Dawlish Warren: Latest Bird Sightings

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A juvenile Spotted Redshank was on Finger Point briefly mid morning, the first record of the year. Counts from the estuary included 120 Sandwich and eight Common Tern, 60+ Ringed Plover, 33 Sanderling, 30+ Dunlin, 15 Knot, 12 Bar and seven Black-tailed Godwit, 12 Turnstone, 11 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, six Whimbrel, five Teal, two adult Mediterranean Gull, a Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Grounded migrants included five Whitethroat, four Wheatear, two Willow Warbler, single Garden, Sedge and Reed Warbler, with two Meadow Pipit, a Tree Pipit and a Grey Wagtail. Elsewhere a Buzzard roosted on Warren Point, three Great-crested Grebe were offshore and a probable Long-tailed Skua flew distantly south mid evening.

A brief evening visit saw 28 Pale-bellied Brent Geese on Finger Point with four Whimbrel, two Black-tailed Godwit and a Knot also in the estuary Elsewhere three Wheatear were again on site.

A Black Tern was offshore early morning with 60 Sandwich and 25 Common Tern with single Arctic and Great Skua, it was much quieter in the evening with a single Arctic Skua present. Elsewhere three Wheatear were on site with 37+ Sanderling, six Whimbrel, two Greylag Geese, a Mediterranean Gull and a Slavonian Grebe in the estuary.

The seawatching remnants from the August Bank Holiday headed south early morning with 12 Arctic Skua, two Black, a Roseate and an Arctic Tern off the seawall. Elsewhere the first Lesser Whitethroat of the autumn was on site with two Wheatear and a Garden Warbler, a Swift was overhead and in the estuary there were 11 Teal, two Greylag Geese, a Mediterranean Gull and wader counts included 1100+ Oystercatcher, 409 Curlew, 207 Redshank, 198 Ringed Plover, 106 Dunlin, 47 Sanderling, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, six Whimbrel, a Knot and a Greenshank.

August Bank Holiday is usually good for seawatching and today was no exception. The highlight was a site record count of five Long-tailed Skua between 12.50 and 15.00, all were juveniles and three headed over the dunes into the estuary. Also passing south between 08.00 and 16.35; 52+ Arctic, six Great and four Pomarine Skua, a Balearic Shearwater, a juvenile Little Gull, 100+ Common, at least six Arctic, two Black and a Little Tern.

Wader counts over high tide included 473 Curlew, c170 Ringed Plover, 108 Dunlin, 72 Redshank, c25 Sanderling and two Whimbrel, also in the estuary two Black and an Arctic Tern with c10 Common Tern. Elsewhere 270 Shag were offshore, 60 House Martin and 10 Swallow flew through and grounded migrants included none Wheatear and a Sedge Warbler.

Offshore 13+ Balearic Shearwater flew south with two Black, two Arctic and a Little Tern feeding close inshore mid afternoon. Elsewhere a Short-eared Owl was over the sea before eventually landing on Orcombe Point, the first August record for the recording area and two Sedge Warbler were on Warren Point.

The Slavonian Grebe was in the estuary with 126 Great Black-backed Gull, 82 Sandwich and 14 Common Tern, c70 Ringed Plover, 46 Dunlin, 12 Turnstone and eight Sanderling.

Counts from the estuary included 292 Curlew, 180+ Redshank, 130 Ringed Plover, 85+ Dunlin, 61 Sandwich Tern, 15 Common Tern, 14 Common Sandpiper, 12 Sanderling, seven Whimbrel and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere 255 Shag were offshore with migrants limited to three Willow Warbler and a Wheatear.

Counts from the estuary included 193 Redshank, 132 Ringed Plover, 82 Dunlin, 54 Sandwich Tern, 44 Sanderling, 15+ Whimbrel, 13+ Common Sandpiper, 12 Common Tern, 10 Turnstone, three Knot, two Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere six Wheatear, three Garden and three Willow Warbler were on site with a Coal Tit and a Tawny Owl in the Entrance Bushes.

A single Green Sandpiper remained in the estuary early morning with a Ruff, 157 Great Black-backed Gull, 181 Redshank, 58 Ringed Plover, 40 Dunlin, 17 Turnstone, five Snipe, two Common Sandpiper, a Kingfisher and the Slavonian Grebe. Elsewhere an Arctic Skua was offshore and migrants included a Redstart, 10 Whitethroat and a Sedge Warbler.

The overnight fog delivered a fall around the morning high tide with two or three Green Sandpiper, 11 Common Sandpiper, a Golden Plover, seven Little and 247+ Common Tern. Other wader counts included 377 Curlew, 90 Redshank, c40 Ringed Plover, c30 Dunlin, 23 Whimbrel, 22 Sanderling, 16 Turnstone, eight Black-tailed Godwit, two Ruff (evening tide) and single Curlew Sandpiper, Greenshank, Grey Plover and Knot. Also in the estuary a Kingfisher and four Mediterranean Gull. There was also an arrival of migrants on site with at least two Pied Flycatcher, 18+ Willow, six Reed, four Sedge and a Garden Warbler, nine Whitethroat, three Tree Pipit overhead and two Wheatear.

A Ruff over the evening tide was the first of the year, other waders included c300 Curlew, 126 Ringed Plover, 79 Dunlin, c25 Whimbrel, 13 Sanderling, 10+ Bar and eight Black-tailed Godwit, three Knot and a Common Sandpiper. Also in the estuary two Mediterranean Gull and the Slavonian Grebe. Offshore a juvenile Little Gull, two Great and an Arctic Skua flew south and elsewhere migrants included two Willow and a Garden Warbler, two Wheatear and a Swift with seven Buzzard and a Jay more local movers.

A female Pochard in flight with a female Tufted Duck over Shutterton Creek was the most unexpected sighting. Also in the estuary the first Wigeon of the autumn, the Slavonian Grebe, 206 Ringed Plover, 21 Bar-tailed Godwit, c20 Whimbrel, 20 Sanderling, eight Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank. Elsewhere three Arctic Skua and 34 Common Tern were offshore and a single Wheatear was the only migrant. Recent ringing returns have included an adult Sandwich Tern from a breeding colony on the Ythan Estuary in North East Scotland and several Great Black-backed Gull. One recent juvenile was from the breakwater at Portland Harbour and another Yellow OJ4 was rung on the nest at the island of Brecqhou off Sark in the Channel Islands in May 2009 and has been recorded at the Warren in October 2010, August-October 2011 and now August 2012.

Seawatching during the morning produced two Balearic Shearwater, 163 Gannet, c90 Kittiwake and singles of Pomarine, Great and Arctic Skua, also offshore a juvenile Little Gull. In the estuary there were at least nine Curlew Sandpiper, c200 Ringed Plover,120+ Sandwich and 30+ Common Tern, 27 Sanderling,11+ Whimbrel, three Knot, a Greenshank and the Slavonian Grebe.

Seawatching mid morning after the rain produced two Black Tern, 106 Gannet, 10 Manx Shearwater and an Arctic Skua, also offshore a juvenile Little Gull, 112 Sandwich and 24 Common Tern. Elsewhere 188 Great Black-backed and two Mediterranean Gull were in the estuary and over the evening tide there were 27 Knot, 24 Whimbrel and three Grey Plover.

Counts from the estuary included 1151 Oystercatcher, 470 Curlew, 162 Redshank, 139 Dunlin, 58 Sanderling, 20 Turnstone, 16 Whimbrel, three Curlew Sandpiper and a Grey Plover. Also present the Slavonian Grebe, an adult winter Mediterranean Gull and 121 Canada Geese with two Bar-headed and a Barnacle Goose. Elsewhere two Jay were in the Entrance Bushes along with 12 Blackcap and a Garden Warbler.

Wader counts from the estuary included 360 Ringed Plover, 171 Dunlin, 71 Sanderling, 14 Turnstone and eight Curlew Sandpiper with 183 Sandwich and 21 Common Tern and 140 Great Black-backed Gull. Elsewhere five Arctic and a Great Skua were offshore.

An adult Roseate Tern was in front of the hide with 175+ Sandwich and 20+ Common Tern, also in the estuary an adult Mediterranean Gull, the Slavonian Grebe and the first three Teal of the autumn. Waders included three moulting adult Curlew Sandpiper, c460 Curlew, 412 Ringed Plover, 140 Dunlin, 63+ Sanderling, 10+ Whimbrel, a Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank. Elsewhere the first Pied Flycatcher since May 2010 was in trees behind the Main Pond, three Wheatear were on Warren Point, a Garden Warbler was by the Tractor Compound and 238 Shag were offshore.

Two Balearic Shearwater flew south early morning with a juvenile Roseate Tern and a Great Skua, with a second early afternoon. Wader counts included 289+ Ringed Plover, 203 Dunlin, 53+ Sanderling, eight Bar-tailed Godwit, three Turnstone, a juvenile Knot and a Grey Plover, also in the estuary a second winter Mediterranean Gull, 143+ Great Black-backed Gull, 190+ Sandwich and 20+ Common Tern. Migrants were limited to a couple of Wheatear and a Willow Warbler.

A small fall included 10 Blackcap, seven Whitethroat, six Reed and five Sedge Warbler with two Wheatear in the Wryneck Plain and a Coal Tit also in the Entrance Bushes. Wader counts included 339+ Ringed Plover, 235+ Dunlin, c40 Sanderling, two Turnstone and a Grey Plover, also in the estuary c70 Great Black-backed Gull, c140 Sandwich and 21+ Common Tern.

Wader counts included 236 Ringed Plover, 162 Redshank, 81 Dunlin, 40 Sanderling and eight Turnstone, with an adult Mediterranean Gull, 160 Sandwich and 43 Common Tern also in the estuary. Elsewhere the first Kingfisher of the year flew over Warren Point and migrants included nine Whitethroat and four Willow Warbler, a record count of 17 Wren was however presumably made up of local birds.

Wader counts in the evening included 270+ Ringed Plover, 162 Redshank, 120+ Dunlin, 30+ Sanderling, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10+ Whimbrel, a Knot and a Greenshank. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe and nine Common Tern. Elsewhere a Garden Warbler was in the Entrance Bushes and a Swift flew over.

Wader numbers were very similar to yesterday with 933 Oystercatcher, 207 Ringed Plover, 153 Redshank, 52 Dunlin, 21 Sanderling, 17 Bar-tailed Godwit, 10+ Whimbrel, five Snipe, four Turnstone, a Knot and a Greenshank. Also in the estuary nine Common Tern.

A Balearic Shearwater headed south offshore early morning along with three Arctic Skua. A juvenile Little Ringed Plover was briefly in the Bight with wader counts including 231 Ringed Plover, 230 Curlew, 153 Redshank, 84 Dunlin, 34 Sanderling, 20+ Whimbrel, 10+ Bar and five Black-tailed Godwit, four Turnstone, two Common Sandpiper, the first autumn Snipe, a Knot and a Greenshank. Also in the estuary 140 Sandwich and eight Common Tern, 52 Great Black-backed Gull, the Slavonian Grebe and two adult Mediterranean Gull. A small fall of migrants included single Garden and Sedge Warbler with 10+ Whitethroat, seven Blackcap, five Reed Warbler, five Willow Warbler and three Wheatear. The highlight though was a Nuthatch briefly behind the Main Pond the first of the year for this barely annual visitor.

Offshore five Arctic Skua were present, three south early and two lingering late pm, also south 80+ Manx Shearwater, with 44 Common Tern and 42 Common Scoter also present. Wader counts over high tide increased with 167 Ringed Plover, 130 Dunlin, 54 Sanderling, 30 Whimbrel, 13 Bar and a Black-tailed Godwit, nine Turnstone, three Common Sandpiper, a Knot and a Greenshank. Also in the estuary the Slavonian Grebe, 68 Great Black-backed and a Mediterranean Gull. Elsewhere 40+ Swift and 25+ House Martin flew through between the heavy showers.

A Balearic Shearwater and two Pomarine Skua headed south early morning with eight Common Tern and the Slavonian Grebe in the estuary.

A Balearic Shearwater headed south offshore in the evening with c30 Manx Shearwater, 37+ Common Tern, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and four distant skua sp, an Arctic Skua was present early morning. Elsewhere the Slavonian Grebe and two adult Mediterranean Gull in the estuary with 57+ Ringed Plover, 30 Dunlin, c30 Whimbrel, c25 Sanderling, nine Bar-tailed Godwit and a Knot.

An early Pintail was in Shutterton Creek with two juvenile Yellow-legged Gull also present over the evening high tide. Elsewhere 25+ Common Tern were offshore and two juvenile Redstart were still by the Visitor Centre.