Saturday 10th May

Seawatching during the day produced single Great and dark phase Arctic Skua, six Arctic, five Common and a Little Tern, 10 Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver, c100 Gannet, 60+ Kittiwake and 50+ Manx Shearwater. On a low high tide good numbers gathered in front of the hide with counts of 167 Dunlin, 27 Whimbrel, 14 Turnstone, seven Ringed and a Grey Plover, a Curlew and the third Curlew Sandpiper of the spring. One of the Turnstone was colour ringed and is the first recovery of this species for the Warren. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe and Dark-bellied Brent Goose. With a total of 74 Sanderling around the Warren on World Migratory Bird Day it was apt that another colour-ringed individual was also recorded. This bird also had a geolocater attached so hopefully it will be retrapped and its entire migratory travels will be available for researchers. Elsewhere the first Spotted Flycatcher of the year was in Dead Dolphin Wood, five Wheatear were on site and a Little Egret was a rare visitor to the Main Pond.

Sanderling © Lee Collins

Wildlife News: The first Southern Marsh Orchid were in flower in Greenland Lake.

Friday 9th May

No one was on site early enough to see the Pomarine Skua and Roseate Terns that were off Exmouth early morning, later on just a single Common and 25+ Sandwich Tern were offshore. Elsewhere 31 Dunlin, 21 Whimbrel, 13 Sanderling and two Ringed Plover were in the estuary with 10 Swift overhead.

Ringing News: The Sanderling seen on Wednesday evening had been ringed on 18 May 2011 at Siglingamerki, Sandgerði in south east Iceland  This was the first sighting since ringing. Thanks to Jeroen Reneerkens at the IWSG Sanderling Project for this information.

View Sanderling in a larger map

Thursday 8th May

An decent arrival of waders saw a flock of 362 Dunlin and 27 Sanderling (not including the ringed bird) in front of the hide with at least three Common Sandpiper and the Slavonian Grebe also in the estuary. Elsewhere a single Little Tern was offshore.

Wednesday 7th May

A quiet spring day with the first colour-ringed 'Sanderbling' of the year on the beach in the evening with 18 other Sanderling, also on the beach a Black-tailed Godwit and a Dunlin. Elsewhere an Arctic Tern was offshore with c50 Common Scoter, two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver; eight Whimbrel and a Grey Plover were in the estuary and two Wheatear were in Greenland Lake.

Tuesday 6th May

Terns were on the move today with at least eight Little Tern off John's Watch mid afternoon following one early morning and with three still present late evening. The evening also saw a flock of 16 Arctic Tern arrive from the south before spiraling high and heading off inland up the estuary, when too high to see with the naked eye they were joined from somewhere by six other 'commic' terns. Also offshore a Great Northern Diver and 15 Manx Shearwater. Elsewhere 72 Dunlin, 59+ Whimbrel, four Grey Plover, three Bar-tailed Godwit, two Curlew and the Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary and migrants included six Wheatear, a Willow Warbler and a Swift.

Monday 5th May

With the windy conditions seawatching was the order of the day but, despite the numbers seen elsewhere, this corner of Lyme Bay remained a Pom Skua free zone. A Great Skua did head south late morning, with a pale morph Arctic Skua offshore late evening, also in the evening two Roseate Tern off the seawall with at least five off Dawlish. Other counts offshore during the day included 320+ Manx Shearwater, c100 auk sp, 40+ Kittiwake, 30+ Sandwich and two Common Tern. The lone Dark-bellied Brent Goose remains in the estuary where wader counts included 69 Dunlin, 40+ Whimbrel, 13 Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Ringed Plover, four Sanderling and four Grey Plover. Elsewhere the bushes were blown out and migrants were limited to three Wheatear late evening.

Sunday 4th May

The first Cuckoo of the year was the highlight with other migrants limited to a Garden Warbler by the Main Pond and 10 Wheatear scattered around site. Overhead 96 Swallow slowly trickled east during the mornng along with two Goldfinch, two Swift, a House Martin and a Yellow Wagtail. Wader counts included 48 Whimbrel, 25 Dunlin, 17 Sanderling, four Bar-tailed Godwit, two Grey Plover and Knot with single Dark and Pale-bellied Brent Goose also in the estuary.  Elsewhere 32+ Sandwich Tern and two Shoveler were offshore.

Saturday 3rd May

The female Kentish Plover remained around the Bight and beach until 9.30 when a paraglider flushed all the waders over high tide. Counts beforehand included 68 Whimbrel, 20 Dunlin, 13 Ringed Plover, eight Turnstone, six Bar-tailed Godwit, three Sanderling, three Knot and two Grey Plover. Also around the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, 17 Shelduck and two Dark-bellied Brent Geese with 77 Black-headed Gull, 12 Mute Swan and seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese passing through. Elsewhere feeding offshore there were 54 Sandwich, five Common, an Arctic and a Little Tern, whilst overhead there were 22 Swift and two Yellow Wagtail and on the ground five Wheatear.

Wildlife News: The first Wall Brown of the year was along what remains of the Dune Ridge.

Friday 2nd May

The second Kentish Plover of the spring, this time a female, was the day's highlight. It was on the beach with two Sanderling for most of the day but moved to the estuary in front of the hide late on. Other wader counts included 40+ Whimbrel, 18 Ringed Plover, 12+ Dunlin, 10 Turnstone, three Knot and two Grey Plover. Offshore there were two Little and two Arctic Tern, single Arctic and Great Skua, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver. Elsewhere a Lesser Whitethroat was new for the year with other migrants including 11+ Wheatear and a Sedge Warbler.

Kentish Plover © Lee Collins

Thursday 1st May

A drake Garganey found late in the day on the Main Pond was the highlight, the site's 29th record, but the first on the Main Pond since 1993. Earlier in the day two Roseate Tern were feeding offshore with 20+ Sandwich, six Common and an Arctic Tern. Also offshore 60+ Common Scoter, two Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver. Wader numbers increased overnight 600+ Oystercatcher, 90+ Whimbrel, 53 Dunlin, 31 Turnstone, 11 Ringed Plover, 10 Sanderling four Grey Plover and single Bar and Black-tailed Godwit. Elsewhere migrants were limited to three Wheatear and a new Reed Warbler.

 

Garganey © Dave Jewell