Dawlish Warren: Latest Bird Sightings

Click here for 2010 Year List

Report sightings

Offshore three Red-throated Diver were on the sea with three Great Northern Diver heading south and 33 Sandwich and four Common Tern feeding with 100+ Black-headed Gull and 30+ Kittiwake. Wader counts included 65+ Whimbrel, 39 Dunlin,eight Grey Plover and three Bar-tailed Godwit. Migrants included two Yellow Wagtail overhead, two Wheatear and 17 Whitethroat - several of which no longer migrants and are already nest building.

The first Hobby of the year flew over early morning with just 10 Swallow and a House Martin. The first summer Little Gull was again offshore with 200+ Black-headed Gull, 30+ Sandwich and 14 Common Tern, two Manx Shearwater, a Red-throated Diver and 10 Great-crested Grebe. Wader counts included 206 Dunlin, 26 Whimbrel, 19 Ringed Plover, 11 Grey Plover and four Sanderling.

A quiet morning with little to report, offshore there were two Manx Shearwater with seven Great-crested Grebe, elsewhere just three Swallow flew through and waders included 30+ Whimbrel and two Bar-tailed Godwit.

The first Little Gull of the year, a first summer, was offshore early evening with two Little, two Arctic and 26 Common Tern. Also offshore three Manx Shearwater, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser, a Red-throated Diver and 12 Common Scoter. Elsewhere 66 Whimbrel, c40 Dunlin, 25 Ringed Plover, seven Grey Plover, three Turnstone and a Sanderling were roosting on the beach, two Dark-bellied Brent Geese were still in the estuary, two Yellow Wagtail flew over early morning, three Wheatear were on site and seven Jackdaw were on the ground around the Visitor Centre - a very unusual occurrence.

A female Kentish Plover was still present but only over the morning tide, other waders included 70+ Whimbrel, 31 Ringed Plover, 26 Dunlin, five Turnstone, four Sanderling and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Offshore a single Roseate Tern was present in the evening with four Little, four Common and an Arctic Tern. Also offshore 18 Manx Shearwater and two Red-throated Diver flew south.

The female Kentish Plover was still present with 26 Ringed Plover, other waders included 82 Dunlin, c40 Whimbrel, 12 Grey Plover, two Knot, two Bar-tailed Godwit and singles of Greenshank, Redshank and Sanderling. Migrants included the first Yellow Wagtail of the year overhead, three Grasshopper Warbler - a site record, 12 Whitethroat, five Wheatear and single Redstart, Goldcrest and Sedge Warbler. Offshore the first Great Skua was seen in the evening with 23 Manx Shearwater, 10 Common and single Little and Arctic Tern. Elsewhere 37 Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew in off the sea mid evening and the Slavonian Grebe, now in summer plumage, was back at this end of the estuary.

The female Kentish Plover was present again in the evening, with 37 Ringed Plover, other waders included 105 Dunlin, 48 Whimbrel, 47 Curlew, five Grey Plover, two Sanderling and a Bar-tailed Godwit. Also in the estuary 10 Pale-bellied and two Dark-bellied Brent Geese, with another 20 Pale-bellied Brent on the sea. Also offshore the first two Roseate Tern of the year were present with 18 Sandwich, 10 Common and two Arctic Tern. Elsewhere the first Sedge Warbler of the year was at the First Pond, a Wheatear was on the Point and overhead there were 50 Swallow, nine House and six Sand Martin, four Collared Dove and two Swift.

A female Kentish Plover was showing well in the Bight on the rising tide, but no other news was reported.

The first five Swift of the year flew through early morning with an Osprey in the estuary, four Willow Warbler on site and 28 Canada Geese on the Main Pond.

Tern numbers continue to increase offshore with at least seven Common, five Arctic and four Little Tern, also offshore an immature male Eider, 35 Common Scoter and 12 Manx Shearwater. Wader counts included 85 Dunlin, 63 Ringed Plover, 43+ Whimbrel, four Sanderling, two Grey Plover and a Knot Elsewhere a Reed Warbler was at the Main Pond, six Willow Warbler were on site and eight Wheatear were on the Wryneck Plain.

Excepting the first Cuckoo of the year calling on the Golf Course, there was a dearth of migrants with a single Wheatear the only other record. Elsewhere the three Little Tern remained offshore with 45 Sandwich Tern, two Black-tailed Godwit flew in off the sea and counts from the estuary showed other waders were also on the move with 66 Whimbrel, c60 Dunlin, c15 Ringed and a Grey Plover.

The highlight was the first Short-eared Owl since November 2008 flushed from near the Dune Pond, other migrants included a Grasshopper Warbler and a female Redstart along the Back Path, four Whitethroat, three Willow Warbler, three Wheatear, a Reed Warbler and the first White Wagtail of the year. Overhead there were 32 Swallow, seven House and two Sand Martin. Offshore there were three Little Tern and singles of Common and Arctic Tern, all first records for the year, also present 38 Sandwich Tern, 22 Common Scoter and five Manx Shearwater. Elsewhere two Stock Dove over the estuary were the fifth year tick of the day with a Greenshank, 39 Whimbrel and eight Dunlin also present.

Few migrants today with six Wheatear on the Point, and three each of Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Whitethroat. Overhead there were 37 Swallow, 12 Goldfinch and four House Martin. Offshore there were c15 Sandwich and 10 'commic' Tern with 19 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and eight Manx Shearwater south. Elsewhere 38 Whimbrel were on the beach with singles of Dunlin and Sanderling and nine Grey Plover flew in off the sea.

Early morning the first Grasshopper Warbler of the year was reeling in the Entrance Bushes, with other migrants including the Redstart in the Back Meadow, 13 Wheatear, 13 Willow Warbler and two Whitethroat. Overhead there were In the estuary there were 16 Swallow, two Rook and singles of Sand Martin, Collared Dove and Buzzard. Elsewhere a pair Shelduck on the Main Pond were only the second record from there, and 38 Whimbrel, two Dark-bellied Brent Geese and a Sandwich Tern were in the estuary.

A male Redstart was in the Back Meadow, the first of the year, with other migrants limited to two Wheatear and a Swallow. Elsewhere 24 Whimbrel and 13 Turnstone were on the beach, single Dark and Pale-bellied Brent were in the estuary and 20 Common Scoter and six Great-crested Grebe were offshore.

Migrants included six Wheatear, several Willow Warbler, four Swallow and singles of Blackcap and Whitethroat.

Offshore there were eight Sandwich Tern, five Great-crested Grebe and four Common Scoter with 14 Whimbrel and eight Grey Plover on the beach.

The first Reed Warbler of the year was at the Main Pond with six Great-crested Grebe and five Common Scoter offshore.

The weather continues to ensure a lack of migrants, but the dogs, cyclists and barbeques on the site could not have helped. Adding to the Country Park atmosphere 22 Canada and a Bar-headed Goose were on the Main Pond along with the first brood of 10 Mallard duckling. Elsewhere two Grey Heron flew in off the sea, 65 Curlew were in the estuary and a pair of Green Woodpecker were in the Entrance Bushes.

The highlight was the 14th record of Red Kite for the reserve, one which came in off the sea around 8.30am and headed north towards Haldon, also offshore the Surf and Velvet Scoter, 19 Manx Shearwater, 10 Great-crested Grebe, eight Sandwich Tern, seven Fulmar and a Red-throated Diver. Other records included the first migrant Whimbrel in the estuary, two Swallow, two Blackcap and single Wheatear, Willow Warbler and Whitethroat.

The first two Whitethroat of the year were in the Buffer Zone with the first House Martin overhead, two Willow Warbler in the entrance bushes and a Swallow the only other migrants. Offshore both the female Surf and Velvet Scoter are still present.

A Red-throated Diver and 15 Sandwich Tern were offshore, whilst migrants included 12 Chiffchaff, four Swallow, three Wheatear, a Sand Martin and a Willow Warbler.

The Surf and Velvet Scoter were offshore and the first two Sand Martin of the year flew through but no other news was reported.

The highlight was a female Garganey offshore, which flew in from the west and spent 15 mins on the sea off Warren Point before heading east. It was then attacked by a Peregrine off Orcombe Point and after evading it by diving into the sea eventually flew south. Also offshore 10 Sandwich Tern, six Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, the single Surf and Velvet Scoter. Elsewhere the Osprey was again in the estuary along with a summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe, a Great Northern Diver and a Greenshank. Migrants were limited to a Blackcap and three Swallow.

Offshore there were seven Sandwich Tern, a Red-throated Diver and the single Velvet Scoter. Elsewhere an Osprey was over the estuary early afternoon and migrants were limited to eight Swallow and two Rook overhead.

The first Manx Shearwater of the year flew south with 30+ Kittiwake, 22 Fulmar, 20 Sandwich Tern, five Red-throated and a Great Northern Diver, also offshore 35 Common and a single Velvet Scoter. Elsewhere migrants were limited to single Wheatear and Swallow.

The Surf Scoter is still offshore with 20 Common and a single Velvet Scoter, also offshore at least six Sandwich Tern, a Great Northern Diver and heading south, c15 Curlew. A flock of 14 Pale-bellied Brent Goose flew south from the estuary around 11am, with 13 in the Bight with two Dark-bellied Brent later in the day. What may have been this flock was seen in Weymouth Bay at 9.15am. Elsewhere a Willow Warbler and three Chiffchaff were on site, two Jackdaw and two Swallow were overhead and a second Great Northern Diver was in the estuary.

The first Osprey of the year headed northwest up the Railway Saltmarsh at 9.25am with the second high north over Warren Point about an hour later, also overhead four Buzzard and three Swallow. Elsewhere the Bar-headed Goose was by the Visitor Centre and three singing Chiffchaff were onsite.

April 2010