Saturday 10th April

The highlight was a singing Siberian Chiffchaff at the Main Pond, presumably an elusive/unreported longstayer, as with the exception of 24 Siskin overhead, other migrants were noticeable by their absence. 

Counts from the estuary included the first three Whimbrel of the year, 260 Oystercatcher, 104 Curlew, 10 Sandwich Tern, 26 Redshank, 23 Ringed and 18 Grey Plover, two Bar-tailed Godwit and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose.

Wildlife News: The first Orange-tip and Small Copper of the year were on the wing with Comma, Speckled Wood and Peacock. Several solitary bee species were evident including Sandpit Mining Bee, Painted and Gooden’s Nomad Bee.

Painted Nomad Bee - Alan Keatley

Small Copper - Alan Keatley

Friday 9th April

Two Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver were offshore with nine Common Scoter, six Sandwich Tern and five Great-crested Grebe. Elsewhere six Dark-bellied and two Pale-bellied Brent Geese were in the estuary, four Wheatear and four Willow Warbler were on site and six Swallow flew through. 

Thursday 8th April

Four Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver were offshore with 17 Sandwich Tern, 103 Gannet, eight Great-crested Grebe and three Common Scoter. Elsewhere migrants included three Willow Warbler and two Wheatear with 10 Swallow, six Sand Martin and two Siskin overhead.

Wildlife News: The early spring flora continue to flower during sunny periods with Sand Crocus, Shepherd's Cress and Upright Chickweed all on show. Insects included several Speckled Wood and single Peacock and Comma with Yellow-legged and Chocolate Mining Bee feeding on Alexanders and a Common Dolphin offshore. 

Monday 5th April

The cold northerlies failed to bring any snow to south Devon and migrants were in equally short supply, although Sandwich Tern had increased with 34 offshore, along with two Great Northern and a Red-throated Diver, 50 Gannet, six Common Scoter and four Guillemot. 

Elsewhere 12 Ringed Plover, two Greenshank and a Dunlin over high tide and passing through just 11 Sand Martin, eight Swallow, three Siskin and two Rock Pipit. A Willow Warbler was fresh in but the Chiffchaff and Blackcap are now largely birds on territory. Amongst the breeding birds the first pair of Little Grebe now have chicks on the Main Pond.

Sunday 4th April

Another clear sunny day, and with little wind, warmer than yesterday. The highlight came early morning when a Ruddy Shelduck was picked up heading S with two Shelduck, before circling back round into estuary. It was relocated in Shutterton Creek before flying N up the estuary an hour later. It was later relocated on Exminster Marshes. The British Ornithologist's Union is currently reviewing records of this species; depending on the outcome of this review this could be the second or third acceptable record for the Warren following one in July 1995 and five in off the sea on 7th Oct 2003. 

Ruddy Shelduck - David Flack

Also in the estuary 208 Curlew, 30 Knot, 28 Grey and 11 Ringed Plover, five Greenshank, five Dunlin, three Sanderling, three Pale-bellied and a Dark-bellied Brent Goose.

Elsewhere three Sandwich Tern were offshore, a Snipe was on the Main Pond, two Red Kite flew NE over Exmouth and other migrants passing through included eight Swallow, eight Sand and two House Martin, six Siskin, two Buzzard and single Yellow and White Wagtail. 

Wildlife News: The Sand Crocus was out in numbers with Shepherd's Cress also having a good year. Butterflies included a single Red Admiral, Brown-tail caterpillars were emerging from their winter webs and Girdled Snail was another addition to the site's fauna.

Shepherd's Cress - Kevin Rylands

Saturday 3rd April

Another sunny day after an overcast start, but a much cooler northerly wind hampered migration with just six Sand and four House Martin through, along with four Siskin and two Swallow. Raptors did find some thermals though with four Buzzard and at 2pm two Red Kite high over. Grounded migrants included a Whitethroat by the Dune Pond and a Willow Warbler with 10 Chiffchaff and three Blackcap. 

In the Bight over high tide counts included 238 Oystercatcher, 22 Grey and 11 Ringed Plover, three Dark-bellied Brent Geese and single Knot, Sanderling and Red-breasted Merganser. Offshore two Great Northern Diver still and five Sandwich Tern.

Wildlife News: Despite the cold wind Sand Crocus remained in flower but insects were only in the more sheltered spots including the first Epistrophe eligans hoverfly of the year. Late news from the beach included Butterfish and the first Worm Pipefish for the Recording Area. 

Worm Pipefish - Simon Thurgood

Friday 2nd April

Another fine early spring day with the pick of a small arrival of migrants a female Whitethroat behind the Main Pond, the earliest ever site record; the previous earliest was on 7th April 2011. Other grounded migrants included 13 Chiffchaff, six Blackcap and three Willow Warbler in the bushes and two Wheatear on Warren Point.

Overhead 55 Sand Martin, 46 Swallow and six House Martin, with most passing through in a series of pulses early morning. The birds spent some time over the Main Pond feeding up, with most having gone through by 10:30, also overhead seven Jackdaw, three Siskin and the year's first Osprey at 11:10 with the same bird returning to the south end of the estuary from 11:25-11:40.

Elsewhere two Great Northern Diver were offshore with 20 Kittiwake, 11 Red-breasted Merganser, 10 Gannet, nine Sandwich Tern, four Great-crested Grebe and two Fulmar. Yesterday's flock of Eider had departed with perhaps the same birds east past Portland this morning. In the estuary counts included 189 Oystercatcher, 124 Curlew, 22 Grey Plover, six Turnstone, two Knot and two Sanderling.

Wildlife News: Good numbers of male Early Long-horn Adela cuprella were lekking at the top of sallows around the Entrance Bushes, a new species for the Recording Area.

Early Long-horn Adela cuprella - Kevin Rylands

Increasing numbers of Sand Crocus were flowering once the temperature rose late morning with the same conditions attractive to insects. Four species of butterfly; four Comma, three Peacock, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood were on the wing with the first Tree Bumblebee and Dark-edged Beefly of the year also noted.

Comma - Kevin Rylands

Thursday 1st April

With Covid lockdown relaxed the hope is the Recording Group blog will return to regular updates but this will of course depend on the whether observer's sightings are submitted. The hide remains closed with access no longer possible due to erosion of the new sea 'defences'.

The month started with fine weather and an early Yellow Wagtail overhead, along with 15 Swallow through during the day. grounded migrants included a Wheatear in Greenland Lake and six Chiffchaff and and three Blackcap in the bushes.

A flock of 14 Eider (8 adult male, 4 female, 2 1st w male) off John's Watch were only the second record of the year for this increasingly rare visitor, with a flock of 13 Red-breasted Merganser that flew into the estuary, the highest count of the winter. Also offshore 15 Shag, 10 Sandwich Tern, seven Common Scoter, five Great-crested Grebe, five Gannet and two Razorbill. 

Elsewhere a Kittiwake was on Finger Point with a single Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 12 Grey Plover, six Ringed Plover and a Knot on the dropping tide.

Wildlife News: The fine weather saw the Warren Crocus in flower with Small Tortoiseshell and a Peacock on the wing along with Yellow-legged Mining Bee and the first Common Carder Bumblebee of the year. A single Diamond-back Moth arrived along with the Saharan dust.

Sand Crocus - Kevin Rylands

March 2021

The bird hide remains closed and the viewing area outside no longer accessible. All of the reported sightings below were made following Government regulations and guidance. Stay safe and hope to see you all soon. 

The month’s highlight was the brief presence of a White-tailed Eagle on 21st, one of the birds released as part of the Isle of Wight based reintroduction project. The bird, G466, was in the Turkey Oak copse of the Golf Course early morning before being relocated in trees just off site at Cofton, where this image was taken. 

White-tailed Eagle - Lee Collins

An immature female, she had flown along the East Devon coast the previous day, being seen on the pebblebed heaths before roosting in the woodland to the east of Woodbury. After leaving Cofton she travelled a total of 75km that day passing over the Teign Estuary before roosting to the east of Plymouth.

Many thanks to Stephen Egerton-Read from Forestry England for the map and information. 

Other notable sightings included three Whooper Swan which flew out to sea before returning and undertaking a tour of the estuary on the 6th and a Red-legged Partridge on the 30th, just as wild, an Indian Peahen was on the Golf Course on the 17th. Long-staying scarcities included the Treecreeper which remained until the 10th, even singing on occasion, two Coal Tit until the 7th, the Siberian Chiffchaff until the 6th and the Firecrest until the 21st.

Whooper Swan - Ben Lucking

Other site scarcities included a female Tufted Duck on 25-26th, a Jack Snipe on 19-20th, a Golden Plover on the 4th and a Black-tailed Godwit on 27th.

Peak counts from the estuary included 1000+ Dunlin on 1st dropping to 530 on 7th and single figures by the end of the month. Other counts included 330 Oystercatcher, with colour-ringed birds reported back on breeding sites during the month, 290 Dark-bellied and four Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 166 Bar-tailed Godwit, 158 Curlew, 95 Grey Plover, 58 Knot, 58 Turnstone, 35 Redshank, 27 Shelduck, 22 Teal, 17 Sanderling and six Greenshank. With no confirmed sightings all month it seems Herbert the Slavonian Grebe has finally succumbed after 14 years on site. 

Green Woodpecker - Dave Jewell

There was little reported offshore with maxima of six Great Northern and just two Red-throated Diver, the first Manx Shearwater arrived on cue, passing south on the 26th, the first Sandwich Tern was recorded on the 6th with a peak of 18 on 27th. 

Summer migrants started to arrive mid month with the first Wheatear on 17th with a peak of of six on 28th; a White Wagtail on the 18th, a Sand Martin on the 24th, a Willow Warbler on 27th and five Swallow and two Blackcap on 31st. 

Wheatear - Lee Collins

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was seen on several occasions with unidentified dolphins offshore on the 9th. The spring weather saw the appearance of the first butterflies with Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Comma and two Small Tortoiseshell noted, the latter equalling the number recorded throughout 2020. Bees also emerged with Yellow-legged and Chocolate Mining Bee recorded on the 31st along with Hairy-footed Flower Bee and Red-tailed Bumblebee. 

Hairy -footed Flower Bee (male) - Alan Keatley

Sand Crocus emerged late month but remained largely closed in dull weather, with Early Forget-me-not, Shepherd's Cress, Common Whitlow Grass, Rue-leaved Saxifrage and Snake's-head Fritillary also in flower. 

Snake's-head Fritillary - Alan Keatley

A total of 656 species had been noted on site by the end of the month including several new species for the Recording Area including Red Gurnard, Water Measurer, Spring Starflower and Grape Hyacinth Anther Smut Antherospora hortensis, the latter new for Devon. 

Red Gurnard - Simon Thurgood

February 2021

Daily updates will continue to be replaced with summaries during the Covid-19 lockdown, which has meant that fewer records were received than usual. The bird hide remains closed and the viewing area outside no longer accessible. All of the reported sightings below were made following Government regulations and guidance. Stay safe and hope to see you all soon. 

The so called 'Mini beast from the east' didn't get this far west with only two nights below freezing. The month was actually slightly milder and wetter than average with 81mm rain across 14 days and an average temperature of 6.8C.

The month’s highlight was actually late news from 27th January when a Spotted Redshank was just south of Cockwood on the dropping tide, the first Warren record since Nov 2014.

Treecreeper - Jo King

February started with the first Jay since 2018 on the 2nd, two Lesser Redpoll the next day and a Treecreeper on the 8th which remained until at least the 22nd. Also around the scrub a Siberian Chiffchaff (re)appeared on 11-12th with Firecrest reported on four dates, two Coal Tit throughout and a Tawny Owl on 26th.

Siberian Chiffchaff - Lee Collins

There was little reported offshore with maxima of three Great Northern and just a single Red-throated Diver, but an adult Little Gull was off the Point on 14th, with presumably the same bird in the estuary on the 16th.

Little Gull - Lee Collins

In the estuary peak wader counts included 1500 Dunlin, 210 Bar-tailed Godwit, 205 Knot, 198 Grey Plover, 60 Snipe, 42 Redshank, 34 Ringed Plover and five Greenshank. The cold weather didn’t reveal a great deal of movement but an Avocet arrived on the 11th with three the next day, two on 14th and one until the 18th.

As is typical for the time of year wildfowl numbers dropped off with maxima of 249 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, 72 Teal and 17 Wigeon. Three Goldeneye at the start of the month was the winter high for this increasingly scarce duck, but Red-breasted Merganser are in a more precipitous decline, the month’s peak of eight a stark contrast to the site maximum of 204 as recently as Dec 2000.

Scarcer wildfowl included a pair of Pintail on 11th and a single Pale-bellied Brent Geese on 9th. The last reported sighting of Herbert the Slavonian Grebe was on the 8th, moving to Exmouth briefly to escape the strong old easterlies but, as yet, not returning.

As Spring broke through at the end of the month there was hope of early migrants, there was a notable influx of Stonechat on 22nd with at least 13 on site and another small influx on the 28th, when a Red Kite drifted low east making the most of the high pressure.

Ringing News: The wintering Scandinavian Rock Pipit Yellow 632 was last seen around the 17th but was then seen at Sheringham on the north Norfolk coast on the 19th, pausing briefly on its return to Norway. 

Yellow 632 Nov 2019 -  Alan Keatley

Wildlife News: A Grey Seal was seen offshore, and the spring weather saw the appearance of the first Honey Bee and hoverflies on the 28th. 

Scarlet Elf Cup - Lee Collins

Several new species for the Recording Area were noted during the month including two new moths species, Mottled Grey and Coastal Flat-body Agonopterix yeatiana.

Coastal Flat-body