Dawlish Warren: Latest Bird Sightings

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Report sightings

Four juvenile Curlew Sandpiper were in the Bight with 296 Ringed Plover, 106 Dunlin, 17 Sanderling and four Knot, also in the estuary c100 Black-tailed Godwit and 12 Whimbrel in the Railway Saltmarsh. Migrants included a Grasshopper Warbler along the Dune Ridge, a Sedge Warbler in the Car Park, at least five Wheatear, 10 White and five Yellow Wagtail. Elsewhere a Peregrine took a Ringed Plover on the beach and a roost of House Sparrow around the Car Park reached 81, a record site count.

Waders included the first Lapwing of the autumn with 262 Ringed Plover, 259 Redshank, 183 Dunlin, 39 Sanderling, 15 Bar and seven Black-tailed Godwit, five Knot, four Greenshank, two Curlew Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper. Offshore there were three Arctic and a Great Skua, two adult Mediterranean Gull, 120 Sandwich, 20 Common, two Black and single Roseate and an Arctic Tern. Elsewhere 10 Yellow Wagtail included three in the Bight with other migrants including nine Wheatear and four White Wagtail.

A total of 100 species were recorded on site today for the first ever time. The highlight was the first Long-tailed Skua of the year circling offshore late morning, also offshore three Arctic Skua, 147 Sandwich, 85+ Common, three Black, two Arctic and two Roseate Tern, an adult and a juvenile. In the estuary the first Green Sandpiper of the year was present early morning along with 248 Redshank, 143 Ringed Plover, 136 Dunlin, 20 Sanderling, six Whimbrel, four Greenshank and three Curlew Sandpiper. Returning wildfowl included 10 Shelduck in off the sea, five Gadwall, five Shoveler, 25 Teal and 18 Wigeon. Also in the estuary a Kingfisher, the Slavonian Grebe, a first year Little Gull and an Osprey. Migrants included single Grasshopper Warbler, Whinchat, Cuckoo and only the second Lesser Whitethroat of the year with three Spotted Flycatcher also present. Overhead there were three Yellow and two Grey Wagtail with two Tree Pipit also through.

News from the hide included the first three Curlew Sandpiper of the year, all juveniles, an unseasonal Goosander, a Greenshank and eight Wheatear. Elsewhere three Arctic Skua were offshore with 63 Sandwich and 18 Common Tern and two Yellow Wagtail were overhead.

The Little Stint was still present in the Bight with 300+ Dunlin, c250 Ringed Plover, 233 Great Black-backed Gull and 22 Sanderling. Elsewhere a drake Tufted Duck was in Shutterton Creek and migrants included two Wheatear and a Reed Warbler.

The juvenile SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER was only present over the morning tide with no sign in the afternoon. Also in the morning a Wood Sandpiper and a Little Stint were in the Bight, with a Black Tern in front of the hide. Also on the estuary 18 Sandwich and four Common Tern, seven Turnstone, two Greenshank and a Knot. Elsewhere three Balearic Shearwater and two juvenile Little Tern were offshore and 16 Whimbrel and five Wheatear were on the Golf Course.

The juvenile SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER was again present today with a Little Stint, but no other news was received.

The juvenile SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER was again present today, but no other news was received.

A juvenile SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER was found in the Bight late evening, the second site record following a juvenile in August 2008.

The first Little Stint of the year, a juvenile was in the Bight with 481 Dunlin, 379 Ringed Plover, 32 Sanderling, eight Grey Plover, five Turnstone and a Knot. Also in the estuary 350+ Curlew, 130+ Redshank, 28 Black and six Bar-tailed Godwit, 22 Teal, 10 Whimbrel and two Greenshank. A juvenile Little Gull was offshore with 110+ Sandwich, nine Common and a juvenile Roseate Tern; a Great Northern Diver flew south. Elsewhere migrants included single Spotted Flycatcher and Goldcrest.

A juvenile Black Tern was in front of the hide with 17 Teal, three Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper in the estuary. Elsewhere a Great Skua and an adult Mediterranean Gull were offshore.

The first Tawny Owl of the year was being mobbed in Dead Dolphin Wood. Other migrants which may have travelled further included six Willow, three Sedge, two Reed and two Garden Warbler, 12 Chiffchaff, seven Whitethroat and seven Blackcap. Elsewhere single Yellow and Grey Wagtail passed overhead and five Teal were in the estuary.

Migrants included two Jay which moved through the site early morning with the Entrance Bushes holding eight Chiffchaff, four Blackcap and two Garden Warbler with 28 Swallow and four House Martin overhead. The Bight held 69 Sandwich and a Common Tern, also 268 Dunlin, 103 Ringed Plover and 350 Curlew that had been flushed from the Railway Saltmarsh. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was again in the estuary.

Migrants in Greenland Lake included the first Redstart of the autumn with a Whinchat, two Garden and a Sedge Warbler. A light phase Arctic Skua was offshore with 198 Shag, 40 Gannet and 13 Common Tern, also the first Snipe of the autumn flew in off the sea. The second Ruff of the year was in the estuary with 429 Curlew, 305 Dunlin, 197 Ringed Plover, 120 Sandwich Tern, 103 Great Black-backed Gull, 25 Mute Swan, 11 juvenile Shelduck and three Wigeon. Unfortunately as is typical during summer these flocks were once again disturbed, this time by a large inflatable dingy moored on Finger Point.

A Roseate Tern was present offshore with three Common and nine 'commic' Tern. Counts from the estuary included 191 Dunlin, 90 Ringed Plover, 12 Sanderling, 11 Turnstone, two Greenshank, a Knot and one Teal.

The first Teal of autumn, a flock of 18, were in Shutterton Creek, with them two Shoveler. Also in the estuary 650+ Curlew, 160+ Redshank, 153 Dunlin, 49 Ringed Plover,13 Sanderling, nine Turnstone, seven Bar-tailed Godwit and a Greenshank. Migrants included a juvenile Cuckoo on Warren Point, seven Willow Warbler and overhead a Swift and a Yellow Wagtail.

The highlight were two Wood Sandpiper that circled the hide mid morning, the first since 2008 and the first multiple record. Other waders included 354 Dunlin, 151 Ringed Plover, 15 Whimbrel, 13 Sanderling, three Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper. Elsewhere a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was in the estuary, 120+ Sandwich, 16 Common, two Little and an Arctic Tern were offshore and the Buzzard remains on site.

Wader counts included 815 Curlew, 173 Redshank, 123 Dunlin, 83 Ringed Plover, four Whimbrel and a Greenshank. Elsewhere a Kittiwake was with 125 Sandwich and four Common Tern in front of the hide briefly and migrants included 12 Whitethroat, five Blackcap, five Reed, two Willow and a Garden Warbler.

A juvenile Little Ringed Plover, the first of the year, was briefly in the Bight with 54 Ringed Plover on the rising tide. Other waders included 136 Dunlin, 13 Black-tailed Godwit, five Whimbrel and three Sanderling. Elsewhere the long overdue first Tree Pipit of the year flew over early morning.

A Balearic and 20 Manx Shearwater were offshore during the evening with a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull. Records from the estuary included 15 Common Tern, 50+ Dunlin, seven Whimbrel, four Black and two Bar-tailed Godwit, a Greenshank and a Knot. Elsewhere a Swift was overhead, two Wheatear were on the Golf Course and at least two Willow Warbler were on site.

Two Black, two Roseate, nine Arctic, 50+ Common and 100+ Sandwich Tern were offshore early morning. Elsewhere 101 Ringed Plover, 77 Dunlin, 13 Sanderling, a Knot and the Slavonian Grebe were in the estuary and thee juvenile Mediterranean Gull were on the beach.

Wader counts included 80 Ringed Plover and 71 Dunlin with four Black-tailed Godwit. Migrants included the first two Meadow Pipit of autumn, 12 Blackcap, 100 Whitethroat, three Willow Warbler, two Wheatear and single Garden and Sedge Warbler.

The first three Wigeon of the autumn were in the estuary, and wader numbers had picked up with 2001 Oystercatcher, 1040 Curlew, 162 Redshank, 108 Ringed Plover, 66 Dunlin, 15 Whimbrel, four Black-tailed Godwit, three Greenshank and singles of Turnstone and Common Sandpiper. Offshore an Arctic Skua was feeding with 235 Sandwich, 12 Common and a Roseate Tern. Elsewhere a migrants included single Whinchat and Wheatear, seven Willow, two Garden and two Sedge Warbler.

An adult Roseate Tern was feeding offshore during the afternoon with 137 Sandwich and 12 Common Tern. Migrants included a Whinchat on Warren Point, 11 Blackcap, nine Willow, four Garden and two Sedge Warbler. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary, an adult Mediterranean and a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull were on the beach and waders included 37 Ringed Plover, 18 Dunlin, 10 Sanderling and a Greenshank.

Seawatching up to 8.30am produced three Balearic Shearwater, three Arctic and a Great Skua along with a feeding group of 277 Shag. During the afternoon another Balearic Shearwater and two Great Skua flew south and an influx of terns comprised 130+ Sandwich, 50+ Common, seven Arctic. an adult and juvenile Roseate and two Black Tern, the first of the year. Elsewhere a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was on the beach, a Cuckoo was on Warren Point and the Slavonian Grebe and a Greenshank were in the estuary.

A fall of migrants included a good site count of five Sedge Warbler all at the Main Pond with two Whinchat, 17 Willow Warbler, 16 Chiffchaff, 15 Whitethroat, eight Reed Warbler, six Blackcap and two Garden Warbler also on site. Elsewhere waders included 43 Ringed Plover, 32 Sanderling, five Dunlin and a Knot.

A Nuthatch, the first of the year for this barely annual migrant was in Tamarisks along the Dune Ridge briefly before headed towards Warren Pont early morning, other migrants included 16 Willow Warbler, 16 Chiffchaff, 12 Blackcap, 10 Whitethroat and seven Reed Warbler. Elsewhere two Great Skua were offshore, a Knot was with the regular waders and Moorhen have broods at both the Dune and Golf Course ponds.

The highlight of the day was non avian, with the first Jay of the year, which moved through the site mid morning, a distant second. Other migrants included 16 Chiffchaff, 12 Blackcap, 11 Whitethroat, six Willow Warbler and three Wheatear. In the estuary there were 171 Sandwich and five Common Tern, 435 Curlew, 154 Redshank, 36 Ringed Plover, 29 Dunlin, a Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere the juvenile Buzzard was again roosting by the Main Pond.

The surprise of the day was an immature (Southern) Red Bishop with Greenfinch around the Main Pond, the third site record. Other more typical migrants included a Wheatear, two Garden and six Willow Warbler. In the estuary there were 71 Sandwich and two Common Tern with two Mediterranean Gull.

Four Balearic Shearwater were offshore with just eight Common Scoter and four Mediterranean Gull (3 ad & juv). Waders included 45 Sanderling, 19 Dunlin, 15 Whimbrel and a Greenshank. Elsewhere nine Willow Warbler, nine Chiffchaff and eight Blackcap were onsite.

August 2010