again on the sea. Elsewhere a Roseate Tern was in front of the hide with 155+ Sandwich Tern and three Mediterranean Gull. Wader counts included 162 Dunlin, 68 Ringed Plover, 39 Sanderling and a Turnstone.

Saturday 27th July 2013

Both tides covered; generally higher totals in the evening after the rain, with 565 Oystercatcher, 414 Curlew, 103 Dunlin, 58 Ringed Plover, 58 Sanderling, 49 Redshank, 27 Whimbrel,  11 Turnstone, eight Bar-tailed Godwit, two Knot, a Common Sandpiper,150+ Black-headed Gull, four (2 ad, fs, juv) Mediterranean Gull, 143 Sandwich Tern and four Common Tern.  The morning roosts were flushed by an uninformed and/or selfish kayaker. 

At sea, an unseasonal Red-throated Diver, an imm Great Crested Grebe, 15 Manx Shearwater, flocks totalling 83 Common Scoter mostly flew S and 36 Canada Goose in off.

Two Willow Warbler were migrants, but not much else in the bushes; a Green Woodpecker and a roaming mixed flock of small passerines supported 16 Long-tailed Tit, possibly attracting the first Sparrowhawk on site in a while.  A paltry 2 Swift, 9 Swallow and 2 House Martin overhead.

Wildlife news:  no sign of Long-tailed Blue today in overcast, showery conditions, though 2 Brown Argus and some commoner butterflies were found perched up on grass stems in the Back Meadow.

Friday 26th July 2013

Coverage of both high tides produced 24 Ringed Plover, 60 Dunlin, 43 Sanderling, 1 Knot, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 12 Whimbrel, 23 Redshank, 3 Turnstone, 3 Common Sandpiper and hundreds of Oystercatcher and Curlew.  Also present 130+ Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern and 2 (ad & juv) Mediterranean Gull.  Apart from a Swift overhead and a Green Woodpecker in the trees, everywhere else pretty much drew a blank.

Wildlife News: the male Long-tailed Blue butterfly that flew into the kitchen of a nearby property yesterday (!) was safely released within the Back Meadow this afternoon where it remained on view for over an hour, much to the delight of an assembled group of admirers. It likely roosted there. Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Skipper, 'browns' and 'whites' etc festooned the un-cut area of meadow. 

Long-tailed Blue 29/07/13 © Nick Moran

Long-tailed Blue 29/07/13 © John Marchant

 

Wednesday 24th July 2013

Some new arrivals with best counts on both high tides of 13 Ringed Plover, 36 Sanderling, 80 Dunlin, 19 Whimbrel, 5 Bar-tailed Godwit, 19 Redshank, 2 Turnstone and a Snipe.  Amongst the hundreds of Black-headed Gull along the beach were 5 Mediterranean Gull (incl a juv again) and 4 Common Gull.  The 173+ Sandwich Tern flocks contained many juvs.  The breezy southerly produced a Balearic Shearwater, 47 Manx Shearwater, 2 Fulmar, 33 Kittiwake and a Guillemot.  Single Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker were in the trees and a new brood of Pheasant poults were being vigorously protected from passers-by by the hen on Warren Point.

Monday 22nd July 2013

More of the same hot, dry weather and species wise little change too with wader counts of 417 Oystercatcher, 56 Sanderling, 53 Dunlin, 22 Whimbrel, c.395 Curlew, three Ringed Plover, two Bar-tailed Godwit and 3 Turnstone. Other records included nine Common Tern in with the 93 Sandwich Tern; five Mediterraean Gull (incl a juv) and a Dutch rung Common Gull.  Apart from the pair of Stonechat still, little bird interest was found amongst the bushes.

A Fox showing well on the Golf Course over the weekend.  © Lee Collins

Sunday 21st July 2013

A vocal Roseate Tern was in front of the hide this evening with counts from the estuary including 468 Curlew, 130+ Sandwich Tern, 88 Dunlin,15+ Whimbrel, seven Bar-tailed Godwit and single Ringed Plover, Redshank and Greenshank. Elsewhere a Red-throated Diver and 115 Common Scoter were offshore, 72 Sanderling were on the beach, at least five Mediterranean Gull were on site, the Slavonain Grebe was in Shutterton Creek and five Sand Martin flew through.

Greenshank 21/07/13 © Dave Jewell

 

Another couple of darvic rung Sandwich Tern were recorded today, a juvenile (White NL1) and its probable parent (Red ELV) from the same colony as yesterday's bird, Markenje, near Ouddorp, Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands. The parent was rung at Heist, West-Vlaanderen, Belguim in July 2007, whilst the colour ring was added when it was retrapped on the Ythan estuary, near Aberdeen in August 2011. The next sighting was on Markenje in June 2013 before it appeared at the Warren this morning.

What is most interesting is that this is a bird that chose to migrate north in 2011 (in its 5th calender year), but this year migrated in a different direction. This would suggest that terns indeed make a choice, to migrate north, south or west after the breeding season, showing that a network of protected sites are essential for the survival of this species. Thanks again to Pim Wolf and, in Scotland, Ewan Weston for the rapid dissemination of ringing data.

Wildlife News: The welcome first Ringlet of the year was around the Entrance Bushes.

Saturday 20th July 2013

Counts from the estuary continue to increase slightly day by day with 104 Dunlin, 52 Sanderling, 29 Great Black-backed Gull, nine Mediterranean Gull, eight Redshank, eight Ringed Plover, three Bar-tailed Godwit and two Turnstone, with the Slavonian Grebe off Cockwood. Elsewhere it was quiet with just a couple of Common Tern, including a presumed first summer, offshore amongst the Sandwich Tern.

Details of a darvic rung juvenile Sandwich Tern seen this morning have already been received.  White N-50 was rung in the nest on 25th June at Markenje, near Ouddorp, Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands. Many thanks to Pim Wolf and the Tern Team for the information.

 

View Sandwich Tern 20 July 2013 in a larger map

 

Wildlife News: A total of 14 species of butterfly were recorded today including Small Skipper, now scarce on site, Brown Argus, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell. There have still not been any sightings of Green Hairstreak, Ringlet or Marbled White on the Warren this year. Also on the wing good numbers of Six-spot Burnet, at least one Five-spot Burnet, a single Silver Y and several Black-tailed Skimmer. 
 

Black-tailed Skimmer 20/07/13  © Lee Collins