The following list of 25
species has been compiled by keen Dawlish Warren listers, who had nothing
better to do one evening than try and agree which species were most likely to be
the next ‘firsts’ for the site. After many arguments this list was compiled,
however we are not naïve enough to expect this bear any resemblance to what
will actually happen in the real world (cf
26=!).
However, If anyone has any better ideas please
let us know.
|
1. Red-breasted
Flycatcher |
10. Corn Bunting |
19. Little Bittern |
|
2. Pallas’s Warbler |
11. Rose-coloured
Starling |
20. Black Kite |
|
3. Red Kite |
12. Purple Heron |
21. Red-throated Pipit |
|
4. Golden Oriole |
13. Bee-eater |
22. Great Reed Warbler |
|
5. Ortolan Bunting |
14. Crane |
23. Desert Wheatear |
|
6. Marsh Warbler |
15. Great Grey Shrike |
24. Semipalmated
Sandpiper |
|
7. Bluethroat |
16. Pink-footed Goose |
25. Forster’s Tern |
|
8. Night Heron |
17. Subalpine Warbler |
26= Auduoin’s Gull (!) |
|
9. Cory’s Shearwater |
18. Red-rumped Swallow |
26= Willet (!) |
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This list was first published in 2000, since then there have been nineteen new species for the recording area. Numbers 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, 14, 20, 21 and 22 have been recorded. There are now already six records of Rose-coloured Starling and four of Red Kite.
Of the other ten, three had been on or close
to this list but were lost in the final decision making (honest). These were Lesser
Yellowlegs, Lesser Grey Shrike and, most recently, Caspian Tern.
The other seven species were:
Great Shearwater,
perhaps not to surprising since the recent increase in records from Torbay.
Radde’s Warbler,
despite the increase in national records this was somewhat of a surprise being
the first twitchable Devon record. Dawlish Warren has now recorded both Dusky
and Radde’s Warblers but still no Pallas’s – possibly a unique state of affairs
in the UK.
Elegant Tern, a true bolt
from the blue, although not yet officially accepted, it is widely believed to
have been this species which entertained and infuriated observers during the
summer of 2002.
Mandarin, another omission, a
bird with the Wigeon in November 2004.
Willow Tit, a rapidly declining species especially in south Devon and usually sedentary. The arrival of one in March 2005 was a definite surprise, as was the second record in April 2005!
Laughing Gull, having missed out on this species during the record influx in autumn and winter 2005, the Warren eventually caught up with a single bird in August 2006.
Long-billed Murrelet, even more surprising than the Elegant Tern, this first for Britain turned up in November 2006.