birds of dawlish warren

International
Millions of this large, leisurely shearing shearwater breed on the tussocky islands within the Tristan da Cunha group and also on other southern Atlantic islands.  Its long post-breeding transequatorial migration leads northwest to rich feeding grounds off the coast of Greenland, where it overwinters (effectively during our ‘boreal’ summer).  It then migrates clockwise around the NE Atlantic during our autumn, returning then back to the Southern Hemisphere.  Spring records in the NE Atlantic are rare†.

Great Britain
Rare in spring, small numbers appear annually mid-summer to autumn off west Cornwall, but stormy conditions with strong winds from the southwest quarter can exceptionally result daily counts of thousands†.  It is rarely reported from headlands away from the far SW and E of Devon along the S coast it is a vagrant, with only four 20th century records for Dorset†.

Devon
Recorded in only 22 of a 41-year period (1969 - 2010) on 51 dates (excluding the long-staying flock off north Devon coast in autumn 2002)†.  However, even under optimal conditions, only three dates exist with three-figure counts†, and in only six of the 41-year period (1969 - 2010) have more than five individuals been recorded in Devon†.

Dawlish Warren

This record was not submitted to DBWPS, therefore 2000 has only two accepted records - an average year†.